Problems with 2005 Nissan Frontier POWER TRAIN

Apparently a known issue with the radiator leaking into the transmission - causing an $3000 repair to a vehicle that was well-maintained. the transmission started slipping and after diagnostics was told by the mechanic this was an issue that nissan knew about and never did anything about. spent $3000 of my money to fix something that should have been prevented and fixed by the manufacturer. i liked nissan, but after this; i may not buy anymore. have documentation to prove the issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan frontier. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle came to a complete stop without warning. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who stated that he could not repair the issue. the mechanic diagnosed that there was transmission fluid mixing with the coolant. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 99,220.

Radiator leaked antifreeze into the transmission. transmission has to be rebuilt/ replace and radiator has to be replaced. *tr

We where driving on the highway when the trucks engine started to make noises and losing speed. it didn't give any warning, and it completely stopped running. the mechanics diagnostic was " c/s transmission wont move and mil is on.vehicle needs a transmission and radiator due to an internal leak from the cooling system in to transmission" we took it to the nissan agency because of the warranty but they refused to respect the warranty even though i have i have two diagnostics from different mechanics explaining that i have that same problem, nissan is not making its self responsible even though its trucks have a factory defect. *tr

Vibration in motor like driving over grooved pavement - on and off again for months before realizing it was the radiator and transmission problem that occurs in these trucks and suv's. i don't want to pay $6,000 to fix a defect. they should pay no matter when it happens. *tr

Driving down the road at 50 and suddenly as im going up a hill the truck bucks like its running out of gas and then suddenly i lose all forward power no symptoms previously just up and stopped the engines still running but not power come to find out its a transmission failure from what my tech said its a very common problem with certain 2005 and newer nissan models said the radiator transmission and transmission controller atm may need to be replaced. i would of never bought this truck if i new about this horrendous oversight in the manufacture of these vehicles and of nissans continued lack of attention to this common and very painful problem. *tr

The transmission failed caused by a ruptured seal in the radiator. *tr

2 months ago i had a leak in the radiator and i fixed it. then after that i start having problem with the transmission. the speed does not change immediately and when it change you feel like some has pushed you from the back. and now the car does not drive anymore. *tr

Transmission contamination with coolant. *js

After accelerating up to 50mph i let up off of the gas and then the transmission kicked in again and caused me to go lunge forward. i thought that i had been rear ended but there was no one behind me and obviously no damage to my vehicle. it felt as if i had a standard and had revved up the engine and popped the clutch. this is very unsafe especially if i had been an inexperienced driver. nissan had a class action lawsuit out for this but it only covered up to 100,000 miles, although they knew about this being a manufacturer's defect. i took this to the nissan dealer and had to pay them $119 to diagnose the problem and tell me that it would cost me $5600.00 plus tax. i don't have this to pay on a manufacturer's defect that causes a safety hazard. i hope no one is killed before nissan is made to fix this problem.

Trans fluid leaked into radiator. *tr

Started it up... hardly moved. squeaking sound under the hood. looks like the infamous radiator leak into the transmission.... *tr

The truck lurched ahead while at a stop light, just missing a pedestrian. took the car to the nissan dealership today. was told that coolant from a cracked radiator had ruined the transmission and repair would be $5700.00. car was in perfect condition and always dealer maintained. dealership said they could do nothing as far as warranty. they gave me nissan north america's number. they refused to do anything. this is a defect. not a worn out part. this vehicle should be recalled. not safe. *tr

Sudden loss of power/stalling. check engine light came on as well as anti-slip light. took vehicle same day to nissan dealership. truck actually stalled on the way to the dealership however i was able to get it started again. diagnosed the problem as a bad cam shaft sensor. sensor was replaced. they also mentioned that transmission fluid was contaminated with engine coolant. suggested repair was to replace the radiator and the transmission-$4800. i chose to just replace the cam sensor. three days later, 8/9, lost power at highway speed. radiator and hoses leaked and had to be towed to dealership. again dealership suggested replacing the radiator as well as the transmission. replaced radiator and hoses, flushed transmission twice. i plan to dispose the truck. there were no warning signs prior to these two incidents. my opinion is that this is definitely a manufacturing/engineering defect. *tr

