Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Frontier, and it carries 2 recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 16% |
| Suspension | 3 | 12% |
| Air bags | 2 | 8% |
| Power train | 2 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 8% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 8% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
2018 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner... Battery inconsistently drains fast when off and while driving. Indicator lights for battery, brakes, ABS and traction control come on. Gauges malfunction. Tried another battery and s
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The passenger dashboard airbag keeps generating error codes and the airbag light continually flashes. There have been 2 costly repair attempts by a Nissan dealership, but the problem persists. The dealership stated the p
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
15 mph door lock system does not work. Have been in garage with truck, and heard doors lock with no one near vehicle. I understand there is a class action suit about the door lock system. Seems to me this system could ma
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I bought this truck from my boss man and had it put in the shop to replace the head gasket but they ended up changing the valve cover the intake manifold gasket and putting plugs in it due to a smoking issue and skipping
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Jan 29 2025 vehicle failed to start . Turned switch to start several times .no response at all no dash lights no starter reaction no clicking from battery, which would indicate battery problem. Waited several mins approx
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Upon inspection found passenger side truck bed mount with a crack and portion missing from where the bed connects to the frame.
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Paint peeling on front left finder and where both front finders connect to the cab. N/A The dealer was informed and photos sent. Just the photos sent N/A
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Passenger airbag warning light on dashboard flashes continually. This indicates it may not deploy in accident. It was taken to a Nissan dealer and mechanic inspected and stated in report, "Found occupancy classification
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 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
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners
| Reliability raw | 90 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 82 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 83 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 85 | excellent |
| Performance | 71 | good |
| Efficiency | 32 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 4 of them (16%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 90/100 (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 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 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 79/100. 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.