First major problem...aaahhhhhh

[tsgautschi]

I've visited this web site often since buying my SE, 4x4. Big Tow. I've always felt bad for the owners with the major problems. Until last week I've had the so called RF radio replaced, a bad middle seat belt (wouldn't unlock) and the brake TSB. i considered these things as somewhat minor compared to major catastrophic breakdown. Which brings me to last week...
I had just rotated the tires and I started to hear a faint howling noise from the rear of the truck. I thought it must be from the cupping of the front tires, now moved to the rear. I didn't give it much thought until my father (retired mechanic) was riding with me and he started to chuckle and says, "how many miles do you have on this slag?" (I come from a Ford truck family, so you can imagine his gesting.) After I told him 5400 miles he says, "sounds like your rear differential is going out. I guess I was just hoping it was the rear tires cause I new as soon as he said that, that he was right. When I looked at the pumpkin it had oil residue around the bolts and paint was baked off. I had checked the fluid level soon after buying the truck and it was fine. I figured since I wasn't going to be towing anything for awhile I wouldn't worry about changing the fluid out until I decided to do my first tow.
Took the truck in they test drove it, looked at it, level was a wee bit low. A long story short, they are replacing the rear end. They told me to keep driving the truck, they said it should be safe enough for now ( whatever).The sevice department tells me that when I get the new diff. in not to town over 50 mph for the first 500 miles, what the hell. I've never heard of such BS, but i guess if they say so, its there problem to fix. I'm keeping a sense of humor about this, must be the medications I take twice a day. Ten years earlier I would have been flipping out about this. the main problem is is that it is embarrasing to drive around town, it sounds like a friggin firetruck with all the whinning going on.

Sorry bout the long post. Wish me luck.

[Vegas04]

good luck, man. sorry to hear about your diff. so have you ever towed with that truck?

[lizardking]

Another rear diff failure I wonder how many we have failed on this site alone now? I also wonder how many have failed we don't know about?

[tsgautschi]

y, I towed an empty 16' flatbed trailer 40 miles once, can't be over 1500 lbs. the service people told me that nissan recomends not to tow for the first 500 miles over 50 mphs, does that include heavy payloads? I've never heard of such a thing on a truck that is supposed to be " Big Tow" Oh well.

[lizardking]

If I was going to tow a lot I would buy a 3/4 ton heavy duty like the 2500 Dodge Power Wagon..oh yeah I'm sure Nissan has learned a lot with the Titan and maybe we willl see real improvements in 2006.

[ColoTitan]

WOW Lizard, you really don't like the Titan do you.

[tsgautschi]

Nissan isn't exactly the only ones having the problems with this differential. After all it is made by Dana. Dana corp. should be sharing some of the blame. This is supposed to be a heavy duty rear end made for towing. I haven't even started towing with this truck yet. I shouldn't have to worry about buying a HD truck to tow what the truck is rated to tow. Granted if I were halling heavy equipment on a daily bases a HD diesel would be ideal. Honestly though I'm gonna give Nissan their due process, that is why i have a warranty, is it not?

[lizardking]

Originally Posted by ColoTitan

WOW Lizard, you really don't like the Titan do you.

It's not my Titan it's freaking Nissan!! I love my Titan it's fun to drive and it's really fast. I have a lot of problems with my truck and everytime I need something it's on backorder or "We never heard of that problem before". I mean come on!! As for the rear end didn't Nissan when they where promoting the truck claimed they designed the new Dana 44 with Dana? I know I can come off sometimes like I hate the Titan but I don't..