[mbabc]

Hey folks,
Future potential owner here of a 2006 to 2010 Frontier. Still looking for and deciding exactly what I want.

I've read quite a bit of the radiator/transmission cross contamination sticky thread and from what I've gathered to prevent the problem is to do the bypass mod. (I'll of course look for any evidence of the contamination before any purchase.)

I do plan on towing a trailer in the future so I guess I'd need to add a transmission cooler? Or better yet, one of the new designed rads or an aftermarket one.

Guess to be prudent I need to factor in a new radiator shortly after I get my truck??

I've also never seen on this forum about what percentage of '05-'10 Frontier's this has effected?

Opinions please.

Mark B
Louisville

 

[Skibane]

from what I've gathered to prevent the problem is to do the bypass mod.

Bypassing the in-the-radiator ATF cooler drastically reduces the amount of transmission cooling - Which is why it's not a good idea, IMO.

Basically, fluid-to-fluid coolers are much more efficient than their air-to-air counterparts. Physically, the in-the-radiator cooler isn't very large, but it's capable of removing a LOT of heat.

The best solution is to simply install a new replacement radiator, connecting the ATF lines to it in the same manner as they were connected to the old radiator.

In-the-radiator ATF coolers have a reputation for being pretty reliable - They're used on a huge variety of vehicles, and work great.

Most Frontiers are already equipped with an auxiliary external ATF cooler, so you're probably doing fine if you don't upgrade it.

 

[bosfordjd]

Hey folks,
Future potential owner here of a 2006 to 2010 Frontier. Still looking for and deciding exactly what I want.

I've read quite a bit of the radiator/transmission cross contamination sticky thread and from what I've gathered to prevent the problem is to do the bypass mod. (I'll of course look for any evidence of the contamination before any purchase.)

I do plan on towing a trailer in the future so I guess I'd need to add a transmission cooler? Or better yet, one of the new designed rads or an aftermarket one.

Guess to be prudent I need to factor in a new radiator shortly after I get my truck??

I've also never seen on this forum about what percentage of '05-'10 Frontier's this has effected?

Opinions please.

Mark B
Louisville

As a percentage it's small. Problem is when it happens, it's an EXPENSIVE fix. The same problem has impacted other manufacturers as well, Nissan isn't the only one to have had this issue. My 2007 never leaked, granted it only had 55k on it when I had a new rad put in(a couple months ago) just for piece of mind, but I have a co-worker with 230k on her 2007, and it hasn't had an issue other than a couple window motors dying on her.

 

[mbabc]

As a percentage it's small. Problem is when it happens, it's an EXPENSIVE fix. The same problem has impacted other manufacturers as well, Nissan isn't the only one to have had this issue. My 2007 never leaked, granted it only had 55k on it when I had a new rad put in(a couple months ago) just for piece of mind, but I have a co-worker with 230k on her 2007, and it hasn't had an issue other than a couple window motors dying on her.

Thanks for the replies folks. Great info here. Glad it wasn't like 50% or something. Think I will budget in a new radiator when I buy.

Drive safe,
Mark B.

 

[Blue Devil]

Not so sure about that?

As a percentage it's small. Problem is when it happens, it's an EXPENSIVE fix. The same problem has impacted other manufacturers as well, Nissan isn't the only one to have had this issue. My 2007 never leaked, granted it only had 55k on it when I had a new rad put in(a couple months ago) just for piece of mind, but I have a co-worker with 230k on her 2007, and it hasn't had an issue other than a couple window motors dying on her.

I'm not sure why you think it's a small percentage? Your rather new to the forum, if you read all 100 page of the cross contamination thread there seems to be a general consensus that most 2005-2010's will have this problem eventually but I'm sure you'll have 50% maybe more that won't? Do you want to bet on black or red? The all aluminum CSF radiator is a good deal and better cooling.

CSF Racing Radiator ? Frontier/Pathfinder/Xterra ? Nissan Race Shop

So pretty, very good piece of art, but it's a dang good radiator too.

 

[2008 LE]

Not sure exact numbers but if you ended up with one of the thin walled batch (which sounds like all or most of the 05-10 models) I think its just a matter of pressure and time. In my case the radiator got contaminated only after my first season of plowing. It had 205,000 K on it when I purchased it and I drove it another 30,000 before that, so I don t think regular driving will always cause them to fail. That said my truck did not have a tow hitch installed (and the frame mounts were full of undercoating) so it had never towed or likely been in any strenuous situations.

Doing it again I would just have paid more attention to the issue and immediately put in a new rad from this date range regardless of its current condition. The spectra premium ones all seem fine at least no one has reported any issues that I have seen and they are inexpensive.

