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2021 Nissan Frontier
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age — inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
17 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Nissan Frontier, plotted where owners report it happening.
Electrical system
24%4 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the con…”
Transmission & drivetrain
24%4 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V457000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair …”
Airbags
18%3 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“When someone is sitting in passenger seat the light for their airbag blinks, is on or off. So we are unsure if the airbag would in fact deploy if we were to be in a co…”
Fuel system
18%3 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Transmission in Park Nissan sent notice truck could roll away. Radio turns self on and off 2-3 times after starting vehicle no lights or messages show up Cell phone bl…”
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Power Train · 22V671000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Titan, 2020-2022 Frontier, and 2023 Z vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will perform the applicable repairs below, free of charge: Model Year 2020-2022 Frontier vehicles: reprogram Transmission Control Module (TCM) Model Year 2020-2022 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM and Engine Control Module (ECM) Model Year 2023 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM Model Year 2023 Z vehicles: reprogram TCM. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Power Train · 22V457000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will replace the transmission parking pawl pin, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22A2 R22A3.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Nissan FRONTIER beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Frontier model year scores →
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What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.