Nissan has been selling trucks in the USA since 1959. Being involved with trucks for so long, they have been innovators in the field. The 1959 Datsun 220 was the first compact pickup sold in the USA. They also introduced the first 1/2 ton compact pickup in 1969 and the first long bed compact pickup in 1975. The 1983 720 was the first import-brand compact pickup made in the USA. The Nissan Hardbody trucks were the first Nissan’s developed and styled at the Nissan Design America Studio in San Diego, CA. For the Frontier, the first generation was introduced as a 1998 model and offered some unique features throughout its release: a crew cab with a 6ft bed and an optional supercharged engine.
Exterior:
The 2nd generation frontier was based largely on the almost new 1st gen Nissan Titan. Nissan was really proud of the Titan, so they decided to develop the Frontier to mimic the larger truck in many ways. In fact, the 2005 Frontier borrowed heavily from the 2004 Titan so that Nissan had a solid truck offering in both the full-size and mid-size pickup truck market. According to Mark McNabb, vice president, and general manager of the Nissan Division, they were essentially giving buyers the same truck in large and extra-large sizes. That’s clearly evident looking at the Frontier’s exterior design. Nissan wanted to give consumers a bigger, bolder design for the 2nd generation Frontier, so they utilized signature styling themes found on the Titan - things like the chrome angled grille, short front, and rear overhangs, and fender flares that were geometrically the same front and rear.
The 2nd gen Frontier’s wheelbase grew 9.8” compared to the 1st generation and the overall length of 205.5” firmly placed the Frontier in the midsize truck territory. There were two different configurations available, a King Cab with 2 full-size doors and 2 rear-hinged back doors that don’t open independently of the fronts. The available Crew Cab model offered 4 full-size doors and a fold-down rear bench seat. King Cabs have a 6.1’ bed while the Crew Cabs have a 5’ foot bed. Starting in 2007 the Crew Cab was available with the 6.1’ Bed.
Interior:
The design of the interior can be called functional and ergonomic, but it lacks real soul or style. The dashboard is dominated by hard plastics and none of the materials used are soft to the touch. The large, 3-spoke steering wheel is an uninspired design and has been largely unchanged since 2005. This is an interior for people who don’t want a lot of creature comforts and are okay with a back-to-basics simplistic design. The radio sits above the climate controls and the HVAC vents are stacked vertically on either side. The 4x4 selector is mounted low on the dash. Most of the switchgear is well marked and within easy reach. Behind the gear lever or shifter sits a set of cupholders. The front seats while initially comfortable for some lack lumbar or lateral support for longer drives and can become uncomfortable. There are some nice touches like the rear seats that fold up to reveal a storage cubby and to allow for cargo to be stored inside the truck. Gauges are basic but easy to read and gather information from.
Frame/Suspension:
The Frontier uses the F-Alpha platform and features a full-length, fully-boxed frame that uses super-high tensile strength steel in critical places for improved structural rigidity. The suspension is very similar to the Titan’s with double-wishbone front suspension and solid axle leaf rear suspension with over-slung leaf springs and long suspension stroke for optimized driving dynamics. These components along with the long 125.9” wheelbase help provide a solid, stable feel while driving. Frontier 4x4 models include a shift-on-the-fly 4-wheel drive system with 3 modes: 2WD / 4H / 4LO modes that are operated by an electronically controlled part-time transfer case. An advanced off-road traction system is available with 4x4 models. It includes a 4-wheel limited-slip system which helps transfer power to the drive wheels with more grip when low traction is sensed by the system.
Common Problems:
Chipping, cracking paint. Very common and happens to lots of colors. The best idea is to get the panels or the whole car repainted.
SMOD - Radiator's internal transmission cooler failing and mixing coolant with transmission fluid, causing premature transmission failure.
4.0L timing chain and tensioner faces
Be mindful of the VQ40DE timing chain issues on the 2005 through 2010 Frontiers. The chain links were made using a die at the factory. If the die wore out while making the chains and not replaced at the correct intervals, the manufacturing process could leave a sharp edge on the chain links that could cause prematurely tensioner and faces failure. If the chain links were stamped properly, there shouldn't be a problem.
Emissions vent control valve
05-08 weak tailgate hinge design
Oil Pressure switch
