Nissan Frontier Complaints (2023)

66 consumer complaints on file.

#11763659September 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I purchased a pre-owned certified vehicle in June of 2025 it was a 2023 model with approximately 23k miles on it. In August of 2026 I was driving on the interstate and the vehicles warning lights came on and the vehicle shut down completely at a speed of 70 mph. The safety flashers quit working along with the headlights leaving the vehicle totally dark on a remote section of Interstate at night. I had the vehicle towed to a Nissan dealership and I was sent a video of what happened from the certified Nissan technician. I can provide the link to the video upon request. The technician stated in the video that the muffler had developed a very large hole in it and the heat from the exhaust coming from the hole melted the vehicles wiring harness. I feel this is a very dangerous situation as it could cause a vehicle to catch fire. It also caused the emergency lights to not work and all of the other vehicle systems stopped working. I did some research online and found that this is a well documented issue with this make and model of vehicle. The manufacturer has even went as far as offering an additional heat shield for purchase which I only recently found out about. 1. I have the old exhaust system available for inspection. 2.The vehicle could of caught fire of we could of been hit by another vehicle since it was night time and the lights quit working. 3.I am unsure but there are many well documented cases available from a simple online search. 4. Just the service center. 5.It was sudden and there were no warnings and the vehicle had passed a certified inspection 11 months prior with nothing noted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763691September 11, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Muffler developed hole in the top of it prematurely and melted the main wiring harness due to a known design flaw. The vehicle is still at the dealer awaiting repair. All warning lights came on, 4 wheel drive was disabled, center console lost power and hvac was disabled. Safety was put at risk as this happened on the nys thruway and the vehicles main wiring harness was actively melting/shorting while driving. The shorts disabled all Safety features like lane assist, detections, and abs. Transmission would also not down shift properly leaving me unable to safely accelerate. Im unsure if the tail lights were still operational or not but wouldnt be surprised if they weren't as many other systems to the rear of the vehicle were fully disabled. The truck is at the dealer I have a quote and video of the muffler and melted wiring harness. The truck is not safe to drive but the problem is constant. This is a known problem by nissan as theres a tsb to place a larger heat shield over the wiring harness.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752360July 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The power door lock system intermittently malfunctions. During the initial failure, the passenger rear door lock seized in the unlocked position and could not be manually operated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Nissan dealership, where all three passenger door lock actuators were replaced. Following the repair, the seized lock condition was resolved; however, the underlying malfunction continues. The passenger front and passenger rear doors will unlock electronically but will not lock using the key fob, interior lock switch, or intelligent key functions. The driver rear side door does not respond to electronic lock or unlock commands. The only way to secure or access the affected doors is by manually operating each individual door lock. The malfunction affects three of the four doors simultaneously and occurs intermittently without warning. No warning lights or messages are displayed when the failure occurs. This defect creates a safety concern because the vehicle cannot be secured as designed, and passengers may not be able to quickly access or enter through an affected door without manual intervention. In an emergency, delays caused by manually locking or unlocking doors could impede access to passengers or evacuation from the vehicle. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and confirmed by an authorized Nissan dealership. Although the passenger door lock actuators were replaced, the malfunction persists, indicating the repair did not correct the underlying defect. The vehicle remains available for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749737July 11, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Rear backup camera turned purple in color and not accurate when backing up to a trailer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747309June 29, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Transmission shifting harshly and may have to be replaced
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746707June 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While underway at speeds under 20 mph. Vehicle hesitates and lurches creating a danger when taking off from a stop light. Vehicle may delay acceleration from a stop, which can feel unsafe in traffic and in merging situations.This activity is uncontrollable as the driver has no control and could lead to an accident or injury to pedestrians or other wise. Another problem is rough shifting, hard downshifts and a jerking. There is both an audible clunk and felt responce or "shift shock". Potential safety risk of hesitation or unexpected gear changes may compromise vehicle control. I have reported and visited the Bradenton Nissan dealership. (2 times) to no avail.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744632June 16, 2026
STEERING
Bought my 2023 Nissan Frontier PRO 4X last year and immediately noticed a clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. This noise only occurs while driving and making slight adjustments to the wheel. The noise ranges in loudness and intensity and at times can be felt while holding the steering wheel. Reported issue at 2 separate dealerships so far with no resolution offered. Concerned that the constant clicking/rubbing in the steering column may lead to a catastrophic failure while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744398June 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Camera shows purple/pink screen and is not fully functional. Numerous instances found online of this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740004May 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle door locks causing driver and passengers to exit the vehicle. Have already had front passenger door and driver side back passenger door fixed. Now driver door will lock and once driver inside, is unable to exit vehicle. In the event of emergency, anyone in vehicle could parish because they would not be able to exit the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732266April 19, 2026
