Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Titan, and it carries 4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 29 | 32% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 8% |
| Power train | 6 | 7% |
| Power train | 6 | 7% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 7% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 4% |
| Tires | 3 | 3% |
| Engine | 2 | 2% |
| Steering | 2 | 2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My crankshaft broke on the highway. I was travelling at around 70mph. No warnings were given. I lost all power and had to limp it off to the side of the road. The engine was replaced under warranty. This is an ongoing
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH over a ramp in the road, there was a loud banging sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. Later, while
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and accelerating, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that there was an abnormal pop before the vehicle lost motive power and was
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while refueling, there was an engine run-on after the vehicle was turned off. The contact determined there was a vapor lock issue and that air was entering th
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The vehicle has recurring starting issues. The battery frequently becomes weak or completely unable to start, sometimes without warning. The issue occurs intermittently and appears electrical in nature. The vehicle may r
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Imminent catastrophic engine failure on 2018 Nissan Titan. The engine has developed severe cylinder wall scuffing and loss of compression (150psi vs 264psi spec) on multiple cylinders. This defect can cause loss of power
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Don't really know the truck was running fine doing great and then all of a sudden started acting up they run a diagnostic on it and said it was the EMC was bad and I don't understand why because everything was fine on it
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I was in need of medical attention and could not move. The vehicle vehicles, SOS system was unresponsive and ineffective due to the microphone, not working while trying to communicate with the emergency services they wer
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Nissan Titan, 2016 and 2018 Nissan Titan XD vehicles. Accessories installed on these vehicles reduced the load carrying capacity, however, a Load Carrying Capacity modification label was not installed, possibly allowing the vehicle
Risk: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners and provide a new modification label, with installation instructions, free of charge. The recall began on June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017-2019 gasoline, light duty, Titan vehicles. The alternator harness may have been damaged during the engine installation process, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: An electrical short may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, it increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator harness for the proper routing and any damage. The harness will be clipped into the correct position or replaced as necessary, free o
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Altima and 2018-2021 Titan vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, i
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan custom
| Reliability raw | 93 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 82 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 76 | good |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 79 | good |
| Efficiency | 34 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 29 of them (32%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 93/100 (excellent) 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 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 77/100. 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.