CarComplaints.com Notes: Radiators are still cracking, leaking coolant and destroying transmissions. Which is a shame when you consider that otherwise, this would be a great small pickup truck.

7.2

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,760
Average Mileage:
108,100 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace catalytic converter and rear manifold (8 reports)
  2. not sure (1 reports)
  3. replace catalytic converter (1 reports)
2006 Nissan Frontier exhaust system problems

exhaust system problem

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2006 Nissan Frontier Owner Comments

problem #10

Apr 072016

Frontier

  • Automatic transmission
  • 108,299 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

F Nissan I'm not happy the performance if I can return this truck to the dealer and refund my money I will do it!

I spent 3000.00 to fix the problem, and I only receiving disability check

I'm blaming myself why I buy this kind of truck. Before I had my 1997 truck and I put more than 200.000 miles and din't not give any problem, except to replace battery, and tires and if I have a money I will trade this f Nissan to Toyota Tacoma

- Armando B., Los Angele, CA, US

problem #9

Mar 282016

Frontier SE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 139,000 miles

I wanted to buy a Toyota Tacoma truck, but they were too expensive. Instead, I bought a used Nissan truck in 2008, it had 34,000 miles on it. It was the perfect size, with 4 doors for the kids and a short bed for cargo. For the next 75,000 miles, I had no major problems besides a fuel level sensor. I had gotten advisories from Nissan about transmission issues, but never had any problems, the car started and ran great every day.

Fast forward to March of 2014. At 110,000 miles, the truck began to shudder sometimes during light acceleration. My radiator was leaking fluid into the transmission, and vice versa. I loved the truck, so I paid my favorite mechanic $7,000 to replace the transmission, radiator, thermostat and hoses. One year later I got the OBDII code P430. This means your Left Front Catalytic Converter is shot. Living in California means you have to buy a new converter from the dealer ($800). Now I have 140,000 miles on the truck, have spent over $11,000 in the past 24 months on repairs, and am thrilled to report I HAVE HAD ALL OF THE TOP 5 COMPLAINTS WHICH MAKES THIS TRUCK A CLUNKER: Failed fuel gauge, failed radiator, failed transmission, failed catalytic converter, and failed timing chain guides. Since none of these are safety issues, there are no recalls on them. Since my truck has over 100,000 miles, Nissan will not help.

I have learned my lesson: I should have spent a little more money to get the Toyota! Nissan makes an inferior product, and doesn’t stand behind them. Never buy a Nissan, you will pay for your mistake if you do!

- lennyleonards, Fremont, CA, US

problem #8

Dec 212015

Frontier Crew Cab SE V6 VQ40DE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

Bought this car in 2009 with 34,000 miles on it. This would have been one of the best cars I ever bought, IF I HAD DUMPED IT AT 100,000 MILES.

After years of trouble free driving, I had the Fuel gauge sensor go bad. I fixed it myself. Then, at 111,000 miles, the radiator cracked internally and destroyed the transmission. I loved the car, so I bought a new Transmission and Radiator, total cost nearly $7,000. At about 135,000, the Camshaft sensor went bad, and the dreaded PO430 (Bad Catalytic Converter) engine code came up. Now, at 139,000 miles, I have the engine whine from the front of the motor.

That can only mean I HAVE ALL 4 OF THE TOP 4 NISSAN FRONTIER/PATHFINDER/XTERRA COMPLAINTS: Cracked Radiator, Bad Catalytic converter, bad timing chain guides, and bad fuel level sensor! Nissan has done several half-hearted "courtesy warranty extensions" and been forced to do more by lawsuits, but no one covers a high mileage car, even though these are all known problems with Nissan Service Bulletins for each. Like many, I will never buy another Nissan, they don't care about their customers after they sell them a car!

- Lenny L., Fremont, CA, US

problem #7

Oct 222015

Frontier Nismo V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 2006 Nissan Frontier with 52K miles. Check engine light came on and was informed it was the Bank 2 Catalytic converter. My car was outside the extended warranty for the exhaust (96 Months/80,000 miles). In addition my fuel sending unit failed to register correctly. I had both fixed for approximately $1,600. Both of these seem to be a recurring issue for Nissan.

