r/nissanfrontier Dec 20 '17

DISCUSSION Second Gen Frontier FAQ

207 Upvotes

Second Generation Nissan Frontier (D40) FAQ

We get a lot of the same questions here, mostly from prospective owners, so I figured I’d throw together an FAQ. Maybe the mods can sticky it, or add it to the sidebar. This FAQ is meant for the second generation, 2005+, of the North American Frontier (D40) and Suzuki Equator, which is literally a re-badged Frontier with a different grille. There might be some crossover between Navarra’s and NP300’s, but I can’t really say what. First gen and hardbody owners are SOL unfortunately. But if one of y’all are experts on the legacy Nissans let me know and I’ll make this FAQ more comprehensive.

I got most of the information from Club Frontier. It’s a fantastic resource for everything Frontier. The dudes and dudettes there are super friendly, and knowledgeable. If you can’t find an answer there, you really fucked up. Titan Talk and The New X are also excellent resources, as the Frontier and Xterra are almost the exact same, and the first gen Titan shares the same frame as the Frontier. The FSM is fantastic for backyard mechanics, and obviously YouTube is great for DIY’ers as well. Nissan has online versions of the owner’s manuals, which you should probably read. They’re surprisingly informative.

I feel like I’ve included most of the commonly asked questions around here, but if there’s something missing let me know and I’ll add a quick rundown. I don’t do any towing with my truck, so I’m definitely a little lacking on that side of things, beyond what’s in the manual. If anyone has anything they feel is good to know for towing, feel free to let me know what needs to be said.

 

What Truck Should I Buy

Obviously, the overwhelming advice here will be the Frontier. It’s a Frontier sub after all. Between the competition (Toyota Tacoma, Chevy/GMC Canyon/Colorado, Honda Ridgeline <yes it counts>) the Frontier is the oldest design. Which is a blessing and a curse. It means the aftermarket (for what it is) has caught up to the truck, and all of the majors wrinkles have been ironed out. On the flip side, it’s missing modern touches like LED lights, projector headlights, safety features like blind spot detection(if you’re into that kinda thing), electronic goodies like crawl control and fuel economy improvements. It also produces the most torque at the flywheel (281lb/ft!), has the lowest street price in any trim, discs on all four corners (really Toyota? It’s 2017 FFS), fully boxed frame (adds strength for towing, hauling, and flexy stuff) and probably the worst fuel economy. YMMV.

As far as what package to get if you’re buying off the lot, there’s really two choices. If you seriously wheel it all, Pro-4x is the only choice. If you have to ask if you need a Pro-4x, chances are you don’t. Most people looking at that package know exactly what it is, and why they want it. If you’re looking for a solid daily driver, tower, or hauler, look for an SV with the Value Truck Package. It’s the closest you’ll get to a modern truck. You get neat little add-ons like a back up camera, spray in bed liner, and upgraded audio. The Frontier in any configuration is no slouch off-road, but the non-Pro-4x models are missing the locking rear-diff, skids, bigger tires, and better shocks that make the Pro-4x the off-road beast it is. This page breaks down the differences between the various packages. It’s current as of 2017, and probably good as far back as 2012. There might be slight differences between the packages in older model year, but it’s a good start. If you need to know all the options of a used truck, Nissan can tell you every detail if you give them the VIN.

Other options like Crew Cab (four doors for more whores), King Cab (half suicide doors) long box (73”), short box (59.5”), auto or stick are up to you. You know your needs, we don’t. Generally speaking, a KC will have a long box, and the CC will have a short box, but long box CC’s do exist. I’ve never seen a shortbox KC in the wild, but I’m open to being corrected. 4x4 is always better to have and not need than to need and not have, so if you have the choice, opt for it. Worst case, you’ll get better resale value. The VQ40DE should be the only available motor for this truck. The QR25DE is a four banger best left to a mid size sedan, it has no place in a pickup truck. Period.

If you’re buying used, check CarFax for accident reports. The NHTSA has a searchable database of recalls for all vehicles, and the Frontier has been subject to a few. Your Nissan dealer can also pull all the voluntary recalls with the VIN.

What’s the Difference Between…

The Frontier was basically unchanged between ‘05 and (as of 2017) the ’18 model year. The generation 2.0 runs from 05-09. There was a minor facelift in ‘09 for generation 2.1, with different wheels and the switch from Nismo to Pro-4x branding, and the front end got a refresh. The early trucks have different headlights, and a flatter grille angle, so aftermarket headlights for the 2.0 won't work with 2.1 front ends. I consider everything post ‘12 generation 2.2. There’s no major differences from ’12 and up except improved parts design, and some extra options like back up sensors, improved audio systems, bigger wheels, and other minor stuff, like the $35,000 plastidip grill Midnight Edition. For major suspension, engine, driveline components an ‘05 will be the same as a ‘14 or a ’17 or an ‘09.

 

Common Issues

DISCLAIMER: I’m by no means a Nissan technician. If something blows up because you misdiagnosed it based on advice from an internet stranger, I take zero responsibility. If you’re even remotely unsure get an educated second opinion from a mechanic you trust. Most of these problems exist in the 2.0/2.1 (‘05-’12) generation of the D40. If you buy a ’12 and newer you should be in the clear.

Strawberry Milkshake of Death

SMOD is cross contamination of ATF and coolant, due to a poorly designed transmission cooler. It’s a super easy fix, you can bypass your transmission cooler, upgrade to a post ’12 rad or an aftermarket radiator. If the rad gets contaminated, it’s basically time to start shopping for a new transmission. You might be able to bring it back by flushing the transmission several times with regular ATF, but no promises. If you buy a truck with the mysterious third pedal, you can avoid the issue entirely.

note: this may or may not affect trucks with the QR25DE. I’ve never run across one that’s had it happen, but AFAIK the rads and trannies are the same, so the possibility exists

Timing Chain Guides (VQ40 only)

Once again, this issue shouldn’t affect the ’12 and newer trucks, or higher mileage older trucks. There was problems with whatever plastic Nissan used for the timing chain guides and they wear out very prematurely. It causes the guides to fail, allowing the timing chain to slap against the block. Diagnosis is pretty simple. The chains make a god awful racket as soon as you start the truck. It’s a very distinct noise. It sounds exactly like chains rattling against metal. If you leave it too long it can cause catastrophic damage to the entire block. But at least you’ll have an excuse to VK or Cummins swap the truck. Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do to prevent it, except replace it. Most of the reports I’ve seen have been less than 80,000 km (50k miles), so your trucks over 100k will likely have had the issue resolved. There’s currently a class action lawsuit against Nissan in the States, so you might be able to get reimbursed for any repairs you’ve done. I’m in Canada and am the furthest thing from a lawyer, so I don’t know the first thing about how to get involved or get paid. Contact a lawyer in your area.

Code P0443

Ah, emissions codes. Don’t you just love the EPA? This is one of the few issues, at least from what I’ve seen, that hasn’t really gone away in the gen 2.2 refresh. Basically the solenoid that allows the EVAP canister to “purge” itself will pack itself full of dust, fail, and throw codes. You can prolong it by rerouting the vent to one of the tail lights. It might prevent it, it might only prolong the inevitable. There was an improved design release in ’12, that part number should supersede the old numbers, and apparently be slightly less bad, but double check. Most parts sites will tell you if it’s the new p/n or not. Because it’s emissions related if your jurisdiction doesn’t require emissions testing, ignore it, or do the cheap and dirty fix. If you have to pass smog to register your truck, you’re pretty much on the hook for a $300 part that may or may not last until you re-test. You can try pulling the canister and blowing it out with a compressor, but most people say you’re only kicking the can further down the road.

There’s also a few accounts floating around online of people getting P0443 after topping off their gas tank (gotta get those nice round numbers at the pump), or even filling too fast. I don’t top off my tank, and I never go full squeeze on the nozzle so I don’t know how much truth there is that.

note: this may present itself as P0448 as well, from what I can see the codes are related, likely due to the EVAP canister being unable to purge itself

SRS Light

This one is tricky. Obviously, a compromised airbag is less than ideal, but at the same time lots of modern vehicles, the Frontier gets to be modern in this case, have issues with aftermarket stereos tripping the SRS light for whatever reason but the airbag itself is fine. If you’ve just tinkered with any of the wiring in the truck and get a flashing airbag light, there’s a good chance it just needs to be reset. If you haven’t changed anything, or the light comes on out of the blue, get a shop to pull the code. You might have to go to the dealer for this one, as it’s hit or miss which scan tools will pull airbag codes. There was also a recall for some of the earlier generation 2.0 trucks (05-09).

