Transmission Cooler Recommendation for 2019 Nissan Frontier

Question:

I have a 2019 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab 4X4 with a 4.0L V6. It came with a tow package, including Class IV hitch and 7-pin wiring harness. I added a trailer brake controller which I got from etrailer and Fastway e2 weight distribution hitch FA94-00-1000. I use it to tow a 23foot travel trailer with a dry weight of 3600 lbs. and a tongue weight of 500 lbs. The max carrying load of the trailer is 1400 lbs, so the trailer would never be heavier than 5000 lbs. So far, Ive never been over 4000 lbs. The towing capacity of my truck is around 6300 lbs. I have been told that my Frontier comes with a factory transmission cooler as well, although I have never been able to find it and verify that this is true. I get terrible gas mileage when towing usually around 8-9 mpg, but the truck tows the trailer fine. I was thinking about installing a transmission cooler just to help with the tow load, but wasnt sure which one to go with. The only one I found on your website that has a video for the Frontier was the Derale D13502, but this is a Class III cooler and I was thinking I needed a Class IV. I realize you may not know if my truck already has a transmission cooler on it, but it looks like the 2018 Frontier in the video did, so Im thinking mine does as well. I want to be safe while towing and make sure everything is working properly without overburdening my truck. I have looked into getting a performance chip as well, to maybe help with hp, torque, and mpg, but not sure if its worth it or where to start. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help.

asked by: Travis N

Expert Reply:

If so equipped, the factory transmission cooler would either be a separate unit sitting in front of the existing radiator, right behind the grille or you might have a dual-core radiator that has two separate zones or cores, one for the transmission fluid and another for engine coolant. Historically, Nissan has used the dual-core type radiator, but I'm unsure of the later models like yours. You should be able to find the supply and return lines from the transmission, simply follow them to see where they go.

When it comes to transmission coolers, typically bigger is better. The ideal place to mount a cooler is directly behind the grille, so the size you pick would really depend on how much space you have in the area where you'll mount the cooler. If you have an 11 x 8-7/8 inch space available, the Derale # D13613 Class IV cooler would work very well for you.

None of our vendors offer a performance chip that would be compatible with your Frontier, so unfortunately I wouldn't be able to provide much in the way of assistance as far as that goes.

I'll link to an installation video for you. The video shows a different cooler being installed, but the procedure would be identical for your application. I'll also link you to some help articles about transmission coolers.

expert reply by: Mike L