The Nissan Titan has been a staple for Nissan since 2004. Over the years, the brand’s only full-size truck has remained virtually unchanged; it went through only one redesign in 2017, and that was it. Sales for the Titan have never been outstanding, but it has a steady amount of loyal drivers that keep coming back. Among them, however, are the ones who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is.

Websites like CarComplaints.com allow drivers to give honest reports of problem areas in their vehicles. This allows people researching that make and model to potentially buy to see where others needed to spend big bucks on maintenance, and whether those problems returned afterward. Here are the most common problems that Nissan Titan owners have put up with over the years.

The Nissan Titan’s rear axle failure

Car Complaints dubbed common rear axle failure as the No. 1 problem with the Nissan Titan. Specifically a problem with the 2005 Titan, a number of drivers reported this problem and warned other drivers of their bad fortune. Many drivers reported that they need to get the rear axle completely replaced, which resulted in an average repair cost of $3,100. That’s not something other Titan drivers want to see. This problem generally occurred at around 78,150 miles.

One commenter reported that they were on a short trip when they noticed one of their rear tires was soaked in fluid. When they took the rear left axle apart, they noticed that the seal and bearing had exploded, resulting in the entire rear axle needing to be replaced.

Other commenters shared similar stories, some reporting they also felt vibrations when the leaking started. A rear axle failure can result in a serious crash if it occurs when driving at higher speeds, so this is not something to be taken lightly.

The Titan experiences rear axle seal leaks

Along the same lines, Car Complaints ranked rear axle seal leaks as the second most serious problem for the Nissan Titan. Most common in 2006 models, this issue occurs just before complete rear axle failure. If caught at this stage, drivers reported that the problem was generally fixed by replacing the problematic rear axle seals, but it occasionally needed replacement of the entire rear axle. The typical repair cost for this problem was $2,300 and usually occurred at 81,250 miles. 

Multiple users reported that they discovered their rear axle seals were leaking when they took their trucks to the mechanic for brake issues. An issue like this has to be caught early or it will turn into a complete rear axle failure, as seen in problem No. 1. Many of the users reported their frustration that Nissan wasn’t addressing this seemingly common issue.

More rear problems – rear differential failure

Another common issue for the Nissan Titan – this time most common in 2004 models – was rear differential failure. This is the most severe out of the three issues we’ve listed, resulting in the complete replacement of the truck’s entire rear end. Car Complaints rated this issue a 9.6/10 in severity, and the typical repair cost was $2,900, though many users reported costs over $4,000. The problem occurred on average around 95,100 miles. 

Users reported immense anger and frustration with this issue, as the only solution appeared to be to replace the entire rear end. One driver stated that the rear wheels locked while they were driving, causing them to narrowly avoid hitting an oncoming vehicle.

Other users noted that the number of rear-end problems the Nissan Titan had with the 2004-2006 models signifies a serious problem that Nissan needed to address. It should be noted that the more recent models have not had these issues, but it’s safe to say “buyer beware” to those considering a Titan from the 2004-2006 model years.