Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 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.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 10 | 26% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 11% |
| Air bags | 4 | 11% |
| Power train | 3 | 8% |
| Engine | 2 | 5% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I drive on the highway and my truck stalls out and just shuts off. When I’m driving at slow speeds, it just keeps stalling I lose power and it takes a few tries for it to start again then I have to peel out so it stays s
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At t
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Check engine light came on and when filling with fuel, gas came shooting back out.
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact's boyfriend owns a 2017 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while her boyfriend was driving at 30 MPH or above, the vehicle started to stall. The check engine warning light was illuminated. On a separate occa
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I had a check engine light come on and took it to my mechanic for diagnosis and repair if needed. He diagnosed it as error code P2004. The code indicated a bad runner control valve position sensor. It is located on the
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Complete power/ignition failure resulting in death of driver on [XXX] while driving at night in the rain in a 2017 Nissan Frontier Pickup 4 door. The TDPS in McKinney, TX is pulling the black box for testing. 2 weeks bef
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Fuel tank developed leak at the filler neck connection point. The tank is "plastic". Connection neck is "plastic" but a different color than the tank. (Perhaps dissimilar materials that are somehow fused/bonded togeth
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
Since buying the vehicle new, the airbag light has been on and off throughout the entire time (The vehicle has never been crashed). I have brought it in to multiple dealerships asking for them to take a look at it and ha
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 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.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t
Risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may conta
| Reliability raw | 80 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 83 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 80 | excellent |
| Performance | 65 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
| Safety | 73 | good |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and fuel/propulsion system is the most reported area with 10 of them (26%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 80/100 (excellent) 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.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2017 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. 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.