My 2005 nissan frontiers transmission failed at 137,000 miles. I was driving on the freeway when it seemed to jolt out of 5th gear to 4th. Check engine light came on. I headed to nissan but it seemed to only remain in a high gear (3rd or 4th). They diagnosed it as a failed transmission due to coolant leaking into the transmission. Its a known problem. I called nissan headquarters and asked for help they said no. I had an extended powertrain warranty through aul, but because it was the radiator that leaked and not a transmission failure they won't cover it.
2005 Nissan Frontier: complete transmission failure
65 of the 532 complaints about the 2005 Nissan Frontier describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 65
- of this car's complaints
- 12%
- typical repair cost reported
- $5,000
- typical mileage
- 103,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 8 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
Transmission failed due to cross contamination with radiator. Transmission and radiator had to be replaced.
Transmission failure caused by mixing of radiator coolant with transmission fluid through cracks in coolant tubes. Transmission slippage, loss of power experienced on local trip, had vehicle towed to mechanic.
Total transmission failure due to a faulty transmission radiator , resulting in a total transmission rebuild.
Radiator/transmission failed, caused transmission to fail, had to be replaced
The radiator cracked and leaked coolant into the transmission, mixing with the transmission fluid creating a toxic fluid that irreversibly damaged everything around it. The vehicle was being driven when first noticed. I had the radiator replaced and the transmission flushed at my local nissan dealership. I could not afford to replace the transmission so flushing it was my only option. It lasted for a few years but now it needs to be replaced. This is a defect that has affected thousands of customers.
Leak in radiator into transmission has caused transmission failure
Transmission failure diagnosed by repair shop as caused by radiator coolant contamination into the transmission. Total rebuild of transmission at a cost of 3,980.00. I purchased this vehicle new in 2005 and was not made aware of this issue by nissan. I have learned this is an ongoing issue the manufacturer has been aware of for years. My vehicle has 129,000 miles and more than 10 years since purchase. I find this matter disturbing that owners are now facing such an avoidable cost for repair and this could have been prevented by the manufacturer.
Coolant contamination in the transmission causing transmission failure
Radiator fluid mixed with the transmission and caused complete transmission failure
Transmission cross contamination with coolant. 72,000 miles on odometer. Had transmission failure on the freeway driving full speed, forcing me to quickly move over 6 lanes with no high gear. Now I have a $4900 repair bill. I was in the nissan dealership just 1 week prior for an oil change and have had the vehicle serviced at nissan since it was new. I was never told of the recall or that I should bypass the radiator or beware of the problem.
Complaint re: transmission failure with my 2005 nissan frontier. Is locked in 3rd gear in automatic transmission. Overdrive gear was gone due to coolant mixing with transmission fluid. Had replaced radiator & flushed transmission 3 months ago hoping to buy me some more miles before having to replace transmission. Didn't work. Told by nissan that I was sol due to over 100,000 miles. *tr ## VIN passed ## nissan frontier v6 4x4 2005 ##
Service bulletins that may apply
- IF YOU CONFIRM: A remanufactured automatic transmission supplied by ATC Drivetrain is installed in an...
- Service information
- Service information
- Power train: automatic transmission
- Nissan: ECM replacement procedures with consult III plus
- Nissan: oil leaking from transfer case. oil is leaking from one or a combination of three bolts at the...
- Nissan; special automatic transmission fluid requirement. 2004 to current nissan vehicles. nj
- Rear final drive breather
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2005 Nissan Frontier transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
65 of 532 owner complaints about the 2005 Nissan Frontier (12%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2007.
How much does it cost to fix complete transmission failure on the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $5,000 (median of 24 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
There are 0 recalls and 8 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2005 Nissan Frontier
Fuel gauge 137Check engine light 65Stalling 38Slipping 33Overheating 30Loss of power 24Shudder 20Jerking 16Won't start 12Fuel pump 9Hesitation 9Harsh shifting 6Airbag light 5Won't shift 5
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