Most common 2016 Nissan Frontier problems
Share of the 43 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Frontier complaints by model year
Best Frontier years: 2015, 2018, 2021. Years to avoid: 2022, 2023, 2006, 2007, 2005. Compare all years →
2016 Nissan Frontier recalls (1)
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Frontier V6 vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to March 7, 2016. The starter motor wire harness may have been installed in an incorrect position, allowing the starter harness terminal to contact the heat shield and result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reposition the starter wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
What 2016 Nissan Frontier owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle air bags warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the air bag system was disconnected under the passenger's side dashboard. The system was reconnected, and the failure was remedied. The contact stated that the failure had recently reoccurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 90,632.
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
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.
The throttle on the truck will fail to accelerate then will surge forward. Other times it is as if the truck engine is trying to quit running . Today I stopped by the dealership and they found no dcts on the computer, after test driving the truck 10 mi. No problems found. But this is an intermittent problem. After this test the truck did it again going home stall then surge forward ( could do it in FWD or rev) will continue to get dealer to test by leaving truck there a few days. Just wondering if any others out there. Some say these trucks have sensitive accelerators this is not sensitive. This always happens when the truck has been stopped like at a red light when starting to accelerate again but cannot be predicted and 80% of the time it won't happen. The accelerator or the throttle body I believe is the problem but again no dtcs were found????. …
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
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.
2016 Nissan Frontier engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 23 / 21 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Nissan Frontier a good car?
Based on 43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Frontier rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Frontier at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Nissan Frontier?
The air bags — 10 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (8) and engine & cooling (8).
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Frontier have?
There is 1 recall for the 2016 Nissan Frontier, the most recent from March 31, 2016 (front underhood). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Frontier?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2018 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2023, 2006, 2007 and 2005. See the full Nissan Frontier years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Nissan Frontier problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 71% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.