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2004 Nissan Frontier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Frontier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.

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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

47 reports with mileage · 19 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

66 reports
65,000 miles · Nov 16, 2010
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V554000, STEERING, COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #10366459

73,900 miles · Nov 11, 2010
Electrical System

VEHICLE STARTS STALLING AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 TO 40 MILES. VARIOUS DASH LIGHTS START TO COME ON, LIGHTS START TO DIM, VEHICLES STARTS BUCKING FROM ENGINE MISSING. VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ONCE STOPPED, VEHICLE HORN GOES OFF WHEN RESTARTING ATTEMPTED. ENGINE WON'T TURN OVER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS V…

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VEHICLE STARTS STALLING AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 TO 40 MILES. VARIOUS DASH LIGHTS START TO COME ON, LIGHTS START TO DIM, VEHICLES STARTS BUCKING FROM ENGINE MISSING. VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ONCE STOPPED, VEHICLE HORN GOES OFF WHEN RESTARTING ATTEMPTED. ENGINE WON'T TURN OVER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS VEHICLE WILL RESTART. BROUGHT TO NISSAN SERVICE DEPT. TWICE AND COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO REPEAT INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10365360

49,000 miles · Jan 26, 2010
Steering

POWERING STEERING BOX FAILURE ON A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. TWO MECHANICS, ONE NISSAN AND ONE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, IDENTIFIED THE STEERING BOX AS THE CULPRIT FOR THE DIFFICULT STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. BOTH SAID IT SHOULD NOT FAIL. THE NISSAN MECHANIC WENT ON TO SAY T…

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POWERING STEERING BOX FAILURE ON A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. TWO MECHANICS, ONE NISSAN AND ONE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, IDENTIFIED THE STEERING BOX AS THE CULPRIT FOR THE DIFFICULT STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. BOTH SAID IT SHOULD NOT FAIL. THE NISSAN MECHANIC WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE HAD ONLY SEEN ONE FAIL IN HIS TEN YEARS AS A MECHANIC, AND THAT INVOLVED A VEHICLE THAT WAS IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE PREVENTS ME FROM STEERING AND AT TIMES TAKES TWO HANDS TO STEER. THE MECHANICS STATE THAT THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE PART. NISSAN REFUSES TO ASSIST IN THE COSTS OF THOSE REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10302372

75,100 miles · Aug 25, 2009
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL*CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TAKE HIS VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION BUT IT FAILED DUE TO THIS FAILURE. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER FURT…

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TL*CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TAKE HIS VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION BUT IT FAILED DUE TO THIS FAILURE. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER FURTHER TESTING THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO RUST ON THE GAS TANK. IN WHICH LED TO A EVAPORATION LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. THE MECHANICS REPLACED THE GAS TANK. ALL THE ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT INCLUDING THE GAS PUMP. THE REPAIRS HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE FAILURE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE ON A VEHICLE THAT'S FIVE YEARS IN AGE IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,100. UPDATED 9/17/09 *CN UPDATED 09/18/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10281638

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2009
Air BagsCrashInjury

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER 4X2, CREW CAB XE 4 DOOR LONG. MY TRUCK WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND IT IS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. THE TRUCK WAS HIT ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ONLY AIR BAG THAT DEPLOYED WAS THE PASSENGERS SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10265371

89,000 miles · Jan 22, 2009
Power Train

LOUD NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255949

38,000 miles · Jan 6, 2009
Equipment

CD PLAYER WILL NOT EJECT DISC ONLY MAKES CLICKING SOUNDS. THIS HAPPENED 24 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE MILEAGE WAS OVER WARRANTY. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253956

47,100 miles · Jan 2, 2009
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN HIS GARAGE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN HIS GARAGE. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 47,100. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 03/18/09. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10253612

83,000 miles · Dec 23, 2008
Electrical System

AROUND 80,000 MILES, FAULTY WIRING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE ERRATICALLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WHILE PRESSING DOWN THE ACCELERATOR. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK TO A NISSAN SERVICE CENTER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WAS A WIRING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING THIS. THIS POTENTIALLY…

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AROUND 80,000 MILES, FAULTY WIRING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE ERRATICALLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, WHILE PRESSING DOWN THE ACCELERATOR. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK TO A NISSAN SERVICE CENTER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WAS A WIRING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING THIS. THIS POTENTIALLY COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT DURING A TURN, OR WHILE DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY, WHICH MAY POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10252606

80,000 miles · Oct 20, 2008
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SENSOR IN THE GAS TANK IS BAD. IT SHOWS EMPTY TANK WHEN TANK IS FULL. IT IS CAUSING THE SES LIGHT TO COME ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246063

Official recalls

1

10V554000 · Steering:column

Nov 11, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2004 FRONTIER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001 THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2004, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2004, XTERRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001, THROUGH JANUARY 6, 2005. OVER TIME CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN JOINT AND LIMIT MOVEMENT OF THE JOINT. THE LIMITED MOVEMENT OF THIS JOINT MAY CREATE EXCESSIVE LOAD ON THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT. IF THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION, IT MAY LEAD TO CRACKING OF THE SHAFT DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS THAT REQUIRE LARGE STEERING INPUTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SHAFT MAY BREAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DURING THESE LOW SPEED MANEUVERS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND JOINT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHAFT OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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.