no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
2006 Nissan FrontierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 617 owner complaints about the 2006 Nissan Frontier, most often about the power train. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Nissan Frontier has problems
617 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
220Power train2 crash/fire/injury
174Fuel system, gasoline
82Engine2 crash/fire/injury
74Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
61Fuel/propulsion system
34Steering
31Electrical system
26Air bags
22Fuel system, other
8319 other systems10 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 220 | 2 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 174 | 0 |
| Engine | 82 | 2 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 74 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 61 | 0 |
| Steering | 34 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 31 | 1 |
| Air bags | 26 | 6 |
| Fuel system, other | 22 | 0 |
| 19 other systems | 83 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2006 Nissan Frontier recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Storage: auxillary tank
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
no report yet
Tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
Risk. THIS MAY RESULT IN A FUEL SPILL WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
103kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 209 power train complaints. 44% were reported before 100,000 miles.
7under 30k miles92under 100k miles117100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
35 owners mentioned a cost$4,237median
Middle half: $2,454 – $5,218
Fuel system, gasoline
21 owners mentioned a cost$400median
Middle half: $380 – $500
Engine
8 owners mentioned a cost$3,100median
Middle half: $1,061 – $4,250
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other Frontier year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Frontier median. How we score
'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Nissan Frontier, and the recalls they led to.
- Transmission FailuresNo recall
- Fuel smell and loss of motive powerNo recall
In owners' words
What Frontier owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
2 months after purchasing the vehicle (with 98,410 miles) it started to shutter around 40 and 60 mph. At a little over 100,000 miles it began to slip in 5th gear (overdrive). It has been getting worse in the last 1,000s. Both Nissan or the local dealer are willing to offer any financial assistance.
I was at work, Which is 100% depended on my vehicle, as I work in the oilfield, I was out in the middle of nowhere, when I was getting back into my vehicle, I turned the key and the vehicle would not even turnover, I was forced to walk 5 miles to get to a job site that cell phone service to make a…
ON 2/2/2019, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION CHECKED, BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS DATE I WAS EXPERIENCING ALOT OF JERKING AND OTHER ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER AAMCO TECHS LOOKED OVER MY TRANSMISSION, I WAS CONTACTED & INFORMED THAT I HAD A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR…
Own a 2006 Frontier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.