1998 Nissan Frontier Problems, Recalls & Reliability
146 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Nissan Frontier, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 22/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 114,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1998 sits among all Frontier years
What owners report
“I turned the key to start the truck. The engine turned over twice and then the battery exploded like a bomb. Body damage to the hood of the vehicle occured as well as damage to all the engine compartment components as a result of being sprayed by corrosive sulfuric battery acid.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Frontier
“Is firestone going to cover sizes other than 235? My tires have bulges in the sidewall. Are they safe??( dot number: tire size: 31 x 10.5 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Frontier
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 34 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 110,162 miles. Half of those reports fall between 70,000 and 145,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH BUCKET SEATS. IN CERTAIN FRONTAL CRASHES, THE FRONT SEAT BELT CAN SLIP BETWEEN THE SEAT BOTTOM FINISHER AND THE SEAT BACK PLASTIC RECLINER HANDLE WHERE IT CAN BE CUT BY THE SHARP EDGE OF THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PLASTIC HANDLE ON THE END OF THE SEAT BACK RECLINING LEVER FWITH A DIFFERENT SHAPE HANDLE WHICH WILL PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM SLIPPING BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND THE SEAT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A SECURING PIN INSIDE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE ASSEMBLY CAN COME LOOSE ALLOWING THE SHIFT LEVER TO BE INADVERTENTLY MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
Technical service bulletins
65 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on suspension and engine — are on file for the 1998 Nissan Frontier. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1998 Frontier TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1998 Nissan Frontier reliable?
The 1998 Nissan Frontier drew 146 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 22/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 1998 Nissan Frontier problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Nissan Frontier are electrical (28 complaints), wheels & tires (27), and suspension (19).
At what mileage do 1998 Nissan Frontier problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Nissan Frontier problems around 110,162 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 70,000 and 145,000 miles.
Does the 1998 Nissan Frontier have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Nissan Frontier. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.