Radiator ruptured and coolant leaked into transmission causing transmission problems and had to be fixed. transmission performance declined and then could not drive vehicle. *tr

I started noticing my automatic nissan frontier having problems shifting gears around november of 2012. i eventually took the truck into a dealership to take a look at it after receiving paperwork in regards to a lawsuit nissan is encountering due to radiator leaks. when i took the truck into the dealer they told me this did not have anything to do with radiator leak. they quoted me 5,000 in repairs. i did not have the money to fix the problem so i continued to drive it until july 12th it finally gave out. i was getting off of the freeway and as i was stopping at the red light to get off of the freeway the truck started to feel like it was going to give and it started shaking, it jerked suddenly and almost caused the car behind me to crash into my bumper, i put a little more gas into the truck and made it into the parking lot of the nearest place around. as i was going to park it finally gave out for good. i called a local towing company and they took the car back my house, i called up a mechanic to come to the house and examine the truck and he advised me of the radiator leak, the one the nissan dealership denied having. i am very upset that they lied to me as well as nissan only extending the warranty to 80,000 miles when most people are experiencing this problem after that. i have aprox 118,000 miles, i will look for a lawyer to file a class action lawsuit against nissan. *tr

Took my frontier to the local nissan dealer for transmission flush. i was told by the service manager that this service could not be completed due radiator coolant leaking into my transmission. through research, i have found many owners of frontiers have reported the same transmission issue and have share this issue with nissan. there were no warning signs and no support to owners like myself with trucks over a 100,000 miles. it appears nissan has been aware of this transmission/radiator issue with this vehicle and their suvs for some time. this defect is a major safety concern and very costly for owners to correct. thank you for your time and support. *tr

Vehicle shuddered and lost acceleration when passing another vehicle. vehicle following behind had to make panic stop in order to avoid collision with rear of my vehicle. was advised by a mechanic that this vehicle has a known transmission failure issue. *tr

I brought my truck into the nissan dealer after transmission problems. nissan acknowledged that there is a known defect with the 2005 frontier that causes cross contamination between the radiator and transmission. despite only being 6k over the 80k free repair, i had to pay $2500 out of pocket for deductible. this seems unreasonable as it is a known defect affecting 2005-2009 frontiers and xterras. *tr

The radiator developed a crack and cause fluid to leak into the transmission lines causing a failure to both pieces of equipment. this could have been avoided if nissan would have warned me about issues concerning this failure that is occurring in lots of similar models. *tr

My 2005 frontier has never given me any problems until 2 days ago. the transmission started messing up. i came upon a 4 way stop & when i went to cross the road it was like i had it in neutral. i pulled over & stopped then tried to start again & it did the same thing. i've since heard & read about all the problems involving the coolant & transmission. the quotes i have received to fix this are outrageous. nissan should recall these vehicles because they know they have a problem with them. not a happy customer anymore. *tr

To whom it may concern: i own a 2005 nissan frontier se. on saturday, june 15, 2013 the vehicle failed while i was approaching an overpass in a downpour of thunderstorms. it appeared the vehicle's transmission failed. i had to steer my vehicle off the road as the transmission seemed to have slipped into neutral. thankfully, no injury or accident occurred. after speaking with a nissan of north american customer service representative, i had it towed into pat fisher nissan in titusville on monday morning, june 17th. in the meantime after researching on the internet (www.nissanhelp.com), i learned nissan is in litigation due to a 'design flaw' in the radiator; causing cross contamination of fluids (radiator to transmission) resulting in major damage to the vehicle. this results in replacing the radiator and having the engine flushed ($1097.00); and an additional fee ($4524.00) for replacing the transmission. after a class action law suit, nissan has agreed to pay partial payment for the repairs if your vehicle falls under their specific guidelines (year of vehicle and odometer reading). unfortunately, my vehicle did not. my concern: since this malfunction is a 'design flaw' (told this by a nissan employee) by the manufacturer, how do customers get nissan of north america to accept responsibility? there should be no limitations or guidelines to meet. all vehicles with this problem should be repaired by nissan of north america before death or a serious accident occurs. this is a safety issue. the vehicle shifts itself into neutral while engaged in drive. this should be a safety recall and the expense of repair be reimbursed by nissan of north america corporation to the consumer. thank you for your consideration and review. i look forward to a response. sincerely *tr

