Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2020 Nissan Frontier: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 Nissan Frontier, most recently filed September 2022. Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 4 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Compare

Recalls (2)

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 Nissan Frontier. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2020 Nissan Frontier. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 22V671000 Filed Sep 7, 2022

Unsecured Transmission May Cause Rollaway

Power train · automatic transmission
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan 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.
Consequence
A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners 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 Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
90.9% repairedof 197,230 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V671000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Frontier. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 22V457000 Filed Jun 24, 2022

Unsecured Transmission May Cause Rollaway

Power train · automatic transmission
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan 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.
Consequence
A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners 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.
91.6% repairedof 180,176 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V457000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (23)

23 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.

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

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Nissan Frontier, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 23.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2020 compares with other Frontier years

Best and worst Frontier years →
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
This year (2020)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 4 stars overall

Overall★★★★☆
Frontal crashDriver 3★ · Passenger 2★★★★☆☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 19.8%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2020 Nissan Frontier pu/cc 4wd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 20 mpg combined

20
mpg combined
18
city
24
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$3,350
CO₂ tailpipe
445 g/mi
EPA class
Standard Pickup Trucks

What it costs you to run

$3,266per year
$272per month
750gallons a year

Miles ÷ 20 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2020 Nissan Frontier configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
3.8 L 6-cyl · 9-speed automaticRear-Wheel Drive18 / 24 / 20$3,350445
3.8 L 6-cyl · 9-speed automaticPart-time 4-Wheel Drive17 / 23 / 19$3,550469

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2020 Frontier for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Frontier years

Where to next

2020 Nissan Frontier FAQ

How many recalls does the 2020 Nissan Frontier have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 22V671000 (power train), 22V457000 (power train). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2020 Nissan Frontier problems?

Owners filed 23 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (12), Engine (5), Service brakes (4) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2020 Nissan Frontier get?

EPA rates the 3.8 L 6-cyl · 9-speed automatic version at 18 city, 24 highway and 20 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2020 Nissan Frontier get?

NHTSA rated the 2020 Nissan Frontier pu/cc 4wd 4 stars overall, with 3 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (19.8% rollover risk).

How does the 2020 Frontier compare with other years?

Among the 2016–2021 Nissan Frontier model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (19) and the 2016 the most (43). The 2020 drew 23. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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