My Headlights Suck

Aim them properly. Nissan aimed the headlights low from the factory assuming that most people would be doing truck stuff with their truck. If you have weight in the bed, or a lift, they’re almost perfect. Empty, they’re woefully low. There’s a little knob on the back of the housing. 1.5-2 turns counter-clockwise with an 8mm wrench should get them where they need to be. If they still suck, you can put upgraded bulbs, like PIAA or Sylvania Super White and get better output. If you decide to go full HID or LED, do the retrofit. Regular halogen headlight assemblies and HIDs do not mix. The OEM housing don’t scatter the light properly, resulting in really bright lights right at the bumper and almost zero light down the road where it’s needed. For HID ballasts themselves, 4000K is the “best” temperature for the human eye, but 6000K is that nice stark white everyone likes. Any higher than that, you’re getting into riced-out-Fast-and-Furious Honda Civic territory. I’m not saying don’t do it, it’s your truck do what you want to it. I’ll just silently judge you for having purple headlights. Also; check your local laws. Some jurisdictions have limits on colour temperature. As always, it’s not up to me to know your laws.

Rough Idle

We’re not talking about a truck with 200k mi that’s never had new plugs, or missed its last four oil changes. That should be pretty obvious. Lots of owners complain about a rough idle at red lights, even on newer, impeccably maintained trucks. Nissan set the idle a little on the low side, most likely to save fuel economy. Take it to the dealer, get them to bump up the idle 50-100 rpm and listen to that kitten purr.

 

My Fuel Economy Sucks

It’s a 4000lb truck, without gear, fuel and passengers; with a 13 year old motor that’s based off an even older block. But…but, but the EPA sticker says it gets 21mpg highway. Yes, it’s capable of 21mpg. Unloaded, with highway tires, on perfectly flat roads, doing highway driving. It’s a truck, with a steel boxed frame and sheet metal. It makes damn near V8 torque without a V8 price tag. If you want 21mpg all the time, buy a Versa. Things like a CAI, exhaust, ECU tune, intake manifold spacer might increase your mileage, but if you’re anything like me you won’t be able to keep your foot out of it and your mileage will probably drop. If your truck has a third pedal (standard), you might be able to squeeze slightly better mileage out of it.

 

Can I Run x Tires/Wheels/What Tires/Wheels Should I Get

Generally speaking, the biggest tire you can run without lift or trimming is the factory Pro-4x tire size, 265/75R16, or similar variations like 265/70R17. You might be able to stuff 285/75R16’s without any lift, but you’ll definitely need to take off the mud flaps (if equipped, apparently they’re optional in some places), trim some sheet metal and probably melt the fender liner to prevent rubbing.

As far as tire brands are concerned, there are literally hundreds of brands and models to choose from. I suggest Google, or, God forbid, calling some tire shops and chatting about your specific needs. Personally, I suggest a good all terrain tire as an excellent middle ground for a daily driver/weekend warrior. But again, you know your needs better than we do. If your truck is exclusively a pavement princess or toy hauler, buying a set of General Grabber red letters is overkill. Ditto if you’re in a rainy part of the continent and play in the mud a lot; a highway tire won’t do jack shit. The overwhelming, jack of all trades, recommendation is gonna be the BFG T/A KO2. It is an excellent, albeit pricey, AT tire. They’ve been around for ages, and they’re a staple of off-road racing. It’s probably the tire you picture when you think of an all terrain tire, whether you know or it. I’m a big fan of my Falken Wildpeak AT3w, they’re a really well designed, good looking, cheaper than BFG alternative. Other options for a solid, generally well-reviewed, AT include the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac; General Grabber AT3; Hankook Dynapro AT-m. If you run one of set of tires year round, check your local laws if you need snowflake rated tires in the winter months. Make sure you pick a tire that will have the snowflake rating, or buy dedicated snows. Most modern AT tires do, but again, I’m not responsible for your ignorance of local laws. Also, as a Canadian with way too much experience driving the winter, a snowflake rated MT is a bold faced lie. Mud terrains are just awful on ice, compact snow, or anything that isn’t deep powder or mud.

