Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Nissan Frontier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 203 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 203, in the owner's own words
2 months after purchasing the vehicle (with 98,410 miles) it started to shutter around 40 and 60 mph. At a little over 100,000 miles it began to slip in 5th gear (overdrive). It has been getting worse in the last 1,000s. Both Nissan or the local dealer are willing to offer any financial assistance.
I was at work, Which is 100% depended on my vehicle, as I work in the oilfield, I was out in the middle of nowhere, when I was getting back into my vehicle, I turned the key and the vehicle would not even turnover, I was forced to walk 5 miles to get to a job site that cell phone service to make a call for help, Took the truck to my mechanic, He said it was a transmission code coming up on his computer and that he was unable to fix, So I had to tow the vehicle a second time to Nissan in Grand Junction co. where they informed me that the Transmission and Radiator fluid has mixed together, Now I'm needing a new Transmission and coolant system at a price over $6000, They did let me know that this was a VERY common problem with this vehicle.
ON 2/2/2019, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION CHECKED, BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS DATE I WAS EXPERIENCING ALOT OF JERKING AND OTHER ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER AAMCO TECHS LOOKED OVER MY TRANSMISSION, I WAS CONTACTED & INFORMED THAT I HAD A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR THAT HAD CONTAMINATED MY TRANSMISSION, DUE TO THE RADIATOR LEAKING COOLANT INTO MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT NISSAN HAD A LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS VERY PROBLEM, WHICH I WAS IN SHOCK, SINCE NO ONE HAD EVER ADVISED ME THROUGH MAIL, EMAIL, OR EVEN WORD OF MOUTH. MY FRONTIER IS A 2006, BUT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2007, & ON 2/2/2019, MY FRONTIER ONLY HAD 80,034 MILES ON IT. I'M DISABLED, & I NEED MY VEHICLE FOR DOCTOR APPTS, & FOR MY TWO CHILDREN AS WELL. THE MOST FRUSTRATING PART OF IT ALL IS, I TAKE MY FRONTIER TO THE LOCAL NISSAN TO HAVE THEM DO THE OIL CHANGES & TIRE ROTATIONS WHENEVER ITS DUE, & THEY ALWAYS CHECK ALL OF MY FLUIDS AT THE SAME TIME. IN ADDITION, THIS ISSUE AROUSE IN 2006 BEFORE I PURCHASED THE FRONTIER, BUT NOTHING WAS EVER CONVEYED TO ME ABOUT ANY ISSUES WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR OR MODEL. SINCE THERE WERE 3-4 MODELS AFFECTED BETWEEN 2005 THRU 2010. I HAD AAMCO REPLACE THE RADIATOR & TRANSMISSION, WHICH COST ME $4,000.00, & MY FRONTIER ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT, I'VE NEVER HEARD OR EVEN EXPERIENCED SUCH AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE BEFORE! I EVEN REACHED OUT TO NISSAN CORPORATE OFFICE, BUT THEY DID NOT FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE $1,500.00, WHICH THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT PUT DEFECTIVE RADIATORS INTO THEIR PRODUCTS, BUT DID NOT SEND OUT ANY NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM THAT A OWNER COULD HAVE. MY FAMILY OR MYSELF COULD'VE EASILY BEEN HURT BECAUSE OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE IN NOT NOTIFYING CONSUMERS/OWNERS. DO THEY NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS, OR IS IT JUST ABOUT THE ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR!!
AFTER TURNING OVER 72,000 MILES, A SLIGHT VIBRATION WAS NOTICED DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. OUR LOCAL TRANSMISSION MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A NON-REPAIRABLE TRANSMISSION DUE TO RADIATOR FLUID MIXING WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID: RESULTING IN THE NEED FOR A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION.
