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What 78 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Frontier King Cab

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (78)Crash / fire / injury (6)Airbags (23)Transmission & drivetrain (20)Engine (12)Body & structure (7)Electrical system (6)Seat belts (5)Speed control (5)Suspension (3)Seats (2)Wheels (2)

3 of 78 complaints match · Suspension · clear filters

Dec 6, 2018Suspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NISSAN OF SALEM (33 MAIN ST, SALEM, NH) AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LEAF SPRINGS HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

NHTSA ODI 11156483

Apr 12, 2017Suspension

NOTICED CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. REAR END BECAME LOOSE AND JUMPY OVER SMALL BUMP SIN THE ROAD AT EVEN LOW SPEEDS. INSPECTION AT SHOP DETERMINED THAT BOTH LEAF SPRINGS WERE CRACKED (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). BROKEN SECTION OF THE LEAF SPRING HAD SLIPPED OUT OF LINE WITH THE OTHER LEAFS AND WAS JUTTING OUT UNDERNEATH THE BED OF THE TRUCK MECHANICS STATED THAT TOYOTA TACOMA'S RECENTLY HAD THE SAME SHOCK RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 10972005

Mar 25, 2014SuspensionWheels

THE FRONTIER 2012 (NEW CAR) START LOOSING THE ALIGNMENT, THE DEALER WORKED THREE TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, CHANGES THE ORIGINAL TIRES FOR A NEW 4 TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. IN 17 MONTHS THE CAR DAMAGE 6 NEW TIRES CHANGED BY THE DEALER DUE MY COMPLAINTS AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO ATTEND MY CAR ANYMORE NO MATTER THE WARRANTY CAR. I APPLIED TO THE LEMON LAW, BECAUSE THE ENGINEER SEND BY NISSAN SAID THAT THE CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY. BUT SOME MECHANICS TELL ME THE CAR PROBLEM IS IN THE SUSPENSION, AT THIS MOMENT I CONTINUE WAITING FOR THE FLORIDA LEMON LAW RESULTS, BUT VERY AFRAID ABOUT THE INSECURE FEELING AT DRIVING MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10574843

Working with the data? Download all 78 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Nissan Frontier King Cab verdict →