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Problems with 2004 Nissan Titan ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

On average, the 2004 Nissan Titan starts to “feel” problems with the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and its various aspects after 71 211 miles.

Components Affected by ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Issues

We have classified the 29 complaints from 2004 Nissan Titan about ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING into the following categories.

EXHAUST SYSTEM 25 ENGINE 3 COOLING SYSTEM 3

Recently reported ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING problems on 2004 Nissan Titan

2004 titan. connection failed at the flanges welded to the exhaust pipe and the muffler extension at the right rear wheel area. the exhaust pipe and the muffler extension are in good condition. the failure was confined to the flange attachments. failure resulted in hot air/gases melting a critical wire harness that is attached along the frame beam to carry electrics to the rear of vehicle. the right rear wheel speed sensor was damaged. the wires shorted, causing the failure of underhood electrical components. immediate consequence was the engine shut down with loss of power steering and power brakes and all other components relying on power from the alternator. the experienced driver was able to coast the vehicle to a stop along a busy interstate highway. long range consequences were the replacement of the titan's wire bundles and electronic components at considerable cost. nissan has not, to date, explained why this simple connection failed, why a wire harness was located close to this heat source, why the wire harness was not protected against heat damage, why the electrical damage was not limited by a fuse, why titan owners were not notified of this potential catastrophic problem and why nissan dealers did not inspect and notify titan owners of this issue during other routine maintenance at their facilities. *tr

Exhaust manifold crack. exhaust fumes smelled in the cabin. *tr

Exhaust manifold warps after about 80k miles, creating an exhaust leak. if it develops before the 80k mile emissions warranty, it will be covered. most develop after the warranty. i own an '04 and an '05 nissan titan. the '05 exhaust leak was fixed at 78k miles with 1 new exhaust manifold and some crossover piping. the '04 started at 88k miles and the dealership has not helped with the problem with the exception of estimating $1300 to repair. *tr

I have an '04 nissan titan crew cab truck. in earlier part of '09, while driving on the hwy, my engine stalled and went out. basically i was just rolling on the hwy unaware that the engine went out. i realized my engine went out when i couldn't accelerate or decelerate, and my steering was difficult to handle. the engine wouldn't start after that. it sounded like it would crank, but wouldn't turn, and as if it wasn't getting fuel. several mechanics couldn't figure out the issue until, i later learned by reading up on nissan forum online, of similar cases, that it was an ipdm failure. i replaced this part and it worked again. now, its jan. 2010, and it went out on me again. this time, luckily i was not driving on the hwy, i was parked and the engine wouldn't start. *tr

Heard exhaust leak in engine at about 85,000 miles. manifold leak was confirmed at 101,000 when brought in for a transmission issue. not covered under warranty. reviewed many technical forums where the exhaust manifold is being reported as cracked on countless titans. this is a manufacturer's defect, and the cost should not be relayed to the consumer at a significant dollar amount. *tr

My 2004 nissan titan rear diff seals leak and has caused a brake failure. i pulled out of my driveway and was driving down the road when all of a sudden my rear end locks up. it took a few moments to get her going again in reverse. i jacked it up and removed the tires and removed the rotors. the pad on the emergency brake system fail off. it still had plenty of pad left on it. my father looked at it and noticed the fluid leaking from my rear end. he told me that probably caused the failure due to the contamination. replaced the pad and added some oiled to the rear end. i have researched this issue online and found numerous complaints about this and other brake failures also. there should be a recall for this issue. my exhaust manifold leaks also. i am replacing it too. this is a known issue with the titans. this may be of more concern with the epa. they have been know to crack. *tr

Noticed fluid leaking around both rear tires , fluid coming from the vehicle. nissan titan does not even have 55k on it yet. this is the first time that i have noticed, but will it happen again i will follow up. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact heard a clicking noise and smelled exhaust fumes inside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they informed the contact that the exhaust manifold was cracked. the vehicle was not repaired. the exhaust fumes progressively became worse over a period of time. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while driving approximately 5 mph on normal road conditions, the exhaust tail pipe was damaged due to an unknown obstacle on the road surface. the vehicle resumed normal operation. in addition, whenever the driver's side door was opened, the parking light activated without assistance and the driver's side turn signal was nonfunctional. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection and they stated that the tail pipe disengagement contributed to the melting of the wiring harness. the vehicle is operable and has not been repaired. the manufacturer did not assist. the failure and current mileages were 65,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while driving at various speeds, an abnormal noise was present and no warning lights were illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the manifold failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the contact stated that he was instructed to replace the manifold every five years. the failure mileage was 40,000.

