Nissan Frontier 1998–2004
1st generation (D22)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026964 complaints, 479 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 41,961 and 115,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 17 complaints (3.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 10,000
- 25%
- 41,961
- Median
- 75,000
- 75%
- 115,000
- 90%
- 150,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 47 | 9.8% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 15 | 3.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 20 | 4.2% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 33 | 6.9% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 33 | 6.9% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 31 | 6.5% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 38 | 7.9% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 34 | 7.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 29 | 6.1% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 29 | 6.1% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 31 | 6.5% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 24 | 5.0% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 24 | 5.0% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 22 | 4.6% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 19 | 4.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 7 | 1.5% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 11 | 2.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 7 | 1.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 7 | 1.5% |
| 200,000+ | 17 | 3.5% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 964 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2004 Nissan Frontier, and 479 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 41,961 and 115,000 miles. The median is 75,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the tyres (9.8% of complaints, typically around 55,000 miles), the fuel system (9.3% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (8.7% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles).
1 recall campaign cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Tyres55,000median 54,578 miles, middle half 40,000 to 100,000
- Fuel system90,000median 89,500 miles, middle half 64,000 to 110,000
- Transmission and driveline90,000median 89,759 miles, middle half 56,000 to 124,000
- Suspension70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 100,000
- Electrical system70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 115,000
- Engine and its cooling system51,000median 51,250 miles, middle half 22,000 to 85,000
- Airbag system105,000median 105,000 miles, middle half 68,000 to 142,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 94 | 9.8% | 55,000 | 40,000–100,000 |
| Fuel system | 90 | 9.3% | 90,000 | 64,000–110,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 84 | 8.7% | 90,000 | 56,000–124,000 |
| Suspension | 80 | 8.3% | 70,000 | 15,000–100,000 |
| Electrical system | 75 | 7.8% | 70,000 | 39,000–115,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 71 | 7.4% | 51,000 | 22,000–85,000 |
| Airbag system | 68 | 7.1% | 105,000 | 68,000–142,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 67 | 7.0% | 33,000 | 16,000–45,000 |
| Body structure | 44 | 4.6% | 102,000 | 64,000–130,000 |
| Steering | 41 | 4.3% | 70,000 | 50,000–120,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 75,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The tyres account for 9.8% of complaints (94 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 54,578 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 100,300 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 9.3% of complaints (90 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 89,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 64,000 and 110,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.7% of complaints (84 reports, 41 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 89,759 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 56,000 and 124,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 8.3% of complaints (80 reports, 31 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 100,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.8% of complaints (75 reports, 44 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,700 and 115,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.4% of complaints (71 reports, 38 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 51,250 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,000 and 85,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2000 model year drew the most — 224 complaints — while 2004 drew the fewest at 89. The median year sits at 146.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 1 recall campaign covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 964 complaints filed against this generation, 91 reported a crash; 24 reported a fire; 70 reported an injury; 5 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 9.4% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 41,961 and 115,000 miles, with a median of 75,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the tyres and the fuel system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The tyres in particular shows a median failure mileage of 54,578, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine - Timing Chain 1998–2004 (2.4L)
KA24DE timing chain guide and tensioner wear producing a cold-start rattle and, if ignored, chain slap and guide fragmentation.
Body/Frame - Corrosion 1998–2004
Frame and rear structure corrosion in road-salt regions, a recurring theme in owner reports across Nissan compact trucks of this era.
Exhaust 1998–2004
Exhaust manifold cracking and pre-cat material ingestion reports on the four-cylinder trucks.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 146 | 35 |
| 1999 | 106 | 34 |
| 2000 | 224 | 94 |
| 2001 | 155 | 88 |
| 2002 | 152 | 91 |
| 2003 | 92 | 70 |
| 2004 | 89 | 67 |
Recalls (1)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 10V554000 | 2010-12-13 | Steering:column |
What owners reported
Vehicle has 98,000 miles on Frontier truck speedometer works intermittently or sometimes does not work at all. Inaccurate speed determined by radar speed limit device its off by at least 20 miles per hour recall this vehicle.! A search of NHTSA database indicates many identical problems with this model recall this…
1998 · 98 miles · Electrical system
Firestone/bridgestone, wilderness at, p215/65r15, DOT#w2zfnna377. Tire sidewall blew out while driving at 70 MPH on the interstate. Vehicle ended up on the side of the road. *Ak the consumer indicated that nothng was hit to cause the tire to blowout. The tire pressure was checked before the trip. It was also check…
1998 · 40,000 miles · Tyres
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Frontier. On september 1, 2007, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer because all of the instrument panel gauges were blank. He paid $900 for the repair and was informed that the circuit board would arrive the following day. After returning to the dealer several times, he was…
1998 · 58,000 miles · Electrical system
The circuit board behind the dash instruments that operates all of the dash board instruments on my 1998 Nissan pu has failed. The dealership could not obtain a new one and said that the part is no longer made. The pu has about 58000 miles on it but now i can not have it safety checked because none of the gauges on…
1998 · 58,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 479 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page