Is the 2016 Nissan TITAN reliable?

The 2016 Nissan TITAN has 287 complaints filed with NHTSA (9.3x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: ENGINE problems.

What are common problems with the 2016 Nissan TITAN?

Top problems: ENGINE (132 complaints, avg repair $500); TRANSMISSION (42 complaints, avg repair $500); FUEL SYSTEM (31 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2016 Nissan TITAN?

Yes, there are 3 recall(s): FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS, SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER. Contact any Nissan dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to insure a 2016 Nissan TITAN?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2016 Nissan TITAN is approximately $1,478/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2016 Nissan TITAN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Nissan TITAN has 287 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 9.3x the segment average of 31. The most common issue is engine problems (46% of all complaints), specifically: cummins 5.0 liter engine missing out at 1700 rpms, you can rev the diesel engine to 1700 rpms and then all of sudden the unit starts missing out. but yet a cummins engineer stated that some of them do it, and some don't. well being a cummins tech my self i knew this was not true. nissan refuses . There are 3 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 5 crash reports 1 injury

287

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

9.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

ENGINE

132 complaints

46%

• CUMMINS 5.0 LITER ENGINE MISSING OUT AT 1700 RPMS, YOU CAN REV THE DIESEL ENGINE TO 1700 RPMS AND THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE UNIT STARTS MISSING OUT. BUT YET A CUMMINS ENGINEER STATED THAT SOME OF THEM DO IT, AND SOME DON'T. WELL BEING A CUMMINS TECH MY SELF I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. NISSAN REFUSES
• VEHICLE LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT EXCEED 40MPH WITH FULL ACCELERATION, WAS ABLE TO LIMP VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. WAS TOLD DPF REGEN TRIGGERED ENGINE FAIL-SAFE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE DURING INCIDENT. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW CAUSE OF ISSUE BUT WAS ABLE T
• DIESEL SMELL COMING INTO THE CAB WHEN REGEN IS TAKING PLACE ITS SO STRONG AND THE FUMES ARE SO BAD I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE TRUCK ITS MY OPINION ITS CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IT IS GIVING ME RESPIRATORY TROUBLE FOR MY SELF THIS MUST BECOME A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE PASSES OUT FROM THE FUEL SMELL THE D

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“CUMMINS 5.0 LITER ENGINE MISSING OUT AT 1700 RPMS, YOU CAN REV THE DIESEL ENGINE TO 1700 RPMS AND THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE UNIT STARTS MISSING OUT. BUT YET A CUMMINS ENGINEER STATED THAT SOME OF THEM DO IT, AND SOME DON'T. WELL BEING A CUMMINS TECH MY SELF I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. NISSAN REFUSES ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2016 Nissan TITAN

Based on 122 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 19K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

In line with typicalmedian 25K mi · 38 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

FUEL SYSTEM

In line with typicalmedian 11K mi · 18 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 16K mi · 17 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 17K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 4K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

In line with typicalmedian 17K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY22/11/2016

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 vehicles may not have had the temporary fuel tank breather tube cap removed during the vehicle's assembly and the fuel tank breather tube may not have been connected to the bed rail. As a result, the fuel tank may not have the proper ventilation, possibly causing the fuel gauge and the distance to empty meter to both display inaccurately.

Risk: If the fuel gauge reads incorrectly, the vehicle can run out of fuel without the driver being aware, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tank breather tube, replacing the fuel tank, fuel sending unit, and/or fuel tank breather tube, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Nissan TITAN

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,478

Full coverage / month

$123

Liability only / year

$611

vs US avg

-12%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1478

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Nissan TITAN Service Intervals

Oil change

5K mi / 6 mo

Tire rotation

5K mi

Brake fluid

24 months

Transmission fluid

60K mi

Engine coolant

105K mi

Spark plugs

105K mi

Cabin air filter

15K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

60K mi

CVT-equipped models (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) MUST use Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid, not conventional ATF. Frequent CVT service extends life significantly.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Nissan New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Nissan. If you're buying a used 2016 TITAN, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Nissan dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 287 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: CUMMINS 5.0 LITER ENGINE MISSING OUT AT 1700 RPMS, YOU CAN REV THE DIESEL ENGINE TO 1700 RPMS AND THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE UNIT STARTS MISSING OUT. BUT YET A CUMMINS ENGINEER STATED THAT SOME OF THEM DO IT, AND SOME DON'T. WELL BEING A CUMMINS TECH MY SELF I KNEW THIS WAS NOT TRUE. NISSAN REFUSES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT EXCEED 40MPH WITH FULL ACCELERATION, WAS ABLE TO LIMP VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. WAS TOLD DPF REGEN TRIGGERED ENGINE FAIL-SAFE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE DURING INCIDENT. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW CAUSE OF ISSUE BUT WAS ABLE T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: ON NOVEMBER 2, 2016, I WAS DRIVING MY 2016 NISSAN TITAN XD (DIESEL) ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN ON ME. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES). I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT REMAINS TO THIS DAY (
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: DRIVING FROM NEVADA TO LOS ANGELES CA ON HIGHWAY 395. THREE TIMES WHILE AT SPEED MY VEHICLE TURNED OFF FOR THREE TO FIVE SECONDS. I LOST POWER STEERING, REAR TIRES FELT LIKE THEY LOCKED UP. CAR WOULD THEN POWER BACK ON AND I WOULD REGAIN POWER STEERING AND CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD. THIS OCCURRED T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)