Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
16–21 mpgcombined; city 14–19, highway 19–23; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$15,470–$20,300U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$18,140 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Frontier. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
19
1
0
1
Power train
15
1
0
0
Electrical system
9
0
0
0
Engine
7
0
0
0
Service brakes
4
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
1
0
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
8 more parts
Parking brake
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2010 Frontier over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver’s airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Risk: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 NISSAN FRONTIER KING CAB VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 10, 2010 THROUGH JUNE 26, 2010. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE WELD BETWEEN THE TETHER ANCHOR AND THE SEAT GUSSET BRACKET IS OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, AND BASED ON NISSAN'S ENGINEERING JUDGMENT, THE TETHER ANCHOR COULD SEPARATE FROM THE SEAT WHEN TESTED UNDER THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE TETHER ANCHORAGE COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE SEAT INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT IN A CHILD SEAT THAT USES THE TETHER ANCHOR.
Remedy: THE SEAT GUSSET CONTAINING THE TETHER ANCHORAGE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, QX56, FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 19, 2009 THROUGH MARCH 3, 2010. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.
Risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 107 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2010 Frontier, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (21), equipment (17), air bags (11), engine and engine cooling (11), fuel system (9).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2010 Frontier.
EPA class: small pickup trucks. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Frontier Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 23 / 21
Frontier Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 22 / 19
Frontier Rear-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 20 / 17
Frontier Rear-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 20 / 17
Frontier 4-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 19 / 17
Frontier 4-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
14 / 19 / 16
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data