THE TRANSMISSION IN ONE DAY LOST REVERSE DRIVE AND LEFT ME ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE MOTOR REVING UP.AND DOWN AND DYING WHILE THE TRANSMISSION JUST SPUN ,LEAVING ME TO TOW IT TO THE NEAREST TRANSMISSION SHOP, THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE FREEWAY MOVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH WITH TOOK THE MOTOR ABOUT 3 OR 4 THOUSAND RPM TO MOVE BECAUSE THE GEARS WERE GONE AND APPARENTLY FROM A AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION COOLER THAT MINE NEEDED
2006 NISSAN FRONTIER TRANSMISSION FAILING DUE TO ENGINE COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXING. TRUCK STARTED JERKING AT TIMES JUST CRUISING USUALLY BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH THEN WORSE. COOLANT RESERVOIR AND RADIATOR WAS NOTICED IN COMPONENTS. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND GAVE ME A PRICE OF 5300 TO REPLACE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION AND FLUSH ALL SYSTEMS. I HAD BEEN READING REVIEWS ON THESE MODELS AND WAS HOPING THIS WASN'T THE ISSUE ON MINE. AS SOON AS I NOTICED THE FLUID CONTAMINATION I WAS SICK. HAD NO IDEA OF THIS PROBLEM. ALOT OF REVIEWS SAY STEER CLEAR OF THESE VEHICLES. THIS FRONTIER IS MY 3RD OWNED NISSAN VEHICLE. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN SLOWLY TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT RADIATOR FLUID HAD LEAKED INTO HER TRANSMISSION WHICH HAD CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE CONTACT THEN TOWED THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THERE WERE ALSO NO RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE IN RELATION TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THEN LOST REVERSE.AND FINALLY JUST KEPT SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T MOVE MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED FEET ,AND WOULD TURN OFF AND WOULDN'T RESTART UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION COOLED OFF,AND WHEN IT RESTARTED THE IDLE OR TACHOMETER WOULD JUMP INTO THE RED LINE AREA EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK WOULDN'T DRIVE PAST 20 MPH. COASTING ON THE FREEWAY I WOULD PULL TO THE SIDE AND HAVE CARS DRIVE AROUND MR WHILE TRYING TO PUSH IT OFF THE SHOULDER,LOOKING FOR AN OFF RAMP TO GO TO THE NEAREST TRANSMISSION SHOP I COULD FIND..SECONDLY I HAD TO REPLACE MY FUEL SENDER AND OR. MY FUEL PUMP I T WENT OUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THINKING I HAD A HALF A TANK WHEN ACTUALLY IT WAS ON EMPTY ..SO I REALLY NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH FUEL IT HAD UNTIL I GOT IT FIXED AT SAM'S AUTOMOTIVE IN BEAUMONT CA .92223 AND SAM HAS RETURNED AND SOLD THE BUSINESS SO I HAVE NO RECEIPT ONLY REMEMBERING IT COSTS BETWEEN 500 AND 100 DOLLARS .. AND YES I CHECKED AND IT TOO HAD A RECALL AND I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THEN LOST REVERSE AND FINALLY JUST KEPT SPINNING AND WOULDN'T MOVE MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED FEET AND WOULD TURN OFF AND NOT RESTART TILL TRANSMISSION COOLED OFF ..AND WHEN IT WOULD RESTART THE IDLE OR TACHOMETER WOULD ACCELERATE INTO THE RED LINE AREA WHILE COASTING ON THE FREEWAY HEADING TO NEAREST TRANSMISSION SHOP I COULD FIND OFF FREEWAY
THE TRANSMISSION LINE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE RADIATOR BROKE IN HALF , THE COOLING WAS PUSHED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS PUSHED INTO THE RADIATOR,, THE RADIATOR, RADIATOR HOSES ,TRANSMISSION LINES , THREATS, HEAT CORE, WATER PUMP, AND READ TO TANK , NOW HAD OIL AND COOLING IN THEM , D-PATRICK OF EVANSVILLE INDIANA HAD RAN A 15 POINT INSPECTION ON THIS TRUCK , THEY SAID THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS DISCOLORED, THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOME THING WRONG WITH THIS TRIF I.
IN APRIL 2019 I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER TRUCK 4X4 V6 . SUDDENLY I NOTICE A LACK OF POWER AND THEN IT DID NOT MOVE ANY WHERE. I CALL A TOW TRUCK SERVICES TO TAKE IT TO THE MECHANICS. THE WAS THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE FAILURE , DO TO THE RADIATOR COIL LEAKING. WE PUT A NEW RADIATOR AND BOUGHT A TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE THAT COST $964.00 DOLLARS. TH3 MECHANIC INSTALLED IT AND RECOMMENDED TO TAKE IT TO NISSAN FOR PROGRAMMING. AFTER 3 TIMES TRYING NISSAN SAD THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS ISSUE HAS COST ME ALMOST $2,500.00 IN TOWING AND LABOR BACK AND FORWARD AND STILL MY TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING A TRANSMISSION. THIS IS NOT FAIR HOW A COMPANY THAT KNOWS THAT PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE WAIT UNTIL THE WARRANTY IS OVER AND DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM PRIOR. THEY ARE KNOW FOR THEIR CTV PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND WITH THE RADIATOR COIL BEING DEFECTIVE. THIS COMPANIES OPERATING IN OUR COUNTRY ARE ABUSING THE CONSUMERS WITH NO BODY DOING JUSTICE. I HOPE THIS HOPE SOMEONE OR AT LEAST BRING AWARENESS TO OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT PROTECT CONSUMERS. THANKS
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NISSAN DIAGNOSED ENGINE COOLANT IN TRANSMISSION FLUID. NEED NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR.
LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, HAD IT CHECKED BY TRANSMISSION SHOP AND TURNS OUT THERE IS A DEFECT IN OEM RADIATOR CAUSES CONTAMINATION OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ENGINE COOLANT. WAS REQUIRED TO SPEND OVER $6000 OUT OF POCKET TO FIX.
I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM A DEALERSHIP, WITH 118,500 MILES IN, AND I ONLY DROVE IT 1,500 MILES AND TRANSMISSION BROKE, I NEVER THE WARRANTY FOR THE TRUCK, AND THE REPAIRS CAME OUT $4,237 DOLLARS WHAT CAN I DO IN THIS SITUATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4,000. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO REVERSE, THE GEAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, IT WENT INTO LOW GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND ALMOST CRASHED. MECHANIC SAID THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. RADIATOR FLUID MIXED INTO TRANSMISSION FLUID. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 85000 MILES ON IT.
VEHICLE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS AND IS SLUGGISH. THE DISPLAY ON THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT SHOW THE POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SPENT OVER 600 DOLLARS TO FIND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE IS BAD AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL TO FIX COOLENT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY VEHICLE IS STILL BROKEN BECAUSE OF THE PART COST 1100 USD AND THE REPAIR. TOTAL BILL IS 1600 USD. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED WITHOUT ME PAYING A DIME. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. NOW IT WON'T EVEN GET UP TO SPEED THE TRANSMISSION SOUNDS AS IF IT IS STUCK IN A GEAR. VERY ERRATIC. MY CRUISE CONTROL ALSO JUST BLINKS AND WHEN THE MECHANIC TESTED THE CODES IT GAVE A NETWORK FAILURE CODE
THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM AN ACKNOWLEDGED DEFECT INSIDE THE RADIATOR ASSEMBLY. THE METAL TUBES THAT SEPARATE ENGINE COOLANT FROM TRANSMISSION FLUID CRACK OVER TIME. COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXES THROUGH THESE CRACKS AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BUT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN VEHICLE HAD NO POWER WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENT MANY TIMES BEFORE AND NISSAN IS AWARE OF IT. A MANUFACTURE RECALL HAS NEVER BEEN ISSUED. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THIS VEHICLE IS PAST THE TIME LIMIT AND NUMBER OF MILES DEFINED IN THE WARRANTY AND NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT.
COOLANT LEAKED FROM RADIATOR INTO TRANSMISSION THROUGH FAULTY COOLING LINES.. RESULT WAS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY. VERY COSTLY REPAIR BILL ($4600.00). HAD TO REPLACE RADIATOR AND DO A COMPLETE REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND RADIATOR COOLANT TO MIX TOGETHER. THE FAILURE EVENTUALLY CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BANISTER NISSAN OF NORFOLK (1250 N MILITARY HWY, NORFOLK, VA 23502) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS AND THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,967.
ON 11/10/2018 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH NO WARNING LIGHT MY 2006 NISSAN STARTS TO LOSE POWER!!! I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND PULL INTO A GAS STATION TO CALL AAA TO TOW IT TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION HAS COOLENT IN IT AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NEED I BE REBUILT OR REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. HE SAID THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE COOLENT HOSE THAT WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I NEVER GOT ANY WARNING LIGHT UNTIL AFTER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000.
DUE TO DESIGN FLAW RESULTING IN MIXING OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND RADIATOR FLUID, TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHENEVER FAILURE OCCURRED. I HAVE SINCE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH MANY NISSAN VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR SYSTEMS. DOCUMENTATION OF TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT IS NOT CURRENTLY IN MY POSSESSION, HOWEVER IF NECESSARY, ALL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITY.
APPARENTLY COOLANT MIXED INTO MY TRANSMISSION AND IT IS NOW SLIPPING. AND REPAIR WILL COST $4500.00 OR MORE. I HEARD A SLIGHT CLUNK WHEN DRIVING THEN IT STARTED TO SLIP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWLY REDUCED SPEED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (ROBERT WOODALL NISSAN, 132 UNION ST, DANVILLE, VA 24540, (434) 797-1411) REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ONLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL, ENGINE, OR POWER TRAIN RELATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 1V0517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,172.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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