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U.S. public vehicle records

2010 Nissan FRONTIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

59 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

41,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 43 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 59 complaints (30.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting1118.6%
Braking behavior711.9%
Electrical and battery issues58.5%
Steering behavior35.1%
Engine operation23.4%
Fuel system concerns11.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
18
Power Train
14
Electrical System
9
Engine
7
Service Brakes
4
Fuel System, Gasoline
2
Steering
2
Structure:Body
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags18
Power Train14
Electrical System9
Engine7
Service Brakes4
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Steering2
Structure:Body2

Air Bags: 18; Power Train: 14; Electrical System: 9; Engine: 7; Service Brakes: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Steering: 2; Structure:Body: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
15
25,000 to 49,999
9
50,000 to 74,999
7
75,000 to 99,999
3
100,000 to 149,999
8
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00015
25,000 to 49,9999
50,000 to 74,9997
75,000 to 99,9993
100,000 to 149,9998
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2010
4
2011
9
2012
5
2013
1
2014
4
2015
7
2016
3
2017
7
2018
2
2019
4
2020
2
2021
1
2022
2
2023
4
2024
2
2025
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20104
20119
20125
20131
20144
20157
20163
20177
20182
20194
20202
20211
20222
20234
20242
20252

2010: 4; 2011: 9; 2012: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 4; 2015: 7; 2016: 3; 2017: 7; 2018: 2; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 4; 2024: 2; 2025: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10379108 · 2011-01-25 (January 25, 2011)

2010 NISSAN FRONTIER. CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL HAVE THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HIS PREVIOUS NISSAN FRONTIER DID. *KB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10379108 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10388609 · 2011-03-06 (March 6, 2011)

(1) THE TRUCKS SPRAY-ON BEDLINER HAS HOLES AND CRACKS THAT EXTEND THE WIDTH OF THE BOX, PARALLEL TO THE TAILGATE (ABOUT 50CM FROM THE TAILGATE). THE ISSUE BECAME APPARENT BECAUSE WHITE SALT RINGS FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF THE BEDLINER (BOX IS COVERED) DUE TO SALT MIGRATING UP FROM THE ROADWAY. PER THE DEALER, THE BOX IS MISSING METAL AND/OR WELDS, AND CANNOT BE FULLY INSPECTED DUE TO THE EXISTENCE OF SAID BEDLINER. (2) THE BOX APPEARS TO BE IMPROPERLY CONNECTED TO THE TRUCKS FRAME. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN STANDING BY THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK, AND LOO…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10388609 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10317897 · 2010-03-08 (March 8, 2010)

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I WAS DRIVING MY 2010 NISSAN FRONTIER TRUCK. COMING TOWARDS A STOP SIGN, I HAD ALREADY STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. ABOUT 200 FEET,BEFORE THE STOP SIGN, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK,THE PEDAL STAYED DOWN WITH NO EFFECT. I TRIED TO JAM AS HARD AS POSSIBLE -- NO EFFECT, LUCKILY, MY SPEED WAS SLOW ENOUGH, IT DID NOT CARRY ME INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE. NEXT MINUTE, THE BRAKES WORKED FINE, I TESTED SEVERAL TIMES - NO PROBLEM SINCE THEN. HOWEVER,…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,465 miles reported. Look up ODI 10317897 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10473676 · 2012-09-03 (September 3, 2012)

NOTICED E-BRAKE NO LONGER HOLDING. TOOK TO LOCAL SHOP. TOLD ME NEED NEW E-BRAKE PADS AND REAR AXLE BEARINGS, SEALS. APPARENTLY BEARING SEALS FAILED AND GEAR OIL SATURATED BRAKE PADS. TOOK TO DEALER TO FIX BEARINGS AND SEALS UNDER WARRANTY (THOUGH THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT THAT WAS A DIRECT RESULT). A LITTLE ONLINE SEARCH REVEALS THE BEARING PROBLEM COMMON ON FRONTIERS, A RESULT OF IMPROPER AXLE VENTING. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A RETROFIT PART THAT NISSAN SOLD TO ADDRESS THIS THAT HAS SINCE BEEN PULLED FROM THE PARTS OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10473676 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10429224 · 2011-10-09 (October 9, 2011)

