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2016 Nissan Frontier

Gas Pickup truck

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratingsCompare
B
Safety Signal
85 / 100
BSafety Signal · 85 / 100
1Recalls · 1 critical
43Complaints · owner reports
—Crash rating · NHTSA overall
21 mpgFuel economy · best combined

The 2016 Nissan Frontier is sold in the U.S. as a gas pickup truck with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Frontier 2WD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 43 complaints, most often about air bags.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Frontier 2WDGasRWD2.5L 4-cyl192321$2,950
Frontier 2WDGasRWD4.0L 6-cyl172219$3,300
Frontier 2WDGasRWD2.5L 4-cyl172219$3,300
Frontier 2WDGasRWD4.0L 6-cyl162218$3,450
Frontier 4WDGasPart-time 4WD4.0L 6-cyl162118$3,450
Frontier 4WDGasPart-time 4WD4.0L 6-cyl152117$3,650

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2016 Nissan Frontier is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (1)

Electrical System

critical
1,554 vehicles

Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Frontier V6 vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to March 7, 2016. The starter motor wire harness may have been installed in an incorrect position, allowing the starter harness terminal to contact the heat shield and result in an electrical short.

Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reposition the starter wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

NHTSA campaign 16V181000 · reported Mar 31, 2016 · Nissan North America, Inc.

Owner complaints

43 complaints filed

3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2015: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

  • Air Bags — 10
  • Unknown Or Other — 9
  • Fuel/Propulsion System — 8
  • Engine — 8
  • Structure — 4
“WE PURCHASED OUR 2016 NISSAN FRONTIER IN OCTOBER 2016. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THREE MAJOR CAR ACCIDENTS AND TWO OUT OF THE THREE TIMES THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EVERY ACCIDENT WE WERE INVOLVED IN COST OVER $10,000 TO REPAIR OUR VEHICLE SO WE KNOW THAT THE FRONT END DAMAGE WAS VERY SEVERE. WE WOULD LI…”Mar 19, 2018 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report
“I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK TWICE TO THE NISSAN DEALER FOR REPAIR AIR BAG DASH LIGHT WARNING. THE SRS LIGHT KEEPS GOING OFF EVEN WHEN I TOOK TO THE NISSAN DEALER SHOP WHERE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I CAN ONLY SPECULATE THAT IT HAS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE AIR BAG ITSELF OR POSSIBLY THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT. BOTH TIMES…”Aug 11, 2017 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report
“AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD. FUEL RELATED, BUT NOT SURE, ENGINE LIGHT IS ON IT MIGHT BE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM VENT CIRCUIT SHORTED. LEFT WHEEL PASSENGER SIDE ROTOR COVER KEEPS TWISTING AND RUBS AGAINST THE WHEEL AND MAKES NOISE.”Jul 1, 2017 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
PU/CC 4WDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★☆20%
PU/CC RWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★☆☆21%
PU/EC 4WDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★☆20%
PU/EC RWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★☆☆21%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2016 Frontier with

2016 Chevrolet Silverado2016 Ram 15002016 Toyota Tacoma2016 GMC Sierra

Other Frontier model years

A

2026 Frontier

1 recalls · 7 complaints

B

2025 Frontier

3 recalls · 7 complaints

C

2024 Frontier

3 recalls · 21 complaints

A

2023 Frontier

1 recalls · 64 complaints

F

2022 Frontier

6 recalls · 110 complaints

B

2021 Frontier

2 recalls · 17 complaints

B

2020 Frontier

2 recalls · 23 complaints

A

2019 Frontier

1 recalls · 28 complaints

B

2018 Frontier

2 recalls · 25 complaints

A

2017 Frontier

1 recalls · 38 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 36939, 36917, 36938, 36916, 36921, 36920). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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