Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
17–21 mpgcombined; city 15–19, highway 21–23; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$15,470–$19,110U.S. average; Ohio $13,820–$17,070 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 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 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
10
2
0
3
Unknown or other
9
0
0
0
Engine
8
0
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
8
0
0
0
Structure
4
0
1
0
Power train
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
0
0
0
Electrical system
2
0
1
0
Steering
2
1
0
0
Wheels
2
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
1
0
3
3 more parts
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
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 1 recall campaign for the 2016 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 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.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 119 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Frontier, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (48), equipment (39), fuel system (15), engine and engine cooling (13), gasoline (12).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
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 2016 Frontier.
EPA class: small pickup trucks. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–5 out of 10. 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
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 22 / 19
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
16 / 22 / 18
Frontier Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 21 / 18
Frontier Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
4.0 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 21 / 17
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