Car Defect Radar

Nissan Frontier vs Toyota Tacoma: problems, recalls & years to avoid

NHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Nissan Frontier and the Toyota Tacoma, with the 15 model years both have (2010–2024) set side by side. Each model is measured against its own typical year, not against the other model.

Years to avoid and years with the fewest complaints

Nissan Frontier

Years to avoid
No year stands out
Fewest complaints
201820202021

The typical Nissan Frontier year has 42 complaints on file, across 15 model years (2010–2024).

Toyota Tacoma

Years to avoid
201020122016
Fewest complaints
201320202023

The typical Toyota Tacoma year has 136 complaints on file, across 16 model years (2010–2025).

A year is one to avoid when it drew at least 2 times the complaints of its model's typical year (the median across the model's years on this site) and at least 200 complaints, or when its complaints include 5 or more reports of a death. The years with the fewest complaints have no such flag and are from 2023 or earlier: newer years have not been on the road long enough to compare. Each model is measured only against its own years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, as of October 26, 2026.

The 15 model years both have, side by side

Complaints by model year

Nissan Frontier

2.6× its typical year in 2022, its worst year

111 complaints against a typical year of 42.

Years to avoid: none. Fewest complaints: 2018, 2020, 2021.

Toyota Tacoma

2.4× its typical year in 2016, its worst year

323 complaints against a typical year of 136.

Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2016. Fewest complaints: 2013, 2020, 2023.

typical yearavoid zonesolid bar = a year to avoid

Nissan Frontierno year to avoid · typical year 42avoid zone: 200+0501001502002502010Nissan Frontier 2010: 59 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2011Nissan Frontier 2011: 64 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2012Nissan Frontier 2012: 78 complaints, 1.9× its typical year2013Nissan Frontier 2013: 48 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2014Nissan Frontier 2014: 42 complaints, 1.0× its typical year2015Nissan Frontier 2015: 33 complaints, 0.8× its typical year2016Nissan Frontier 2016: 43 complaints, 1.0× its typical year2017Nissan Frontier 2017: 38 complaints, 0.9× its typical year2018Nissan Frontier 2018: 25 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints25fewest2019Nissan Frontier 2019: 28 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2020Nissan Frontier 2020: 23 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints23fewest2021Nissan Frontier 2021: 18 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints18fewest2022Nissan Frontier 2022: 111 complaints, 2.6× its typical year2023Nissan Frontier 2023: 66 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2024Nissan Frontier 2024: 22 complaints, 0.5× its typical year2025noneNissan Frontieravoid zone: 200+typical 422024Nissan Frontier 2024: 22 complaints, 0.5× its typical year222023Nissan Frontier 2023: 66 complaints, 1.6× its typical year662022Nissan Frontier 2022: 111 complaints, 2.6× its typical year1112021Nissan Frontier 2021: 18 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints18fewest2020Nissan Frontier 2020: 23 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints23fewest2019Nissan Frontier 2019: 28 complaints, 0.7× its typical year282018Nissan Frontier 2018: 25 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints25fewest2017Nissan Frontier 2017: 38 complaints, 0.9× its typical year382016Nissan Frontier 2016: 43 complaints, 1.0× its typical year432015Nissan Frontier 2015: 33 complaints, 0.8× its typical year332014Nissan Frontier 2014: 42 complaints, 1.0× its typical year422013Nissan Frontier 2013: 48 complaints, 1.1× its typical year482012Nissan Frontier 2012: 78 complaints, 1.9× its typical year782011Nissan Frontier 2011: 64 complaints, 1.5× its typical year642010Nissan Frontier 2010: 59 complaints, 1.4× its typical year59
Toyota Tacoma3 years to avoid · typical year 136avoid zone: 273+01002003004002010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year2023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical yearToyota Tacomaavoid zone: 273+typical 1362025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical year962024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1482023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year582021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year802020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2182018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2042017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2392016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year1012014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year932013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1862010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid
Bars are NHTSA owner complaints per model year. The dashed line is the model's typical year (the median of its years on this site). A year that reaches the hatched avoid zone, twice the typical year and at least 200 complaints, is a year to avoid. The two panels have different scales. Each model is measured only against its own years: the counts are not adjusted for sales, so the chart does not say one model has more problems than the other. Hover a bar for its numbers; every value is also in the table below.
Model yearNissan FrontierToyota Tacoma
ComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur readComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur read
2024220.5×3Few red flags1481.1×5Few red flags
2023661.6×1Some concerns to check540.4×4Few red flags
20221112.6×6Some concerns to check580.4×3Some concerns to check
2021180.4×2Few red flags800.6×0Some concerns to check
2020230.5×2Few red flags870.6×1Few red flags
2019280.7×1Few red flags2181.6×4Some concerns to check
2018250.6×2Few red flags2041.5×3Few red flags
2017380.9×1Some concerns to check2391.8×5Some concerns to check
2016431.0×1Few red flags3232.4×4Approach with caution
2015330.8×0Few red flags1010.7×4Some concerns to check
2014421.0×2Few red flags930.7×4Some concerns to check
2013481.1×1Few red flags1250.9×6Few red flags
2012781.9×3Some concerns to check2952.2×7Approach with caution
2011641.5×1Some concerns to check1861.4×9Some concerns to check
2010591.4×6Few red flags2932.1×13Approach with caution

Complaints link to each model year's report. "Times its typical year" sets a year against the same model's typical year. The two models' counts can't be compared directly: they are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.

Most reported problem, by model year

Model yearNissan FrontierToyota Tacoma
2024Transmission and drivetrainTransmission and drivetrain
2023Electrical systemElectrical system
2022Forward collision avoidance systemTransmission and drivetrain
2021Electrical systemTransmission and drivetrain
2020Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2019Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2018Electrical systemFuel system
2017Fuel systemTransmission and drivetrain
2016AirbagsTransmission and drivetrain
2015AirbagsBody and structure
2014AirbagsBody and structure
2013AirbagsTransmission and drivetrain
2012AirbagsEngine
2011AirbagsSuspension
2010AirbagsSuspension

Top problems of each model

The areas of the car NHTSA owner complaints name most, all model years together. A complaint can name more than one area.

Nissan Frontier

Toyota Tacoma

Recalls

NHTSA recall campaigns. A campaign that covers several model years is counted once.

What the data can't show