CSR

Nissan · NHTSA safety record

2018 Nissan Frontier

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 25 safety complaints about the 2018 Nissan Frontier with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering back-over prevention and the electrical system.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 5 complaints, 20% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 9,745 miles, the median across the 11 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2018 to September 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

25 complaints on file

25

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 · 16%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 12%
SUSPENSION 3 · 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 12%
AIR BAGS 2 · 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 8%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 8%
STRUCTURE 2 · 8%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 4%
ENGINE 1 · 4%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 · 4%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 25.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 6.

8 6 4 2
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2018 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2018 Nissan FRONTIER, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test Crew Cab PU/CC AWD Crew Cab PU/CC RWD King Cab PU/EC AWD King Cab PU/EC RWD
Overall Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated Not rated
Frontal, driver Not rated Not rated
Frontal, passenger Not rated Not rated
Side crash Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
Side barrier Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
Side pole Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 19.8% 21.2% 19.8% 21.2%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

19V654000 · September 12, 2019

The defect
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

Nissan North America, Inc. · up to 1,228,830 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

18V551000 · August 22, 2018

The defect
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
The risk
If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

Nissan North America, Inc. · up to 153,047 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2018 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner... Battery inconsistently drains fast when off and while driving. Indicator lights for battery, brakes, ABS and traction control come on. Gauges malfunction. Tried another battery and still having same symptoms. Alternator and battery passed bench test. Fuses are good. Wiring harness appears to be in good condition. Grounds are tight and clean. Wondering if this problem is related to the recall on the ignition switch.

NHTSA complaint 11684525. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The passenger dashboard airbag keeps generating error codes and the airbag light continually flashes. There have been 2 costly repair attempts by a Nissan dealership, but the problem persists. The dealership stated the passenger airbag was not functioning properly. They want to try a 3rd repair attempt which is the most expensive yet. I have been in contact with Nissan customer service and they have split the repair costs with me thus far on 2 of the repairs. At this point they are just throwing parts at the problem hoping something fixes the issue without knowing or properly diagnosing which component is actually at fault. The problem first manifested in August 2024 at around 62k miles.

NHTSA complaint 11683111, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
15 mph door lock system does not work. Have been in garage with truck, and heard doors lock with no one near vehicle. I understand there is a class action suit about the door lock system. Seems to me this system could malfunction and possible lock you in vehicle. This is a 2018 Nissan frontier SL. The FOB function normal locking and unlocking vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11681142. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I bought this truck from my boss man and had it put in the shop to replace the head gasket but they ended up changing the valve cover the intake manifold gasket and putting plugs in it due to a smoking issue and skipping but after all the repairs were done it turns out that the valves are bad in the engine and they more than likely they were bad when they installed originally. It's causing stalling issues in traffic and I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem.

NHTSA complaint 11673177. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 29 2025 vehicle failed to start . Turned switch to start several times .no response at all no dash lights no starter reaction no clicking from battery, which would indicate battery problem. Waited several mins approx 30 minutes. Vehicle started and been ok for several more starts today. Suspect ignition switch ,seems many models this vehicle has problems. Mine did not show a recall?

NHTSA complaint 11639440. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Upon inspection found passenger side truck bed mount with a crack and portion missing from where the bed connects to the frame.

NHTSA complaint 11624460. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Nissan Frontier

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 9 1 —
2025 8 3 —
2024 22 3 —
2023 66 1 —
2022 112 6 —
2021 19 2 —
2020 23 2 —
2019 28 1 —
2017 38 1 1
2016 43 1 —
2015 33 0 —
2014 42 2 —
2013 48 1 —
2012 78 3 —
2011 64 1 —
2010 59 4 —

Other 2018 Nissan models

Every Nissan on this site — 205 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst