2004 Nissan Frontier Problems, Recalls & Reliability
89 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Nissan Frontier, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 89,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Nissan Frontier has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all Frontier years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 61 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,900 miles. Half of those reports fall between 45,694 and 115,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2004 FRONTIER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001 THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2004, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2004, XTERRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001, THROUGH JANUARY 6, 2005. OVER TIME CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE…
Fix: THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND JOINT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHAFT OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
CERTAIN HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025,…
Fix: HOPKINS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL HARNESS WITH A REVISED HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT HOPKINS AT 800-835-0129.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108,…
Fix: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS,…
Fix: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
Technical service bulletins
47 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and visibility & wipers — are on file for the 2004 Nissan Frontier. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 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 2004 Nissan Frontier reliable?
The 2004 Nissan Frontier drew 89 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 2004 Nissan Frontier problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Nissan Frontier are transmission & drivetrain (13 complaints), wheels & tires (9), and engine (9).
At what mileage do 2004 Nissan Frontier problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Nissan Frontier problems around 78,900 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 45,694 and 115,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Nissan Frontier have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 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.