2016 Nissan Frontier: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
43 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 43 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.3
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Our 2016 nissan fronter has a slow air leak on the tires after haveing them checked by a tire dealer it was found the tire pressure sensor (tps) was leaking at the core dealer was unable to remove the core or the nut that holds the tps on the wheel. galvonic reaction had welded all in place . dealer cut the valve off and replaced with a new tps (non metal) as is there pratice as they have had problems with metal ones…
I am experiencing a fuel pump issue that stalls the engine while driving. The issue will sometimes go away if I first loosen the fuel cap on the gas tank to relieve built up pressure but after driving for 10 to 15 minutes or so the vehicle will begin to jerk while accelerating then it will stall and cut off. I have to wait a few minutes once it cuts off and then I can start the engine up again and drive for another 1…
A loud squeaking has developed during every day driving. After inspecting - the front right truck bed mounting location has cracked and failed.
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V181000 | Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Frontier V6 vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to March 7, 2016. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a pickup of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,400
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags10 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other9 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System8 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Engine8 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Structure4 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Power Train3 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Nissan Frontier years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Nissan Frontier?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (10 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Nissan Frontier a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 85/100, computed from 43 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Nissan Frontier's most common problem?
10 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Nissan Frontier sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Nissan Frontier cost to run per year?
About $5,551 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,755 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 Nissan Frontier have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Nissan Frontier, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 31/03/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other pickups of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Nissan Frontier really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 43 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 43 NHTSA complaints on record (4.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (4.1/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality