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2018 Nissan Titan problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
73%
63 of 86 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

73% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2018 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 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 4 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 70%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2018 Nissan Titan have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 63 of 86 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Titan concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (73%), and the largest group is filed under engine (45). For comparison, the 2017 scores 75% and the 2019 scores 54%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
63
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
90
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
3 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE45 · 50%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM16 · 18%
POWER TRAIN16 · 18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8 · 9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL6 · 7%

The years either side

2010
34%
13 of 46
2011
38%
8 of 26
2012
too few complaints
2013
too few complaints
2014
too few complaints
2015
too few complaints
2016
87%
167 of 198
2017
75%
120 of 172
2018
73%
63 of 90
2019
54%
25 of 47
2020
too few complaints
2021
51%
28 of 56
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.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2018 Nissan Titan

What one owner reported

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM07/05/2026
Cylinder 4-5 which caused catastrophic engine failure. CP4 fuel pump. Crank shaft broken, Metal flakes in oil. Differential service. Was on the road from [XXX] to [XXX] and broke down in [XXX]. Just bought the truck from Lakeland Automall on May 8th and broke down on May 31st. Was in a bad spot to pull over and f…

One of 63 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Nissan Titan?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2018 Nissan Titan, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
tires21V169000 · Mar 2021
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…
back over prevention: sensing system: camera19V654000 · Sep 2019
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…
electrical system: wiring19V495000 · Jun 2019
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,…
equipment: other: labels18V240000 · Apr 2018
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,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2018 Nissan Titan? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2018 Nissan Titan

Does the 2018 Nissan Titan have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 63 of 86 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Titan concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (73%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Nissan Titan?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2018 Nissan Titan, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Titan years are better?

Among the Nissan Titan years we track, the 2010 (34%), the 2011 (38%) and the 2021 (51%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (73%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2018 Nissan Titan?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2018 Nissan Titan has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.