What 64 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Frontier

On January 25, 2024 my son was driving this truck and hit a dog on the highway. His driver side airbag deployed, the driver side seatbelt would not retract, and there was some minor body damage. The engine of the vehicle is fine and completely operational. Since then, we have been waiting for repairs to be made. Per USAA, repairs will be approx $5000 or less. The vehicle is worth over $12,000 so they decided to repair it. The problem is that part number 98820-ZP78A (air bag control module) is no longer being manufactured by Nissan. All other parts, including the *actual* air bag can still be purchased from Nissan, but they are not making the sensor we need to fix this vehicle. We are not the only ones who cannot obtain this part.

NHTSA ODI 11585943

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CORNER POST ON A FARM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IMPACT MOVED THE POST A COUPLE OF INCHES INTO THE FARM. ONLY THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SOME CUTS, BRUISES, AND SORENESS TO HIS ENTIRE BODY. THE CONTACT WAS UNCONSCIOUS BRIEFLY AND SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BY THE FARM OWNER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND DEEMED TOTALED DUE TO THE SIDE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT REPURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT CALLED ADA NISSAN AT 580-332-2233 (LOCATED AT 420 LONNIE ABBOTT BLVD, ADA, OK 74820) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE MATTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11256867

THE BRAKE PEDAL LOST ALL PRESSURE AND BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER HITTING SOME SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS CAUSED A COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. EVEN AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOLLOWING THIS COLLISION, MASTER CYLINDER REPLACEMENT, AND FULL BRAKE SERVICE, THIS ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. SMALL ROAD BUMPS MAKE THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY NON-FUNCTIONAL.

NHTSA ODI 11123947

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT IT WAS HARD AND FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE VIA EMAIL. NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11013734

MYSELF AND THREE KIDS AND DOG HAD BEEN ON A MILD 4 WHEEL DRIVE ROAD HAVING A LITTLE COOK OUT AND HIKE. WE WERE COMING HOME ON A SMOOTH MAINTAINED COUNTY ROAD GOING AND COMING TO STOP BY A STREAM. I THINK MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, WE WERE MAYBE GOING 20 MILES AN HOUR WHEN MY SIDE AIRBAGS EXPLODED. SEAT AIR BAGS AND FRONT AIRBAGS FORTUNATELY DID NOT EXPLODE. I RECEIVED MILD BURNS AND BRUISES ON MY FACE. MY 6 Y.O. RED, HURT ON HIS CHEST. 11 Y.O. LOST HIS HEARING TEMPORARILY AND RED STINGING EAR. OTHER CHILD, 8, UNINJURED AS SHE WAS BENDING OVER PUTTING ON HER SHOES AS WE WERE COMING TO A STOP, BUT IS AFRAID TO SIT UP STRAIGHT IN A CAR NOW. WANTS TO LAY DOWN ON THE SEAT ALL THE TIME. WE HAD TO CUT OURSELVES OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH OUR JACK KNIVES. WE HAD NO CELL PHONE SERVICE AND HAD TO DRIVE HOME 45 MINUTES WITH NO SEAT BELTS AND THEY LOCKED UP. I CAN NOT EVEN START TO DESCRIBE HOW SCARY IT WAS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT. 2011 NISSAN FRONTIER WITH A 6 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF FIXING IT. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS HOW THIS CAN BE. NISSAN IS NOW LOOKING IN TO THE 'LITTLE BROWN BOX'. WE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10419941

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE 805 FREEWAY WHEN MY AIRCONDITIONER LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON THE DASH BOARD. THEN I LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE AND BRAKES. ALL POWER WAS LOST. I HAD TO MERGE ON TO THE 8 WEST FREEWAY AND I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO USE MY HANDBRAKE TO SLOW DOWN AND COME TO REST ON THE SHOULDER. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, WE COULD SMELL BURNING AND THEN NOTICED THERE WAS FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE AREA COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. THE CAR THEN WAS QUICKLY ENGULFED BY FLAMES AND DESTROYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10398455