VehicleVerdict

2000 Nissan Frontier transmission problems

The 2000 Nissan Frontier has 26 transmission complaints filed with NHTSA — 12% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

26

Transmission complaints

12%

Share of year

3

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Transmission complaints by year

Frontier transmission complaints by model year264 complaints1998: 9 complaints1999: 13 complaints2000: 26 complaints2001: 8 complaints2002: 7 complaints2003: 8 complaints2004: 13 complaints2005: 264 complaints2006: 222 complaints2007: 224 complaints2008: 54 complaints2009: 8 complaints2010: 16 complaints2011: 9 complaints2012: 20 complaints2013: 6 complaints2014: 6 complaints2015: 5 complaints2016: 3 complaints2017: 6 complaints2018: 2 complaints2019: 7 complaints2020: 11 complaints2021: 4 complaints2022: 24 complaints2023: 12 complaints2024: 4 complaints2025: 1 complaints2026: 1 complaints
Frontier transmission complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

00V288000TransmissionOctober 2, 2000 · 76,652 units

Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT. " THESE VEHICLES COULD HAVE A SHIFT CABLE LOCK PLATE THAT IS TOO BRITTLE AND CAN BREAK. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER AND THE "PRNDL" INDICATOR MAY MOVE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE TRANSMISSION COULD SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION, BUT THE GEAR INDICATED ON THE DISPLAY MAY DIFFER FROM THE GEAR ENGAGED IN THE TRANSMISSION.

Consequence

IF THE DRIVER SELECTS 'DRIVE' AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTUALLY IN 'REVERSE', A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE LOCK PLATE.

What owners report

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR WENT INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE POLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE QUARTER PANEL AND THE BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · March 16, 2006 · crash

Common questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2000 Nissan Frontier have?

NHTSA has 26 complaints about the 2000 Nissan Frontier transmission — 12% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2000 Nissan Frontier transmission?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the transmission: 00V288000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.