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What 42 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Nissan Frontier

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 (42)Crash / fire / injury (4)Airbags (10)Engine (8)Fuel system (8)Body & structure (4)Brakes (3)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Electrical system (2)Steering (2)Wheels (2)Driver assistance (1)

8 of 42 complaints match · Engine · clear filters

Jun 28, 2024Engine

Head gasket blew and it warped the heads at 98,000 miles Replace motor with a 51,000 mile motor and less than 2 months later, motor is knocking inside with broken peices of the motor. I have to replace it again.

NHTSA ODI 11597546

May 25, 2022Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11466030

Nov 21, 2020Engine

ENGINE VIBRATION AT LOW RPM THAT CAN'T BE EXPLAINED BY SEVERAL MECHANICS.

NHTSA ODI 11375755

Nov 7, 2020EngineFuel system

ENGINE HESITATES OR STALLS ON ACCELERATION. WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP ENGINE HESITATES TO NEAR STALL NO MATTER HOW HARD OR FAR YOU PRESS GAS PEDAL. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. INTERMITTENT ISSUE, NO FAILURE CODES WHEN TESTED. IF ENGINE DOESN'T STALL, VEHICLE IS AT A STAND STILL EVEN WITH GAS PEDAL TO FLOOR OR PUMPING GAS PEDAL. IS HAPPENING ALL THE TIME, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. NEARLY HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MANY REPORTS OF SAME ISSUE, BUT NO SOLUTION. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11373557

Aug 15, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TRANSMISSION AND BRAIN REPAIR BY DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY 20017, AND OVERHEATING PROBLEM DUE TO RADIATOR IN 2020 AFTER EXPIRE OF WARRANTY, $1000 OUT OF POCKET REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 11349599

Jan 17, 2019Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

IN MOTION, PULLING INTO PARKING STALL, WHEN SOMETHING STARTED TO SMELL LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE, STARTED TO SEE FLAMES COMING FROM MOTOR. CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. POLICE CASE #19-0773 *DT *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11170646

Jan 13, 2019Engine

I HAVE REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, TENSOR AND PULLEY THREE TIMES AND, AFTER ONE WEEK START TO DO THE SAME NOISE. AT THE BEGINNING ONLY IN THE MORNING, BUT FEW DAYS LATER ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN IS ON MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11166687

May 6, 2018Engine

WHEN THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS PRESSED THE ENGINE DOES NOT REACT IMMEDIATELY. VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. YOU NEVER KNOW HOW LONG IT IS GOING TO TAKE FOR THE ENGINE TO RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) AND ACCELERATE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE SELLING DEALER 2 TIMES FOR THIS, THEY CANNOT "DUPLICATE" THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11092116

Working with the data? Download all 42 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 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 2016 Nissan Frontier verdict →