2018 Nissan Titan Safety Report
2018 NISSAN TITAN Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Nissan Titan
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Nissan Titan. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (4) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (87) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 4 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Engine | Compare engine issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2015 | Compare against the 2015 Nissan Titan with 10 complaints and 1 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2017 | Check the 2017 Nissan Titan before buying across this generation. |
Nissan Titan Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Nissan Titan years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Nissan Titan | 41 | 4 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Nissan Titan | 172 | 3 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2020 Nissan Titan | 18 | 5 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Nissan Titan | 10 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2018 Nissan Titan Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Nissan Titan, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Engine
29 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Nissan onlyElectrical System
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Nissan onlyPower Train
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Nissan onlyFuel/Propulsion System
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Fuel/Propulsion System issues Nissan onlyPower Train,Engine
5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train,Engine issues Nissan onlyUnknown Or Other
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Nissan onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Nissan Titan
Reliability Score
The 2018 Nissan Titan receives a reliability score of 55 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates average reliability — some notable concerns exist that prospective buyers should be aware of.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Nissan Titan
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Nissan Titan
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Nissan Titan:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Shutdown Drivers have reported the vehicle shutting off while driving at 40 MPH and accelerating, leading to potential safety risks. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Engine Run-On There have been reports of the engine running after the vehicle is turned off, posing a risk of accidents. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Transmission Failures Transmission failures have stranded drivers, leading to potential safety hazards. |
High | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Starting Issues The battery frequently becomes weak or unable to start, sometimes without warning, causing inconvenience. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Nissan Titan:
Engine issues are the most common problem, affecting 47% of the vehicles.
Electrical system issues, particularly with wiring, affect 23% of the vehicles.
Transmission failures affect 18% of the vehicles.
Starting issues, including battery problems, affect 12% of the vehicles.
Recall Details for the 2018 Nissan Titan
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2018 Nissan Titan by NHTSA:
Summary: 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.
Consequence: 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, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC798.
Summary: 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. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible an...
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Summary: 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.
Consequence: An electrical short may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, it increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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 of charge. The recall began August 8, 2019. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Summary: 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 to be overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 1-800-867-7669.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Nissan Titan
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Nissan Titan with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2 complaints involved crashes. 1 involved fires.
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 pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a fractured crankshaft, rod bearings, and engine failure. The vehi...
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 the fuel system. The vehicle was difficult to start. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon research, the contac...
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 require jump starts or fails to start after sitting or after driving. This raises concern for an electrical or charging system defect. Battery has been replaced 4 times in the past ...
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 and potential stalling at highway speeds, presenting a safety risk. The failure matches Nissan TSB NTB19-057 (knock/scuffing). Despite a perfect maintenance history, Nissan is de...
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
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 were unable to hear me subsequently ending the call under the impression the call was made accidentally. In other cases, this malfunction could mean the difference between life or dea...
Transmission failed while driving. Placing my family and others in an unsafe predicament. This seems to be a common problem with Nissan transmission. A quick search on the internet show almost all cvt models do this from this company. How is there only a partial recall on some models?
1. Turbo Actuator / Dealer is currently replacing the defective part. 2. When this part fails, you lose throttle control and acceleration capabilities. This part failed on me at highway speeds, and I had to drift over several lanes of high-speed traffic. I was unable to control the speed of my vehicle, with no ability to accelerate. 3. Not sure if they duplicated or are replacing the part solely ...
I tow full-time as a working nomad. My truck has gone into limp-mode (low-power mode) onto a complete loss of power. I have been stranded on 3 difference occasions. The issue first began at 75,000 miles which I have records of. After this most recent incident, I realized there was a pattern emerging. After further research, I have discovered that there is a lawsuit out for these CP4 fuel syst...
Erratic shifting. As an example, while attempting to pass at highway speeds, the transmission will not downshift responsively (or downshift to low gears/high rpm) leading driver to abandon the pass due to time lag, lack of confidence and power gain loss/stress. Other examples, this 7speed transmission will rev spike at low gears like it was slipping or confused, then it corrects itself. If you hav...
I am experiencing engine stalling. I have also experienced dome light flickers or not turning on on occasion along with radio and phone charge connection not always working, like a short of some sort. Also the mirror button allowing the driver and passenger side mirrors to open close sometimes fails as if wiring is OK sometimes and other times not There is not an exact date for the issues as they...
Truck died driving at highway speed, towed vehicle to Nissan dealership, and was quoted at or above 30 thousand dollars in repairs related the dreaded CP4 fuel pump system that has failed on the truck that only had 134,000 miles.
Engine failure. On rural highway with recreational traffic, engine started rattling, within 5 seconds the engine shut off, luckily I was able to get on the shoulder. My truck is currently at a repair facility 300 miles from my home. Waiting on information from shop and extended warranty company. No warning lights whatsoever.
