1999 Nissan FRONTIER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
65 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 65 complaints (12.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 16.9% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 10.8% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 7.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 3.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 3.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Tires | 8 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 6 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights | 3 |
Tires: 8; Tires:Tread/Belt: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 5; Air Bags: 4; Fuel System, Other: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 3; Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 3
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 39 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 20 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2000: 20; 2001: 5; 2002: 7; 2003: 10; 2004: 9; 2005: 6; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2010: 1; 2019: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000789 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. (THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO HAVE A "CHASSIS" NOISE CHECKED OUT WITH "NO PROBEM FOUND" BY THE DEALER.)
Owner-reported narrative. 60,078 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000789 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012049 · 2003-03-19 (March 19, 2003)
WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AFTER HITTING WATER IN THE STREET. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND, JUMPED A CURB AND HIT SOME TREES. THE FRONT END AND THE REAR END WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED YET THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES FROM THE IMPACT. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012049 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017086 · 2003-05-06 (May 6, 2003)
ON 04/20/03 I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING MY '99 NISSAN FRONTIER AT 65 MPH. AS I PULLED OVER, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE (OEM FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT P215/65R-15) SHED MOST OF ITS TREAD. TIRE WAS REPLACED AND REMAINING TIRES WERE CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. ONE WEEK LATER, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BEGAN A SIMILAR VIBRATION FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN EXPLODED AT 65 MPH, DESTROYING MOST OF THE SHEET METAL AND BODY SUPPORTS BEHIND THE WHEEL WELL. TIRES HAD 48K MILES, GOOD TREAD, AND WERE PROPERLY INFLATED TO MFRS. SPECS. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 48,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017341 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
THE REAR TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021669 · 2003-06-26 (June 26, 2003)
THE TIRE HAD BUBBLES AND THE BELT WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. (FIRESTONE WILDERNESS SIZE P21565R15 DOT#W2VSNNAS17). *NLM. *AK WHILE DRIVING, THE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. PH *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021669 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038877 · 2003-09-14 (September 14, 2003)
AIRBAG WARNING FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038877 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047219 · 2003-11-20 (November 20, 2003)
BOTH LIGHTS AND ATTACHMENTS BY LICENSE PLATE FELL OUT. BOTH BULBS AND ATTACHMENTS WERE LOST WHILE DRIVING 1 OR TWO WEEKS APART. AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING IN PAST MONTH. HAVE HAD MECHANIC CHECK OUT AND STATES FUSE AND EVERYTHING IS OKAY BUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY WHILE VEHICLE IS ON. FIRESTONE TIRES BLEW OUT AT SIDEWALL X2 TIRES AT 30,000 MILES. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRES WITH VEHICLE BOUGHT BRAND NEW. NISSAN OR FIRESTONE STATED COULD NOT REIMBURSE FOR LOSS. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047219 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048162 · 2003-11-18 (November 18, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING WITH FUEL TANK HALF FULL FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048162 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V230000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump
Reported: 2004-05-24 (May 24, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SIX CYLINDER ENGINES AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOUR OR SIX CYLINDER ENGINES, THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT CAN DEVELOP A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC MOLDING. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TERMINAL STRIP TO CORRODE UNDER SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Consequence: IF CORROSION OCCURS, THE TERMINAL STRIP COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO STOP OPERATION. THIS WILL RESULT IN NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE ENGINE OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: IN THE FOLLOWING STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT. THESE STATES ARE CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THE OTHER STATES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE SENDING UNIT FOR CORROSION. IF CORROSION IS PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE UNIT. IF THERE IS NOT CORROSION, THE DEALER WILL APPLY SEALANT TO THE TERMINAL HOUSING TO HELP PREVENT CORROSION IN THE FUTURE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V347002 · Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights
Reported: 1999-12-20 (December 20, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. THE TAIL LIGHT SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MOLDED, RESULTING IN THE LOCKING TAB HAVING INSUFFICIENT FORCE TO RETAIN THE BULB.
Consequence: IF THE BULB FALLS OUT OF THE SOCKET, THE BRAKE OR TAIL LAMP FUNCTION CANNOT OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TAIL LAMP SOCKETS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