The 2018 Nissan Frontier is associated with 25 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 4 reports (16% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 8 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl and 4l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 17 to 21 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 25 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: Electrical System (4 / 16%)
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Efficiency: 17–21 MPG (8 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
17–21MPG
8 EPA certified variants (2.5l 4-cyl and 4l 6-cyl configurations)
Reported Complaints
25
25 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
2
2 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
Not rated by NHTSA

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Nissan Frontier?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Frontier 2WD 2.5L 4-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd 19 MPG 23 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Frontier 2WD 2.5L 4-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd 17 MPG 22 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Frontier 2WD 4L 6-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd 16 MPG 23 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Frontier 2WD 4L 6-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 16 MPG 22 MPG 19 MPG — $3,250 / yr
Frontier 2WD FFV 4L 6-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd 16 MPG 22 MPG 18 MPG — $3,400 / yr
Frontier 4WD 4L 6-Cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 16 MPG 21 MPG 18 MPG — $3,400 / yr
Frontier 4WD 4L 6-Cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $3,600 / yr
Frontier 4WD FFV 4L 6-Cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic 5-spd 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $3,600 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Nissan Frontier?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
Crew Cab PU/CC AWD 19.8%
King Cab PU/EC AWD 19.8%
Crew Cab PU/CC RWD 21.2%
King Cab PU/EC RWD 21.2%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Nissan Frontier models.
View complete 2018 Nissan Frontier crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Nissan Frontier?

Summary of 25 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
25
Crash Reports
0
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
0
Total Injuries
0

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 4 complaints
Suspension 3 complaints
Air Bags 2 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 2 complaints
Powertrain 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Nissan Frontier problems & component breakdown (14 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Nissan Frontier?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #19V654000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Defect Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
NHTSA Campaign #18V551000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Defect Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
View all 2018 Nissan Frontier recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.