Model year 2020 · Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD

2020 Nissan Frontier: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2020 Nissan Frontier at 19–20 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 23 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

19–20

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Nissan dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2020 Nissan Frontier recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2020 Nissan Frontier, newest first.

Power train: Automatic transmission

NHTSA 22V671000 Reported Sep 7, 2022
Filed by
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R22A9 R22B1/2/3)
Units affected
197,230 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Automatic transmission

NHTSA 22V457000 Reported Jun 24, 2022
Filed by
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R22A1)
Units affected
180,176 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2020 Nissan Frontier fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2020 Nissan Frontier EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Frontier 2WD3.8L 6-cylAutomatic 9-speedRear-Wheel DriveRegular18/24/20 mpg$3,350445
Frontier 4WD3.8L 6-cylAutomatic 9-speedPart-time 4-Wheel DriveRegular17/23/19 mpg$3,550469

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2020 Nissan Frontier crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2020 Nissan Frontier NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2020 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC 4WD4 stars3 stars5 stars4 stars19.8%No
2020 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab PU/CC RWD4 stars3 stars5 stars3 stars21.2%No
2020 Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC 4WDNot ratedNot ratedNot rated4 stars19.8%No
2020 Nissan Frontier King Cab PU/EC RWDNot ratedNot ratedNot rated3 stars21.2%No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2020 Nissan Frontier owner complaints

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan Frontier, most recently on Jul 10, 2026. 3 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2020 Nissan Frontier complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Power train11
Engine5
Service brakes3
Back over prevention: Warnings2
Electrical system2
Unknown or other2
Air bags1
Electrical system: Wiring: Interior/under dash1
Exterior lighting: Brake lights1
Power train: Automatic transmission1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Nissan Frontier model years

Nissan Frontier by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 Frontier18–21 mpg———
2026 Frontier18–21 mpg1114/5
2025 Frontier18–21 mpg394/5
2024 Frontier19–21 mpg3224/5
2023 Frontier18–21 mpg1664/5
2022 Frontier19–20 mpg61124/5
2021 Frontier19–20 mpg2204/5
2019 Frontier17–21 mpg1284/5
2018 Frontier17–21 mpg225—
2017 Frontier17–21 mpg1384/5
2016 Frontier17–21 mpg144—
2015 Frontier17–21 mpg033—

All Nissan Frontier years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2020 Nissan models

2020 Nissan 370Z2020 Nissan Altima2020 Nissan Armada2020 Nissan GT-R2020 Nissan Kicks2020 Nissan LEAF2020 Nissan Maxima2020 Nissan Murano2020 Nissan NV200 Cargo Van2020 Nissan Pathfinder2020 Nissan Rogue2020 Nissan Rogue Sport2020 Nissan Sentra2020 Nissan Titan2020 Nissan Versa

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Nissan.