Research · Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD · 3 NHTSA variants

2025 Nissan FrontierRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 10 owner complaints for the 2025 Nissan Frontier. Most complaints involve steering (2) and wheels (2). The EPA rates it 18–21 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Combined MPG
18–21mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
3campaigns
Latest Jan 2026
Owner complaints
10
Top: steering
Fuel cost / yr
$2,950est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

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

Latches

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."

Latches/locks/linkagesReported Jan 21, 2026NHTSA 26V023000

Exterior lighting: software

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Frontier vehicles. Due to a software logic error, the daytime running lights may dim unexpectedly when the idle start-stop feature cycles the engine from off to on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Exterior lightingReported Aug 8, 2025NHTSA 25V508000

Back over prevention: software

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Frontier and Kicks vehicles. The center information display unit may display a blank screen when shifted into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Jun 4, 2025NHTSA 25V324000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

10 complaints filed with NHTSA · Apr 2025 – Oct 2026
  1. Steering2
  2. Wheels2
  3. Power train2
  4. Service brakes2
  5. Forward collision avoidance1
  6. Suspension1
  7. Back over prevention1
  8. Visibility/wiper1
  9. Other / unknown2

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
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
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

Steering

2 reports
“had my tires balanced but still shakes at highway speeds.without nissan addessing more damage will happen to other parts.i bought it used in september 2026”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2026Steering, Suspension, WheelsODI 11770280

Wheels

2 reports
“Vehicle vibrates at highway speeds starting at 65-70 mph and above. The vibration can be felt thought the steering wheel, after long periods of driving it leads to numb hands. The continuous vibration will cause premature damage to other systems of the vehicle (drive-train and fluid leaks).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2025Steering, WheelsODI 11653400

Power train

2 reports
“My 2025 Nissan Frontier SV with 4,300 miles is experiencing an ongoing drivetrain issue related to the driveshaft and transfer case. There is a defect related to these parts that results in the drivetrain binding causing the vehicle to have rough shifting and at times, lunge forward when braking to a stop due to the drivetrain binding and then releasing. This makes me weary to drive the vehicle because it may lunge forward and cause a collision or affect my ability to stop in a emergency. There is also an audible metal clunk shearing noise that accompanies this issue when the binding finally releases. My vehicle has not been at the dealership twice and there only solution is to grease the splines between the driveshaft and transfer case. This fix has shown to be a short lived temporary fix that last approximately 2,000 miles. The dealership admitted this is a widespread issue and that many owners are experiencing this issue and that Nissan does not have a fix for it. This has been an issue for over a year and there is tons of posts in forums and social media pages related to these newer model Nissan Frontiers having this issue. It seems Nissan is trying to…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2026Power trainODI 11766263
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 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
192421$2,950432
Frontier 4WD
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
172119$3,300470
Frontier 4WD PRO4X
Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
162018$3,450495
  • Frontier 2WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L
    19 city · 24 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Frontier 4WD
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L
    17 city · 21 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Frontier 4WD PRO4X
    Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.8 L
    16 city · 20 hwy · $3,450/yr
    18
    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
3 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
3 of 5
Rollover risk
20.4%
Overall
4 / 5
Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC RWD
Frontal crash
3 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
— / 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 20750Vehicle 20749Vehicle 20748
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

2025 Frontier questions

How many recalls does the 2025 Nissan Frontier have?

3 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 2025 Nissan Frontier problems?

Owners filed 10 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are steering (2), wheels (2), power train (2). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2025 Nissan Frontier get?

The EPA rates the 2025 Nissan Frontier at 18–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

How safe is the 2025 Nissan Frontier?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2025 Nissan Frontier 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 9, 2026