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2016 Nissan Titan: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
87%
166 of 191 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

87% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Nissan Titan are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 99% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 84%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
166
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
197
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
5 crashes · 2 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE128 · 65%
POWER TRAIN42 · 21%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM31 · 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER14 · 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9 · 5%

The years either side

2010
35%
13 of 45
2011
38%
8 of 26
2012
too few complaints
2013
too few complaints
2014
too few complaints
2015
too few complaints
2016
87%
166 of 197
2017
75%
120 of 172
2018
73%
63 of 90
2019
56%
25 of 46
2020
too few complaints
2021
50%
27 of 55
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Other full-size pickups with no elevated signal

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE09/05/2026
Engine failed unexpectedly and without warning. After doing research there is a widespread problem with the 2016 diesel engine.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM06/29/2026
The cp4.2 high pressure fuel pump failed sending metal through the system and destroying the fuel system.
POWER TRAIN06/19/2026
I purchased this Nissan Titan XD used in 2018 with 20,000 miles on the vehicle. Since that time, it's been driven an average of 4,000 miles per year. Current odometer reading is 53,813 miles. The truck has had all required and recommended service done on the manufacturer's recommended schedule. We were headed west …

Three of 166 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 Titan Diesel XD vehicles manufactured August 7, 2015, to September 1, 2016. The affected vehicle…
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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 …
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Nissan Titan Crew Cab and Titan XD Crew Cab vehicles. In the event of a crash, the rear seatbelt assem…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2016 Nissan Titan

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.