I have had an odd exhaust sound from my nissan titan for over 18 months. when i finally took it into the dealer both exhaust manifolds were cracked and repairs cost $1400.00. i was told a the dealer and at several muffler shops that this is a very common defect due the cast nature of the manifold and the excessive weight of the catalytic converter welded onto the manifold. the replacement part were a new design and the dealer said they will not crack. since my truck had 105,000 miles on it when the service was done there is no warranty coverage. i feel that this is a design flaw with the 2004 and 2005 nissan titan pickups and the cost of repairs should be borne by nissan and not by the consumer. i am hoping that there will be a class action suite filed on the consumer's behalf either by an individual, the state or the federal government. *tr

Only 65,000 miles on my truck and no modifications. right rear seal leaking, pinion seal is shot and front left axle needs to be replaced. nothing covered under warranty. i am looking at a $3,000 repair bill on a 4 year old truck that has never been off road and doesn't have high miles. my exhaust manifold also cracked at about 60000 miles. this was able to be replaced under warranty. *tr

The vehicle ( a 2004 nissan titan) has 30 thousand plus miles,carefully maintained (no salt) and was pulling a 7500 pound boat on pa i-79 when it lost all power,including all lights (including rear and hazard) .this resulted in a fire which totally disabled the entire vehicle. the tail pipe had fallen off and burned dozens of electrical wires. this manufacturing defect has been reported numerous times on the net and to dealers. it should strongly be noted that had the same incident occurred on ny i-90 where there is no safe place to pull off or at night anywhere, many lives would have been lost. this defect must receive immediate attention. nissan has refused to acknowledge the defect or pay for repairs. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while the contact's spouse was driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle would no longer accelerate. he pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. the dealer stated that the tail pipe clamp detached and burned through the electrical wires and shorted out the electrical system. there were no injuries. the current and failure mileages were 37,000. updated 11/06/08 *bf updated 11/07/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. the contact heard a knocking sound when the air conditioning was activated. the dealer stated that one of the sensors inside the air conditioner needed to be replaced. the contact smelled anti-freeze and coolant from the interior of the vehicle. the dealer performed a radiator flush at the cost of $212, which was at the contact's expense. the contact arrived home and noticed that there was no coolant or anti-freeze in the vehicle. the radiator was bone dry. he took the vehicle back to the dealer and they found a crack in the radiator. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were less than 50,000.

The tailpipe fell off of my truck. resulting in the hot exhaust to be vented onto a rear wiring harness and thus melting it. along with the melted wiring harnesses, the ecm and mass airflow sensor were shorted out and need to be replaced. this will be over $2000 to fix and will be paid for straight out of my pocket. the warranty does not cover exhaust because it supposedly is a regularly maintained part. this truck is a 2wd model with 305/50x20 wheels/tires , so it obviously is not used for off-road purposes nor has it been used to tow anything. when the tailpipe broke, the truck was being driven down a smooth black top highway and nothing was ran over in the road such as an animal or debris that would cause the tailpipe to fall off. i bought this truck used but with only 30k miles on it and only drove it 1500 miles since purchasing it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. the contact smelled a strong odor of exhaust fumes in the vehicle immediately after he started the vehicle. an authorized dealer stated that there was a leakage in both exhaust manifolds. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 104,500. updated12/11/09 *bf updated 12/14/09.*jb

I was driving between 65 & 70 mph and the engine went into fail safe mode and basically ran at idle speed (10 miles per hour). i parked the truck, turned off engine, restarted, it remained in idle speed only, turned off engine and left off for about 15 minutes - it started and ran normal. dealer replaced ecm. this occurred in may 2007 and then my son was driving today april 2, 2008 at about 45 mph and engine just cut off completely (now at the dealer). this is high risk - imagine turning across a lane of traffic and the engine quitting or pulling onto the expressway and trying to get up to speed and engine quitting. *tr

Exhaust manifold cracked and leaking. nissan dealership diagnosed problem, but nissan refused to fix problem. i started before 80k miles, but i didn't know emission's had 80k warranty, nissan refused to fix at 84k. loud exhaust noise at start-up and while driving, fumes(carbon monoxide) leaking into cabin when idling in traffic. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. the contact stated that the catalytic converter came apart and was sucked up in the intake of the engine while driving 5 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed him that the engine would need replacing. the vehicle was repaired by an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was contacted who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 175,000.