For wheels, you’ll need at least a 16x7” wheel with a 6x114.3(4.50 in freedom units) bolt pattern. I can’t honestly say what the minimum backspacing or offset will be, cuz of differences in measuring and manufacturing, but most places like Discount Tire or Tire Rack will have tools that will give you fit information. There’s also a list of wheels confirmed to fit our trucks. Most of the time, positive offset will tuck the wheels in more and negative offset will give you more poke, provided your wheels are the same width. Once again, I’m not responsible for knowing your local laws. Around these parts any tire poke is grounds for a fix-it ticket. If you’ve got similar laws, it’s up to you to know. The biggest issue with offset and backspace on the Frontier is the front calipers. They’re relatively massive, and if you don’t have enough offset or too much backspace they’ll bind. If you’re not afraid of a zip disc, you might be able to massage some material off the caliper, but that’s entirely on you. You might also run into binding or rubbing at the top of the suspension travel if you have lots of poke, but if you’re frequently maxing out your suspension uptravel, you’re probably not reading an FAQ.

 

What/How Much Lift Should I Get

Read this. Jen does an excellent job of laying out all the options and uses for each lift. Be honest with yourself and your intended uses. If you want to Titan swap your truck just for street cred, there’s nothing wrong with that; but it’s a big investment for cool points. Conversely, eBay spacers and blocks probably won’t cut it if you wanna do the Rubicon trail. Generally, if you go to bigger tires than 33”, you’ll want to upgrade your front differential to the Titan M205 front diff, or at the very least look at aftermarket gears, as they’re the common failure point. The rear diff depends on the model. Most trucks have a C200K, which is strong enough for most applications, except for big (33”+) tires and pretty hardcore wheeling or rock bouncing (which I don’t suggest in a 4000lb truck). All standard or Pro-4x trucks come with the bastardized Dana44 M226, which will handle just about anything you can throw at it, except for maybe 40’s. Also, if you manage to get 40’s on your truck, I want to see build deets, cuz that’s impressive. Unfortunately, it’s not entirely a D44, so things like lockers, gears, and covers won’t actually fit. But at least it’s strong.

 

I Broke/Want x Part

Rock Auto is by far and a way the best source for OEM replacement parts. Even with a piss-poor Canuck buck, insane shipping charges, I buy almost everything from them. Their prices are just that good. Courtesy Parts is another excellent source, particularly if you’re actually in the States. Their shipping and brokerage fees are kinda high for us north of the 49th, but they’ve got every OEM Nissan part, and the fancy NISMO stuff, you can possibly imagine. The Nissan e-Store is amazing for locating part numbers for interchange, or searching. Nisstec and PRG are the go-to sources for aftermarket goodies like lifts. Keep in mind that PRG is somewhat infamous in the Nissan community for being next to impossible to get a hold of. Hefty Fabworks, Shrockworks and Calmini are the go-to options for bumpers, skids, and sliders. Coastal Offroad also ships weld it yourself bumper kits for the second gen Frontier if you wanna take advantage of a lackluster loonie and have some fabrication skills. There’s also WAM Bumpers, but they bought out a company with a less than stellar reputation, and the jury is still out on if they’ve improved or not.

 

I Wanna Go Fast

Like I said earlier, it’s a 4000lb truck. You’re not setting any quarter mile times with it. But there are options for bolt-on go-fast goodies. The most common choices will be an intake and exhaust. There’s lots of debate between sealed or open airboxes, and both have their pros and cons. An open airbox, like a K&N might give you slightly better air flow and intake noise, but they’re far more likely to hydrolock your motor if you do lots of water crossings. And it can happen if the water line is below you hood, because, unless you’re fully armoured, water can get up into the engine bay. A sealed intake like a Volant can prevent that, but apparently it moves the power band higher robs torque. And all that delicious VQ torque is why the Frontier is such an amazing truck. In my opinion the factory air intake is pretty damn good, maybe just slap an aftermarket filter in there and hack out the silencer tube(pic coming). You get the best of both worlds this way. No torque loss and you get it lets you hear that VQ open up a little more. For exhaust stuff, most people suggest replacing the OEM y-pipe, and staying with 2.25” piping. The OEM y-pipe is restrictive and crappy. It also opens up the powerband a little, and moves the torque curve slightly lower in the RPM. Going to larger diameter pipe usually ends up robbing torque or just becoming raspy beyond belief. Beyond that, it depends on what you want your truck to sound like. Spend some time on YouTube or here listening to different mufflers. What sounds amazing to you, might be obnoxious and way too loud for someone else. Because V6’s are pretty much the worst kind of motor, finding a system that doesn’t drone at 2-3k rpm isn’t easy and people have spent big money preventing it. No one system will really give massive performance gains, but a set of long tube headers can add decent, measurable numbers. If you live in a smog state, these may not be legal as they replace the primary catalytic converters. Also, they throw codes unless you run dummy plugs or simulate them with a tune. Some people have had decent success removing the secondary cats and replacing them resonators, but apparently it can be a little raspy.

