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Nissan TitanModel year report

2004 Nissan Titan Problems

Complaints
1,046filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
60,000miles, 929 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
14 mpgcombined, 5.6L 8-cyl RWD · 13 city / 17 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Nissan Titan (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Nissan Titan report rear axle and differential problems most often — whining, fluid leaks and, in some cases, the rear end locking up or breaking apart — and many of these show up well before 100,000 miles. Brake complaints are the second large group, split between early rotor shudder on low-mileage trucks and, on higher-mileage examples, a brake pedal that goes soft or to the floor and then recovers after a restart. Cracking exhaust manifolds, front differential issues and occasional electrical or stalling faults round out what complaints describe.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Rear axle seal leaks and rear differential failure

    • 454 complaints (43%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (422 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 50 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2023

    Complaints describe whining, roaring or popping from the rear of the truck, followed by fluid leaking at the rear axle seals or the pinion area. Owners report that differential fluid can reach the rear brake rotors and wheel, and in several cases the dealer replaced the entire rear end or differential assembly. Some also note that a repeat seal leak returned after an earlier repair. Commonly reported between roughly 45,000 and 90,000 miles, though some appear as early as 25,000 miles.

    What to check: Look for oil residue around the rear axle tubes, the pinion seal and the inside of the rear wheels, and listen for a whine or roar on a test drive. Ask whether the rear differential or axle seals have ever been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Went to start truck and as I started driving there was a loud bang from the rear of truck and the truck stopped moving forward then the engine revved and it seemed to catch and the truck moved forward slowly. The entire rear end of the truck went out and now needs to be replaced. Lucky I was only going 5mph.”

    NHTSA complaint #10381195, filed 2011-02, 88,000 miles

    “Driving about 40 MPH, I heard a loud pop coming from the rear end of the truck. Now whenever I decelerate, a whining noise is heard from the differential. Took the truck to the Nissan dealer in irvine, ca and they want to replace the rear differential at a cost of $2500.00.”

    NHTSA complaint #10497634, filed 2013-02, 88,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal soft or going to the floor

    • 222 complaints (21%)
    • median 55,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (208 state mileage)
    • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2026

    Owners describe the brake pedal losing resistance — going to the floor or feeling spongy — while driving, sometimes with a grinding or springy noise and ABS or brake warning lights coming on. Several report the truck regained normal braking after being shut off and restarted, and that dealers either could not reproduce the problem or reprogrammed a control module. In other complaints the loss of pedal was linked to differential fluid reaching the rear brakes. Reported across the range, from under 10,000 miles to well past 150,000 miles, with no clear mileage pattern.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Press the pedal firmly with the engine running and see whether it holds or sinks; check brake fluid level and look for wetness at the rear wheels. Ask if any brake control module software updates or brake booster work has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Same times losing brakes brake pedal very sponge soft and hardly no brakes to stop the car and the same time makes fun noise and brake light go on .when this happens sun I come to a complete stop I turn off the ignition and I start ignition again and it get back to normal I ben have this problem for a list 12 years I think this happens a list once a month.”

    NHTSA complaint #11372524, filed 2020-11, 15,000 miles

    “Had to jam on brakes for a stop and pedal hit the floor even as truck stopped. I then released to move up a few feet and couldn't stop since I had no brake pedal pressure. Took 2-3 more full release and pumps to get back pressure. Recurring problem. Dealer said they could not duplicate the problem and saw no reason for it.”

    NHTSA complaint #10179182, filed 2007-01, 44,901 miles
  3. Brakes

    Warped front rotors and brake shudder

    • 198 complaints (19%)
    • median 12,500 mi at 1.8 yrs old (173 state mileage)
    • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $848 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2025

    Complaints describe a shaking or vibration through the steering wheel and pedal when braking, often with front end chatter at speed. Owners report the dealer turned or replaced rotors and pads, and in some cases the shudder returned within a few thousand miles. Some note the same problem came back repeatedly over several visits. Most often reported on low-mileage trucks, frequently under 10,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Brake firmly from highway speed during a test drive and feel for steering wheel or pedal shake. Ask whether the rotors have been resurfaced or replaced and when.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Brakes on my 004 Nissan Titan started failing a few months after I bought it took it to the dealer and got it repaired and a few months after it started to have exactly the same problem, shaking badly when you try to stop. Took it back to the dealer got it fix and it starting to show the same problem again only a few weeks after I took it back the 2nd time.the thing that doesn't seem to be right to me is that at their garage repair scheduling is all about brakes . I would like to know if there's a problem with this kind of vehicle. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10123976, filed 2005-06, 2,000 miles

    “Having front rotors replaced for the second time due to warping. First failure occoured around 3000 miles with lots of brake shudder. Rotors and associated hardware were replaced and problem resolved. Second failure occouring at 7500 miles with brake shudder. Rotors replaced again by dealer.”

    NHTSA complaint #10129696, filed 2005-07, 7,500 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Front differential and axle shaft issues

    • 64 complaints (6%)
    • median 69,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (61 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 15 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2020

    Complaints describe a pop or metal-on-metal sound and the front half shaft pulling out of the front differential, sometimes with loss of four-wheel drive. Owners report dealers replacing the front differential assembly or seals, and some say the truck had already had the same repair once before. Reported from very low mileage up to about 160,000 miles.

