Research · Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD

2004 Nissan TitanRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 1,046 owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Titan. Most complaints involve power train (464) and service brakes, hydraulic (194). The EPA rates it 14 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
14mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest Oct 2010
Owner complaints
1,046
Top: power train
Fuel cost / yr
$4,450est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

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 REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Engine and engine coolingReported Oct 28, 2010NHTSA 10V517000

Suspension: lower arm

Free remedy

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, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.

SuspensionReported May 20, 2010NHTSA 10E019000

Equipment

Free remedy

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, AND 1290376035. A WIRE MAY HAVE BEEN PLACED IN AN INCORRECT POSITION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSING. THIS RESULTS IN AN INCORRECT ROUTING OF WIRES BETWEEN THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER AND THE TOWING VEHICLE WIRING SYSTEM.

EquipmentReported Jul 3, 2007NHTSA 07E046000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 7, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

1,046 complaints filed with NHTSA · Feb 2004 – Jan 2026
  1. Power train464
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic194
  3. Engine and engine cooling87
  4. Service brakes72
  5. Suspension56
  6. Electrical system51
  7. Engine48
  8. Air bags38
  9. Structure23

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Titan model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
20041,046
2005891
2006430
2007139
2008133
200947
201046
201126
201222
201311
201410
201510
2017172
201890
201949
202023
202158
202214
202319
202415
Crashes reported
28
Fires reported
12
Injuries reported
19
Deaths reported
6
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 7, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Power train

464 reports5 crashes3 fires
“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 warning lights illuminated, and the seat beats locked. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 22, 2022Power trainODI 11498556

Service brakes, hydraulic

194 reports11 crashes
“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 was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2025Service brakes, hydraulicODI 11638361

Engine and engine cooling

87 reports3 crashes3 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN TITAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ROUGHLY AND BURNED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF FUEL. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROYAL NISSAN (9325 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70815, (225) 924-0400), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2019Engine and engine coolingODI 11209187
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engines
5.6L 8-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 5-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 7, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Titan 2WD
Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.60 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
131714$4,450635
Titan 4WD
Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.60 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
121714$4,450635
  • Titan 2WD
    Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.60 L
    13 city · 17 hwy · $4,450/yr
    14
    mpg comb.
  • Titan 4WD
    Auto 5-spd, 8 cyl, 5.60 L
    12 city · 17 hwy · $4,450/yr
    14
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 7, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Nissan Titan as of Nov 7, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 7, 2026Vehicle 1241Vehicle 1240
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2004 Titan questions

How many recalls does the 2004 Nissan Titan have?

7 safety recalls as of Nov 7, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2004 Nissan Titan problems?

Owners filed 1,046 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are power train (464), service brakes, hydraulic (194), engine and engine cooling (87). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2004 Nissan Titan get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Nissan Titan at 14 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 7, 2026