6.8

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$620
Average Mileage:
14,950 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
  2. paint touch-up pen (1 reports)
  3. repaint of body panels (1 reports)
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2018 Nissan Frontier body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2018 Nissan Frontier Owner Comments

problem #5

Sep 202023

Frontier SV 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

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

click to see larger images

paint coming off paint coming off

I bought my 2018 Frontier in mid-2019 with just 6000 miles on it. I bought the Frontier due to it's reputation as being a strong, well built truck that was a less expensive alternative to the Toyota Tacoma. As far as that goes, I have been happy with it, it's a great truck for the money and has done yeoman duty for me for the last 4 years, but....................the finish on this truck is just plain TRASH. After having it for 3 years and with less than 51,000 miles, imagine my surprise when hand washing it in July 2022 and having half dollar sized chunks of paint come off on the drivers side front fender.

I consider myself to be a real car guy and have multiple collector cars, I care for my vehicles impeccably and this is just plain inexcusable, I have never seen such a sh** paint job on any vehicle I have owned. I took it to my Nissan dealership where the truck has been serviced since day 1 that I bought it and asked if they had ever seen this happen before, only to be told "no" they never had, which I now know is utter BS. This problem involving white paint in particular on Frontiers is well known, so much so that there is an entire Facebook Group dedicated to the problem.

I decided to swallow my anger and took it to the same dealerships body shop and had the entire drivers side front fender repainted to the tune of $1200 and 2 weeks without the truck in Sept. 2022.

All's well, right? WRONG...not 2 months later, the same exact thing happens to the passenger side front fender, only worse, the spot has grown to 9 inches long and 6 inches wide and now, I have 2 spots on the bed where it meets the cab flaking off just like the others. I'm not about to have this whole truck repainted because of Nissan's negligent trashy work. If they wanted to do the right thing, they would issue a recall on this watercolor paint and fix it. I now watch all other white Frontiers that I see on the road and it is extremely common to see.

Bottom line, if you don't care what your white frontier looks like, the truck is a decent product, but if you do...save yourself the headache and DON'T BUY A WHITE ONE of this series.

- Cam M., Farmington, US

problem #4

Aug 182023

Frontier SV King Cab 4.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 13,600 miles

click to see larger images

paint coming off

I have a 2018 Nissan Frontier SV King Cab that I bought new from Nissan Dealership in 2018. I am 70 and retired so I drive very little today. In five years I have only driven approximate 13,600 miles. My wife and I love our truck. We both think it rides good the very comfortable to be in. Have had no major problems and have kept up the required maintenance. I just finished paying off my 5 year loan through Nissan Financial which frees up money for us now. I take good care of my truck and it looks in fine condition. But I have a problem that I didn't think I would have so soon.

The white paint has started to come off my drivers side front fender, above the wheel well. Last year I had a small bubble the size of a dime raise up and when I rubbed it the paint came off in this one spot. I touched it up with a small bottle of matching Nissan touchup paint, which made it look better. Then just yesterday, 8/19/23, while I was rinsing it off after washing it in the driveway, a larger section of white paint (2" x 1/2") came right off at the same area I had touched up previously, just from the water being sprayed on it. I was real disappointed cause like I said, the vehicle is now paid off, has been taken care of, and I was looking to enjoy it for many years to come. Now I have to worry about the paint finish coming off. Just hope it doesn't get worse like a lot of internet reviews I have read recently having paint issues with their Frontiers. I don't plan on trading in this truck, as new Frontier truck are about $10,000 + more in price than when I bought mine 5 years ago. Going to pick up some extra touchup paint and hope for the best.

- Les-Candy B., Hampton, VA, US

problem #3

Jun 012018

Frontier PRO 4X 4.0L V6

  • Manual transmission
  • 5,000 miles

I know paint chipping is common for any car going down the freeway, but this is the first vehicle I've owned that the chips are so deep (to the bare metal). You can tell the quality of the overall paint job was shoddy. The paint seems extremely brittle and very easy to come off. I bought a paint-touchup pen that I carry in the truck for when I find a new chip, which is quite often..

- aarcos, Phoenix, US

problem #2

Nov 122018

Frontier PRO4X 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 11,000 miles

This is my first brand new buy and I'm very disappointed how my truck looks now 1 year later. I feel it needs a new paint job. The finish seems to be fragile, thin, and soft on the whole truck.

- Felicia B., Denver, US

problem #1

May 152018

Frontier PRO4X

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62 miles

Within two weeks my paint was coming off stone looking chips around bottom of fender and on the rear door. Something seems wrong with the paint or perhaps the design. Pissed off that my new truck looks like this already.

- Unhappy C., Toronto, ON, Canada

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