Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 22% | — |
| 2024 | 4 | 18% | — |
| 2023 | 15 | 23% | — |
| 2022 | 19 | 17% | 13,000 miles |
| 2021 | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 17% | 60,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 11% | 5,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 12% | 10,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 8% | 0 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 7% | 39,000 miles |
| 2015 | 2 | 6% | 60,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 5% | 55,000 miles |
| 2013 | 3 | 6% | 30,000 miles |
| 2011 | 13 | 20% | 76,000 miles |
| 2010 | 5 | 8% | 32,000 miles |
| 2009 | 5 | 14% | 3,000 miles |
| 2008 | 12 | 9% | 20,000 miles |
| 2007 | 10 | 2% | 66,000 miles |
| 2006 | 22 | 4% | 49,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 2% | 91,000 miles |
| 2004 | 6 | 9% | 109,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 9% | 61,000 miles |
| 2002 | 15 | 12% | 5,000 miles |
| 2001 | 15 | 11% | 43,000 miles |
| 2000 | 19 | 10% | 53,000 miles |
| 1999 | 6 | 8% | 60,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 4% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
We have a fleet of 2023-2025 Nissan Frontiers. Starting in December of 2024 we began having problems with the vehicles electrical system going wild and shutting the trucks down. It causes all of the lights to come on and the truck to stall and not restart, We did not realize that we had a problem until it happened to multiple vehicles over the last several months. A few of them were brought to the dealership where we were told they could not find any problems and just replaced the batteries. So, when some of the others did it, we just replaced the batteries ourselves. This week asked again if there was a known issue and were told Nissan only knows of a battery drain issue. These vehicles are shutting down sometimes while our people are driving them. They also try to restart themselves sometimes. They are automatically applying the breaks when this happens wile the ABS light comes on. …
On December 29th 2025 I was driving the vehicle in a residential area approximately 40 MPH. The Interior ABS warning lights illuminated. I could here a banging noise coming from the back of the Vehicle. I took the vehicle to a Nissan Dealership who inspected it and said the entire rear braking system including rotors bubs sensors and axle were damaged and needed to be replaced. The dealership stated the parking brake was engaged while the vehicle was being driven. Never has the parking brake on that vehicle been engaged manually since I purchased it 1 year ago. Cost to repair is $6000 not covered by warranty. Clearly driving a vehicle in a mountain region with a completely destroyed rear brake system is dangerous. A vehicle that inadvertently engages the emergency brake is dangerous. And even being able to operate the vehicle with the emergency brake engaged id dangerous.
April 2 I was driving to an appt got off on access road and as I pulled up behind another vehicle the acceleration was faster than the pressure on the pedal warranted and the emergency stop-braking warning came on. After it was safe to proceed to my destination I proceeded to a parking spot as I turned to pull in the vehicle rapidly accelerated on its on and jumped the side walk. I attempted to brake but the pedal went to the floor with no braking and the engine was red lining as we crashed. My passenger pushed the engine off button. Front passenger tire was sheered off. No air bag deployment and vehicle likely totalled.
I was at the post office on Redwood Road in South Jordan, in the dropoff mailbox lane. At the end of the lane is stop sign. The stop sign is for the traffic coming into and leaving the post office. I was sitting at the stop sign when I turned east towards Redwood Road, as I was pulling up behind a blue SUV, the Frontier lurched forward and the RPM's rev'd all the way up and the truck shot forward. I put my foot on the brake trying to stop the car but it hit the blue suv at the stop sign, that was waiting to turn onto Redwood Road, and proceeded forward at what felt like a high speed into a blue sedan turning into the post-office. With the second impact the airbags exploded and the Frontier continued east bound across the remaining lanes of north/south traffic heading towards a house across from the post office. …
I do not know what caused this to happen. There were no warning lights or messages. Prior to this incident the transmission would rev/speed up on its own for a few seconds (I don't know if this is relevant). Salesperson told me about this and said it was nothing to worry about. The vehicle is equipped with a sensor that brakes if you come to close to an object. This sensor has definitely worked in the past. I was backing up down a long driveway, approximately 50 yards.When I took my foot off of the gas pedal, it did not slow down. Instead it sped up and was uncontrollable. I looked down to make sure my foot was on the brake which it was. I then used both feet to push down on the brake but that did not work either. The vehicle did not stop until it ran into a building. If somebody would have been behind me they would have died or been seriously injured. …
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, he attempted to slow for traffic ahead of his vehicle. The contact stated that the brakes failed to operate as needed. The contact pumped the brake pedal and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that there no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was no failure found. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure and he was afraid to drive the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had begun to show electrical failure with the power door locks. The contact stated that the door locks would not lock properly or the locks would open independently. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was a loud grinding sound coming from the brakes. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake pads needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the same diagnostic result was provided. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,834.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at various highway speeds, the brake system was erroneously activated causing the vehicle to reduce speeds. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the front and rear brake assemblies but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Frontier years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (22), 2000 (19), 2022 (19), 2001 (15) and 2002 (15) model years. Brake complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Nissan Frontier brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Nissan Frontier model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Nissan Frontier brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles; 58% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (22 mentions), followed by the foundation components (9).
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.