Once you get beyond the basics, an intake manifold spacer is an excellent investment. It’s a piece of aluminum that lives between your upper and lower intake plenum. It gives the airflow a chance to smooth out a bit, and cool down slightly. Both of which increase power. I’ve had one on my truck for about a year and I cannot say enough good things about it. It definitely wakes up the VQ in all the right places. It’s easily one of the best mods I’ve done to my truck. I definitely blame it for my terrible fuel economy. It’s just too much fun to drive respectably after I installed it. Stillen makes underdrive or lightweight crank pulleys, and they can free up some power too. The underdrive pulley requires a shorter belt, so talk to Stillen for the proper size.

If you still need more power, an UpRev tune, or even a plug and play tuner can add a fair chunk of power. A dedicated tune like UpRev is great because it’s custom built for your truck. If it’s controlled by the ECU, it can be changed. Wheel speed(for over/under sized tires), shift points, air fuel mixture, WOT (wide open throttle) restriction delete, 02 sensor simulators. The plug and play options give you more options for pre-set, change on the fly tunes, like economy, tow, or performance. But because they’re generic you might not get all of the available ponies out of them, or be able to get into the more in-depth options like shift points or 02 sensors.

Edit: typos and formatting

Edit 2 17-12-20: Added link so mobile users don't get a picture of a Suzuki Equator for their thumbnail. Added more links

Edit 3 17-12-23 Fixed bad math in timing chain section

Edit 4 18-01-04 Added notes on P0443

Edit 5 2018-03-14 Updated 2.1 body style refresh info

Edit 6 2018-05-15 Changed FSM source as ClubNico got fucked by the long dick of Nissan's legal team. Shoutout to u/h83r for noticing the change. Also; the new FSM doesn't show anything newer than '14. Everything major will be the same, but some of the new fangled electronics may not be available. I'll see if I can find an up to date source. Also; I'd be down to crowd fund a license from Nissan if that's what everyone wants to do


r/nissanfrontier 1h ago

Team Green

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Upvotes

My 2024 Pro4X - Owned for about 7 month. Happy every time I drive. Great truck for the 💸


r/nissanfrontier 2h ago

Almost back to new

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10 Upvotes

Gerber in Riverside did an excellent job getting my truck back together.


r/nissanfrontier 10h ago

Took my 2024 Frontier NP300 out for a boat day, handled the rocky launch like a champ!

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31 Upvotes

Just wanted to share a quick snap from this weekend. Hauled the boat out to the river with my 2024 Nissan Frontier NP300 no complaints at all! Even on this uneven, rocky shoreline, it pulled through effortlessly. I’m really impressed with the torque and stability on this thing.

Anyone else using their Frontier for boat launching or off-road adventures? Would love to swap tips and gear setups!

(Photo taken right before launch. That incline was steeper than it looks!)


r/nissanfrontier 54m ago

small black box hanging from wires at driver's side left foot rest?

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Upvotes

I just noticed this small black thing hanging from some wires under the dash by the left foot rest. It has a small red light on it and I keep hitting it with my foot whenever I get into my 2019 Nissan Frontier. What is this object and how to I get it back into place?


r/nissanfrontier 22h ago

2nd Frontier

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128 Upvotes

So I got a wicked deal on a 24 SV. $32k 200 Miles. I am doing a bedliner and undercoat next week. I need to get a set of side steps. The Nissan OEM’s are like $900 if anyone has suggestions let me know. I can’t do rock sliders I need the step, but want something slicker than a running board. Also a Tonneau Cover. I like ones that are the hard rollers, they seem to be about $1k. So I’m up for suggestions, I just don’t want a trifold or something soft. I’m in northern NJ and the soft one would get cut if someone wanted in real quick.


r/nissanfrontier 7h ago

On my third broken part in 8 months and I’m starting to get annoyed.

7 Upvotes

On the bright side, none of these have affected the performance of the truck, so I’m trying to see the positivity in things.

I bought a 2023 Frontier Pro-4X, Certified Preowned with 9,000 miles back in August 2024.

A few months later, I noticed the overhead light in the back seat doesn’t always turn on when it should. The switch doesn’t seem to always work. I went to Nissan and they ordered the part for me.

