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1998 Nissan Frontier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Frontier years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Nissan Frontier are substantially higher than the model-year median of 64.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

33 reports with mileage · 96 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

129 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2002
Suspension

THIS COMPONENT HAS FAILED ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. IN BOTH CASES THE WASHER WAS MISSING THAT HOLDS THE BUSHING IN PLACE. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AT 20,000 MILES AND THE SECONAND WAS DISCOVERED AT 48,000. THE DEALER WAS ASKED THE FIRST TIME TO CHECK THE LELT SIDE BUT THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NISSAN POLICY TO FIX ONLY…

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THIS COMPONENT HAS FAILED ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE. IN BOTH CASES THE WASHER WAS MISSING THAT HOLDS THE BUSHING IN PLACE. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AT 20,000 MILES AND THE SECONAND WAS DISCOVERED AT 48,000. THE DEALER WAS ASKED THE FIRST TIME TO CHECK THE LELT SIDE BUT THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NISSAN POLICY TO FIX ONLY WHAT WAS BROKEN. IN BOTH CASES THE WASHER WAS MISSING AND I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER TRUCKS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS DEFECT CAUSES CAUSES EXCESSIVE SWAY WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK AND THE DRIVER COULD LOOSE CONTROL. THANK YOU, [XXX]*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #762877

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2002
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 45-50 MPH, ACCIDENT OCCURRED,AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HIT CONCRETE WHICH WEIGHED AT LEAST 3 TO 4 HUNDRED LBS. FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS MANGLED. *AK *JG

NHTSA ODI #8009374

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2002
TiresInjury

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT (P195/75R14 DOT# WZKANNA128)TIRE BLEW OUT, AS THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND, THE OTHER 3 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT (P19575R14 DOT # WZKANNA1Z8) TIRES DELAYERED APART AND FLATTENED OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLAM INTO A GUARDRAIL, VEHICLE HAD OVER $3300 DOLLARS WOR…

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WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LEFT REAR FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT (P195/75R14 DOT# WZKANNA128)TIRE BLEW OUT, AS THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND, THE OTHER 3 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT (P19575R14 DOT # WZKANNA1Z8) TIRES DELAYERED APART AND FLATTENED OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLAM INTO A GUARDRAIL, VEHICLE HAD OVER $3300 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE, ONE PERSON WAS DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TT

NHTSA ODI #564346

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER HAD VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. AFTERWARDS, DEALER STATED NOISE WAS NORMAL, AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYMORE WORK ON VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8003803

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2002
Tires

WHILE FILLING VEHICLE WITH FUEL, CONSUMER NOTICED A BULGE ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDEWALL TIRE. DROVE TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED BULGE DUE TO IMPACT BREAK. TIRE SIZE P215/65R15.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #8002559

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2001
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE. BUT SOON AFTER THAT VEHICLE STARTED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, HE WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #898009

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST HEADER BROKE/POSSIBLE FIRE/EXHAUST INHALATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753430

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
Electrical System

I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE TRUCK. THE ENGINE TURNED OVER TWICE AND THEN THE BATTERY EXPLODED LIKE A BOMB. BODY DAMAGE TO THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE OCCURED AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO ALL THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS AS A RESULT OF BEING SPRAYED BY CORROSIVE SULFURIC BATTERY ACID.

NHTSA ODI #750997

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2001
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10-15MPH THERE WAS A SUDDEN EXPLOSION OF BATTERY. BATTERY WAS IN PIECES. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #893355

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2001
Tires

SERIES OF CRACKS ENCIRCLING ALL FOUR TIRES BETWEEN THE WALL AND THE TREADS. ALSO VISIBLE BULGES APPEARED ON TWO OF THE TIRES AFTER JUST TWO HOURS OF INTERSTATE TRAVEL. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT NISSAN AND FIRE STONE WERE UNPRODUCTIVE. NISSAN SAID TELL FIRESTONE. NO ANSWER AT NUMBER GIVEN FOR FIRESTONE. THESE TIRES WERE BLOW OUTS WAITI…

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SERIES OF CRACKS ENCIRCLING ALL FOUR TIRES BETWEEN THE WALL AND THE TREADS. ALSO VISIBLE BULGES APPEARED ON TWO OF THE TIRES AFTER JUST TWO HOURS OF INTERSTATE TRAVEL. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT NISSAN AND FIRE STONE WERE UNPRODUCTIVE. NISSAN SAID TELL FIRESTONE. NO ANSWER AT NUMBER GIVEN FOR FIRESTONE. THESE TIRES WERE BLOW OUTS WAITING TO HAPPEN. REPLACED TIRES BEFORE FAILURE. WE HAVE STORED THE TIRES FOR INSPECTION/RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT.*AK (TIRESIZE: 215/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/65R15 )

NHTSA ODI #747333

Official recalls

2

98V064000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Mar 25, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A SECURING PIN INSIDE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE ASSEMBLY CAN COME LOOSE ALLOWING THE SHIFT LEVER TO BE INADVERTENTLY MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.

98V065000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Mar 25, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH BUCKET SEATS. IN CERTAIN FRONTAL CRASHES, THE FRONT SEAT BELT CAN SLIP BETWEEN THE SEAT BOTTOM FINISHER AND THE SEAT BACK PLASTIC RECLINER HANDLE WHERE IT CAN BE CUT BY THE SHARP EDGE OF THE METAL PORTION OF THE RECLINER LEVER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SEAT BELT IS COMPLETELY SEVERED, IT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PLASTIC HANDLE ON THE END OF THE SEAT BACK RECLINING LEVER FWITH A DIFFERENT SHAPE HANDLE WHICH WILL PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM SLIPPING BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND THE SEAT.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.