YearToAvoid

2005 Nissan Frontier Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 262 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Nissan Frontier, 49% of all 532 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 21 Frontier model years. These complaints report 3 fires. Median mileage at failure: 102,235 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
262
49% of 532
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
102,235 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Nissan Frontier transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 24, 2005, latest Jul 4, 2023.

2005 Nissan Frontier transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter252005 Q12010 Q22012 Q12013 Q42015 Q32017 Q22019 Q3
262 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2023 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (25).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Nissan Frontier

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Frontier model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005262 (49%)
  2. 2006220 (36%)
  3. 2007222 (43%)
  4. 200854 (40%)
  5. 20098 (22%)
  6. 201015 (25%)
  7. 20119 (14%)
  8. 201220 (26%)
  9. 20136 (13%)
  10. 20146 (14%)
  11. 20155 (15%)
  12. 20163 (7%)
  13. 20176 (16%)
  14. 20182 (8%)
  15. 20197 (25%)
  16. 202012 (52%)
  17. 20215 (26%)
  18. 202224 (22%)
  19. 202313 (20%)
  20. 20246 (27%)
  21. 20252 (25%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Nissan Frontier have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 262 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Nissan Frontier, 49% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 102,235 miles.
Which Nissan Frontier year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Nissan Frontier has the most transmission complaints (262), compared with 262 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Nissan Frontier is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.