AI Damage2016 Nissan Frontier: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Nissan Frontier filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. The maker issued 77 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 43
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 77
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 23% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 19% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 10 complaints (23% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 8 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 8 complaints (19% of all).
- Structure: 4 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (7% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 43 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 33 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Suspension | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Unfortunately we have been involved in three major car accidents and two out of the three times the air bags did not deploy. Every accident we were involved in cost over $10,000 to repair our vehicle so we know that the front end damage was very severe.
Liberty mutual insurance approved a body shop to repair my truck from an accident (I was not at fault) by removing all parts of my truck from it's original frame and putting it back together on another frame. I was sitting still, when I was hit from behind and pushed into vehicle in front of me.
I am experiencing a fuel pump issue that stalls the engine while driving. The issue will sometimes go away if I first loosen the fuel cap on the gas tank to relieve built up pressure but after driving for 10 to 15 minutes or so the vehicle will begin to jerk while accelerating then it will stall and cut off.
A loud squeaking has developed during every day driving. After inspecting - the front right truck bed mounting location has cracked and failed.
The airbag warning light is blinking and has been for approximately 9 months. I live in Salida, CO which does not have a Nissan Dealership to take my vehicle into for servicing. I recently saw an article on Fox 31 News pertaining to the same airbag malfunction and would like to know what to do about my problem.
Head gasket blew and it warped the heads at 98,000 miles Replace motor with a 51,000 mile motor and less than 2 months later, motor is knocking inside with broken peices of the motor. I have to replace it again.
The issues iw with the lug nuts expanding locking on the tire so it cannot be takeoff for rotation or replacement or if you have a flat tire tout on the spare. Went to BJ's tire in Pasadena, MD ([phone]) to have a rotation and they said they could not do it the lug nuts expanded to larger size and it could cross…
My 2016 Nissan Frontier is leaking axle grease from the driver side rear tire. The grease/oil got all over the brake pads, rotor, and emergency brake. This seems to be a very common issue that was supposed to have been resolved several models prior.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 934 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 44% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Frontier has 22 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 43, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other…
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
- VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin is no longer active
To access infotainment software updates via the Infotainment Software Update Utility: Select SPECIALTY TOOLS, and then select Infotainment Software Updates on the left side of ASIST. Please discard previous versions of…
- SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin is no longer active
To access infotainment software updates via the Infotainment Software Update Utility: Select SPECIALTY TOOLS, and then select Infotainment Software Updates on the left side of ASIST. HINT: Initially, the Infotainment…
- NISSANCONNECT NAVIGATION SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE TO RESOLVE SEVERAL ISSUES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NHTSA lists 77 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- I Bought a 2016 Nissan Frontier From Copart for $4,000!amount per author: 17,000 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Frontier?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 43. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (14%), stalls while driving (12%), warning lights, check engine (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Nissan Frontier?
NHTSA lists 77 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Nissan Frontier from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.