2011 Nissan Frontier

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

71/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Frontier, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Air bags	11	17%
Service brakes	7	11%
Power train	5	8%
Structure	5	8%
Engine	3	5%
Electrical system	3	5%
Unknown or other	2	3%
Engine and engine cooling	2	3%
Air bags	2	3%
Power train	2	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

The brakes have failed several times, seems to be a known issues and affecting others. While our Nissan Truck is older, we had our Nissan checked at Midas, and then at the local Continental Nissan location, that didn’
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

On January 25, 2024 my son was driving this truck and hit a dog on the highway. His driver side airbag deployed, the driver side seatbelt would not retract, and there was some minor body damage. The engine of the vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted an
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Paint flaking off of front fender in crease above tire on both the passenger and driver side.
NHTSA complaint: Structure

2011 NISSAN FRONTIER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO ILLUMINATED CHECK ENGNE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle was running rough. Additionally, the vehicle was shuddering violently and started to stall. The check engine warning light was
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

The Actuator Assembly - Anti Skid has failed on my 2011 Frontier. My vehicle has cluster lights illuminated for ABS, brake, VDC, and SLIP. My independent mechanic pulled the codes and stated that they indicate the ABS mo
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

ABS module failed. The repair shop called the local Nissan dealership for parts. The Nissan dealership said the failure was a known issue. I called Nissan Customer Service for more info and they said no complaints had
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2011 Nissan Frontier. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal 23V067000

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Fix: Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944

The seven scores

Reliability raw	71	good
Longevity est.	73	good
Maintenance	83	excellent
Depreciation	80	excellent
Performance	65	good
Efficiency	33	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 29% of pickup trucks
Longevity: better than 28% of pickup trucks
Running costs: better than 89% of pickup trucks
Value retention: better than 61% of pickup trucks

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 71: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 73: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2011 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 83: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2011 Nissan Frontier?

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 11 of them (17%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2011 Nissan Frontier reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 71/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2011 Nissan Frontier last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 73/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2011 Nissan Frontier?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.