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE IGNITION ALL THE DASHBOARD NEEDLE INDICATORS BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE IGNITION. AFTER I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE DASHBOARD NEEDLES CONTINUE TO VIBRATE FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. I HOOKED UP A PORTABLE BATTERY CHARGER TO THE BATTERY TO ATTEMPT A JUMP START, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE BATTERY CHARGER INDICATED A "BATTERY CHARGED" DISPLAY. HAVING HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN JUNE 2011, WHICH I TOOK TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE P…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10429224 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10487671 · 2012-12-07 (December 7, 2012)

DRIVING ON HWY ELECTRICAL CONTROLS STOPPED. SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER,TACHOMETER,FUEL GAUGE STOPPED RESPONDING AND DROPPED TO ZERO OR FROZE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE THEN. EVENTUALLY THEY COME BACK ON LINE, BUT DURING THAT TIME YOU MUST DEPEND ON OTHER DRIVERS TO KEEP AT SAFE/LEGAL SPEEDS AND REMEMBER HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE TANK WHEN YOU STARTED DRIVING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10487671 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10400361 · 2011-05-10 (May 10, 2011)

2010 NISSAN FRONTIER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A BUMPER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BUMPER HE PURCHASED HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF ONE OF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS, IT MADE CONTACT WITH A METAL POWER STEERING LINE, AND FROM THE VIBRATION, IT RUBBED THROUGH THE LINE CAUSING TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THE LOCATION OF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE SEEN BEFORE OR DURING INSTALLATION, BUT ONLY WITH THE BUMPER ON, BY LOOKING THROUGH AN OPENING LESS THAN TWO IN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10400361 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10969578 · 2017-03-30 (March 30, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT A CRASH OR IMPACT AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO BOTH LEGS, CHEST, AND NECK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000. UPDATED 06/08/17*LJ *AS *DT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 139,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10969578 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10881709 · 2016-06-30 (June 30, 2016)

ENGINE IDLES TOO LOW: ENGINE IDLES AT APPROXIMATELY 600 RPMS, WHEN AC KICKS IN IDLE DROPS TO 500 RPMS OR LESS CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUTTER AND SHAKE AS IF IT IS GOING TO STALL. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR RESET, BUT VEHICLE STILL IDLES AT AROUND 600 RPM. VEHICLE SPECS STATE VEHICLE SHOULD IDLE AT 650 RPM +OR- 50 RPMS FOR V6 ENGINE. THIS IS TOO LOW WHEN AC IS TURNED ON.

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10881709 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11033936 · 2017-10-16 (October 16, 2017)

MY COMPLAINT IS THAT MY VEHICLE IS TURNING OFF WITH A BRAND NEWLY INSTALLED BATTERY AND MY NISSAN DEALERSHIP CANNOT READ MY CAR TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THEY KEPT MY VEHICLE FOR CLOSE TO A MONTH AND STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE NEVER FAILS TO TURN OVER, BUT IT JUST LOSES POWER AND TURNS OFF LIKE SOMEONE SNATCHED OUT THE BATTERY. SOMETIMES IT FAILS TO TURN OVER, RIGHT AWAY, BUT THEN IT TURNS OVER AND I CAN DRIVE IT A FEW MILES BEFORE IT STALLS ON ME AGAIN, EVEN WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE 64,500 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11033936 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10447820 · 2012-02-13 (February 13, 2012)

THIS VEHICLE HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG NISSAN FRONTIER MESSAGE BOARDS. WHEN YOU FILL THE GAS TANK YOU MUST FILL IT SLOWLY OR THE GAS WILL "BUBBLE UP" AND SPILL OUT OF THE ENTRANCE WHERE YOU PUT THE GAS NOZZLE. IT WILL RUN DOWN THE FENDER, ONTO THE PAINT, AND ONTO THE GROUND. THE EFFECT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS 2007 DODGE DURANGO HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=FS5U63CN-II BUT WITH LESS FORCE WHEN EXPELLING THE FUEL. THIS IS A REPEATED ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. NISSAN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447820 at NHTSA ↗