NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Nissan Frontier. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL NOT GO INTO DRIVE, STRANDING DRIVER AND VEHICLE IN CUSTOMER'S DRIVEWAY. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY THAT HAS FAILED ON SEVERAL OTHER FRONTIERS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. VEHICLE IS DISABLED UNTIL REPAIRED. PARTS FOR THE REPAIR ARE DEALER ONLY AND THE REPAIR IS OVER $600!
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
NOTICE THAT MY DASH WAS BECOMING SHINY, WHEN I TOUCH IT WAS TACKY. I LIVE IN SOUTH FLORIDA. *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND MAY NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR
WHEN OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE LATCHING MECHANISM BROKE AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH CLOSED. THIS HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR AND IT WAS FIXED BY THE DEALER UNDER MY WARRANTY. BOTH PASSENGER DOORS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM OF NOT LATCHING WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR. WHEN I PULL ON THE HANDLE SOMETIMES IT WILL END UP LATCHING CLOSED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,456.
VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND STRANDED THE DRIVER. VEHICLE SHIFTER FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED. THE SHIFTER CAN STOP OPERATING AT ANY TIME, LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO DRIVE. I HAVE HAD 8 OF THESE SHIFTERS REPLACED ON 8 DIFFERENT 2012 NISSAN FRONTIERS AND COUNTING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN JERKIN VIOLENTLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO BOUNCE OFF A SIDE RAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,012.
ENGINE COOLANT SMELL AFTER DRIVING. RADIATOR GETS LOW ON COOLANT. OVERFLOW COOLANT LEVEL IS FULL WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. RADIATOR IS NOT PULLING COOLANT BACK FROM THE OVER FLOW WHEN THE ENGINE COOLS DOWN AFTER BEING OPERATED. THIS INDICATES A LEAK. NISSAN DEALER DID A VISUAL INSPECTION BUT AID THEY FOUND NOTHING. *TR
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO PUT INTO GEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID SOMETHING MUST HAVE SPILLED DOWN BY THE SHIFTER LINKAGE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER, AND I DO NOT THINK THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT COULD NOT BE ABSOLUTELY SURE. I AM ONLY SUBMITTING THIS, BECAUSE I SAW SEVERAL OTHER POSTS WHERE PEOPLE COULD NOT SHIFT THEIR VEHICLES OUT OF PARK, NISSAN WOULD NOT HELP OUT WITH THE EXPENSE OF REPAIR SINCE THEY WERE OUT OF WARRANTY. ANYONE READING THIS SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE PURCHASING A NISSAN. THEY ARE NOT THE HIGH QUALITY VEHICLES THEY WERE AT ONE TIME.
SHIFTER FOR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE STANDING THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY FOUND DEFECTIVE AND WAS REPLACED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIP. *TR
DRIVING ON STRAIGHT HIGHWAY I DRIVE EVERY DAY AND BOTH CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOY WITHOUT IMPACT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE FRONT END VIBRATED AS THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LINE BOLTS WERE SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TO FALL. AS A RESULT, THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE FLOOR BOARD WERE DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 181,041. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE DEALER REFERRED HIM TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY HAD AN ENGINEER FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF CRASH OR IMPACT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE 2H IS ENGAGED AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE A MOMENTARY HESITATION AND JERKING ENSUES AS IF THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL AS YOU PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL TO MOVE THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY PROCEEDS IN REVERSE IN A JERKING MOTION. THIS ONLY OCCURS IN REVERSE AND AT LOW SPEED. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP AT AN OIL CHANCE AND THE CONDITION WAS NOTED ON THE WORK ORDER. TECHNICIAN STATED THIS IS NORMAL IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND NO MALFUNCTION OR REPAIR WAS NOTED. SERVICE AT CONTINENTAL NISSAN COUNTRYSIDE ILLINOIS. *TR
