Illustration1999 NISSAN FRONTIER DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH CHANGING GEARS.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED SOON AFTER PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A CLUNKING SOUND AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. *JB
1999 Nissan Frontier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Nissan Frontier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Frontier years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
525–50K
550–75K
775–100K
5100–150K
3150K+
26 reports with mileage · 52 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Tires. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports
Power Train complaints
12 reports1999 NISSAN FRONTIER EXPERIENCING A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN SHIFTING GEARS ON THE FIVE SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION.*MR THE TRANSMISSION ALSO PROGRESSIVLEY BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO SHIFT. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE MANUFACTURER THROUGH SURVIES BUT THEY NEVER REPLIED. *NM
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. (THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO HAVE A "CHASSIS" NOISE CHECKED OUT WITH "NO PROBEM FOUND" BY THE DEALER.)
MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS TRUCK REMAIN UNRESOLVED. PLEASE HELP! DT
NISSAN NA HAS MADE NO CORRECTIVE ACTION APART FROM PART REPLACEMENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK
ODI 726296, SECOND COMPLAINT ON DRIVESHAFT. HAD BEEN REPLACED IN JULY 2000. DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION BY CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BEARING POPPED OUT OF HOUSING, AND WAS NOT SUPPORTING DRIVESHAFT.*AK
I FOUND THIS PROBLEM AFTER READING ABOUT OWNERS OF OTHER NISSAN FRONTIERS HAVING THE SAME PART FAIL. WHEN I EXAIMINED THE VEHICLE, I DISCOVERED THE FAILURE. I KNOW OF 9 OTHER FRONTIERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. NO SAFETY DEFECT DISCUSSED IN SUMMARY. *AK
VIBRATION AT 30 MPH AND UP
PROBLEM 1) DIFFICULT TO START WHEN ENGINE IS HOT AND TRUCK HAS SAT FOR 1-4 HOURS PROBLEM 2) VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION IN OVERDRIVE AND WHEN TRUCK BED HAS WEIGHT IN IT VIRATION OCCURS ALL THE TIME. DEALER HAD TRUCK FOR THREE TIMES BEFORE DECIDING TO SHIM THE REAREND WHICH HAS NOT HELPED ANY. I BELIEVE THE …
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PROBLEM 1) DIFFICULT TO START WHEN ENGINE IS HOT AND TRUCK HAS SAT FOR 1-4 HOURS PROBLEM 2) VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION IN OVERDRIVE AND WHEN TRUCK BED HAS WEIGHT IN IT VIRATION OCCURS ALL THE TIME. DEALER HAD TRUCK FOR THREE TIMES BEFORE DECIDING TO SHIM THE REAREND WHICH HAS NOT HELPED ANY. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS WITH NISSANS BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION THAT IS IN THIS TRUCK BUT IT SEEMS THEY DONT WANT TO ACCEPT THAT FACT. I HAVE GONE AS FAR AS TO HAVE A NISSAN ENGINEER FROM DENVER LOOK AT THIS TRUCK BUT STILL NO FIX. PROBLEM 3) PASSANGER SIDE DOOR GLASS IS LOOSE IN THE FRAME AND RATTLES-DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS LATEST PROBLEM ON THE CRAPPY TRUCK. ALSO TO LET YOU KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES THAT THE DEALER MANAGED TO FIX AFTER THE 3RD TRIP FOR REPAIRS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING NOISE DUE TO MISSING DRIVELINE CENTER SUPPORT STRAP AND SUPPORT BEARING, VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AT THIS TIME DUE TO DEFECT.
Official recalls
204V230000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
May 24, 2004
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SIX CYLINDER ENGINES AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOUR OR SIX CYLINDER ENGINES, THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT CAN DEVELOP A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC MOLDING. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TERMINAL STRIP TO CORRODE UNDER SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF CORROSION OCCURS, THE TERMINAL STRIP COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO STOP OPERATION. THIS WILL RESULT IN NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE ENGINE OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: IN THE FOLLOWING STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT. THESE STATES ARE CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THE OTHER STATES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE SENDING UNIT FOR CORROSION. IF CORROSION IS PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE UNIT. IF THERE IS NOT CORROSION, THE DEALER WILL APPLY SEALANT TO THE TERMINAL HOUSING TO HELP PREVENT CORROSION IN THE FUTURE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
99V347002 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Dec 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. THE TAIL LIGHT SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MOLDED, RESULTING IN THE LOCKING TAB HAVING INSUFFICIENT FORCE TO RETAIN THE BULB.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BULB FALLS OUT OF THE SOCKET, THE BRAKE OR TAIL LAMP FUNCTION CANNOT OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TAIL LAMP SOCKETS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.