NissanFrontier2016Overview/nissan/frontier/2016/base/

2016 Nissan Frontier

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Frontier.

Body TRUCK

The 2016 Nissan Frontier is a truck that accumulated 42 owner complaints over its tenure, with air bags representing the most reported issue alongside a single recall campaign. Within the model’s 1998–2025 production span, which has seen annual complaint volumes range from a peak of 210 in 2000 to a low of 7 in 2025, this model year’s modest tally places it among the less problematic iterations. That positioning indicates a relatively stable reliability profile for the 2016 Frontier, offering researchers a data point that sits comfortably below the line’s historical volatility threshold.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182016

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnSTOPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP265/75R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E alt 152089E01A
Engine air filter16546EA000 alt 165467S000
Spark plug22401CK81B alt 22401ZE01B
Battery244103JA2A
Front wiper blades288909CA0A alt 288909CA0B
Serpentine belt11720EA20A alt 11720EA001
Thermostat21200EA000 alt 21049ED00A
Cabin air filter27277VR00A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length205.5 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height70.1 in
Wheelbase126 in
Curb weight4597 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Frontier of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.2–7.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.20 sec — 2012 PRO-4X V6 King Cab (6.1 ft. Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2017PRO-4X V6 Crew Cab (4'11.5" Bed) 4.0L V67.30 sec15.80 sec261 hp4x4
2012PRO-4X V6 King Cab (6.1 ft. Bed) 4.0L V67.20 sec15.70 sec261 hp4x4
2020PRO-4X V6 Crew Cab (4'11.5" Bed) 3.8L V67.30 sec15.60 sec310 hp4x4
2020PRO-4X V6 Crew Cab (4'11.5" Bed) 3.8L V67.50 sec15.80 sec310 hp4x4
2005LE V6 Crew Cab (4.9 ft. Bed) 4.0L V67.60 sec16.10 sec265 hp4x4
2005NISMO Off-Road V6 King Cab (6.1 ft. Bed) 4.0L V67.60 sec15.80 sec265 hp4x4
2005NISMO Off-Road V6 King Cab (6.1 ft. Bed) 4.0L V67.60 sec16.00 sec265 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine Front: 80W- in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.0
Brake FluidDOT 3
Clutch FluidGenuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II
Differential Gear OilFront: 80W-
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity9.9
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 1st
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts37.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub101.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerNissan
Spark Plug Gap.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerNissan
Spark Plug Gap.043 in
Spark Plug Torque18 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.45-1.65 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Oil Capacity6.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35

Service checks

RPM51 @ idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance11.1-14.3 ohms
Engine Compressionpsi 161-189 max variation 14 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 142 - 185 max variation 14 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 20; Rear: 20 /
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 136; Rear: 65 /; Front: 136; Rear: 63
ABS Sensor Torque15.5 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: 1.024; Rear: .630
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0006
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002; Rear: .002

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Keyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Nissan Frontier sits in the mature, low-complaint phase of this generation's lifecycle, recording 42 federal complaints and a single recall — a modest uptick from 2015's generational low of 33 complaints and zero recalls, but still well within the band of stability that characterized model years 2013 through 2019 (complaints ranging from 25 to 48). The generation's complaint arc tells a clear story: early models (2000–2002) saw the highest complaint volumes (139–210) and recall counts (6–8), while the post-2011 era settled into consistently low single-digit recalls and declining complaints through 2021. The 2016 model year's top complaint areas — Air Bags (8), Fuel/Propulsion System (5), Engine (5), and Unknown or Other (5) — are relatively evenly distributed with no single dominant failure mode, and the data does not specify root causes for any of these categories. Notably, the 2022 model year saw a sharp spike to 110 complaints and 6 recalls, suggesting that aging-related issues emerged later in the generation rather than being concentrated at the 2016 point. With only 3 crash complaints and 1 fire complaint on record, and a TSB count of 119 indicating Nissan was actively issuing technical guidance, the 2016 Frontier represents a solid choice within this generation — its complaint volume is low, its recall exposure is minimal, and it benefits from nearly a decade of production refinement by this point in the lifecycle.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
119
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
42
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 42 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags8
Fuel/Propulsion System5
Engine5
Unknown Or Other5
Structure3
Wheels1
Power Train,Service Brakes1
Air Bags,Forward Collision Avoidance1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V181000Electrical System:Wiring:Front UnderhoodReported 31/03/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Frontier V6 vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to March 7, 2016. The starter motor wire harness may have been installed in an incorrect position… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and reposition the starter wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2016. Owners may contact…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 119 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Frontier. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Frontier have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.