Total Complaints
750 filings
NISSAN FRONTIER · model year
750 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports, and 6 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005NISSANFRONTIER carries 750 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 12 fires, 13 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 FRONTIER is power train with 234 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (111) and engine and engine cooling (85). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 6 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2005 FRONTIER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
750 filings
Crashes Reported
11 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 234 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 111 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 85 |
| ENGINE | 80 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 36 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 25 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 19 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 15 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 14 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 12 |
| AIR BAGS | 11 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 10 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 8 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM | 6 |
| STEERING | 5 |
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
ON CERTAIN KING CAB TRUCKS, IN A SEVERE SIDE IMPACT CRASH, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT DEFORMATION OF THE VEHICLE'S BODY COULD CAUSE THE FUEL FILLER CAP TETHER TO BE STRETCHED TO THE POINT OF UNSCREWING THE FUEL FILLER CAP.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PEN
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDU
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARM
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED
EQUIPMENT
CERTAIN HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025, 1010476035, 1040376035, 1110476035, 1170376035,
EL EMBLEMA DE RESINA EN LA CUBIERTA DEL MÃDULO AIRBAG DEL CONDUCTOR EN LOS VEHÃCULOS AFECTADOS PUEDE TENER DURABILIDAD REDUCIDA DEBIDO A POSIBLES VARIACIONES EN EL PROCESO DE PRODUCCIÃN DEL PROVEEDOR. EN ESTA CONDICIÃN, CON EL TIEMPO, LOS POSTES DEL EMBLEMA PUEDEN DESARROLLAR GRIETAS, Y EL EMBLEMA Y LOS COMPONENTES DE RETENCIÃN PODRÃAN DESPRENDERSE EN CASO DE QUE SE DESPLIEGUE EL AIRBAG.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The timing chain has gone out. Other crankshaft sensor went out while driving the vehicle at about 30mph.
The timing chain has gone out. Other crankshaft sensor went out while driving the vehicle at about 30mph.
The truck loss power stalling,shuddering, bucking, want pick up speed even when excellerating, slow take off, loss of speed
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. The contact then stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast the vehicle off the roadway. The contact then stated that the check engine warning light intermittently flashed upon start-up then remained illuminated. The contact stated that he allowed the engine time to cool down then restarted the vehicle; however, after the vehicle was restarted, he depressed the accelerator pedal to regain speed but two to three minutes later the vehicle stalled again. The contact stated that occasionally, after the vehicle stalled, the vehicle was jumpstarted, but the negative side of the battery sparked from the cable. Additionally, the contact stated that the ABS warning light and the check engine warning illuminated then turned off then the vehicle stalled. The contact state
Mileage: 189,000
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle came to a complete stop and then hesitated to accelerate. Additionally, a burning odor was detected. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with transmission and radiator failure. The transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,700.
Mileage: 88,700
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. There was no warning light before or after the failure. The vehicle was towed by an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed a diagnostic test and found that coolant had leaked into the transmission and caused the transmission to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.
Mileage: 82,000
AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS CONSTANTLY. POSSIBLE FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR DEFECTIVE
Mileage: 160,000
YEAR 2013 RECALLED RADIATOR LEAKAGE INTERNAL AND CAUSED ( TRANMISSION FLUID GOT INTO RADIATOR ) . I REPORT TO NISSAN USA : THEY DENIED TO PAY FOR ITS BECAUSE HAVE BEEN TO LONG BUT NOW ITS HAPPENING TO MY TRUCK ON DATE : 10/19/2020 . PLEASE , HELP . THANKS !
Mileage: 83,490
MY 2005 NISSAN FRONTIERS TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 137,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT SEEMED TO JOLT OUT OF 5TH GEAR TO 4TH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HEADED TO NISSAN BUT IT SEEMED TO ONLY REMAIN IN A HIGH GEAR (3RD OR 4TH). THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED TRANSMISSION DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I CALLED NISSAN HEADQUARTERS AND ASKED FOR HELP THEY SAID NO. I HAD AN EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY THROUGH AUL, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE RADIATOR THAT LEAKED AND NOT A TRANSMISSION FAILURE THEY WON'T COVER IT.
Mileage: 137,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND PROGRAMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE THEN WAS THEN TAKEN TO NISSAN AT THE AVENUES (10859 PHILIPS HWY, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32256) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,010.
Mileage: 113,010
WHEN THE TRUCK HIT ABOUT 115,000 MILES, IT STARTED SHIFTING ODDLY. AT 120,000 MILES IT WOULD NOT DRIVE. I LET IT SIT FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT WOULD DRIVE. I CAN ONLY DRIVE IT 5 MILES OR LESS IN ORDER FOR IT TO DRIVE. ANYMORE THAN THAT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND IT DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO GO OVER 10MPH. AFTER DRIVING, EVEN LESS THAN 5 MILES, IT LEAKS ANTIFREEZE.
Mileage: 120,000
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO CROSS CONTAMINATION WITH RADIATOR. TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED.
Mileage: 142,463
AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC CODE INDICATES FRONT CRASH SENSOR DEFECTIVE
Mileage: 160,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. ORR NISSAN LOCATED AT 2323 VIKING DR, BOSSIER LA, WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
Mileage: 160,000
FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR NOT OPERATING.AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES
Mileage: 160,000
FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR NOT OPERATING.AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES
Mileage: 160,000
FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR NOT OPERATING.AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES
Mileage: 160,000
DRIVERS DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ONLY FROM THE INSIDE THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS LIKE 40F
Mileage: 65,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.