2008 Nissan Frontier Powertrain (other) Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at speeds over 40 MPH, the vehicle would shake and vibrate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the radiator fluid had leaked into the transmission causing severe damage to the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 86,000.

NHTSA ID

11486366

Incident

Sep 1, 2022

Mileage

86,000 mi

The transmission cooler integrated into the radiator failed damaging the transmission by cross contamination of fluids. Loss of power on a narrow country mountain road was not safe. I learned that this problem is very common. I feel that Nissan should have replaced the radiator before thousands in transmission damage occurred.

NHTSA ID

11475452

Incident

Jul 21, 2022

Transmission fluid cooler integrated in the radiator that allowed engine coolant to mix with and contaminate the automatic transmission fluid causing damage to the transmission. Radiator had to be replaced along with flushing out of the trans fluid at a service station costing a few thousand of dollars. Months later the check engine light went on and found out that the transmission is slipping caused by the fluid contamination.

NHTSA ID

11474744

Incident

Jul 19, 2022

TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT IN TRANS OIL CONTAMINATING TRANS COMPONENTS. TOTAL TRANS REBUILD/REPLACE RADIATOR AND TRANS COOLER. 130K MILES ON VEHICLE - LOW MILES FOR A 2008 FRONTIER. THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED, HESITATED, WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AS IT SHOULD, WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING THRU GEARS AS IT TRANSITIONED FROM STOP TO MOVING, TYPICALLY AROUND 30-40 MPH UNDER LOAD (ACCELERATING). WE HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. EXPENSIVE REPAIR!

NHTSA ID

11387773

Incident

Dec 22, 2020

Mileage

130,138 mi

DRIVING ON STREET TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE I LOSS POWER AND CAR COULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR IT SEEMED I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED AND SHUT OFF. CAR I STARTED IT BEGAN TO DRIVE AND IT WUDNT GO OVER 30MPH I STOPPED AND NOTICED LEAKING UNDER THE TRUCK TOWARDS THE ENGINE AND WHEN I PRESSED ON GAS IT WOULDN'T GO STILL SO I STOPPED AND GOT TOWED

NHTSA ID

11348447

Incident

Aug 10, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

FIRST LONG TRIP SINCE I BOUGHT THE USED TRUCK, A TRIP TO OAKRIDGE, 90 MILE ROUND TRIP FROM HOME. THE TRUCK MADE IT BACK TO OUR DRIVEWAY, THEN WHEN I PUT ON THE BREAK FOR MY HUSBAND TO GET OUT, IT WOULD NOT MOVE AND ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. I COULDN'T BUDGE THE TRUCK. IT WAS LOCKED UP. COULDN'T MOVE THE STICK. THE ENGINE QUIT. FORCED IT INTO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART, BUT NOT A SOUND. THE NEIGHBOR CAME OVER WITH HIS CODE READER. IT SAID P1000. BATTERY CHECKED GOOD, GOT A NEW ONE ANYWAY BECAUSE ITS AGE. GROUNDS WERE GOOD, BUT CLEANED ANYWAY. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. THEY PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN.

NHTSA ID

11344042

Incident

Jul 23, 2020

Mileage

98,800 mi

THE ANTIFREEZE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID GOT MIXED TOGETHER IN MY TRUCK AND I AM NOW TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNEW THAT THE TRUCK WOULD AT LEAST GIVE ME 100,000 MILES BEFORE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325611

Incident

May 8, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

RADIATOR THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LET GO CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE COOLANT. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AT NEW RIVER NISSAN BACK IN 2018. BEFORE I HAD NISSAN REPAIR IT I HAD TAKEN IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE IT WAS FLUSHED OUT AND A SMALL RADIATOR ADDED TO THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF THE RADIATOR GOING BAD . THE TRUCK HAD LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT AND LESS THAN A 9 YEARS. AS THE RECALL WAS ADDED TO THAT AFTER ALL THE PROBLEMS FROM THE RADIATOR. I FILL LIKE I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR EVERYTHING THAT I PAID OUT WHICH WAS ABOUT 3500.00 TOTAL. BUT NOW IT'S STILL MIXING COOLANT AFTER BEING SERVICED BY A NISSAN DEALER.

NHTSA ID

11319973

Incident

Jun 27, 2018

Mileage

80,969 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING POWER. SO, I SHUT IT OFF AND WHEN I TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN THE FANS AND LIGHTS CAME ON BUT NOTHING ELSE. I TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE STARTER. THEY REPLACED THE STARTER AND THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CHANGED THE ATECU FUSE. IT STARTED AND RAN FOR THREE MINUTES AND THEN DIED AGAIN. THEN I TOOK IT TO AN ELECTRICAL SHOP. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEN I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE BRAIN ECM. THEY FIXED THAT AND IT STILL WOULDN'T START THE CAR. THEN THEY SAID IT WAS THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO GOOD DUE TO CROSS CONTAMINATION (RADIATOR FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION). THIS IS A NISSAN DEFECTIVE RADIATOR AND THEY CHARGED $5500 FOR A MISTAKE THAT WASN'T MY FAULT.

