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2009 Nissan FrontierProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 37 owner complaints about the 2009 Nissan Frontier, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-067 the manufacturer reports only 16% of affected cars repaired.

2009 Nissan Frontier
72
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years60% below the Frontier median · #25 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 16%Owner complaints372 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage117kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 3, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Nissan Frontier has problems

37 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags90
Power train81
Service brakes, hydraulic40
Fuel system, gasoline40
Structure30
Suspension31
Wheels20
Engine21
Visibility20
6 other systems70

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2009 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.

16%repaired · 2025 Q3

Air bags: frontal

Recall 23V-067 · Feb 10, 2023 · 404,690 vehicles · 65,172 repaired

Risk. A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 08V-690 · Dec 29, 2008 · 242,720 vehicles

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Best & worst years

2009 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
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2009 Nissan Frontier, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Transmission FailuresDP12004 · closed Oct 22, 2016
    No recall
In owners' words

What Frontier owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11553464 · Nov 3, 2023 · 170,000 miles
MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. MY MECHANIC NOTICED A RECALL, CAMPAIGN ID R0807, BUT THE RECALL ONLY AFFECTS VEHICLES REGISTERED IN 'SALT' STATES. I LIVE IN VA BUT TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY IN PA, MARYLAND, DC FOR WORK FOR MANY YEARS. SINCE MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE THAT THE RECALL WAS…
Complaint 11354855 · Sep 14, 2020 · 72,000 miles
MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE FRONT AIR BAG CRASH ZONE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL IN EFFECT, BUT ONLY FOR VEHICLES IN 'SALT' STATES. MY VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN VA, BUT I TRAVELED IN PA, MD, AND DC FOR SEVERAL YEARS FOR WORK, SO MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED ON THE EXISTING…
Complaint 11351610 · Aug 27, 2020

Own a 2009 Frontier?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.