2006 Nissan Frontier recalls and problems

The 2006 Nissan Frontier has 4 recalls and 617 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

How the 2006 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 27 Frontier model years — the most of any year.

4recalls

617complaints

13crashes

2fires

13injuries

80,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

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4 recalls

Engine

Oct 28, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V517000 · 747,480 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the ECM relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on December 6, 2010. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Fuel System

Mar 3, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V075000 · 80,689 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before March 22, 2010. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Air Bags

Dec 29, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V690000 · 242,720 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs May internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.

Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on January 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Fuel System

Mar 30, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V092000 · 42,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain king cab trucks, in a severe side impact crash, there is a possibility that deformation of the vehicle's body could cause the fuel filler cap tether to be stretched to the point of unscrewing the fuel filler cap.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN KING CAB TRUCKS, IN A SEVERE SIDE IMPACT CRASH, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT DEFORMATION OF THE VEHICLE'S BODY COULD CAUSE THE FUEL FILLER CAP TETHER TO BE STRETCHED TO THE POINT OF UNSCREWING THE FUEL FILLER CAP.

Risk: This May result in a fuel spill which in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS MAY RESULT IN A FUEL SPILL WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel cap tether pin assembly with a modified one free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2006. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Nissan recall no. R0603.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Fuel System251

Power Train220

Engine155

Unknown or other19

Vehicle Speed Control14

Suspension9

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Fuel smell and loss of motive power

DP26003 · opened Mar 30, 2026 · closed Oct 9, 2026

Summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a petition dated February 5, 2026, requesting an investigation into model year (MY) 2006 Nissan Frontier vehicles. The petition alleged that the vehicles pose an imminent fire hazard due to a powerful and persistent odor of raw gasoline emanating from the vehicle, indicating a breach in fuel system integrity. The petition also alleged that the vehicles can experience sudden engine stalling during startup and operation, creating an unreasonable risk of collision or loss of vehicle control. The petition further asserted these symptoms are identical to conditions addressed in previous NHTSA recalls (Recalls 10V-075, 07V-435, and 10V-517) arguing that the issues persist in the 2006 MY Nissan fleet despite these past actions and asserting that a safety defect is not subject to expiration. The subject vehicle is a model year 2006 vehicle that has been in service for approximately 20 years. Standard automotive components including fuel hoses, rubber seals, gaskets, electrical relays, and engine sensors have a finite useful lifecycle and are subject to environmental exposure, operational stress, and natural degradation over extended time frames. ODI routinely distinguishes between a manufacturing or design defect and normal lifecycle wear-out, such as in Denial of DP18002, 87 FR16823, finding underbody component issues late in vehicle life to be indicative of normal wear and tear failures. Isolated component failur…

Transmission Failures

DP12004 · opened Jun 11, 2012 · closed Oct 22, 2016

Summary

On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.

2006 vs. other Nissan Frontier years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2006. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2006 Nissan Frontier have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Nissan Frontier, the latest from Oct 28, 2010 (engine). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Nissan Frontier?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (251), power train (220), engine (155). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.