Midsize trucks are considered to be perfectly sized for city commutes while it offers great practicality and some off-road ability. Nissan might not be the household name for trucks but the Frontier manages to offer one of the best reliability in the segment. With almost 63,000 units sold, the truck only carries a total of 40 complaints and a single recall, making it one of the best vehicles in terms of reliability. All the complaints lodged against the 2013 Nissan Frontier are regarding the various issue but due to the very scarce number of complaints, it is believed that only a small number of the Frontier would face them. With such levels of dependability, other trucks like the Honda Ridgeline, the Toyota Tacoma, and the Chevrolet Colorado faces a hard time keeping up with Nissan’s standard.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
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Fuse – The user was having a regular drive when there was smoke noticed to be coming from the engine bay. The truck was stopped on the shoulder of the road and the smoke gradually turned into a fire. The truck was extinguished by the safety team the dealers diagnose the issue and found the fuse box to have completely burnt. There was said to be a short circuit that caused this.
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Battery – The user was driving as usual when the electronics like the cluster light and infotainment started failing. It was suspected to be a weak battery and the vehicle was taken to the dealers but they were able to find a loose positive connector on the battery and this was said to be a common issue among the owners.
Mechanical Problems
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Engine – Users could hear a loud noise from the engine bay and they even claimed to smell gasoline in the car. The mechanics ran a diagnostics test and found a fractured intake manifold on the driver’s side that needed to be replaced.
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Fuel system – The user stated that the gas valve would shut even if the gas tank does not become full. Dealers recommended getting a new fuel valve.
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Transmission – The car was hard to shift from neutral to drive and also from drive to neutral. The dealers found the transmission to be running low on fluids and upon further inspection, it was found that a weak seal on the transmission led the fluids to leak and cause his issue.
Safety Problems
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Seatbelt – The seatbelt warning stopped making the audio warning tone to alert occupants about a belt that hasn’t been latched. This is a safety concern and dealers had to reprogram the module.
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Airbag – The occupant detection module on the passenger seat was faulty and failed to engage the airbags even when the seat was occupied by an adult. Replacing the module helped fix the issue.
Miscellaneous Problems
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Tire – Users felt like the car was not balanced and upon inspecting the tires, one of them was punctured. They were said to be new tires and the sidewalls carked without any foreign object piercing through them.
2013 Nissan Frontier recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
12th February 2014 |
14V052000 |
Circuit breaker installation could cause short. |
A circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness connected to the circuit breaker to face outward, potentially contacting a metal bolt located on A-pillar. |
The circuit breaker orientation will be inspected and repaired if necessary. |
Should you buy the 2013 Nissan Frontier?
There’s not a lot of thinking to do when buying the 2013 Nissan Frontier. This is arguably one of the best in terms of the value it offers. Also, the fact that the Nissan Frontier is priced at just $22,030 makes it way more affordable than its rivals. The only recall this truck has gone through is regarding an electrical short and Nissan was able to rectify the issue way early, showing the kind of support from the brand. The only reason to pick any of the rivals over the Nissan Frontier would be for a better-looking interior but the Nissan offers all the practicality and functions you need. We recommend picking the Nissan Frontier for its super reliable nature and its affordable pricing.