On last visit, the mechanic informed me the U joint is showing slack and the socket is dry and rusty. Both these repairs are apparently, at least to the mechanic, not very common for a truck with 52k miles on it. I have had 2 other Nissans in the past and never had any problems. Sounds like they may be using less quality parts these days.

- Tim A., Austin, AR, US

problem #6

Mar 302014

Frontier SE 4.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

I purchased a 06 Nissan Frontier approximately 4 years ago because I have always been told that they are tough, reliable trucks. Oh, but I was sure mistaken!

Every few months my truck is at the dealership with continued problems that are not maintenance issues. I have replaced converters $1600, heater core $1000, front drive shaft $400, water pump $450, air pressure sensor $200 each, just to name a few.

I will never purchase anything Nissan ever again. Purchasing this truck has been the worst investment of my life! #nissantruckmoneypit!

Update from Feb 6, 2015: #shouldhaveboughtToyota

- aparker35, Selma, NC, US

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problem #5

Nov 082013

Frontier SE V6

  • Manual transmission
  • 168,788 miles

Lets see, I now have to fix the catalytic converter. I already fixed clutch 2, timing chain, fuel sending unit and a new computer.

- Quentin G., Marin City, CA, US

problem #4

Aug 022012

Frontier Nismo 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 103,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I had to move back to California for work and had to get registered which means a smog test but my check engine light has been on for a while and it never effected performance so it was never checked out, once i went to a mechanic i found it was the catalytic converter on the passenger side. Mechanic said it would cost 700-800 to fix at this time i was not getting a paycheck and i was broke out of my skull but it had to be done had the truck since 92k miles I'm on 103k and i have 2 issues already just my luck.

- stryker77, Vista, CA, US

problem #3

Oct 282011

Frontier Nismo 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,620 miles

My truck 2006 Nissan frontier was caught up in the ECM recall.

Never had a problem before, I had to have my truck towed to Nissan and was told about the recall. After that was fixed I was told the ses light would not turn off and it was the cat bank 2 left side $1400 to fix within a week bank 1 failed. I felt the ECM was the cause of this but Nissan will not take the blame. I went to another dealership and they said the ECM recall would not cause this, give us $2400 we will fix this. Yeah real good!! Thanks Nissan.

- wprodigy, Austin, TX, US

problem #2

Nov 302011

Frontier LE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,956 miles

I had my truck towed in after it did not start. Found out that the timing chain tensioner and associated parts failed...Part was only around $200 but it is a 10 hour flat rate job at around $100 in labor, so the bill was around $1400.

I drove the truck home and the next morning on the way to work, my check engine light came on...figured the mechanics did/failed to do something from the timing chain work. Much to my chagrin...the mechanics tell me the code is for the catalytic converter R/L banks. This was quoted as a four hour flat rate job assessed to be in the area of $2400.00. Ouch this is really hurting me. I have treated my truck well and did not expect this amount of trouble with a Japanese vehicle...they should be bulletproof.

- tracker 3, Orlando, FL, US

problem #1

Dec 292009

Frontier SE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

Following the replacement of a computer part (IPDM) in early November in my 2006 Nissan Frontier...my truck never seemed to run as well as it had before the part stopped working...At the end of December I took the truck back to the dealership because of the lack of power, thinking it needed a tune up...(the check engine light had also come on)...I waited while the service department ran a diagnostic check on it....An hour or so later, they sat down to tell me that the filters in my catalytic converters were shattered and pieces were being back sucked (don't know the technical description) into the system and that the pistons were pulverizing the pieces and feeding them into the engine....The estimate for replacing the catalytic converters was $2773...and until those were replaced, there was no way to tell how much damage was done to the engine. I asked Nissan how in the hell, a truck barely 4 years old and well taken care of could wind up with shattered converter filters and they told me that they rarely see this kind of thing, but would normally be caused by using raw-subgrade gasoline...yet at the same time conceding that this was not the case with my truck. I then asked them if the earlier problem with the IPDM had anything to do with this problem and they assured me that these were two completely different issues and unrelated.

- R M., Gonzales, LA, US

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