My 2018 Nissan Titan has suffered two engine failures within two years, with fewer than 37,000 miles on the vehicle. Despite following all scheduled preventive maintenance, the engines failed catastrophically. One of these failures occurred with my family in the vehicle, placing their safety at serious risk. Details: The first engine failure happened at approximately [30,000], and the second at a...
I CANNOT MAKE CALLS ON MY HANDS FREE BECUSE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TCU. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY WANT THOUSANDS TO FIX IT. I CANNOT USE MY HANDS FREE IN MY TRUCK, I CAN HEAR THE VOICE OF OTHERS BUT THEY CANNOT HEAR ME. ITS A HUGE DISTRACTION WHEN MAKING AND RECEIVING CALLS. THIS TCU IS CAUSING THE MIC NOT TO WORK. NISSAN HAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS. IT IS U...
passenger seat airbag module failure
Component Turbocharger, power train Safety vehicle would not restart so was stranded on highway Unknown if others have had similar issues Components have not been examined at this time but are available Warnings, 1st check engine, 2nd power reduced, 3rd engine was dead Going uphill on the interstate, the check engine light came on. I then observed the turbo boost climbing to 30 PSI, dark smoke ...
While driving my car would almost stall on the highway, if I gave it gas while merging onto the highway it doesn't respond and then almost stall, but then respond after 2 seconds when it was not as clear to merge on the highway. I have had to replace the battery twice and been stranded in the last 3 years, the engine would pretend to start but not kick over. I have seen that this is a common pro...
Vehicle shut down going down the interstate. After investigating, there’s metal in the oil. Possible spin crankshaft bearing or broken crankshaft
While driving on Interstate 20 at a 75 mph speed in traffic, the truck began a loud knocking noise and the engine shut down. After fighting the dead truck off the roadway from the highway speeds and avoiding traffic, I was able to get the truck safely stopped. Upon attempting to restart the engine, the starter caught on fire. I was able to get the fire extinguished with minimal damage. The tru...
Showing 20 of 87 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
NHTSA Defect Investigations for the 2018 Nissan Titan
NHTSA defect investigations are higher-signal than ordinary complaints because they indicate the agency opened a formal review of a potential safety defect. Some investigations later connect to recall campaigns; others close without a recall after review.
Component: Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel
Opened 2023-11-15 · Closed 2025-06-27
On November 15, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE23020 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2016 through 2019 Nissan Titan XD trucks equipped with 5.0L Cummins diesel engines. The complaints allege the condition was due to a failure of the engine crankshaft. The purpose of the investigation was to understand the scope, frequency, and safety related consequence of the alleged defect. During the investigation, it was...
Component: Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Opened 2021-09-17
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 20...
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Nissan Titan
Has the 2018 NISSAN TITAN been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 NISSAN TITAN has 4 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 NISSAN TITAN have?
The 2018 NISSAN TITAN has 87 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 3 involved crashes. 1 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
The 2018 NISSAN TITAN received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 NISSAN TITAN involve engine (29 complaints), electrical system (7 complaints), power train (6 complaints). Other affected components include fuel/propulsion system, power train,engine, unknown or other.
How many crash reports does the 2018 NISSAN TITAN have?
There are 3 crash reports associated with the 2018 NISSAN TITAN out of 87 total complaints (3.4% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 NISSAN TITAN have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN out of 87 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
1 injury has been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN TITAN. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 NISSAN TITAN is acceptable with caveats. It has 87 complaints, 4 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 NISSAN TITAN are: 1. ENGINE (29 complaints), 2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (7 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (6 complaints), 4. FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (6 complaints), 5. POWER TRAIN,ENGINE (5 complaints). ENGINE is the single most-reported problem area with 29 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
Be cautious of engine and transmission issues, as they can lead to sudden failures and potential safety hazards. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2018 NISSAN TITAN has 87 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
The 2018 NISSAN TITAN receives a reliability score of 55/100, indicating average reliability. This is based on 87 owner complaints, 4 recalls, and 4 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine Shutdown and Engine Run-On.
What are the known issues with the 2018 NISSAN TITAN?
Known issues with the 2018 NISSAN TITAN include: Engine Shutdown, Engine Run-On, Transmission Failures, Starting Issues. These are based on patterns found across 87 NHTSA complaints. 4 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2018 Nissan Titan?
Engine and transmission failures are the most common issues, with frequent reports of sudden shutdowns, engine run-on, and transmission failures.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 Nissan Titan?
Yes, there are recalls for electrical system issues, including wiring problems, and tire recalls for certain models.
What should I do if I experience starting issues with my 2018 Nissan Titan?
Check the battery and ensure it is properly charged. If issues persist, consult a professional mechanic for further diagnosis.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of engine and transmission issues, as they can lead to sudden failures and potential safety hazards. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Nissan Titan
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Nissan Titan. The data includes 87 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 4 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 3 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, 1 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Nissan Titan an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16