Problems · NHTSA complaints
2016 Nissan Frontier problems
Owners filed 44 complaints about the 2016 Nissan Frontier with NHTSA between Nov 2015 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (10).
Complaints
44
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags10
- Fuel/propulsion system8
- Engine8
- Structure4
- Steering3
- Power train3
- Service brakes3
- Wheels2
- Electrical system2
- Forward collision avoidance1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Seat belts1
- Suspension1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
5
5
6
6
7
1
1
4
5
1
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
10 reports2 crashes
“The airbag warning light is blinking and has been for approximately 9 months. I live in Salida, CO which does not have a Nissan Dealership to take my vehicle into for servicing. I recently saw an article on Fox 31 News pertaining to the same airbag malfunction and would like to know what to do about my problem.”
Fuel/propulsion system
8 reports
“I am experiencing a fuel pump issue that stalls the engine while driving. The issue will sometimes go away if I first loosen the fuel cap on the gas tank to relieve built up pressure but after driving for 10 to 15 minutes or so the vehicle will begin to jerk while accelerating then it will stall and cut off. I have to wait a few minutes once it cuts off and then I can start the engine up again and drive for another 10 to 15 minutes before the issue occurs again. The vehicle has over 120,000 miles on it and all parts are original to the vehicle.”
Engine
8 reports1 fire
“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.”
Structure
4 reports1 fire
“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”
Steering
3 reports2 crashes
“Front right half shaft/ CV joint. The accident resulted in the vehicle air bags deploying. with the amount of damage vehicle has been totaled When the component failed it caused the vehicle to cross two lanes of traffic before striking a temporary barrier in a construction zone. no. vehicle was totaled Inspected by Virginia State police trooper at accident scene. component was lying on the roadway. There was no indication of trouble prior to failure”
Power train
3 reports
“My 2016 Nissan Frontier is leaking axle grease from the driver side rear tire. The grease/oil got all over the brake pads, rotor, and emergency brake. This seems to be a very common issue that was supposed to have been resolved several models prior.”
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.