A week ago, the head of my shifter broke off randomly. It still slides on but won’t stay in place. I’m going back to Nissan next week for that.

Yesterday, two more things happened. The key cover on the door, next to the handle popped off. Apparently this is really common on the third gen. A lot of people had issues getting Nissan to fix this for them so I just superglued it back. After that, my battery died. I know batteries die eventually, I’m not new to the vehicle game at all, but at 18,000 miles now this is definitely the fastest one that has died on me. I checked the warranty handbook and it doesn’t cover batteries (makes sense).

Bright side - nothing major, but still annoying. I expect things to break or wear eventually. I’m just annoyed it’s happening with a fairly new vehicle.


r/nissanfrontier 18h ago

PICTURE Wilderness fun

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42 Upvotes

Coming up on a month of ownership, put about 3k miles on her already. I love this damn truck 🤘


r/nissanfrontier 6h ago

DISCUSSION 2015 SV VQ40DE 191K Miles

5 Upvotes

Recently changed the timing chains with a Cloyes kit. No big issues with the change. The issue is my poor maintenance practices over the last 10 years. After sitting for about 2-3 weeks, while I waited on weather (January/February), all the deposits on the walls of my engine settled in the oil pan. There was easily 1/4”-3/8” of sludge in my oil pan. Embarrassing? You bet. Correctable? Also, you bet.

No big deal. I pulled the oil pan, scraped and scrubbed the areas above and reinstalled the oil pan. Added oil, ran it, changed the oil and did this until I could run it without getting a lot of black particulates in the oil. Granted, the tiny tiny ones I can’t see. I changed the oil after running about 5 times. The 2nd and 3rd running I used Motor Medic Motor Flush.

That’s when the noises really started.

Here is the problem: Each time I start it and run it, there’s a different noise. The first start, the timing chain area was noisy; I expected that on the first start. The second start there was a rod knock on the 6th cylinder. It seems that the noises alternates between timing chain and rod knock. The rod knock is a thump thump thump, etc, etc.

It sounds like there is oil starvation alternating between those areas.

I’m thinking there are some sludge particles clogging oil passages. And it’s clogged to the timing chain areas, clearing up and then clogging at the rod bearing areas.

I know the oil passages can be cleaned out by a real mechanic, but I’m curious about what the cost would be. During the cleaning process, I’m sure the mechanic would see anything that would indicate an engine swap.

I can’t think of anything else to say. I do expect some questions from my fellow Redditors.


r/nissanfrontier 20h ago

Olive Oyl has arrived

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47 Upvotes

Husband and I already took her for a rip in our field 🤣 I’m loving my new frontier and the fender leakers and sub are fantastic I had Lorna Shore blasting and zero rattling 💁‍♀️


r/nissanfrontier 17h ago

Buying salvaged/ rebuilt title?

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21 Upvotes

Tacomas are so expensive and looks like frontiers are there too but what about this one? Never bought a salvaged title (it says salvaged and rebuilt so I don’t know if there’s a difference)

Looks like it was a collision with utility pole in 2016. It’s got 86k miles and they are asking 16.9k. Interior and exterior are nearly mint. Would you do it? Carfax history included


r/nissanfrontier 7h ago

2014 SV - Paint Chipping Around Rear Wheel

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2 Upvotes

Recently purchased a used 2014 Frontier with 90,000 miles on it, and noticed all these little chips that I initially thought was dirt.

Any other owners deal with this issue? How important is it for me to address it now?


r/nissanfrontier 2h ago

Question for 3rd gen owners

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

1 Upvotes

Pronounced valve train ticket on every cold start. Oil level is good. Sounds like a lifter to me. Disappears after engine is warm. Anyone else have this issue?


r/nissanfrontier 8h ago

What would you be cautions about on this Frontier?

