2006 Nissan Frontier Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2006 Nissan Frontier. Part of Generation 2 (D40) — 2005–2021.

20052007
Complaints
836
per 10K Sold
107.9
US Sales
77,510
Crashes
23
Fires
3
Injuries
23
Fatalities
1
Recalls
2

Worst 2006 Nissan Frontier Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1200 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:122,781 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#2136 complaints

Gasoline Fuel System

Avg mileage:67,458 mi
#382 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:107,703 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2006 Nissan Frontier.

Transmission / Drivetrain
200
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
122,781
Gasoline Fuel System
136
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
67,458
Engine Problems
82
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
107,703
Fuel System
61
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
89,672
Engine & Cooling
56
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
112,391
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank
39
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
63,386
Electrical Faults
29
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
108,241
Steering Defects
24
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
63,032
Airbags
21
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
85,555
Automatic Transmission
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
78,877
Fuel System, Other
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
65,870
Hydraulic Brakes
13
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
50,845
Unintended Acceleration
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
94,862
Steering:Column
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
22,212
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
92,418
Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
69,276
Seat Belt Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
88,962
Brakes
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
92,364
Air Bags:Side/Window
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Driveline
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
4
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Other Equipment
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Manual Transmission
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2006 Nissan Frontier. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2006 Nissan Frontier

2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~828,169 vehicles.

10V517000Engine & Cooling
~747,480 affected

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

10V075000Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank
~80,689 affected

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.

Other Nissan Frontier Years

2006 Nissan Frontier — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2006 Nissan Frontier reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2006 Nissan Frontier has 836 NHTSA complaints, 23 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Transmission / Drivetrain with 200 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2006 Nissan Frontier?
Top reported problems: Transmission / Drivetrain (200 complaints, avg 122,781 mi); Gasoline Fuel System (136 complaints, avg 67,458 mi); Engine Problems (82 complaints, avg 107,703 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2006 Nissan Frontier?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 94,289 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2006 Nissan Frontier?
NHTSA complaints for the 2006 Nissan Frontier include 23 crash-related reports, 3 fire reports, 23 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2006 Nissan Frontier have any recalls?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 828,169 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2006 Nissan Frontier?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2006 Nissan Frontier shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Nissan Frontier reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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