Research · Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD

2022 Nissan FrontierRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 112 owner complaints for the 2022 Nissan Frontier. Most complaints involve forward collision avoidance (33) and electrical system (31). The EPA rates it 19–20 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Combined MPG
19–20mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Oct 2022
Owner complaints
112
Top: forward collision avoidance
Fuel cost / yr
$3,100est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Back over prevention: display function

Over-the-air fixFree remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Titan, Titan XD, Frontier, and 2021-2022 Rogue vehicles. The in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system may continuously reboot when the vehicle is restarted, which can result in an inoperative rearview display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Oct 13, 2022NHTSA 22V772000

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

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.

Power trainReported Sep 7, 2022NHTSA 22V671000

Back over prevention: camera

Over-the-air fixFree remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rogue, 2022 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Titan rental vehicles. When the Sirius XM subscription is set to "Not Subscribed," it may cause the infotainment head unit to reboot, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Jul 21, 2022NHTSA 22V527000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

112 complaints filed with NHTSA · Oct 2021 – Sep 2026
  1. Forward collision avoidance33
  2. Electrical system31
  3. Power train24
  4. Service brakes18
  5. Vehicle speed control13
  6. Seats9
  7. Engine6
  8. Back over prevention4
  9. Air bags3

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

By model year

Complaints for each Frontier model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1998131
199987
2000205
2001143
2002139
200377
200466
2005532
2006617
2007520
2008136
200937
201059
201164
201280
201348
201442
201533
201644
201738
201825
201928
202023
202120
2022112
202368
202422
202510
202611
Crashes reported
11
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
3
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Forward collision avoidance

33 reports2 crashes
“After some driving my Forward Driving Aids light comes on showing the Front Sensor is blocked which it isn't and my Radio sounds like static which will stop if I turn the radio off then back on again but does it multiple times while driving also gets very staticy when a phone is plugged in to charge.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2026Electrical system, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11748365

Electrical system

31 reports1 crash1 fire
“the truck is acquired new with a factory installed 110 Inverter and 2 outlets, one inside the passenger compartment, and one in the truck bed. i was investigating issues i have with some devices not working properly when use with the truck supplied 110v power.. i used a residential outlet tester on each outlet and found that the polarity of the outlet inside the passenger compartment had the hot & neutral lines swapped, creating a potentially dangerous situation.. if one were to have something plug into both outlets and touch both items you could get voltage across the body.. also it is possible to get voltage from an item plugged into the incorrect outlet to the vehicle frame ( ground). also even though they are 3 prog outlets, the actual ground plug does not seem to be connected to anything, the tester shows an open ground.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 29, 2026Electrical systemODI 11767820

Power train

24 reports4 crashes
“The light turned green. The truck got up to fourth gear and slipped all the lights on the dash lit up so I took it to the first transmission shop where they said transmission just went out at 75,140 miles pretty much the exact mileage for my first service according to the book in the glove box I took it to Nissan dealership where they said it was the shift selector needed to be changed for a total of $1600. I had it done. I drove it a half a mile down the road and it did it again. They said they drove it over 14 miles with no problem but my odometer says different now they’re telling me I need a new transmission for $9214.03. I’ve done a lot of research and googled other people having the same problem. I called Nissan corporation they offered to pay 60% for a new transmission. This tells me they know something is wrong with it. After taxes I will have spent over $11,800 for a new transmission at 75,000 miles. This should not have happened.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2026Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11719660
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engines
3.8L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S9)
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Frontier 2WD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182420$3,100444
Frontier 4WD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
172119$3,300458
  • Frontier 2WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L
    18 city · 24 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Frontier 4WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L
    17 city · 21 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

4 tested variants
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC 4WD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
3 of 5
Rollover risk
20.4%
Overall
— / 5
Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC 4WD
Frontal crash
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Rollover
3 of 5
Rollover risk
20.4%
Overall
4 / 5
Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC RWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
3 of 5
Rollover risk
20.4%
Overall
— / 5
Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC RWD
Frontal crash
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Rollover
3 of 5
Rollover risk
20.4%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 9, 2026Vehicle 16823Vehicle 16822Vehicle 16807
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2022 Frontier questions

How many recalls does the 2022 Nissan Frontier have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2022 Nissan Frontier problems?

Owners filed 112 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are forward collision avoidance (33), electrical system (31), power train (24). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2022 Nissan Frontier get?

The EPA rates the 2022 Nissan Frontier at 19–20 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2022 Nissan Frontier?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2022 Nissan Frontier 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 9, 2026