Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Nissan Frontier problems

Owners filed 37 complaints about the 2009 Nissan Frontier with NHTSA between Jan 2009 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (9).

Complaints
37
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags9
  2. Power train8
  3. Fuel system, gasoline4
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  5. Suspension3
  6. Structure3
  7. Engine2
  8. Wheels2
  9. Visibility2
  10. Tires2
  11. Fuel/propulsion system1
  12. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  13. Service brakes1
  14. Equipment1

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 9, 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
20092
201010
20111
20121
20131
20142
20153
20162
20172
20183
20192
20205
20211
20221
20231

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

Air bags

9 reports2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated the air bag warning light had been illuminated for two years. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2023Air bagsODI 11553464

Power train

8 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT DETECTED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KING WINDWARD NISSAN (45-568 KAMEHAMEHA HWY, KANEOHE, HI 96744, (808) 235-6433) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RADIATOR, TRANSMISSION, AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2019Power train, EngineFire reportedODI 11194711

Fuel system, gasoline

4 reports
“WHILE DRIVING, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED WITH CODE P0448. AFTER CODE APPEARED, CANNOT FILL UP GAS TANK WITHOUT GAS SPILLING OUT. CALLED DEALER AND THEY SAID THIS IS UNRELATED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2011Fuel system, gasolineODI 10441125

Service brakes, hydraulic

4 reports
“WEAK CLUTCH 2009 NISSAN FRONTIER SE 4X4 4.0 LITRE, 6 SPEED MAN TRANSMISSION. 10,331 MILES AND CLUTCH SLIPS IN 3RD, 4TH, 5TH, 6TH AND LITTLE NO ENGAGEMENT IN REVERSE. SLIPS ON SUDDEN ACCELERATION. MANUFACTURER ALWAYS BLAME CUSTOMER'S ON FAULT. TRUCK WAS NOT ABUSED BY ME. MANUFACTURER IS NOT ADMITTING FAILURE. IF YOU SEARCH FOR NISSAN FRONTIER CLUTCH PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET, YOU WILL SEE, THAT THE SAME POWERPLANT BELONGS TO A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA AND AT 13,000 AND THE 24,000 THIS PERSON HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AS WELL AS SLIPS. 2ND ISSUE, THE BRAKES ASSEMBLED ON MY TRUCK WERE MISSING ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT BRAKE PAD RETAINER SPRINGS. BRAKES PULL RIGHT AND DAMAGED RT ROTOR. REQUIRED MACHINE SHOP TO REPAIR LATERAL OUT OF ROUND. POSSIBLE CAUSE IS MISSING LOWER RETAINERS SPRINGS AND NOW DEVELOPED INTO STICKING CALIPERS. 3RD ISSUE. RATTLE NOISE FROM SUSPENSION AREA ON UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES OR MANHOLE LIDS AT SLOW SPEEDS. UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE WITH SUSPENSION BOTH LOADED AND UNLOADED. HAVE USED EVEN RUBBER MALLET TO NO AVAIL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2010Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, StructureODI 10334158

Suspension

3 reports1 crash1 related recall
“MY CONTROL ARMS ARE WORN AND I ONLY HAVE 55,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK. MY TIRES ARE WEARING AND THE FRONT END POPS, AND IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2019SuspensionODI 11228494

Structure

3 reports
“THE BRAKE PEDALS TRAVELS FURTHER DOWN THAN TOP OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IN WINTER WHEN WEARING WINTER BOOTS I HAD TO MAKE AN QUICK STOP TO AVOID A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THE STREET ON A CROSSWALK. I FOUND MYSELF DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME NEARLY HITTING PERSON. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS NOT AS SERIOUS. I CALLED DEALER AND NISSAN WITH NO SATISFACTION. I ALSO ASKED NON-DEALER SHOPS AND THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG AS FAR AS THEY COULD SEE. MY CONCLUSION IS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL, IN AN EMERGENCY, SHOULD NOT TRAVEL THAT FAR DOWN. [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2014Structure, Service brakesODI 10593851
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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