My 2C

 

[bosfordjd]

If it were a large percentage there would have been a recall not just warranty extension. 100 pages and how many of the posts are actually from people that had the problem? Reality is it will probably impact fewer than 10%. 50% is a gross exaggeration, if 50% of Frontier, xterra and pathfinders were grenading there transmissions that would be a HUGE deal.

As of May NHSTA still had an active investigation on the issue, which I believe is still open, anyone with the issue should still be reporting it. They could still force a recall.

 

[Mr. Breeze]

Whatever you end up buying, you absolutely must test drive it up to 65 mph and check for the "rumble strip" feeling. I didn't do this (because I was living in DC) and almost ended up biting the bullet on a huge bill.

I discovered that my Fronty's radiator was replaced, but they never replaced the transmission. This was probably done before it was traded in to the dealer. I called them on it after I found pink sludge in the coolant reservoir and after I noticed the transmission issue driving to work the next day. They wound up eating the $4000 repair bill.

If it's good to go, I still recommend doing the bypass or replacing the radiator for peace of mind. You can spend a little money on an auxiliary tranny cooler and just bypass it through that.

 

[Clint]

Did anyone ever research into was the coolant replaced on time and if the new coolant was mixed with distilled water or tap water which will encourage corrosion.

Clint

 

[Shootisttx]

Since the years mentioned are '05 - '10, I assume the problem was fixed for 2011?

 

[V8 man]

Since the years mentioned are '05 - '10, I assume the problem was fixed for 2011?

Correct. mid '10 was the factory good parts.

Fairly small number. If it were a huge number the wrecking yards would be overflowing with them and you would never see an older one on the road. Craig's list ads would be overflowing with thousands of ads for trucks with bad transmissions. But if it does happen, it is expensive enough to really question if it is worth fixing or scraping the vehicle.

 

[Mr. Breeze]

Did anyone ever research into was the coolant replaced on time and if the new coolant was mixed with distilled water or tap water which will encourage corrosion.

Clint

The maintenance schedule doesn't call for coolant replacement until 105,000 miles. In the case of my truck, it failed before 70,000. So I don't think that was the problem. If it were that easy, Nissan would have just blamed it on the owner all along.

 

[Clint]

As far as I know the extended life coolant didn't start until 2010.
My 2007 Parhfinder had the usual green stuff and wasn't extended life and needed a radiator and trans replacement.

Clint

 

[mbabc]

Did the deed and ordered the CSF radiator. I want this truck to last a long time.

Mark B.

 

[golf286]

Since the years mentioned are '05 - '10, I assume the problem was fixed for 2011?

The years effected are 2005 to 2009 there have been a few 2010's reported but not many..

Did the deed and ordered the CSF radiator. I want this truck to last a long time.



Mark B.

You'll love the CSF!!
I've been running them in the Xterra's for the last 3 years and now run it the Fronty and will be replacing the Titan as well..

 

[mbabc]

Good deal golf. Got mine the other day.

Thinks I'll install some new hose, etc. just since it's a 10 yr. old vehicle.

 

[smj999smj]

The integral cooler failure has nothing to do with corrosion. It has a seal that can fail, which causes the cross-contamination. There is a YouTube vid were a shop cut the bottom tank off of a failed radiator and removed the trans cooler. They hooked up hose and capped the end and placed the cooler under water. Using air pressure, you can see the bubbles come up through the water from the failed seal. One thing I have seen since I first started monitoring the issue a couple of years ago (on R51 Pathfinders) is that most of the failures are on radiators with the part number 21460-EA215, 21460-EA265 and 21460-EA200.

 

[Son of the Helmet]

Lots of discussion still on different threads. Some out of the 2010 range. In a nutshell, blue long life AF, thin walled radiator, and time, all a factor. But some frontiers outside of that range also have been affected. Mine is a 2012, 62,000 miles...I don’t want to be nervous but Nissan should have fixed this by now?!?! I probably should just work some overtime and get that CSF radiator? When buying someone told me after 2007 I was “safe”. Ugh

 

[smj999smj]

They recently stopped selling the CSF radiator, claiming there were too many problems with them. I haven't heard of any issues with the "plastic-tanked" aftermarket radiators, so far. I got a cheap, Ebay radiator that I installed in my 06 Pathy almost 8-years ago and it's still doing fine. My 08 has a Koyorad that I got for $50 that someone purchased and never installed before selling his vehicle. I have 6-years on that and all's well. Each has over 100,000 miles on them since being installed.

 

[Nismod]

I replaced mine in my "new" 42K 2005. Cheap insurance. While waiting for getting around to it I did the bypass. I can't imagine buying one of the failure prone years and not doing this ASAP.