Nissan Frontier Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. 116 of the 892 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Nissan Frontier (13%) name the engine, near the 19.4% median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2008, 2012 and 2023.
Engine complaints
116
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
13%
of 892 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Nissan Frontier engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008WORST | 35 | 25.7% | 1 | — | 14 |
| 2009 | 2 | 5.4% | 1 | — | 11 |
| 2010 | 9 | 15.3% | 0 | — | 11 |
| 2011 | 6 | 9.4% | 0 | — | 10 |
| 2012WORST | 14 | 17.5% | 1 | 11V592000 | 11 |
| 2013 | 4 | 8.3% | 0 | — | 13 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 10 |
| 2015 | 2 | 6.1% | 0 | — | 12 |
| 2016 | 8 | 18.2% | 1 | — | 13 |
| 2017 | 4 | 10.5% | 1 | — | 13 |
| 2018 | 1 | 4% | 0 | — | 11 |
| 2019 | 2 | 7.1% | 0 | — | 10 |
| 2020 | 5 | 21.7% | 0 | — | 8 |
| 2021 | 3 | 14.3% | 0 | — | 6 |
| 2022 | 6 | 5.4% | 1 | — | 11 |
| 2023WORST | 13 | 19.1% | 2 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 8.7% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Nissan Frontier engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 116 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Nissan Frontier years to avoid for the engine
2008 Nissan Frontier
35 engine complaints (25.7% of the year's 136). Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.
2012 Nissan Frontier
14 engine complaints (17.5% of the year's 80). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving. Covered by engine recall 11V592000.
2023 Nissan Frontier
13 engine complaints (19.1% of the year's 68). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Nissan Frontier years to avoid.
Nissan Frontier engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Nissan Frontier model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 11V592000 · 2011-12-19 · 2012 models
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS…
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Nissan Frontier have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 35 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008 Nissan Frontier, 25.7% of all 136 complaints for that year. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (17 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2012 Nissan Frontier have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 14 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Frontier, 17.5% of all 80 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (4 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 11V592000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2023 Nissan Frontier have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 13 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2023 Nissan Frontier, 19.1% of all 68 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (9 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Nissan Frontier years have the most engine complaints?
2008 (35), 2012 (14) and 2023 (13), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Nissan Frontier engine problems?
In the 116 engine complaints, owners most often describe stalling or shutting off while driving (31%), overheating or coolant loss (25%) and misfire or check-engine light (18.1%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Nissan Frontier model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration