Reliable Auto DB

2014 Nissan Frontier reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Frontier over 13 years — 5 per year. The other Frontier years sit at about the same rate: their median is 4 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Fuses and circuit breakers.

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

42

Per year

5

Recalls

2

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (11 of 42), then Electrical system (6) and Powertrain (6). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2013 and 2015

The 2013 Frontier has 48 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 33 complaints, 5 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.

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 2014 Nissan Frontier. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall seat belts, rear or other 2014-07-10 · NHTSA campaign 14V418000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Frontier Crew Cab vehicles manufactured June 11, 2014 to June 26, 2014. The affected vehicles were manufactured with an out of specification anchor nut installed on the weld nut plate where the rear seat belt anchor is attached. The seat belt anchor bolt may not be attached as designed.
Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt anchor attachment and repair it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
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 (42 total)

Air bags
11
Electrical system
6
Powertrain
6
Fuel and propulsion system
5
Speed control
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Service brakes
2
Structure
2
Exterior lighting
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Seat belts
1
Steering
1
Wheels
1
Show 5 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

420148201522016520173201872019620202202212023220241202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Air Bag light is constantly on. So the diagnosis was air bag sensor is not working. so the air bags will not deploy in an accident"
    Air bags · filed 2026-04-24
  • "The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The air bag light warning light illuminated and remained constantly illuminated since the…"
    Air bags · filed 2025-03-12
  • "Horn did not work and Airbag light keeps flashing"
    Air bags, Unknown or other · filed 2024-08-09
  • "Non functioning passenger side airbag requiring replacement of passenger side seat and airbag. Diagnosis made at Authorized Nissan dealer, Eugene Oregon"
    Air bags · filed 2024-06-01
  • "Side Air bags deployed while crossing a railroad crossing."
    Air bags · filed 2023-09-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars
2014 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 3 stars
2014 Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars
2014 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 Manual 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 19 23 21 MPG $3100
Frontier two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 17 23 19 MPG $3400
Frontier two-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 22 18 MPG $3600
Frontier two-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 16 22 19 MPG $3400
Frontier four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Automatic 5-speed Four-wheel drive 15 21 17 MPG $3800
Frontier four-wheel drive 4L, 6-cyl Manual 6-speed Four-wheel drive 16 21 18 MPG $3600

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 2013 Nissan Frontier Next year 2015 Nissan Frontier See every Nissan Frontier model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Nissan Frontier reliable?

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Frontier over 13 years — 5 per year. The other Frontier years sit at about the same rate: their median is 4 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Fuses and circuit breakers.

What are common problems with a 2014 Nissan Frontier?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (11 of 42), then Electrical system (6) and Powertrain (6). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 Nissan Frontier more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Frontier has 48 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 33 complaints, 5 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.

Has the 2014 Nissan Frontier been recalled?

The 2014 Nissan Frontier has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 Nissan Frontier?

Owners have filed 42 complaints about the 2014 Nissan Frontier with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Nissan Frontier get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 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.