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2004 Nissan Frontier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Frontier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

47 reports with mileage · 19 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports

Tires complaints

6 reports
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180,000 miles · May 27, 2016
TiresWheels

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DEFLATED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VALVE STEM WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND ALL THE VALVE STEMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DEFLATED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VALVE STEM WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND ALL THE VALVE STEMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10871183

32,000 miles · Jul 31, 2008
Tires

I HAVE THESE TIRES ORIGINAL FROM NISSAN WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. AFTER 28,000 MILES, THEY WOULD JUST PEEL OFF ON THE TOP LAYER AND LEAVE THE REST OF THE TIRE INTACT. AT HIGH SPEEDS, THIS HAS CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK BY A SLAPPING ACTION OF THE PEELED LAYER. THEY SHOULD NOTIFY ALL CONSUMERS OF THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10236510

29,000 miles · Jul 14, 2008
Tires

I'VE HAD 2 GENERAL AW GRABBER TIRES LOSE THE TREAD ON ME WHILE DRIVING. SIZE IS P225 70 R15. JUST LOST THE TREAD ON ONE YESTERDAY WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSING A SEVERE CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10234175

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2005
Tires

THE REAR BF GOODRICH TIRE BLEWOUT ON THE CONSUMER'S NEW 2004 NISSAN FRONTIER. *BF

NHTSA ODI #10113312

1,656 miles · Jul 26, 2004
Power TrainSuspensionTires

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS DUE TO CORROSION. *AK DEALER REALIGNED FRONT END DUE TO INCORRECT ALIGNMENT. FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED BY A TIRE DEALER BECAUSE THEY'…

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WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS DUE TO CORROSION. *AK DEALER REALIGNED FRONT END DUE TO INCORRECT ALIGNMENT. FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED BY A TIRE DEALER BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT OF BALANCE. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT OIL IS LEAKING FROM TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE HAS MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10073647

50 miles · Mar 18, 2004
Power TrainTires

BRAND NEW VEHICLE ON WAY HOME AFTER PURCHASE STARTED TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-80 MPH ON OPEN HIGHWAY. THIS WAS DISTRACTING FOR DRIVER AND MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO HOLD STEADY TRACKING DOWN ROAD. THIS WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WITHIN 48 HOURS. DEALER RE-BALANCED FRONT TIRES. THE SAME DRIVING PERFORMANCE PROBLEM…

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BRAND NEW VEHICLE ON WAY HOME AFTER PURCHASE STARTED TO SHIMMY AND SHAKE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-80 MPH ON OPEN HIGHWAY. THIS WAS DISTRACTING FOR DRIVER AND MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO HOLD STEADY TRACKING DOWN ROAD. THIS WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WITHIN 48 HOURS. DEALER RE-BALANCED FRONT TIRES. THE SAME DRIVING PERFORMANCE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED AND UNUSUALLY AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE 5-10 MILES CONTINUAL DISTANCE. I DRIVE 47 MILES TO WORK DAILY ON INTERSTATE 95 IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND AFTER A FEW MILES THIS SHAKING STARTS HAPPENING AT VARING SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO OCCASSIONALLY DART FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE TRYING TO TRACK NORMALLY DOWN THE ROAD. DEALER SAYS THE ALINMENT IS NOT OUT. I PIONTED OUT TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS IN FACT FEATHERING ON THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER (LUMBERTON NISSAN) 3 TIMES, AND THE LAST VISIT THEY REMOVED NEWS TIRES WHICH THEY HAD REPLACED- WIHTOUT RESULTS- AND RAN THEM ON A MACHINE AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY DID FIND THAT PARTICULAR TIRE TO BE OUT AND REPLACED IT. THE VEHICLE STILL SHAKES AND HAS A HIGH SPEED VIBRATION. THIS ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE VEHICLES SAFE OPERATION ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T WANT TO CONTINUE TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE PROBLEM OF THE VEHICLE, SO I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN CORP., OFFICES AND FILED A COMPLAINT ON THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED TODAY TO RETURN THE UNIT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS VEHICLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD RESULTING FROM A DEFECT IN THE DRIVE TRAIN OF THE VEHICLE. TO AVOID A FOURTH VISIT THE DEALER (WHICH N.C. LEMON LAW STATES) THEY WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO REFUND OR REPLACE THE THE UNIT. I CONTEND TAHT MY V4 FRONTIER TRUCK EITHER HAST A PROBLEM INTERNALLY IN THE DRIVE TRAIN, OR BECAUSE IT IS BUILT ON A LIGHTER FRAME, IT CANNOT PERFORM SAFELY AS MARKETED DUE TO DANGEROUSLY MISS-MATCHED COMPONENT SUSPENSION SYSTEM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A DESIGN DEFECT ON THE PART OF NISSAN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10062565

Official recalls

1

10V554000 · Steering:column

Nov 11, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2004 FRONTIER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001 THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2004, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2004, XTERRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001, THROUGH JANUARY 6, 2005. OVER TIME CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN JOINT AND LIMIT MOVEMENT OF THE JOINT. THE LIMITED MOVEMENT OF THIS JOINT MAY CREATE EXCESSIVE LOAD ON THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT. IF THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION, IT MAY LEAD TO CRACKING OF THE SHAFT DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS THAT REQUIRE LARGE STEERING INPUTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SHAFT MAY BREAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DURING THESE LOW SPEED MANEUVERS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND JOINT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHAFT OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.