Driving on freeway, felt a vibration in the vehicle, and then a rapid decrease in speed as the transmission seemed to shift out of gear and loose power. luckily, was able to make it across three lanes in heavy traffic to safety. vehicle would not shift into gear, and had to be towed to my local dealer. luckily i was driving the truck instead of my wife or son, and was able to maneuver the vehicle out of this dangerous situation. *tr

After buying the truck from a dealership, i was driving home. i got about 5 miles from the dealership when the vehicle started shaking. i took it to a nissan dealership to who confirmed what i was afraid of. there was coolant in the transmission fluid. we submitted it to the warranty company that i had purchased a warranty from when i bought the truck only to find out that since the transmission failure was due to an uncovered part(oil cooler) they would not honor the warranty. after doing more research on the problem and seeing as many claims of this issue how has nissan not recalled the transmission? it is obvious that this normally does not normally happen until after the extended warranty ends. like everyone else i am looking at a $6000+ repair bill, and until i can come up with that money i have to look outside at my $12,000 lawn ornament... *tr

At highway speed of 70 mph and in a rainstorm, nissan frontier 2005 seemed to slip out of gear and never re engage. was left on the roadside unable to shift into any gear. motor would start and when shifted into any gear, would rev with no transmission engagement. vehicle towed to a transmission shop who pulled the pan and found radiator fluid in the transmission. told me that this was a common problem with frontiers, pathfinders, and xterras, but nissan was not taking responsibility for the design flaw. i am now left with a $6000.00 dollar repair on a truck the is only worth about $6000.00. *tr

I noticed as i was driving vehicle started to have shaking or vibrating/jerking ( at different speeds), it seems to hesitate when i increase speed. my technician thinks something is going on with transmission or torque converter. concerned vehicle may break / stop running. *tr

Automatic transmission began stumbling and then i lost 5th gear. took to durabuild transmission shop and was told that engine coolant had gotten into the transmission from the radiator transmission cooling lines. transmission had to be cleaned & repaired. the valve body assembly had to be replaced along with the solenoid. repair bill came to $4100.00. *tr

I was driving the nissan frontier about 50 mph when the rpm shot up then dropped and the transmission quit causing the vehicle to stop. i had to cross two lanes of traffic to avoid a major accident. i managed to get the truck to the dealer and was told it was a problem with the transmission leaking fluid into the radiator causing the transmission to fail with out any warning. i was told the fix would cost me around 5,500.00 dollars. nissan is aware of this problem and really should correct it before some one is killed by this obvious major malfunction in the design of there product. *tr

Took my truck in for air-conditioning service. nissan dealer found transmission fluid in my coolant. they stated i needed a new radiator due to transmission cooler in radiator failure. they changed out the radiator, the cost was over 1200.00. once radiator was fixed they stated they found a small amount of coolant in my transmission. they flushed the transmission twice (additional 250.00) but could not tell me if there was any damage to the transmission. they also stated they have never had this failure at this dealership in fredericksburg, va before the new nissan extended warranty expires (90000 miles or 9 years). nissan has known about this issue for a long time..... *tr

Engine warning light came on, shudders at 40mph, transmission shifting erratic. took into nissan service center who told us that coolant had leaked into transmission from a faulty radiator and it would cost $5500 to replace transmission as we were out of warranty. nissan knows about this problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan frontier. the contact observed an oil leave in the driveway. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics, who stated that coolant fluid was leaking and the transmission fluid was mixing with the coolant fluid. the vehicle was repaired by replacing the radiator and the transmission assembly. the failure was not reported to the manufacturer. the failure and current mileage was 89,047.