2004 nissan titan exhaust manifold cracked this is a emission issue. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while driving 55 mph, the driver could not stop the vehicle after applying the brakes. the vehicle went over an embankment. as a result, the driver sustained fatal injuries. the contact was unsure if the airbags deployed. the vehicle is presently being held by the hwy patrol. the vehicle had been taken for brake repairs 7 times and was released to the contact saying that the brakes were fine. prior to the crash the brakes had failed in october and the contact had the vehicle serviced and filed a complaint. the service manager told the contact that he believed that there was still something wrong with the vehicle and was fired from his position. during prior failures, the abs warning light became illuminated. the contact has reported the failures to nissan with no resolution. the current and failure mileages were 83,000. this is the second complain that the contact has filed. the prior incident reported was 10/07 updated 01/24/08 *bf the dealer stated performed recall dealing with seat belt, heating and a/c is intermittent, vehicle is overheating and rear taillights inoperable. updated 01/24/08 *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. the contact stated that there was a leak in the exhaust system. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the exhaust manifolds needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the contact stated that he was concerned about breathing in carbon monoxide. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 30,000. updated 8/21/13 *cn the consumer stated the vehicle had multiple exhaust leaks that were caused by faulty exhaust manifolds from nissan. the dealer at the time, replaced the exhaust manifolds. they used the same manifold design and this was all done under warranty. around april 2013, the consumer began hearing the same exhaust noise from before. the consumer contacted nissan about the problem, and they informed him the vehicle was out of warranty, but to take the vehicle to the dealer. they confirmed that both manifolds were cracked and should be replaced, with a modified design manifold.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. while driving 5 mph, the contact attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle would not stop. the contact almost struck two pedestrians. she had to apply the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. the dealer stated that the abs caused the failure. the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 79,000. the consumer stated on 3/26/07 was in a car accident, the vehicle failed to stop at signal and she hit the rear of a pick up and pushed the vehicle in front to hit another vehicle. the consumer stated the other person sustained back injury. the dealer stated ticking noise coming from engine, rear door weather strip is hanging, exhaust leak sound when accelerating, and oil pressure gauge is pegging high. updated 11/08/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 nissan titan. the contact stated that there was a ticking noise from the header and engine area. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer several times while under warranty and the contact was told that there was nothing wrong. the contact stated that now the dealer was stating that the headers and manifold were defective. the failure caused the vehicle to lose oil pressure and the headers on both sides needed to be replaced. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.

Failure of cracked manifold exhaust with built in catalytic converter. i have cracked 3 manifold exhaust due to the fact that nissan did not install flex pipes in their exhaust system. it is happening on all the titan trucks...look at the forums and my dealer has confirmed it. exhaust is leaking into the cab area. it cost over $900 to just repair the part. they will not fix it! it is leaking straight exhaust fumes.

Since purchasing my truck in august of 2004 i have experienced several brake related issues. i've taken the truck to the same dealer for service on each failure/issue. the break issues experienced have been brake lights turning on, brakes shuddering, the truck not braking properly, brakes not working until the pedal was almost completely pressed. recently the truck failed to stop resulting in a rear end collision. the dealer has replaced/resurfaced rotors, brake pads and replaced sensors during the past year and a half. however, i continue to experience issue after issue regarding the brakes. i have had other defects as well, but the brake issues have been the primary issue. *nm

Exhaust manifold is cracked and leaks fumes into cab. *tr

The vehicle displayed intermittent chemical type odor through hvac system, 3 dealerships unable/unwilling to confirm, or seek direction from corporate as to method for resolution at my suggestion/request. i waited one year to allow for vehicle to "off-gas" interior odors from materials used in manufacture, had to insist that dealer staff document the concern which is yet unresolved and denied assistance from consumer affairs department to satisfy health and safety concerns. incurred significant additional expenses to alleviate issue such as in cabin air filter and purchase of ionizing unit; plus missed workdays, transportation, fuel and service and diagnostic fees at dealerships. *tr

Cooling fan is very loud and sounds like it is grinding, i have taken it to the dealership and was informed that this is normal and that many owners of these trucks have complained about the same thing. if so many are complaining why isn't something being done.

Brakes and rotors needed turned at 4.000 miles and brake pedal going to the floor..drivers window not always working..antifreeze smell after driving

The vehicle the atsc light came on and it lost power. the consumer pulled over to the side of the road, waited for 2 minutes and the computer restarted. the transmission just seemed to to slow down. the dealer found no defects and could not duplicate the problem. the vehicle also smelled of antifreeze, and the switch from high beam to low beam turns all the lights off. *jb

1-knocking sound, sounds like a diesel engine. 2-body & steering wheel vibration at idle. 3-hissing sound when heat or ac is on. 4-rotors replaced 3 times. still having some problem. 5-when idle in gear (idle drops below 500 steering start to vibrate. 6-vibration on brake pedal. 7-emergency brake not holding when in park. *nm

Gas tank "spews" gas at you when filling. the tank has been replaced and still does this. the brakes "judder" and cause the vehicle to shake. they have been repaired three times and are still not correct. nissan refuses to admit this is a significant safety issue. there are technical service bulletins on the brakes. *nm

Multiple brake and steering shudder problems with 2004 titan nissan se crew cab truck, dealer makes mfg suggested repairs but shudder returns creating safety worries and fear of losing control of vehicle. moreover, transmission coolant line replaced wherein dealer informs me that blowout could lead to failure. front tires excessive wear, vibration and shudder with or without brake application. headlight switch design flawed, easily turned off when turn stalk activated or lights are dimmed from high to low beam. all the above problems occured and still are occuring within first 3500 miles!! *ak

Consumer was traveling 55 mph and vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer for inspection. however, mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak

1. travel down dirt roads over a period of six months. 2. tail pipe fell off (on this model 4x4 off road package the tail pipe isn't welded to the muffler) total vehicle failure of all electronic components as the wiring harness melts due to exhaust being vented directly on wiring harness also melts dust cover for shock and abs sensor to axle housing. 3. replace tail pipe, shock, abs sensor, wiring harness and all electronic components. *jb

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