Transmission complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 22% | — |
| 2024 | 6 | 27% | — |
| 2023 | 13 | 20% | 30,000 miles |
| 2022 | 24 | 21% | 1,000 miles |
| 2021 | 5 | 25% | 99,000 miles |
| 2020 | 12 | 52% | 28,000 miles |
| 2019 | 7 | 25% | 9,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 8% | 28,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 16% | 5,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 7% | 35,000 miles |
| 2015 | 5 | 15% | 20,000 miles |
| 2014 | 6 | 14% | 32,000 miles |
| 2013 | 6 | 13% | 31,000 miles |
| 2012 | 20 | 25% | 34,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 14% | 58,000 miles |
| 2010 | 15 | 25% | 67,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 22% | 100,000 miles |
| 2008 | 54 | 40% | 96,000 miles |
| 2007 | 222 | 43% | 108,000 miles |
| 2006 | 220 | 36% | 103,000 miles |
| 2005 | 262 | 49% | 102,000 miles |
| 2004 | 13 | 20% | 89,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 9% | 56,000 miles |
| 2002 | 7 | 6% | 192,000 miles |
| 2001 | 8 | 6% | 125,000 miles |
| 2000 | 26 | 14% | 124,000 miles |
| 1999 | 12 | 15% | 60,000 miles |
| 1998 | 9 | 7% | 110,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
While driving my 2026 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X at highway speeds, the vehicle intermittently loses the ability to accelerate. The engine remains running, but pressing the accelerator produces no increase in vehicle speed or engine RPM. No warning lights or diagnostic messages appear when the condition occurs. This creates a significant safety risk because the vehicle cannot maintain or increase speed in traffic. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Nissan dealer on three separate occasions. The dealer was able to reproduce the condition but has not identified a cause or implemented a repair. The defect remains unresolved and continues to present a safety concern.
Purchased new 12.12.25, drove 3 miles and heard clunk in transmission, went into limp mode at mile 23. Flatbed back to dealer, they replaced Solenoid valve and said was good to drive. Drove away and still have loud clunk in transmission on downshifting. 1.5.26 Dealer still has vehicle, no resolution
This is a nine speed transmission which basically shifts up each gear every 5 to 6 MPH until you hit 9th gear about 52 MPH. The transmission will not shift to next gear fast enough causing the vehicle to be very slow. The transmission has to go through 5 gears to get to 30 MPH. Each gear shifts at 1650 to over 2000 RPM before it will shift to next gear. If the air conditioning is running the least amount of RPM's is over 2000 or higher to shift up to next gear. At 2000 RPM's the engine has very little torque needed from the transmission due to the 3.692 axle ratio and sounds like the engine is revving higher than it should be. If you don't relax on the gas pedal it will stay in that gear and just rev the RPM's in the gear it is in, until you let off the gas pedal for it to shift up. If you need high acceleration at low speeds it just won't shift up to next gear. …
My 2024 Nissan Frontier has experienced repeated intermittent shut off and no-start failures. The problem began in late 2024 and continued through January 2025, throughout 2025, 2026, and is still occurring. The truck has randomly shut off while driving and has failed to restart at different times. This creates a serious safety risk in traffic and on the freeway because loss of power can cause an accident or leave me stranded in unsafe areas. I brought the vehicle to Nissan dealership service in January 2025 for diagnosis, but they stated no issue was found. The same problem continued afterward. Auto parts stores also checked battery/charging systems and did not identify the cause. Most recently, the vehicle would not start at CarMax and required roadside assistance / jump start / towing. The issue is intermittent and difficult to predict, which makes it more dangerous. …
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving approximately 3 MPH and reversing(R) out of a parking spot, the messages "Key Malfunction" and "Crash Detected" were displayed. The contact pulled over and attempted to turn off the vehicle; however the vehicle failed to turn off. Additionally, when the contact shifted to park(P) the gear shift indicator failed to indicate that the transmission was in park(P). The contact attempted to shift to drive(D), and the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact stated that a passerby helped to turn off the vehicle by disconnecting the battery terminals. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, and it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the same messages were displayed, and the transmission slipped out of gear. …
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was pushed into a nearby lot with the assistance of bystanders. The vehicle could not be restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer; however, the failure could not able to be replicated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred within the week. The vehicle was towed to the same dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that undisclosed wires need to be cleaned. The wires were cleaned but the failure reoccurred approximately 2-3 weeks later. The vehicle was again towed to the same dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred a week and a half later. The vehicle was not diagnosed and or repaired again. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact called on behalf of her husband who owns a 2022 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while her husband was in park, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into a parked vehicle in front of them, and that vehicle crashed into another unattended parked vehicle in front of that. The contact's vehicle went over the curb when it crashed into the vehicle in front of them. The contact stated her husband felt as if he was being pushed. The driver was pressing on the brakes, but the vehicle continued to move forward. There was an unknown yellow light that illuminated. There were no air bags deployed. The contact and husband approached the nearby house and were informed of the accident. The neighbor contacted the police. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. There were no injuries. There were no medical treatments on the scene. …
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving uphill, the vehicle vibrated. The contact stated that the vibration increased as the contact decelerated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission parking pawl and the transmission control module had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the dealer advised that the clutch might need to be repaired, but the contact advised the dealer to wait until the clutch displayed signs of failure. The contact stated while driving four months after the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle vibrated when the RPMs decreased, and the vehicle operated as intended when the RPMs increased. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the transmission fluid was replaced, but the failure persisted. …
Related recalls (4)
Power train › Automatic transmission
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Titan, 2020-2022 Frontier, and 2023 Z vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Remedy: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will perform the applicable repairs below, free of charge: Model Year 2020-2022 Frontier vehicles: reprogram Transmission Control…
Power train › Automatic transmission
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Remedy: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will replace the transmission parking pawl pin, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2022.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Vehicle description: pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift cable lock plate.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
Vehicle description: light duty passenger trucks equipped with automatic transmissions. A securing pin inside the automatic transmission control device assembly can come loose allowing the shift lever to be inadvertently moved out of the park position with the key in the ignition.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the automatic transmission control device assembly and replace it if necessary.
NHTSA investigations
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Frontier years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (262), 2007 (222), 2006 (220), 2008 (54) and 2000 (26) model years. Transmission complaints make up 49% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Nissan Frontier transmission problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 22V-671 (automatic transmission, Sep 7, 2022); 22V-457 (automatic transmission, Jun 24, 2022); 00V-288 (automatic transmission, Oct 2, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Frontier transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles; 13% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (61 mentions), followed by the driveline › driveshaft (18).
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.