3 Upvotes

Hello, looking at this 2022 4x4 crew in IL. Truck looks good overall and the price is great. Only issue is it has hail damage. But I can't really see anything in the pictures. and its not on the car fax. How would you go about assessing it? I am planning to run my next car till it dies, so I don't particularly care about resale value. My concern would be #1 if the paint is more likely fail, or two if it turns out to be dimpled like a golfball. Few small dents i'm not really worried about.


r/nissanfrontier 6h ago

2013 Desert Runner V6 4L RWD Front Strut Assemblies

2 Upvotes

Are there any reputable brands of front strut assemblies that fit a 2013 Desert Runner V6 4L RWD?


r/nissanfrontier 21h ago

2023 SV

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30 Upvotes

Did a lot of research before buying a frontier and glad I got it. Bought used with 36k miles and had a good carfax and been regularly serviced. Just curious to see if anyone has a 23 SV with more miles and if so how has it been treating you?


r/nissanfrontier 16h ago

DISCUSSION Wolfbox G900 Hardwire Install

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8 Upvotes

Did a hardwire install of the Wolfbox G900 PRO today. Took roughly 3 or so hours. Also pictured and circle the fuses I tapped for power. Would be happy to answer any questions about the routing if anyone is on the fence about doing it themselves. Wasn't too difficult!


r/nissanfrontier 22h ago

Custom Vintage Logo

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12 Upvotes

Does anyone know if there are custom emblems for the Nissan Frontier 2020 (D40, NP300) grille that look like the one in the photo? Something that resembles the vintage logo?


r/nissanfrontier 20h ago

Tailgate Handle

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8 Upvotes

Anybody have their tailgate handle pop out? Went to open my tailgate and it just popped off, is there fix for this?


r/nissanfrontier 22h ago

PSA for Manual Owners

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9 Upvotes

If your truck randomly does not start (will not turnover), look for broken rubber bits on the floor.


r/nissanfrontier 1d ago

Truck Iterations

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39 Upvotes

Never shared what the truck looked like when I first got it—picked up this stock 2008 4x4 at an auction in late 2020, at the time it had 130k miles. By 2022, I’d built the bed rack, roof rack, sliders, bumpers, skid plates, and a ton of other mods. I was living in San Diego then, off-roading nearly every weekend.

Fast forward to 2023—I moved to Florida to be closer to family. I didn’t end up exploring as much as I wanted (mountains > mud, let’s be real), so I stripped most of the mods off, left the bumpers, and swapped in a lumber rack for work.

In 2024, I built a small 4x8 squaredrop camper for overlanding and picked up a tiny piece of land where I hope to build a small dwelling someday. The truck also shat on me for around 8 months trying to diagnose some electrical issues, all fixed now! Damn ECM!

Now in 2025, the truck is at 190k miles, and I’m planning a move up north with some friends to get back to exploring, meeting new people, and just living a little more wild.

I recently pulled everything off the truck again, installed an ARE topper, threw the roof rack back on, and started dialing in the trailer for the next adventure. Hoping to hit the road around June—no clue where I’ll land, but I’m stoked to find out.

I have a bunch of videos on my instagram and YouTube if your interested, hit me up if you wanna make something rad!

Instagram: @samtaysproductions | @riskyfrontierYouTube: SamtaysproductionsLet’s link up or collab—shoot me a message!


r/nissanfrontier 1d ago

DISCUSSION What’s it worth?

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83 Upvotes

A 2016 Nissan Frontier Pro-4 around 30k miles of it. 2 fender benders. I bought it new. Always synthetic oil in it. Never off road never towed anything. Pretty much just driven to work and back. Always garaged. My question gentenmen. What it worth??? I can’t find a straight answer online.


r/nissanfrontier 1d ago

Roof rack bike

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27 Upvotes

Just put my DIY roof rack back on and debating about mounting the mountain bike all the way at the top with a front fork mount design, or designing a mount for the front bumper. I’m planning on moving from Florida to Wisconsin in the coming months and it would be nice to store it out of the way. I could also put in on the rear swing out but there’s already a decent amount of weight with the tire, table, and 2 Jerry cans.


r/nissanfrontier 17h ago

A/T wheel/tire question.

2 Upvotes

Currently running a 2.5” Z1 lift on 285/70/17’s…

Theoretically, running a new 18” wheel would boost the truck slightly higher as long as I get a new tire that is at least equal to the current 33(ish) KO2’s I’m rocking, correct?

And then beyond that, any recommendations for tire height ratios for an 18” that could accomplish this (and also do our trucks even have enough space in the well for such an endeavor)?


r/nissanfrontier 1d ago

Tonneau cover for 2005 to 2024 5’ bed

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3 Upvotes

Hey I have a tonneau cover for my Frontier that’s in nice condition and am looking to sell it. I got it on Amazon see pictures. I got a cap and need it to be gone


r/nissanfrontier 1d ago

Towing question!

2 Upvotes

Would a second gen Nissan frontier be enough to reliably tow a 6x10 enclosed trailer daily? Like the ones the landscapers use!