    What to check: Engage four-wheel drive on a low-speed test and listen for popping or clunking from the front; check for fluid weeping around the front differential and axle joints.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Snowfall of 12 the night before. Woke up to snow covered roads and backed my Nissan Titan out of the driveway in 2wd once out on the road the truck had no traction, so I placed it in 4 wheel drive and drove down the street 200 yard to the stop sign. Made a left hand turn and heard a loud bang from the right front of the truck. Gear oil from the front axle was all over the place and the truck was no longer drivable.”

    NHTSA complaint #10212904, filed 2007-12, 32,584 miles

    “I was diagnosing a metal on metal sound coming from my 4 wheel drive Nissan Titan and found that the half shaft was coming out of the front differential. I called a Nissan dealership in utah and was informed that this was a huge problem with early model titans. The tech said he had repaired many titans with the same problem. He said it was due to a c clip that fails and allows the gears to get chewed up in the differential. I looked online to see if there had been any recalls on this and found there had not been. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11312263, filed 2020-02, 10 miles

Buying note. Have a mechanic inspect the rear axle, differentials and brake system before buying, since those account for most of what owners report. Service records showing axle seal, differential or brake work — and how recently it was done — are worth asking about.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 1,046 consumer complaints for the 2004 Nissan Titan. 929 of the complaints include a mileage, and 39% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 60,000 miles. Of all complaints, 28 involved a crash, 12 a fire, 19 an injury, 6 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 97 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (20), Latches, locks and linkages (16), Equipment (15), Steering (12), Electronic stability control (10), Exterior lighting (9), Wheels (9), Tires (8), Seats (7), Vehicle speed control (6), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (6), Interior lighting (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was pulling out of the parking lot and driving onto a main street when I heard a clunk clunk and the rear end started hopping and I noticed I had no gears. We call ed aaa and had them tow us to a few different places before we ended up at Nissan in spokane valley and they put in a brand new rear end. Price and labor cost us...$3,583.33.”

NHTSA complaint #10466945, filed 2012-07, 115,602 miles

Brakes: “Emergency brake and rear brakes got covered in gear oil because the rear differential seal leaking. It started spewing all over the place and when I tried to come to a stop it took way longer than normal forcing me to swerve to miss a pedestrian and hitting the curb and a bush. This should be a safety recall because the differential leaking on the brakes is definitely a safety concern.”

NHTSA complaint #10724405, filed 2015-06, 122,000 miles

Engine cooling: “I purchased my 2004 Nissan Titan in april 2010, I took the vehicle in for service on may 6, 2010 and was told my exhaust manifolds are leaking. The warranty is 8 yr/ 80k, I have 82k on my Titan. The exhaust fumes leak into the cab causing nausea and dizziness. This is a safety issue. The dealer won't replace them, because they are out of warranty. The replacement cost is $2000.00.”

NHTSA complaint #10329197, filed 2010-05, 82,200 miles

Suspension: “This is the second time in over several months that my driver side drive axle for my 4x4 has pulled its self out. It was fixed once on my dime and is now going to be fixed on my dime again it is a dangerous failure that could cause my suspension to lock up an rip my wheel off then leading to a serious accident. It needs to be addressed and the NHTSA has done nothing to pursue this. …”

NHTSA complaint #10532757, filed 2013-07, 126,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

39% of the 929 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,811 and 87,000 miles.

16%0–109%10–2515%25–5024%50–7519%75–10012%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (929 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 60,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05127’08’11’14’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Nissan Titan version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Titan 2WD5.6L 8-cyl5-speed automatic131714$4,800
Titan 4WD5.6L 8-cyl5-speed automatic121714$4,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 Nissan Titan → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 97 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 97 bulletins →

Other model years of the Nissan Titan

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20241513,5002417—Too new
20231744,0002418—Too new
2022146,8504418—Not enough data
2021589,950541886 · MoreFalling
2020238,5005418—Stable
20194914,400441844 · TypicalStable
20189015,000441855 · TypicalRising
201718718,450341888 · MoreRising
20151234,0001—15—Not enough data
20141019,2702—15—Not enough data
20131139,3263—15—Not enough data
20122264,0002—15—Rising
20112642,3261—150 · FewerStable
20104655,0003—1521 · FewerStable
20094756,1473—1533 · FewerRising
200813361,0005—1469 · MoreFalling
200713964,0001—14Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200643063,0005—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200589166,0004—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20041,04660,0005—14Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Nissan Titan model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Nissan Titan?

Owners of the 2004 Nissan Titan report rear axle and differential problems most often — whining, fluid leaks and, in some cases, the rear end locking up or breaking apart — and many of these show up well before 100,000 miles. The issues reported most often: Rear axle seal leaks and rear differential failure; Brake pedal soft or going to the floor; Warped front rotors and brake shudder.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Nissan Titan have?

NHTSA recorded 1,046 consumer complaints for the 2004 Nissan Titan as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Nissan Titan is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 464 complaints (44% of the total), followed by brakes with 290.

Has the 2004 Nissan Titan been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Nissan Titan get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Nissan Titan (Titan 2WD, 5.6L 8-cyl) at 14 mpg combined, 13 city and 17 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Nissan Titan reported?

Among the 929 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 60,000 miles and the middle half falls between 25,811 and 87,000 miles; 39% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.