Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Nissan Frontier problems

Owners filed 143 complaints about the 2001 Nissan Frontier with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and May 2024. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (25).

Complaints
143
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel system, gasoline25
  2. Engine and engine cooling23
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic16
  4. Electrical system14
  5. Air bags11
  6. Suspension8
  7. Power train8
  8. Seat belts8
  9. Visibility7
  10. Fuel/propulsion system6
  11. Steering5
  12. Equipment5
  13. Vehicle speed control4
  14. Tires4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20001
200113
200224
200320
200416
200514
20068
200711
20084
20092
201010
20112
20124
20133
20142
20152
20161
20173
20181
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel system, gasoline

25 reports2 related recalls
“I PURCHASED MY NISSAN FRONTIER FROM A NISSAN DEALER "AS IS" WHICH WAS FINE TIL THE FIRST TIME I FILLED IT UP. THE SMELL OF GAS MADE ME PULL OVER RIGHT AWAY. COULDN'T FIND OR SEE A LEAK BUT SURE COULD SMELL IT. SHORTLY AFTER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON. HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT TO FIND FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. I SEE I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I'M ON S.S.D. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. TRIED TO LOCATE A NEW TANK FOR THE TRUCK. CAN'T FIND ONE. I CAN'T SEE PUTTING A RECYCLED DEFECT IN. ANYONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM NEEDS TO CALL THE NHTSA SO WE CAN GET THE RECALL STARTED. NOW NISSAN CHANGED THE TANK AND ADDED ACCESS PANEL BEHIND THE BACK SEAT ON NEWER MODELS. SO I DON'T FILL MY TRUCK AND IT STILL SMELLS OF GAS BUT NOT AS BAD. HOPEFULLY HELP IS AROUND THE CORNER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10550944

Engine and engine cooling

23 reports1 crash3 fires
“CAR WITH 55,000 OVERHEATS & SHUT DOWN ON FREEWAY. WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, 3 WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. TWO DAYS AFTER RECEIVING IT BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, CAR OVERHEATS AGAIN. CRACKED MANIFOLD WAS ALSO DISCOVERED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2006Engine and engine coolingODI 10157518

Service brakes, hydraulic

16 reports4 crashes
“CONNECTION FOR ABS(G SENSOR). LIGHT WILL COME ON AND BYPASS SOME OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS. HAS BEEN FIXED BEFORE AND IT RECURS . CAN FEEL DIFFERENCE IN BRAKING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2010Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical systemODI 10359903

Electrical system

14 reports4 fires
“MY CAR WOULDN'T START. BATTERY WAS FINE..PASSENGERS HAD RECENTLY SAID THAT THEY NOTICED A FUEL SMELL, BUT I CAN'T SMELL (A PHYSICAL HANDICAP OF MINE).; CALLED AAA- IT WAS THEN THAT WE NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK, THE FUEL PUMP WIRE THAT SUPPLIES POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS BROKEN. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE. CALLED NISSAN DEALER AND HE SAID 'YOUR CAR IS OLD, JUST REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. BUT, THE DESIGN OF THE GAS TANK IS SUCH THAT THERE IS A 'GULLY' WHERE WATER GETS TRAPPED ON THE DESIGN OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. NISSAN REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT IS CAUSING THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANKS TO CORRODE; AND THIS IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE! AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER WHO SPECIALIZES IN METALS, IT IS DEFINITELY A POOR DESIGN; I HAVE OWNED AND WORKED ON CARS MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A FUEL TANK CORRODE THROUGH. ALL OF THE LOCAL MECHANICS/GARAGES IN MY AREA TELL ME "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN NISSAN FRONTIERS- WE FIX THEM ALL OF THE TIME." *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2013Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10495059

Air bags

11 reports7 crashes1 fire
“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH BLINKED ON AND OFF. PRIVATE GARAGE AND DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED FAULTY PART AS A CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WAS TOLD PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. MANUFACTURER DID NOT MAKE ENOUGH PARTS FOR REPLACEMENT. NOT AVAILABLE NEW OR USED. I ASKED THE DEALER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. NO RESPONSE. SO VEHICLE NO LONGER HAS WORKING AIRBAGS. IS THE MANUFACTURER NOT RESPONSIBLE TO BACK UP THE SAFETY OF THEIR VEHICLE AIRBAGS?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2015Air bagsODI 10762313

Suspension

8 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN PROPERLY AND WAS STIFF. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULD NOT RETURN BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2019Steering, SuspensionODI 11292026
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.