Found out today that my 2005 nissan frontier is affected by defective radiator that is causing coolant to mix in with the transmission fluid thus fatally damaging transmission. understand that this a wide spread problem for this year and model nissan. radiator has to be replaced at a cost of $1400.00 that nissan won't pay for because mileage is over 100,000 miles. i don't know yet if transmission is damaged. this is a defect that nissan knows about and they should replace at no charge no matter what the mileage is. this is their problem, but unfortunately now its mine. please help and issue a recall. thank you. *tr

Just bought an 05' nissan frontier and upon getting onto a highway i sped up to 55-60mph to feel a vibration like going over speed bumps and a loss of power. it turns out that the intercooler from the radiator broke inside the transmission causing a leak of antifreeze inside the transmission. which caused something in the transmission to breakdown. i am not very proficient in car repair so i am not sure the exact part this causes to malfunction inside the transmission. all i know is that i need a brand new transmission and radiator which is going to cause $6000.00 at least. i also know that this is a widespread thing and a lot of people are having this happen to 05-10 nissan frontiers, xterras and pathfinders. this seems like a safety issues; if i'm on a highway with my family and try to pass someone and experience a loss of power to speed up to pass them i could get in a head on collision. *tr

Transmission atf is contaminated with coolant cause transmission to deteriorate. transmission rattles at speeds over 45 miles per hour when shifting into and out of overdrive. becoming noticeably more jerky over time in lower gears. heat does not work while engine is idling and takes a long time to warm up while moving. cold air blowing across windshield on cold days has caused windshield to fog up from the inside making it difficult to see. vehicle currently has under 113000 miles and nissan dealership has given me an estimate of $5119.42 to replace the transmission/radiator assembly. *tr

The transmission seems lack it trying to lockup while driving at a speed of 45 miles per hour. it has got so bad that i have park the truck at home because the transmission may lock up while i am driving. and may cause someone to get killed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan frontier. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the vehicle was taken to dealer where it was determined that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, no assistance was provided. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 280,000.

Transmission failing sounds and feels like driving over rumble strips. also noticed cabin heater does not work when at a stop. signs indicative of radiator/transmission seal failure and radiator coolant in transmission. *tr

While traveling at highway speeds my 2005 frontier began shuddering and then lost power which could have resulted in a rear end collision. an independent service technician determined that the transmission fluid is contaminated. it appears nissan has been long aware of this issue, with the numerous complaints across the board from the 2005 - 2010 frontiers, pathfinders and xterras nissan should be responsible for the replacement of the radiator and transmission. this is a catastrophic defect in design known to nissan and should be made right by nissan to protect the safety of the customer. *tr

experienced sudden jerking when traveling at highway speeds. the problem was diagnosed as a failed transmission cooler which allowed coolant to mix with the transmission fluid, causing internal damage to the radiator and transmission. prior to this, there was nothing amiss with the operation of the vehicle. apparently this is common and even though several complaints have been filed to nhtsa, nissan still claims that there is no defect. based on the number of complaints regarding the exact same issue, please consider issuing a recall. i just bought my truck in dec. 2012 with about 81,000 miles and 4 months and 2,000 miles later, i am on the hook for this defect. *tr

My truck began displaying symptoms of catastrophic transmission failure. for example, gear slippage and shuddering as if rolling over rumble strips. i took it to a mechanic and they found the coolant had transformed into a thick pink substance. it was determined that a seal had failed in the radiator causing coolant to mix with the transmission fluid. this then baked inside the transmission. we replaced the radiator and so far have delayed the inevitable replacement of the transmission. i called local nissan dealerships and they know about the problem but declined to offer significant information. i contacted nissan and because of language barriers, etc., they would not address my issue. i contacted the bbb and a nissan representative eventually called me, but in the end disregarded my issues with mock concern. i contacted the mn attorney general and they said i might take them to small claims court. it seems that nissan has concocted a warranty that only benefits people who experience the problem at a very premature stage. *tr

