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Light NHTSA footprint — 38 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2017 Nissan Frontier has 38 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 6 complaints, typically surfacing around 65,500 miles (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Frontier | 42 | 2 |
| 2015 Frontier | 33 | 0 |
| 2016 Frontier | 43 | 1 |
| 2017 Frontier (this page) | 38 | 1 |
| 2018 Frontier | 25 | 2 |
| 2019 Frontier | 28 | 1 |
| 2020 Frontier | 0 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged critical on this model , showing up around 65,500 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
The transmission when towing 2000 lbs of weight or greater will lock into third gear when the RPM exceeds 4000 RPM. The RPM will stay constant at 4000 RPM with your foot off the pedal and will not drop out of gear unless the overdrive button it disengaged. This problem was…
Complete power/ignition failure resulting in death of driver on [XXX] while driving at night in the rain in a 2017 Nissan Frontier Pickup 4 door. The TDPS in McKinney, TX is pulling the black box for testing. 2 weeks before the accident the same vehicle (2017 Nissan Frontier…
As I was driving my truck this morning it stalled on me, two times. The first time I was able to turn the key off and back on again and it started right up. I then drove it about 20 yards (luckily I was in a parking lot) and it stalled again but this time the dash lights…
When proceeding from a green light, the 2017 Nissan frontier sv will not accelerate as normal. To get the truck moving forward, I had to step on the gas medal with more depth than usual, rendering the engine RPM very high, to inch the truck away from the stop light. Luckily, I…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Nissan Frontier is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2017 Nissan Frontier is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 8.0/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 6 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 65,500 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 38 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Typical failure occurs around 65,500 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 6 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 65,500 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 65,500 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 38 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.