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2000 Nissan Frontier Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2000 Nissan Frontier has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel tank corrosion with fuel odor or leak.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2000 Nissan Frontier.

Reported to NHTSA

Fuel tank corrosion with fuel odor or leak

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

10 NHTSA complaints · 2009-10 → 2016-10

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL LEAKED FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10916442
“THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL TANK HAD CORROSION AND WAS CAUSING GASOLINE VAPORS TO ESCAPE THE TANK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10502102
“I WENT TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP ON 9/26/2014 AND WAS TOLD THAT MY FUEL PUMP IS NOT SEALING PROPERLY ON TOP OF MY FUEL TANK DUE TO RUST”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10639800

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Fuel sending unit failure and recall 04V230000 coverage

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

11 NHTSA complaints · 2003-03 → 2026-02

“NOW FUEL SENDING UNIT SET OFF SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN AT 73444 MILES. GAS TANK CORRODED AROUND SENDING UNIT JUST 3 YEARS AND 11000 MILES LATER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10362794
“ON MARCH 07, 2007 MY 2000 NISSAN FRONTIER BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY TO LOSE ENGINE POWER. NO RECOGNIZABLE EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE POWER FAILURE, IT CAME ON SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10186070
“ON 6-15 TRUCK STOP WORKING IN MAJOR INTERSECTION WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10125635

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Tire tread and sidewall separation

TIRES

18 NHTSA complaints · 2000-09 → 2020-11

“SUDDEN TREAD SEPARATION ON FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT P215-65R15 TIRES FACTORY INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON 2000 NISSAN FRONTIER XE 2WD DRIVE VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10157846
“THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SIDEWALL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE THREAD OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10746126
“FIRESTONE TIRE ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR BLEW OUT AND TREAD CAME OFF AND DAMAGED UNDERSIDE OF REAR FENDER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10018635

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Instrument cluster gauges dropping to zero

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

7 NHTSA complaints · 2004-10 → 2007-11

“THE DIALS EITHER DROP TO ZERO -- THE ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AND TEMPERATURE GUAGES -- AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE NOT RUNNING, OR THEY GET STUCK AT THE SPEED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10100905
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAT AT 70 MPH ALL GAUGES EXCEPT THE FUEL GAUGE DROPPED TO ZERO FOR APPROX 10 MINUTES, THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVING POSITIONS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10096311
“INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, ODOMETER AND TEMP GUAGE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10120628

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Windshield wiper arm and linkage failure

VISIBILITY

6 NHTSA complaints · 2004-06 → 2025-03

“WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM FAILURE: LAST MONDAY, THE ARM THAT CONNECTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO THE MOTOR DISCONNECTED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10095708
“SUDDEN, COMPLETE FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10078897
“ON THREE (3) SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE FAILED, AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10146757

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Driveshaft center support bearing failure and vibration

POWER TRAIN

5 NHTSA complaints · 2000-08 → 2005-09

“CARRIER BEARING AT THE CENTER SUPPORT FAILED. TRUCK STARTED VIBRATING AFTER THE FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED THE BEARING BUT THE VIBRATION GOT WORSE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #746730
“PROBLEM WITH DRIVESHAFT HANGER BEARING, INVOLVES A TWO PIECE DRIVE SHAFT. BEARING THAT CONNECTS TWO SHAFTS FAULTY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #9005508
“THE 3 PRONG TYPE WAS WHAT WENT BAD ON THE VEHICLE, THE BOTTOM RUBBER PRONG WOULD POP OUT OF THE METAL CASING ENCLOSING THE BEARING; THEREFORE CAUSING THE DRIVESHAFT TO SHIFT AND COME OUT OF PLACE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #727222

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Sway bar bolt and stabilizer bushing failure

SUSPENSION

7 NHTSA complaints · 2001-03 → 2004-05

“CONSUMER STATED DURING A STATE INSPECTION, A BOLT ON THE SWAY BAR WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE STABILIZER CONNECTING ROD AND BUSHING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #567308
“THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OR GOING OVER A BUMP, THE DEALER DETERMINED A BOLT WHICH HELD THE SWAY BAR ASSEMBLY HAD COME OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10010039
“BOLT WHICH HOLDS FRONT END BUSHING HAS SHEARED IN HALF”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #881876

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Gear selector failure and vehicle roll while in Park

POWER TRAIN

5 NHTSA complaints · 2006-03 → 2018-10

“WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE AND THE GEAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11140340
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD UNTIL CRASHING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10459457
“THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR WENT INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE POLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10153984

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

282 crashes 1990–2024

How the 282 occupant deaths break down

233

driver deaths

47

passenger deaths

2

not recorded by seat

282

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1999 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

19

complaints mentioning a crash

4

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2000 Nissan Frontier reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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