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2020 Nissan Frontier

Gas
Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
B
Safety Signal
84 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns2
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA23
Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA20 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2020 Nissan Frontier is sold in the U.S. as a gas pickup truck with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Frontier 2WD, is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 23 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Frontier 2WDGasRWD3.8L 6-cyl182420$3,100
Frontier 4WDGas4WD (part-time)3.8L 6-cyl172319$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42612, 42613.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 Nissan Frontier is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Power Train

R22A9 R22B1/2/3
197,230 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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.RiskA vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.FixOwners 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 Niss
NHTSA campaign 22V671000reported Sep 7, 2022Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Power Train

R22A1
180,176 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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.RiskA vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.FixOwners 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.
NHTSA campaign 22V457000reported Jun 24, 2022Nissan North America, Inc.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
23complaints filed

3 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2021: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Power Train12
Engine5
Electrical System3
Service Brakes3
Unspecified2
Back Over Prevention2

What owners describe

“The 9 speed automatic transmission suffered a catastrophic internal failure (codes PO893 and PO876), forcing the vehicle into limp mode. The vehicle loses propulsion unexpectedly in traffic, and the transmission risk complete mechanical lockup while driving. The vehicle is unsafe to operate on public roads, creating a …”Jun 29, 2026 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“UNKNOWNI want to report my repossessed car and hold Santander Consumer USA responsible because they sold my car without my consent and not only that, report the fraud of the sale of the same car that I bought and that neither the DMV Nissan of Orange nor Santander Consumer USA informed me of the debt that I still had o…”Sep 28, 2025 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“Hello, I was an owner of a new 2020 Nissan Frontier pro4x. My vehicle had 33,000 miles, garaged in the winter and never used for towing. All minor maintenance were performed at a certified Nissan dealer. On [XXX] I was driving my truck on [XXX] in Youngstown when suddenly I heard a terrifying loud grinding noise coming…”Jun 6, 2025 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
PU/CC 4WD★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆20%
PU/CC RWD★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★☆☆21%
PU/EC 4WDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★★☆20%
PU/EC RWDnot ratednot ratednot rated★★★☆☆21%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Frontier model years

A

2026 Nissan Frontier

1 recalls · 7 complaints

B

2025 Nissan Frontier

3 recalls · 7 complaints

C

2024 Nissan Frontier

3 recalls · 21 complaints

A

2023 Nissan Frontier

1 recalls · 64 complaints

F

2022 Nissan Frontier

6 recalls · 110 complaints

B

2021 Nissan Frontier

2 recalls · 17 complaints

A

2019 Nissan Frontier

1 recalls · 28 complaints

B

2018 Nissan Frontier

2 recalls · 25 complaints

A

2017 Nissan Frontier

1 recalls · 38 complaints

B

2016 Nissan Frontier

1 recalls · 43 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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