NHTSA ID

11268170

Incident

Sep 13, 2019

Mileage

136,911 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE BUT IT SEEM LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING POWER. I SHUT IT OFF AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START. ADD THE STARTER REPLACED STILL AND START THE ATE UP FUSE WAS BLOWN.TICKET TO ELECTRICAL SHOP THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS THE BRAIN ECU AND THEN THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE BRAIN AND THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO GOOD COST $5500 TO FIX

NHTSA ID

11268165

Incident

Sep 13, 2019

Mileage

136,911 mi

MY COOLANT MIXED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. CAUSING IT NOT TO ACCELERATE. NISSAN MECHANIC SAYS IT'LL COST 6000 DOLLARS TO COMPLETELY FIX. ABSURD!!!!!! 120,000 MILE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11229789

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

NOTICED SHAKING IN PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AFTER DOING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF WORKED TO THE FRONT END. TO FIND OUT THAT THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION WERE MIXING FLUID. SHOP TOLD ME TRANSMISSION IT IS DONE AND MUST BE REBUILT AND RADIATOR MUST BE REBUILT. BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FRONTIER.

NHTSA ID

11192032

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

TRANSMISSION LOCKED DURING DRIVING COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXING WITH COOLANT CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURES

NHTSA ID

11092822

Incident

May 8, 2018

Mileage

125,000 mi

STARTING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION IT STARTED POPPING AS I WOULD BACK UP , SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY FOUND THAT THE RADIATOR COOLING SYSTEM HAD LET GO LETTING THE COOLING AND TRANSMISSION MIX. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THIS IF NISSAN NEW ABOUT IT. IT STARTED TO SLIP A COUPLE OF TIMES AS I WENT TO PULL OUT AND THAT'S WHEN I TOOK IT TO GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

11075406

Incident

Feb 24, 2018

Mileage

81,000 mi

TRANSMISSION COOLER IN RADIATER FAILED AND COOLANT LEAKED INTO TRANSMISSION CAUSING TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND OVERHEATING.BROKE DOWN ON SIDE OF ROAD AND HAD TO BE TOWED.

NHTSA ID

11051408

Incident

Jun 3, 2017

Mileage

63,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK. DIFFERENTIAL VENT LEAK. BOTH STARTED ABOUT 100,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11021741

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, HE OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL THUMPING SOUND FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MADE THE MANUFACTURER AWARE OF THE FAILURE, AND THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO HIS LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER (TOM HESSER NISSAN , 900 ONEIL HWY, DUNMORE, PA, 18512) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS LEAKING FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,892. ... .UPDATED 11/16/17 *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 11/30/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

11014572

Incident

Jun 9, 2017

Mileage

46,892 mi

ENGINE COOLANT HAS LEAKED FROM THE RADIATOR INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SECTION OF THE RADIATOR, THEN INTO THE TRANSMISSION RESULTING IN OVER $5200 IN A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. HAVING CHECKED VARIOUS WEB SITES I NOTICE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. MY QUESTION IS: IF NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, WHY HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN ISSUED? ALSO, WHY SHOULD OWNERS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOOTING THE BILL FOR REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION? DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS, I WILL BE CONTACTING THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY THAT PROVIDES OVERSIGHT OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND RECALLS. IT IS UNSATISFACTORY THAT NISSAN DOES NOT OWN UP TO IT'S RESPONSIBILITIES!

NHTSA ID

11012286

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

Mileage

160,000 mi

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JAN OF 2017 AS A USED TRUCK. HAD LESS THAN 2 MOS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. AS WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC FOR REPAIR, WE DISCOVERED NISSAN HAS HAD THIS ISSUE ON SEVERAL OF THEIR MODELS. THE RADIATOR FLUID HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND RUINED THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

10959928

Incident

Jan 5, 2017

Mileage

87,263 mi

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO AN ITEM ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA. I AM ANOTHER VICTIM OF NISSAN'S LEAKING TRANSMISSION COOLER LEADING TO A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSOIN FAILURE. MY TRANSMISSION LOCKED IN SECOND GEAR UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN. FORTUNATELY I WAS 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOME ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHERE SUCH A PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE FIX IS RELATIVELY CHEAP BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER BEGINS TO LEAK. UNFORTUNATELY CONSUMERS ARE UNAWARE OF THE ISSUE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE, AND THE REPAIR REQUIRES A NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR COSTING $5000 TO $6000. ALTHOUGH NO WRECK WAS INVOLVED IN MY INCIDENT, THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IS DEFINATELY PRESENT IF SUCH A FAILURE WHERE TO HAPPEN ON A CONGESTED INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

10899064

Incident

Aug 16, 2016

Mileage

113,000 mi

TRANSMISSION COOLER IN RADIATOR LEAKED CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO BREAK DOWN

NHTSA ID

10893786

Incident

May 19, 2016

Mileage

163,073 mi

TRANSMISSION COMPLETALLY CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT AND CAR DID NOT MOVE ANYMORE. START SLPPING IN OVERDRIVE. ONES I STARTED AND IT HAS A WEIRD SOUND AND WENT HOME BUT IN THE WAY THE CAR STOPS COMPLETALLY.

NHTSA ID

10883460

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

RADIATOR COOLANT LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION. RESULTING IN A FAILED TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS STARTED SLIPPING GEARS. ONLY 52000 MILES ON TRUCK.

NHTSA ID

10881760

Incident

Jun 28, 2016

Mileage

52,000 mi

RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO CROSS CONTAMINATION OF RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSED BY CRACKED ATF LINE RUNNING THROUGH ENGINE COOLANT CHAMBER IN RADIATOR.

NHTSA ID

10865767

Incident

May 18, 2016

Mileage

110,300 mi

AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON ON MY FRONTIER, I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC. MECHANIC STATES THAT I HAVE A FAULTY COOLANT. ITS A KNOWN ISSUE BY NISSAN FRONTIERS. BASICLY THE COOLANT WILL LEAK INTO MY RADIATOR WHICH THEN WILL MESS UP THE TRANSMISSION. THIS WILL COST ME ABOUT $4000.00.

NHTSA ID

10862923

Incident

May 2, 2016