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…
2018 Nissan Titan engine problems
moderate 31 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
31
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
What stands out
Engine accounts for 35% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 6 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 31 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Owners report catastrophic engine failures—chiefly crankshaft fractures—at low mileage (30,000–100,000 miles) with zero warning, often at highway speeds, resulting in loss of power steering and stranded vehicles. Nissan has acknowledged the defect via service bulletins but refuses warranty coverage once powertrain warranties expire, leaving owners with $8,755–$42,000 replacement bills.
Owners of 2018 Nissan Titans describe sudden catastrophic engine failures happening at highway speeds with no warning lights or symptoms beforehand. The dominant failure mode is crankshaft fracture—the crankshaft snaps or breaks, causing immediate total loss of engine power and power steering. Failures occur across a wide mileage range but cluster around 50,000–77,000 miles. In multiple cases, vehicles shut down at 70–80 mph on interstates, forcing owners to coast to the shoulder in live traffic.
Secondary failures include rod and main bearing collapse with metal debris in the oil pan, cylinder wall scuffing with compression loss, and oil starvation to cylinder 7. Fuel system issues—CP4 pump failures and vapor lock—also appear. On diesel models, turbo actuator failures kill throttle control at speed, and one owner reports exhaust gases leaking into the cab during regeneration.
Nissan issued Service Bulletin NTB19-057 in July 2019 acknowledging crankshaft and knock issues, yet warranty denials are routine once powertrain coverage expires (typically 5 years/60,000 miles). One owner paid $17,977 at only 12,370 miles past warranty. Engine replacement quotes range from $8,755 to $42,000, with most totaling the vehicle. Nissan extended warranty to 2016–2017 diesel Titans for the turbo actuator problem but refused the same coverage for 2018 models showing identical symptoms.
Same Nissan Titan engine reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Crankshaft failure
Crankshaft fractures or breaks, often suddenly at highway speeds, causing complete loss of engine power and power steering. Multiple owners report snapped or broken crankshafts with zero warning signs.
When: Between 30,000 and 127,000 miles; most commonly reported in the 50,000–77,000 mile range
Symptoms owners cite: No warning lights or check engine light before failure; Sudden violent shaking at highway speeds; Complete loss of engine power and power steering; Loud rattling or knocking sound immediately before shutdown; Heavy metal knocking sound on attempted restart
Codes mentioned: P0524 (low oil pressure code)
Repairs/costs cited: Full engine replacement required; costs quoted from $8,755 to $42,000. Some owners paid $17,977–$31,000 out of warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan Service Bulletin NTB19-057 issued July 2019 addressing crankshaft and knock issues; TSB NTB19-049 also referenced for fuel system. Warranty denial common when failure occurs after powertrain warranty expiration (typically 5 years/60,000 miles). Nissan has extended warranty for 2016–2017 diesel Titans but refused same coverage for 2018 models with identical symptoms.
Cylinder wall scuffing and loss of compression
Cylinder walls score or scar, reducing compression on affected cylinders. Can cause loss of power and stalling at highway speeds. Matches TSB NTB19-057 knock/scuffing pattern.
When: Often early in service life; one owner noted issue at under 56,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud ticking noise from engine; Lack of power during acceleration; Loss of compression (150 psi vs. 264 psi spec on affected cylinders); Engine knock or knocking sound
Repairs/costs cited: Requires engine replacement or internal repair. One owner with perfect maintenance history denied warranty coverage when repair was not done at Nissan dealership.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB NTB19-057 acknowledges issue. Nissan denying warranty claims citing missing maintenance records or out-of-warranty status.
Rod and main bearing failure
Rod and main bearings fail internally, often resulting in catastrophic engine damage with metal debris circulating through oil system and loose material in pan.
When: Low mileage; one failure at 12,370 miles over warranty threshold
Symptoms owners cite: Knocking noise from engine bottom end; Low oil pressure warning light; Vehicle will not start; Bad knocking sound during crank
Codes mentioned: P0524 (low oil pressure)
Repairs/costs cited: Full engine replacement required. One owner paid $17,977 for replacement at 12,370 miles over warranty. Metal debris in oil pan noted in diagnostics.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan refused warranty coverage despite documented scheduled maintenance and oil changes performed at certified dealership. Described as known issue with crankshaft design.
