1999 Nissan Frontier Problems, Recalls & Reliability
106 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Nissan Frontier, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Wheels & tires leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1999 Nissan Frontier has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1999 sits among all Frontier years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 32 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 82,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,078 and 100,009 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.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SIX CYLINDER ENGINES AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOUR OR SIX CYLINDER ENGINES, THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT CAN DEVELOP A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC MOLDING. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TERMINAL STRIP…
Fix: IN THE FOLLOWING STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT. THESE STATES ARE CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. THE TAIL LIGHT SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MOLDED, RESULTING IN THE LOCKING TAB HAVING INSUFFICIENT FORCE TO RETAIN THE BULB.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TAIL LAMP SOCKETS.
Technical service bulletins
76 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 1999 Nissan Frontier. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1999 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 1999 Nissan Frontier reliable?
The 1999 Nissan Frontier drew 106 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 16/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 1999 Nissan Frontier problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Nissan Frontier are wheels & tires (22 complaints), airbags (17), and transmission & drivetrain (13).
At what mileage do 1999 Nissan Frontier problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Nissan Frontier problems around 82,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,078 and 100,009 miles.
Does the 1999 Nissan Frontier have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 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.