2006 Nissan FRONTIER: complaints, problems and recalls

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, DO BUSINESS WITH TOWN NORTH NISSAN. NOT ONLY IS THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AWFUL, THEY CAN ALSO GET AWAY WITH SELLING YOU THE WRONG VEHICLE! THE BBB DIDN'T HELP IN MY CASE, WHICH IS WAS VERY EASY. AFTER SCREWING UP MY PURCHASE (THAT INCLUDED A TRADE-IN OF A VERY NICE 02 MAXIMA) AND DRAGGING IT OUT OVER A 6 WEEK PERIOD, THAT INVOLVED NO RETURNED CALLS, LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO HELP, I ENDED UP WITH A TRUCK THAT WAS THE WRONG COLOR. THEY REFUSE TO TAKE IT BACK. MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I ASKED, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN OFFER T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152955 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ROLLED SLIGHTLY BACKWARD WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT ON AN INCLINE. THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT OWNED TWO OTHER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES THAT DID NOT EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157237 at NHTSA ↗

ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN AND ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT. THOUGHT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT A BEARING IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD FROZEN. ORDERED A NEW STEERING COLUMN SECTION AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN THE PART COMES IN. I AM STILL DRIVING THE TRUCK AND IT STILL IS DIFFICULT TO STEER AND FAILS TO RETURN TO CENTER ON OCCASION. AM AFRAID THE BEARING WILL FREEZE AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THEY FIX IT. SUGGEST NISSAN MAY HAVE GOTTEN SOME DEFECTIVE STEERING CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,910 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158652 at NHTSA ↗

ON APRIL 10, 2006 I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER 2WD TRUCK. I TOOK IT IN ON MAY 30, 2006 TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED, KEY NISSAN IN HARDEEVILLE SOUTH CAROLINA, DUE TO A NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE NOISE WAS CAUSED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BEARINGS IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE VEHICLE WAS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE REPAIRS TO BE COMPLETED. PLEASE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAZARDOUS CONDITION IS NOT COMMON IN ALL OTHER 2006 NISSAN FRONTIERS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158719 at NHTSA ↗

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE HIT VARIOUS ITEMS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE GAS AND BREAK PEDDLE ARE TO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER , THE TRUCK JUMPS UNCONTROLLABLY AS YOU PRESS THE BRAKE AND THE GAS DOWN SIMULTANEOUSLY. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161413 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A NEW 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER FROM CARRIAGE NISSAN [phone removed] IN MARCH 2006. AT MILE 3100, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING COLUMN IN THE TRUCK BROKE. IT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THE WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAD- SEVERAL NEW FRONTIERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE IT TOWED, AS IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE . THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT FOR THE 2006 MODEL NISSAN HAD GONE WITH A DIFFERENT V…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165633 at NHTSA ↗

MY SON WAS TURNING AROUND OUR 2006 FRONTIER NISMO OFF ROAD 4WD ON A RUTTED DIRT ROAD AT A SPEED OF NO MORE THAN 15 MPH WHEN THE ROLLOVER AIRBAGS, ON BOTH SIDES, DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. NISSAN OF AMERICAN INVESTIGATED. BELOW IS A PORTION OF NISSAN'S LETTER TO ME. I WILL FORWARD VIA US MAIL A COMPLETE COPY OF THIS LETTER TO NHTSA: "AIR BAGS MUST BE MADE SO THAT THEY INFLATE FAST ENOUGH IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THE SPEED AT WHICH AN AIR BAG INFLATES AND THEN DEFLATES IS SIMILAR IN ALL DESIGNS. AIR BAGS ARE DESIGNED TO INFLATE IN LESS THAN 1/…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,711 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165936 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN BEARINGS FAILED CAUSING THE POWER STEERING TO ALSO FAIL. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED AT FOR A RECALL. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 13,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173086 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-03-30 (March 30, 2006)

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.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A FUEL SPILL WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL CAP TETHER PIN ASSEMBLY WITH A MODIFIED ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2008-12-29 (December 29, 2008)

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, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.

Consequence: THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2010-10-28 (October 28, 2010)

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 REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.