Oil starvation to cylinder 7
Cylinder 7 receives insufficient oil supply, causing scored cylinder walls and potential total engine failure if untreated.
When: Mileage not specified in narratives
Symptoms owners cite: Loud ticking noise from engine; Lack of power; Oil entering combustion chamber leading to misfire or engine shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer inspection confirmed defect requires repair for vehicle to be safe to operate. Full engine replacement likely needed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan told owner issue is out of warranty and not their responsibility. Described by owners as known issue requiring immediate attention.
Fuel pump module failure and vapor lock
Fuel pump module fails, allowing air to enter fuel system and causing vapor lock. Fuel system back orders extended (6–8 months reported).
When: Approximately 62,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine run-on after vehicle shut off; Vapor lock condition; Difficult engine start; Abnormal clicking sound
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel pump module replacement required; parts on extended back order at dealerships.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Matches TSB NTB19-049. Multiple dealerships confirmed parts backordered.
High-pressure fuel pump (CP4) failure
CP4 fuel pump fails and introduces metal debris throughout fuel system, causing severe downstream damage.
When: 54,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel system contamination with metal particles
Repairs/costs cited: Over $10,000 in repairs required to address fuel system contamination damage.
Turbo actuator failure (diesel model)
Turbo actuator fails, causing complete loss of throttle control and acceleration at highway speeds. Nissan extended warranty for 2016–2017 diesel but refused coverage for 2018 model with identical symptoms.
When: 61,489 miles (September 2025 reported incident)
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of throttle control at highway speed; Loss of acceleration capability; Check engine light illumination
Codes mentioned: P00AH (turbo actuator related)
Repairs/costs cited: Part replacement ongoing; unclear if duplicate or replacement done.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty covers 2016–2017 diesel Titans with identical DTC; 2018 denied coverage. Nissan North America claim #55882533 denied repair coverage.
Coolant system sensor failure causing limp mode
Overflow radiator sensor fails, triggering limp mode without actual engine or coolant problems. Poor sensor design places vehicle in reduced-power mode for extended periods.
When: Mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle enters limp mode unexpectedly; Reduced power output; No actual coolant or engine failure present
Repairs/costs cited: Sensor replacement required.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Attributed to poor design by Cummins on diesel model.
Diesel engine exhaust fume infiltration during regeneration
Noxious diesel exhaust gases enter cab during engine regeneration cycle. Dealership initially claims no issue exists.
When: Periodic during engine operation
Symptoms owners cite: Cab fills with noxious/toxic gases during regen cycle; Requires opening windows to clear fumes; Lasts several minutes per occurrence
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer claimed no issue and suggested further driving required; owner reports no resolution.
Synthesized from 31 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
Broken crank shaft caused the truck to stall in the road
The crankshaft broke on original engine then my warranty company CARS plus protection sent another engine with 80k miles and mechanic installed and made it 60miles and the crankshaft broke on that engine as well. Warrenty after that did nothing and has still done nothing this incident start on April 28th 2023. I have still been making payments and kept insurance up to date have no choice I don’t…
The truck left me stranded on the side of the road resulting in a total engine failure. Zero warning signs. Truck was towed at my expensive resulting in 29 days without the vehicle while nissan replaced the engine
I was driving the truck down the interstate with the cruise set at 70-75 mph and without warning, the truck starts shaking violently and making very loud noises from the wngine and then the engine shuts off and power steering is lost while traveling at highway speeds in traffic. The failure was diagnosed as a crankshaft failure which snapped the crankshaft in the engine. The quote from Nissan to…
While travelling at 80km/h down a slight hill and towing my caravan the vehicle started shuttering vigorously and then the engine just shut down, had to pull up the vehicle using the caravan brakes, Had the vehicle towed back to the Australian Importers as I am located in Australia and they have told me it has a crankshaft failure.
My vehicle was driving down the highway at 70 mph when without any warning the engine shut off resulting in the loss of power steering. I had to navigate through traffic to get to the shoulder of the road. I had the vehicle towed to Nissan dealership after a couple weeks I was made aware that the engine needed to be replaced. The truck suffered. A broken crankshaft and main fuel components were…
Had engine trouble with your 2018 Nissan Titan?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2018 Nissan Titan?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 31 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 31 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 68,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Nissan/Titan.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.