IllustrationWHILE ON VACATION TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT MIXING WITH TRANSMISSION FAULTY RADIATOR TAKEN TO MT HOLLY NISSAN ASAP WHILE DRIVING IT WAS A SAFETY HAZZARD
2007 Nissan Frontier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Frontier years
Owner complaints for the 2007 Nissan Frontier are substantially higher than the model-year median of 64.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Frontier years →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
230–25K
6525–50K
10050–75K
10575–100K
147100–150K
21150K+
461 reports with mileage · 59 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 222 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Power Train complaints
222 reportsGOT IN MY 2007 FRONTIER TO GO TO WORK ON MONDAY MORNING ,GOT ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AND PULLED OUT ONTO THE MAIN STREET AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM THIRD GEAR BACK INTO 1ST GEAR I WAS ONLY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 60KM AN HOUR, THEN LIMPED IT HOME TO FIND OUT MY RAD WAS CRACKED ,I DO TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY TRUCK AND FOR THIS TO GO A…
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GOT IN MY 2007 FRONTIER TO GO TO WORK ON MONDAY MORNING ,GOT ABOUT THREE BLOCKS AND PULLED OUT ONTO THE MAIN STREET AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM THIRD GEAR BACK INTO 1ST GEAR I WAS ONLY DOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 60KM AN HOUR, THEN LIMPED IT HOME TO FIND OUT MY RAD WAS CRACKED ,I DO TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY TRUCK AND FOR THIS TO GO ALL OF A SUDDEN. I THINK NISSAN SHOULD COVER THE COST .I ONLY HAVE 110 KMS ON IT !!!
MY TRUCK SERVICE LIGTH COME ON 09/25/2018 TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC HE SAID THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE IN THE TRANSMISSION THE SAID WAS BAD FOR THAT HE SAID IT WOULD COST 2500 HUNDRED TO FIX I'VE HAD THIS TRUCK SEEN 2007 I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM 😒
WE HAD JUST HAD OUR OIL CHANGED IN OUR NISSAN FRONTIER AND HAD A GENERAL CHECK OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE DRIVING IT ON A VACATION TO ANOTHER STATE. EVERYTHING WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. IT HAS 118,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING HOME LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER WE LEFT…
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WE HAD JUST HAD OUR OIL CHANGED IN OUR NISSAN FRONTIER AND HAD A GENERAL CHECK OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE DRIVING IT ON A VACATION TO ANOTHER STATE. EVERYTHING WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. IT HAS 118,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING HOME LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER WE LEFT, WE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND COOLANT WAS SUDDENLY LEAKING FROM THE TRUCK. WE ALSO NOTICED A PINK OR ORANGE FLUID MIXED WITH THE COOLANT. WE WERE >3 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE GOT WORSE AS WE WERE DRIVING. WE WERE LUCKILY ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME AND TOOK OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS TRUCK HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER NISSANS--COOLANT MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SUDDENLY FAIL. NOW THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEABLE AND WERE ARE SUDDENLY LEFT WITH A VERY BIG COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT ANY WARNING IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. WE COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED FAR FROM HOME OR WORSE, THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE FAILED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I KNOW THAT NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2007 AND HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX IT AND FAILED TO CHANGE THE DESIGN OF LATER VEHICLES. WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE UNTIL IT HAPPENED TO US. SINCE EVERYTHING WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER WHEN WE LEFT, WE HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT THAT IN LESS THAN A WEEK, OUR VEHICLE WOULD BECOME UNDRIVEABLE.
TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LIMP MODE LEAVING DRIVEWAY. CLEARED BY SHUTTING OFF & RESTART. DID THIS TWICE THEN WOULD NOT RESET. TOOK TO SHOP & DIAGNOSED CONTAMINATED TRANNY FLUID & RUINED TRANSMISSION. ONE PART REPLACED WAS NISSAN OEM TCM. THREE MONTHS AFTER REBUILD SAME THING HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY BUT COULD NOT CLEAR LIMP MODE. …
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TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LIMP MODE LEAVING DRIVEWAY. CLEARED BY SHUTTING OFF & RESTART. DID THIS TWICE THEN WOULD NOT RESET. TOOK TO SHOP & DIAGNOSED CONTAMINATED TRANNY FLUID & RUINED TRANSMISSION. ONE PART REPLACED WAS NISSAN OEM TCM. THREE MONTHS AFTER REBUILD SAME THING HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY BUT COULD NOT CLEAR LIMP MODE. $400 TOW TO SHOP BUT THEY SAID ALL TESTED AND PASSED, RESET CODES. HAPPENED AGAIN ON HIGHWAY AND DROVE TO NISSAN DEALER IN FLAGSTAFF. THEY DIAGNOSED LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH TCM AND SAID IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN, AND TO GET TO SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THE THIRD TIME THIS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY DROVE SLOW IN LIMP MODE BACK TO ORIGNIAL SHOP THAT REBUILT TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION SHOP AFTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID OEM TCM FAILED. AVONDALE NISSAN SUPPLIED SHOP WITH NEW TCM BUT ONLY AFTER FAILED TCM WAS RETURNED. TOTAL EXPENSES OVER $7000 AND LOSS OF VEHICLE USE FOR 10 DAYS WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND 26 CALENDAR DAYS SECOND TIME DUE TO DIFFICULTY IN SHOP DETERMINING EXACTLY WHAT FAILED BECAUSE NISSAN SAID TCM NOT PRONE TO FAILURE HISTORY.
LOST POWER TO TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD WITH GRANDSON IN CAR SEAT. SAW THE SES (SERVICE ENGINE SOON) LIGHT AND COASTED OFF TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY. VERY SCARY!
NISSAN FRONTIER TRANSMISSION REVERSE WENT OUT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.
CROSS-CONTAMINATION BETWEEN AMY FREEZE IN TRANSMISSION FLUID. TRANSMISSION MECHANIC QUOTED AT $4000 TO REPLACE FIX PROBLEM
RADIATOR LEAKED FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION CASE CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 146000 MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WILE ON THE HIGHWAY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR 5000 DOLLARS.
THE RADIATOR IS DEFECTIVE AND LET'S THE ANTI-FREZEE MIX WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Official recalls
108V690000 · Air Bags:frontal
Dec 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 & remedy
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.
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
1DP12004 · Transmission Failures
Opened Jun 11, 2012 · Closed Oct 22, 2016
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train; Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines; Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Additional source detail variants (5)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.