76K on my stock non-big tow LE 2x2 frequently towing a 3500+ lb bass boat around TN hills, no rr diff problems to report...
I worked for Nissan for over 12 years in powertrain engineering, quality, and production roles and i've read through this entire thread and here's my 0.02. With any new product Nissan works with the supplier (Dana) and specs out exactly what they think will meet the Nissan testing requirements for the application, sometimes more than one configuration, runs tests, analyzes the results of those tests, and makes the decision of exactly the configurations for each application in the product line. The Dana tech implied the Nissan standards weren't stringent enough for the application AND also clearly stated that Dana had quality issues in there assembly plant that led to more than one warranty issue for customers. For these implied statements and agreement to have them shared on this thread subsequently got his/her hand slapped because that was just their opinion. While I hate it for the Dana tech it is reality that no one in that position knows all the facts, nor do we, in order to try and peice it all together and figure out who might be at fault. Automotive is a tough business and I do know that Nissan is VERY serious about their quality. Even the Dana tech said that Nissan was "pushing them very hard" to resolve their quality issues.
Good news is that they all have learned since the introduction of the new product (2004 titan) and have improved the design to make it more robust for the titan applications in the more recent model years. The changes cost money and take time to re-test and implement, but the payback is lower warranty costs and increased customer satisfaction due to lower failure rate. It's no news flash for anybody that has been around a while that the first model year or so of any new vehicle that there will be problems (brakes for example) and if you buy one you should be ready for some issue(s). I hate if for the many customers that have had rr diff/axle problems, don't get me wrong, but I guarantee there 20-50 times as many that are like me and have had zero problems (yes the warranty rates are astronomically low). I know firsthand that Nissan takes their quality seriously and goes way beyond what other oem's do to detect and prevent problems from reaching customers. Remember I don't work for Nissan any longer so I'm not blowing smoke, their astronomical growth around the turn of the century is only one evidence that what I'm sharing is fact. Take it or leave it. Hope this helps.