SEATS
The 2023 Nissan Frontier was purchased new and is under manufacturer's warranty. Beginning in the summer of 2025, the driver's seatback has unexpectedly moved rearward, including more than one instance where it fell completely back toward the rear seat. Each time, the vehicle has been turned off, the seat is unoccupied, and no one was in contact with the seat controls. The seat does not feel lose when manually pushed and appears normal between incidents. The issue is intermittent and cannot be easily reproduced on demand. This is a serious safety issue. If the seatback recliner mechanism fails while driving, it could suddenly alter the driver's position, reduce control of the vehicle and increase the risk of injury in a crash. I have reported the issue multiple times to an authorized Nissan dealership. The vehicle has been inspected and kept overnight, but the issue was not reproduced and no repair was made. I also contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs who attributed the issue to the seat adjustment switch being accidentally activated. This explanation does not match the conditions under which the problem occurs (vehicle off, seat unoccupied). I am requesting this issue be investigated as a potential defect in the seatback recliner mechanism or power seat system. This condition appears to involve un-commanded seat movement and possible failure of the seatback locking mechanism. I have photos but am waiting for the internet to forward them from my phone to my computer to upload.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729979April 8, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
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.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727766March 29, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Vehicle Year/Make/Model: 2023 Nissan Frontier Defect Description: The wiring harness connected to the brake stop lamp switch on 2023 Nissan Frontier vehicles contains a design or manufacturing defect that causes premature switch failure. The defect results in the switch overheating and burning out, evidenced by visible charring and sooty residue inside the switch housing. Upon failure, the brake lights may not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed, removing a critical safety signal for following drivers. Nissan has acknowledged this defect and issued Technical Service Bulletin NTB22-084. However, owners whose vehicles have exceeded the 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty threshold are required to bear the full cost of repair out of pocket, despite the defect being a known manufacturing issue. Safety Hazard: Failure of the brake stop lamp switch renders the vehicle's rear brake lights inoperative. This creates a significant safety risk to the vehicle's occupants, following drivers, and the general public — particularly under low-visibility conditions such as nighttime driving, inclement weather, or high-traffic situations. In my personal incident, switch failure occurred without prior warning while traveling at approximately 50 mph on a state highway. A warning light did illuminate, but only after the switch had already failed. At that speed and location, safely moving off the roadway was not immediately possible, placing myself and other motorists in a hazardous situation.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716693February 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
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 failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714708January 31, 2026
STEERING
On 1/27/26, at or about 1:00 AM driving NB on Hwy 99,south of Bakersfield, Ca.i encountered dense fog with visibility down to zero. While driving cautiously my steering wheel became locked up and I had no control of steering and the vehicle kept slowly going forward. I finally managed to stop vehicle as traffic had come to a stop. The driver in vehicle in front of me yelled out what’s wrong with your truck. I yelled back that my steering wheel locked up on me and had no way to turn. The driver informed me to turn the vehicle off and then to turn it back on. This procedure unlocked my steering wheel. The driver informed me to stay behind him as he would guide me to next Hwy exit in case my steering wheel locked up again. We both made it safely to exit Hwy 99 at Panama Lane, Bakersfield Ca. I drove the truck safely home and scheduled an appointment with Nissan dealership Bakersfield, Ca on 1/29/26. The dealership could not duplicate the problem or give me a reasonable explanation why the steering wheel locked up. This incident could have had tragic results which could have caused death with huge vehicle pileups. I was with my wife when this incident occurred and she is very scared and concerned should this mechanical or electrical failure happen again. On 1/27/26, a 43 vehicle pileup occurred on Hwy 58 east of Bakersfield, Ca. Due to dense fog. Please feel free to contact should you need further information. I can be reached at [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701155November 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2023 Nissan Frontier lost all power and shut off while driving on the hwy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698971November 12, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
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 had taken the vehicle back to the same dealer who cleared the codes and stated that the battery was in good condition. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failures reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689415September 24, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
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. This is an extremely dangerous situation for our fleet drivers as well as the motoring public. It has happened to 10 of the 15 Frontiers that we own.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689413September 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
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. This is an extremely dangerous situation for our fleet drivers as well as the motoring public. It has happened to 10 of the 15 Frontiers that we own.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689410September 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
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. This is an extremely dangerous situation for our fleet drivers as well as the motoring public. It has happened to 10 of the 15 Frontiers that we own.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689409September 24, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
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. This is an extremely dangerous situation for our fleet drivers as well as the motoring public. It has happened to 10 of the 15 Frontiers that we own.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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