Reliable Auto DB

2013 Nissan Frontier reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2013 Nissan Frontier has 48 complaints with NHTSA after 14 years, or 7 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Frontier years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers.

2012 Nissan Frontier
Photo by Ethan Llamas, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

48

Per year

7

Recalls

1

Years on the road

14

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (15 of 48), then Electrical system (8) and Powertrain (6). Those filings include 5 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 Frontier has 78 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2014 has 42 complaints, 5 per year. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2012. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Nissan Frontier. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall electrical system, wiring, fuses and circuit breakers 2014-02-12 · NHTSA campaign 14V052000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2012 through 2014 Frontier vehicles manufactured from November 28, 2012, through December 17, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a circuit breaker may have been installed incorrectly causing the main wire harness connected to the circuit breaker to face outward, potentially contacting a metal bolt located on the A-pillar.
Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the circuit breaker orientation. If the circuit breaker orientation is incorrect, dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Complaints by component (48 total)

Air bags
15
Electrical system
8
Powertrain
6
Seat belts
5
Engine
4
Speed control
4
Wheels
3
Hydraulic brakes
2
Service brakes
2
Structure
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Steering
1
Tires
1
Trailer hitch
1
Visibility
1
Show 9 more Show less
Crash-flagged

5

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201392014920154201632017320186201932020120211202242023120241202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor located in…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-03-16
  • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Nissan Frontier. The vehicle was purchased in a private sale. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 98,107,…"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-11-10
  • "Air bag light will not go off. Afraid will deploy. Dealer no problem just censor. Did not have part to fix."
    Air bags · filed 2024-05-10
  • "In Summer 2023 driving on uneven country road in Upstate New York hit a pothole and my airbag warning light came on. Then started to flash. Truck is still drivable BUT now The seatbelts no longer lock in place during a…"
    Electrical system, Air bags, Seat belts · filed 2023-12-13
  • "I felt like I was loosing control of my steering it was so scary I took my car to the closest service place which was Meineke which was 3 months ago well the same problem is back with my steering wheel and definitely…"
    Steering, Air bags · filed 2023-08-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars
2013 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 3 stars
2013 Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars
2013 Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Frontier two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 17 23 19 MPG $3400
Frontier two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 19 23 21 MPG $3100
Frontier two-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 22 19 MPG $3400
Frontier two-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600
Frontier four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Four-wheel drive 16 21 18 MPG $3600
Frontier four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Four-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800

Specs and fitment

D40 generation, 2012–2021
Body styles Pickup
Oil 5W-30 (4.0L V6); 0W-20 or 5W-30 (2.5L 4-cyl per manual) , 5.4 qt capacity
Tire size 265/70R16 to 265/60R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 6,700 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 16V181000. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Frontier V6 vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to March 7, 2016. The starter motor wire harness may have been installed in an incorrect position, allowing the starter harness terminal to contact the heat shield and result in an electrical short. An electrical short increases the risk of a fire. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reposition the starter wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Compare

Previous year 2012 Nissan Frontier Next year 2014 Nissan Frontier See every Nissan Frontier model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Nissan Frontier reliable?

The 2013 Nissan Frontier has 48 complaints with NHTSA after 14 years, or 7 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Frontier years here — over the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuses and circuit breakers.

What are common problems with a 2013 Nissan Frontier?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (15 of 48), then Electrical system (8) and Powertrain (6). Those filings include 5 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2013 Nissan Frontier more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2012 Frontier has 78 complaints, 6 per year, and the 2014 has 42 complaints, 5 per year. The 2013 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2012. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2014.

Has the 2013 Nissan Frontier been recalled?

The 2013 Nissan Frontier has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Nissan Frontier?

Owners have filed 48 complaints about the 2013 Nissan Frontier with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Nissan Frontier get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Nissan Frontier is 18.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Nissan Frontier take?

D40 (through 2021): 5W-30 for the 4.0L V6. D41 (2022+): 0W-20 for the 3.8L V6 (about 5.3 qt with filter).

Does NHTSA campaign 23V273000 cover the Nissan Frontier?

It covers certain 2023 Frontier and Titan vehicles: tires may have a tear in the inner bead that can cause rapid pressure loss; dealers replace affected tires.

What generation is the 2020 Nissan Frontier?

D40 generation (2012-2021 in the years this site tracks). The D41 redesign starts in 2022.