Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 1,046 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Nissan Titan, and it carries 7 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 404 | 39% |
| Service brakes | 158 | 15% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 63 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 45 | 4% |
| Engine | 33 | 3% |
| Suspension | 32 | 3% |
| Air bags | 26 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 22 | 2% |
| Fuel system | 15 | 1% |
| Structure | 13 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Brakes - sitting at the used car dealership since 8.8.2025. The truck will not stop when the brakes are applied. If the vehicle does not stop when brakes are applied. Lives are at risk if they are hit or ran over. Inspe
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Vehicle was purchased and air bag light was on. Dealership did not disclose any safety issues. When brought to my mechanic found broken wiring in airbag harness and driver's side airbag was not functioning and risk of de
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while driving 5-10 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and pulsated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
There have been many complaints about the rear end of this truck and it says they been waiting for a recall for 6 years over the rear end of this truck and mine went out wile on the high way at high speed I defnatly feel
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that after receiving the vehicle from the dealer following a recall repair, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not take
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Titan. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and descending a hill, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floor. The contact stated that she pumped the brake pedal,
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the brakes seized, causing the vehicle to rear-end another vehicle. The B-LSD and ABS warning lights were illuminated. No air bags we
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle rolled forward, causing the vehicle to roll into a rock, and damaging the transmission. Additionally, the air bag wa
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2004 Nissan Titan. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARM
Risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDU
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
ON CERTAIN CREW CAB MODEL TRUCKS, THE SEAT BACK SHAPE MAY BE SUCH THAT THERE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT WEBBING ON THE RETRACTOR SPOOL FOR THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT TO RELEASE FROM THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING MODE (ALR) AFTER IT IS ENGAGED AND THE SEAT BELT IS RETRACTED. IF THIS OCCURS, THERE MAY BE DIFFICULT
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
CERTAIN HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025, 1010476035, 1040376035, 1110476035, 1170376035,
Risk: THIS HARNESS WOULD RESULT IN POWER FROM THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER GOING TO THE TOWING VEHICLE DASH LIGHT CIRCUIT RATHER THAN THE TRAILER BRAKES. THIS RESULT WOULD BE THE LACK OF TRAILER BRAKING WH
Fix: HOPKINS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL HARNESS WITH A REVISED HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT HOPKINS AT 800-835-0129.
| Reliability raw | 59 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 66 | good |
| Maintenance | 76 | good |
| Depreciation | 73 | good |
| Performance | 79 | good |
| Efficiency | 27 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 1,046 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 404 of them (39%). There are 7 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 59/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 66/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2004 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.