On March 31, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it has opened a formal probe into about 75,300 model-year 2006 Nissan Frontier pickup trucks amid safety concerns involving potential fuel leakage. The investigation was triggered by a petition alleging the vehicles emit a strong, persistent odor of raw gasoline and experience sudden engine stalling during initial startup and normal operation.
The agency said the conditions described by the petitioner raise the possibility of an imminent fire hazard. The petition specifically linked the reported symptoms - the gasoline smell and abrupt stalling - to a safety concern significant enough to merit federal scrutiny.
Nissan previously conducted a recall covering certain 2006 Frontier pickups in 2007. That action replaced fuel filler tube assemblies that could crack and allow fuel to leak. The petitioner asserts the current complaints resemble the defects identified in that prior recall and suggests the underlying problem may remain in portions of the 2006 Frontier fleet despite the earlier remedial steps.
The probe focuses on the model-year 2006 Frontier population identified by the petitioner and described in the NHTSA notice. The agency will examine whether the reported conditions constitute a defect and whether they create an unreasonable risk to safety that demands additional remedial action.
At this stage, the details in the petition form the basis for the inquiry. The NHTSA notice references the petitioners claims about odor and stalling as the primary grounds for concern. The agencys investigation will determine whether those claims are substantiated across the affected vehicles and whether further measures beyond the 2007 recall are necessary.
The inquiry is limited to the vehicles and allegations outlined in the petition; the NHTSA statement does not provide additional findings or outcomes at this time. Further developments will depend on the agencys review of evidence gathered through the investigation.