TAILGATE DROPS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THEN TAILGATE CAME OFF FRIGHT HINGE/LOCK . *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME HESITANT TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800. UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 05/21/13
AGAIN! WHILE TRAVELING APX 55 MPH, VEHICLE LOST POWER, ENGINE SURGING, SPUTTERING, SOME WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH ILLUMINATED. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE ANOTHER MILE OR 2. NO LUCK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED 80 PLUS MILES BACK TO DEALER. ANOTHER CRANK POSITION REPLACED AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED FOR NOW, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR!! ID THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY MULTI LANE HIGHWAY WHILE TOWING SOMETHING IT MIGHT HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT OUTCOME!! *TR
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO FLICKER AND WOULD NOT DISPLAY ACCURATE INFORMATION (ENGINE ALERTS, TIRE ALERTS, NOT DISPLAYING TURN SIGNALS, SPEEDOMETER, ETC). THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE VEHICLE SPEED OR IF THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES ACTUALLY WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. DEALERSHIP HAS DETERMINED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE HAS A PROBLEM AND IS BEING REPLACED. *TR
WITHOUT MUCH WARNING SIGNS OR WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT, ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING AND MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE. AFTER INSPECTION BY THE SHOP, ALL SIX BOLTS ATTACHING THE FRONT DRIVE TO THE TRANSFER BOX WERE GONE. THE PARTS WENT LOOSE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE TRACK, WHICH WAS WORSENED BY THE TOWING. IF THAT PARTS WOULD HAVE DETACHED AT HIGH SPEED, THE INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE ONLY WARNING WAS A LOW NOISE, ASSOCIATED WITH TIRE ROTATION AND THEN A LOUD "BANG" LIKE I HIT A STONE UNDERNEATH. THIS NOISE WAS PRESENT FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE INCIDENT. I BELIEVE ALL 2012 NISSAN FRONTIERS SHOULD BE INSPECTED FOR THIS PROBLEM TO PREVENT FATALITIES. *TR
THE FRONTIER 2012 (NEW CAR) START LOOSING THE ALIGNMENT, THE DEALER WORKED THREE TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, CHANGES THE ORIGINAL TIRES FOR A NEW 4 TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. IN 17 MONTHS THE CAR DAMAGE 6 NEW TIRES CHANGED BY THE DEALER DUE MY COMPLAINTS AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO ATTEND MY CAR ANYMORE NO MATTER THE WARRANTY CAR. I APPLIED TO THE LEMON LAW, BECAUSE THE ENGINEER SEND BY NISSAN SAID THAT THE CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY. BUT SOME MECHANICS TELL ME THE CAR PROBLEM IS IN THE SUSPENSION, AT THIS MOMENT I CONTINUE WAITING FOR THE FLORIDA LEMON LAW RESULTS, BUT VERY AFRAID ABOUT THE INSECURE FEELING AT DRIVING MY CAR. *TR
DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE A/C STOPPED WORKING THEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE NEXT DAY WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS WAS THE FOURTH ENGINE THAT HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE HAS TO BE CHANGE AND I WAS 300 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. LOOSING MONEY AND TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HEAD REST COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. THE HEAD REST WAS POSITIONED DOWNWARD, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S HEAD TO BE FORCED TO LOOK DOWN. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEAD REST WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER AND THEY COULD NOT COMPROMISE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 06/07/12*LJ UPDATED 06/11/12. *JB
MYSELF AND ONE PASSENGER WERE OFF-ROADING IN MY 2012 FRONTIER PRO-4X GOING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF! LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT WE BOTH GOT QUITE A SCARE DUE TO THE NOISE AND LACK OF VISIBILITY. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END NOR WERE WE AT ANY DEGREE OF ANGLE. YES IT WAS BUMPY BUT WHEN YOU PAY FOR A VEHICLE THAT STATES CLEARLY OFF ROAD ON THE SIDE YOU EXPECT IT HAS THE SUSPENSION TO SUPPORT THE RIDE. THE VERY LAST THING I WAS THINKING OF WAS THE AIR BAGS, UNTIL THEY CAME OUT. *TR