The coolant is mixing with the transmission fluid. it's a known and widespread defect yet nissan ignores it. we paid $14,000 for the truck less than a year ago, but nissan has squeezed us out of any rebate because the truck is over 100,000 miles. now we have to pay another $7,000 to fix it. that's wrong. they should fix it no matter how old. *tr

$6219.70 for a remanufactured transmission because i'm ~2000 miles out of their recently "extended" warranty. transmission and radiator/cooling system were recommended to be replaced by nissan today because of contamination of transmission fluid by a (known but not recalled) defective transmission cooler line. at approximately 98,000k the truck began to experience vibration with overdrive engaged. it felt like driving over rumble strips also, the truck had no heat when idling. i took it to a qualified local mechanic and had the radiator flushed. that corrected the heat issue. it was recommended to take the truck to a transmission shop to look at the issue. i drive the truck daily to/from work and travel with my 3 daughters to and from school. my next opportunity was about 6 weeks later and i took it to nissan. there was a recent class action suit regarding this issue and "an extension was offered which would repair the issue for $3000.00. this covered cars up to 100k. because nissan did not diagnose this issue until i was at 102,200 miles, a low level call center denied the repair. rather than drive the 10,000 miles per year that is apparently acceptable to nissan, i drive roughly 12,750. that extra 35 miles per day makes it so that i have to pay an additional $3219.70 for something that i should be paying nothing for. the fix for the issue that destroyed my transmission is actually a roughly $500 repair or less than $100 for a diy'er. nissan was aware of this issue and should have issued a recall before their "customers" transmissions started destroying themselves. *tr

Coming home from work the truck started to overheat and the transmission started to skip. i had to turn on the heater to keep the truck from overheating and then the transmission started to engage and disengage. the problem is that the antifreeze is leaking in to the transmission. this is a known problem with nissan, but they are not fixing the problem. i have three children that are in the truck with me. if that transmission breaks and can cause major problems. nissan needs to replace the parts. *tr

Sitting at a stop light with right foot on brake, waiting for light to change. as light changed applied pressure to gas pedal but the vehicle would not move the engine would just rev up. put the vehicle in park and turn off the engine waited a moment then turned the vehicle back on and put the transmission in drive, vehicle began to move but the transmission acted like it was slipping. drove vehicle to dealer and they said that the transmission had failed on vehicle and it would need a new one. paid 5,321.74 to have transmission replaced. dealer said transmission failure was due to a radiator issue on vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan frontier. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, he attempted to accelerate but the vehicle failed to respond. the contact mentioned that there was an increase in engine rpms and the maintenance required warning message illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 106,000. *tr

Transmission coolin in the radiator ruptured causing complete failure of the transmission. *tr

Transmission cooler line failure, causing cross contamination from the radiator to the transmission. contacted nissan, through phone and certified letters to the president of nissan. nissan would not except any responsibility. my vehicle was non drivable for 6 months due to the cost of repairs. *tr

Radiator leaked into the transmission. we had to replace transmission. nissan would not stand behind anything since it happened at 111k miles rather than under 100k. *tr

While traveling 65 mph in 6 lanes of traffic during rush hour the truck lost power and rolled to a stop. i was stranded in the middle lane with cars flying by me. i am very lucky i 2 as not hit by traffic. had the truck towed to transmission shop $4700 later was told it was radiator fluid in the transmission. this i later researched and is a common problem in these vehicles. nissan is fully aware and does nothing about it. it's disgraceful to the name nissan not to stand behind tour product. i have own 5 nissan ' s and 3 of them frontiers. these trucks have always had the reputation to run many many miles without issues. i will never buy another nissan brand vehicle as a result of their careless attitude towards this problem someone is going to be killed at some point. then will it make sense to recall it? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan frontier. the contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle began to slightly jerk as the transmission failed to respond. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.