Truck owners are notorious for sticking with a particular brand. From signs that state only their brand of choice may park in their driveway, to jokes about drivers who didn’t buy their brand, it almost seems to have the same dedication of sports fans cheering for their favorite team. 

Nissan may not have such a following, but not everyone refuses to drive anything other than a Ford or a Chevy.

If you’re interested in buying a used Nissan Titan, you might want to avoid the 2004, 2005, and 2006 models. According to Car Complaints, these three years were the worst for the Nissan Titan. 

2004 Nissan Titan issues

The biggest issue plaguing the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Nissan Titans seems to be the drivetrain. 

In 2004, it was the drive train rear differential failed. Car Brain states:

“A driveshaft connects the rear differential mechanism to the transmission or transfer case, transferring the engine’s power to the rear wheels. The rear differential’s role is simple: change the power’s direction from longitudinal (along the car) and direct it to the wheels.”

According to Car Complaints, trying to repair the rear differential can cost you up to $2,900, so this isn’t exactly a cheap fix. Considering it mostly happened about 95,000 miles, it’s possible it might have been under warranty, but this is still a rather big problem to have for a relatively new vehicle. 

Repair Pal reports that other problems you may run into with the 2004 Titan include rear axles that leak, catalytic converter damage, corrosion, and a failing navigation unit.

2005 issues

Car Complaints reports that on the 2005 Nissan Titan, the rear axle fails. It costs about $3,100 to repair and most occurrences happened about 78,000 miles. 

One reviewer mentions that their Titan wasn’t even six months old, and they didn’t have a warranty. They tried to find the parts to repair the Titan online, and they couldn’t find any cheap. The part they needed was $3,000, not including labor. 

Another reviewer who lived in Canada stated that their dealer wouldn’t do anything to help them. The message board on Car Complaints hints that Nissan lost some potentially loyal customers in 2005.

2006 issues

In the 2006 Nissan Titan, the biggest complaint revolved around a rear axle seal leak. This was still an issue, but at $2,300, it was considerably cheaper than previous problems. It happened at about 81,000 miles. 

Cars.com has a more positive take on the 2006 model. It received 4.4 out of 5 stars. This means you’ll have to do your research about the specific truck you are looking at.

How Nissan has addressed these issues with the Titan over the years

Nissan paid attention to consumer complaints, and took the time to update the Titan.

The 2019 Nissan Titan is getting a lot of rave reviews from consumers. We recently reported on the Titan, and stated, “The Titan is the fastest Nissan truck in the lineup and also the largest. It boasts a variety of modern features and impressive style, but the best part of the Titan may just be how it drives.” 

Considering one of the biggest complaints about trucks versus cars is the lack of a smooth driving experience, this is high praise indeed for the 2019 Titan.

The 2020 Titan has a few changes, according to Car and Driver. It will have more driver-assisted safety features, loads of technology, and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The 5.6-liter V-8 has been updated to give the Titan more torque and hp. 

Will this be enough for Nissan to compete with Ford, Chevy, and Ram? Only time will tell. Considering how much the truck world is evolving, Nissan may have to make more changes if it wants to keep up.