The contact leased a 2023 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated the normal tire pressure was 35; however, the tire pressure had increased to 37, 39, and 40 while driving on several occasions. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle was wobbling and was shuddering, and the contact almost loss control of the vehicle. The contact held the steering wheel tightly and decelerated significantly. The contact was able to remain in control of the vehicle and continued driving. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V273000 (Tires); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
Nissan Frontier shudder problems
44 of the 3,369 owner complaints about the Nissan Frontier describe shudder or vibration when accelerating, most of them for the 2005 model year.
- owner complaints
- 44
- worst model year
- 2005
- typical repair cost reported
- $5,100
- typical mileage
- 104,000
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 13Stalling 4Slipping 4Loss of power 4Overheating 3Jerking 3Check engine light 3Won't start 2
What owners say
The truck loss power stalling,shuddering, bucking, want pick up speed even when excellerating, slow take off, loss of speed
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle was running rough. Additionally, the vehicle was shuddering violently and started to stall. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and drove to a local Pep Boys. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the Engine Control Module (ECM) had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part had been discontinued. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Transmission failure due to coolant in trans oil contaminating trans components. Total trans rebuild/replace radiator and trans cooler. 130k miles on vehicle - low miles for a 2008 frontier. The vehicle shuddered, hesitated, would not pick up speed as it should, was having difficulty shifting thru gears as it transitioned from stop to moving, typically around 30-40 MPH under load (accelerating). We have since found out this is a known problem. Expensive repair!
Tl* the contact called on behalf of his son who owns a 2012 nissan frontier. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shuddered without warning. The vehicle resumed normal operation after experiencing the failure. The vehicle was taken to metro nissan of montclair 9440 autoplex st, montclair, ca 91763, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
Transmission shudders when shifting from drive to overdrive. Around 40-45mph shudder can be felt from transmission vibration. Had the driveshaft replaced ($1400) but the shudder is still present.
I have a apparently common problem which is radiator transmission cross contamination apparently with nissan frontiers and xterras from about 05-2010 and the problem is they used a radiator with a built in transmission cooler but there's a seal or area where it fails and the two fluids mix resulting in a strawberry milkshake appearance and when this happens the transmission will likely fail at any point I've personally had problems that were intermittent over the last few weeks with trouble shifting and a shuddering/rumbling which occurs while driving in all weather and road conditions plus is very noticeable while going from a stop to start moving turns out to be radiator fluid leaking into the transmission my truck has 99,000 miles on it and has started having problems just now which according to other accounts on multiple forums about this particular problem is a little later than most but I have a short commute to work and have another car I use. So perhaps it was that. But the issues are getting worse and it's a shame that the company knew of the problem and did nothing to remedy it. Especially as it affects many years and models of cars
Transmission started shuddering in od - radiator coolant leaked into transmission
The problem began as "shudder" resembling what is felt when the car moves onto the "rumble strip" near the shoulder of the road. This occurred while traveling at lower rpms (1500 - 2000) at average highway speeds in 5th gear (55 - 65 MPH). Since the vehicle is primarily driven in town at lower speeds, the "shudder" occurred rarely and was not initially identified as a problem. Over the course of several months, the problem began occurring more frequently and at lower speeds, but always at lower rpms (1500 to 2000) and in all gears. As the shudder worsened, the vehicle also began to shift more roughly, often jarring as it moved from one gear to the next. (this occurs at all gear changes.). The vehicle is now "slipping" quite badly as it moves from 4th to 5th gear. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who diagnosed torque converter problems and possible transmission failure. The mechanic has recommended replacement of the transmission. It appears there may have been a valve body failure in the transmission and cross-contamination of the coolant and transmission fluid.
Transmission started to shudder at around 45 miles an hour. Drove the vehicle home and parked it in the driveway. Went out to start vehicle next day and it would not crank. Had vehicle towed to dealership and had it diagnosed and found out that the radiator had an internal rupture which caused antifreeze to contaminate the transmission fluid causing the TCM module to fail along with damage to internal parts. The repair is estimated at about $5300.00. Since the problem was diagnosed, I learned that nissan has known about the problem for years but no notification was sent to me warning me of the problem. Despite nissans knowledge of the problem, the company has recently refused to cover the cost of the repair.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Titan, 2020-2022 Frontier, and 2023 Z vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
- Risk
- A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will perform the applicable repairs below, free of charge: Model Year 2020-2022 Frontier vehicles: reprogram Transmission Control Module (TCM) Model Year 2020-2022 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM and Engine Control Module (ECM) Model Year 2023 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM Model Year 2023 Z vehicles: reprogram TCM. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669.
Recall number 22V671000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
- Risk
- A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will replace the transmission parking pawl pin, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22A2 R22A3.
Recall number 22V457000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect. " these vehicles could have a shift cable lock plate that is too brittle and can break. The gear shift lever and the "prndl" indicator may move, but the transmission will not shift out of the park position. Over a period of time, the transmission could shift out of the park position, but the gear indicated on the display may differ from the gear engaged in the transmission.
- Risk
- If the driver selects 'drive' and the transmission is actually in 'reverse', a vehicle crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift cable lock plate.
Recall number 00V288000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty passenger trucks equipped with automatic transmissions. A securing pin inside the automatic transmission control device assembly can come loose allowing the shift lever to be inadvertently moved out of the park position with the key in the ignition.
- Risk
- This could result in a crash if the parking brake is not engaged.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the automatic transmission control device assembly and replace it if necessary.
Recall number 98V064000 · Recall details
Questions about the Nissan Frontier shudder
Which Nissan Frontier years have shudder or vibration when accelerating problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2005 (20 complaints), 2006 (10 complaints) and 2007 (8 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix shudder or vibration when accelerating on the Nissan Frontier?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $5,100 (median of 15 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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