Survey-REAR END FAILURES ONLY

[Hawaiianbasshead]

there is a two road junction thats a T where there is a stop light. it's on a hill, rwd's slip when it's dry. I pull out when there is decent space when went sometimes (do it with all my vehicles) and when I started spinning I just pussed the go pedal more as cars were comming towards me and the slip light flashed a couple times before I was up to speed and let off. That to me means VDC or ABLS or some type of traction control, I have an 05 OR package *NO SAFETY PACKAGE*. I want to be rid of whatever computerized traction aids I have as I've never had a problem recovering from fish tails in other vehicles. And this was maybe a week before my rear went. I thought it may be of signifigance after reading the one post where he blaims VDC or ABLS... later,

T

btw, my truck is still down, and I have no loaner and don't think they're starting the truck til Nov. 2nd

[prairiedog]

reply to survey
1 2004
2 4x4
3 BT
4 no
5 10k milles
6 one which was the rear differential
7 yes
8 5500 pounds
9 no but towing was on the Alaska highway
10 no
11 yes

Thanks for the effort to find out why. I had asked to see the parts but was told
that they had to be sent to Nissan. No comment as to why only a verbal notification to change the differential oil at 6000 and again at 1500. I was 2000 miles away from
home and that long after any trailer towing when I got into a Nissan dealer near my sons home. Reason for going in was a noise whenever slowing down. It reminded me
of a throughout bearing on a clutch, but of course there is no clutch. After the warranty repair I drove back home with the truck performing just fine. I do like the
performance and the comfortable passenger compartment of the truck, including the rear seat. There were five of us on the trip to Alaska. I don't think I would be leaving for Alaska towing a trailer anymore without more assurance that the probem has been resolved. I would want to have list of each Nissan dealer along the way of any of the
next towing trips that I take. Hope the Differential weakness gets resolved. I have not yet had any brake probem.

[PHOEBISIS]

prariedog,you were lucky that it held out until well after you were off that ALCAN hy(if that is the one) my sister in law and husband drove-moved- from CA to Anchorage several years back-long trip-5-6 days,and not a lot of support along that route.No big cities with 3-4 Nissan dealers.
I'm really puzzled about the failures.I think they are more than would be expected -we have maybe 5000 members- and we have 15 folks with failures(2 had 5 failures each)- 3/1000 or about 1/300.Now I don't know how many members have actually seen the survey-maybe as few as 1000 ?or maybe most members?-how many members have been active in the last 2-3 weeks since the survey started etc.
Bottom line,I really don't know what the failure rate is here.I would think the failure rate here-titan talk-would be higher than the general Titan buyer since folks would come here for info if they had a problem,or heard one coming on.I also think that maybe enthusiasts might be more likely than the average owner to use their truck harder than average.Now I'm most certainly not saying folks are breaking their trucks by "overuse"-heck,they are trucks and are supposed to tow 9400 lbs-they should be able to take a really hard use.The tow weights for the failures are modest-maybe 5000 lbs on average.
I probably need to start a new survey-with build dates-in order to detect a "fix" date.I would bet Nissan has done more than just put an aluminum cover on-maybe new specs for the gears-alloys-hardening etc,and for that "pin" that slips out.Maybe most are due to the "pin" slipping out??If so,it should be an easy fix to get it to stay in place.Nissan doesn't pull them apart in front of the customers,so we really don't know what "fails".Beside,if I were shown a broken diff,I would have to be told what the "failure" was-it would probably just look like a bunch of broken gears-teeth-I wouldn't notice that a pin had slipped out and started the failure.
One of the truck mags had a "pin slip" failure.It might be as simple as that for most folks-except for the folks with multiple failures of replacements.
So far all but a couple have been 4x4's and 3.36 gears-maybe these things are just markers for harder use-towing and 4x4ing,but maybe it is something specific to a 4x4(like the ABLS) or to those gear sets?Maybe 2.94's and 2wd won't start failing till waaay late-??Well,we will see.
Thanks!Charlie

[P's Titan]

Originally Posted by PHOEBISIS

Bottom line,I really don't know what the failure rate is here.I would think the failure rate here-titan talk-would be higher than the general Titan buyer since folks would come here for info if they had a problem,or heard one coming on.

Every person I have talked to on the streets of So Cali have not heard of this site. Id bet there are alot of things we may not know about with people not on here sharing. I did mention in this thread a guy whos diff blew while I was at the dealer working out a problem. I did mention this site to him and he had no idea. He may have signed up now who know ?? Just to show that there are many others who just don't know about this usefull site and could share some of there issues or info.

just my thoughts

[OddBall]

1)Year- 2004
2)4X4 or 4x2 4X4
3)BT or OFFROAD PK-just yes,or no,or both. BOTH
4)The Locker?-Just yes or no YES
5)Miles at 1st failure 17,000
6)number of failures FIRST
7)Have you ever towed?Yes or no YES, OCCASIONALLY
8)Max tow weight-best guess? 5500
9)Do you live in hilly area?Yes or no NO
10)Ever have the brake problem-just yes or no. YES
11)Do you have VDC-yes,or no NO


Failure occured this past Saturday with the dealer taking full responsiblility and replacing the entire axle assembly along with a bunch of other NTB's.

[PHOEBISIS]

ODDBALL,thanks-you are the 16th reporter-.
14- have been 4x4-I'm pretty sure that all 4x4 have ABLS
15- 3.36
2- 2wd
9-had elocker
Hmmm,I have assumed that 4x4 and 3.36 are just a markers for harder use(more likely to tow,more likely to offroad),and don't really have anything to do with the failures(other than maybe something to do with ABLS or the E-Lock),but I'm wondering about that.
I might have to figure a way to check what 2.94 2wd folks do.Thanks.Charlie

[prairiedog]

It's too bad that there aren't more responses to your poll Phoebisis!
I am sure that all of us would like to be assurred that differential failures are in the minority on our Titans. It is however like, what is a minor surgery? "someone elses."
When the problem becomes your problem it is a major problem. We stand there at the dealer's service counter frustrated as to why my Titan?

I have spent a lot of time reading the other posts from Titan owners and have almost convinced myself that of the 200,000 (so I saw quoted)Titans on the north American roads the main problem was the over heating of the brakes causing warping and in turn the brake shudder. It gets pointed out that this in not a rare problem on all 1/2 ton trucks.

I am not happy wondering if I will have brake probems but after experiencing the good service by a reasonable dealer even though I was 2000 miles from home in another country, I am of the impression that my Titan will be taken care of properly when service is required. They completely replaced the differential and axle assembly with one that had a date of September 05 on the tag. I have not seen any complaints yet of any newer Titans having problems. Let's give Nissan credit for fixing problems when they happen. I trust that Nissan will do what ever it takes to make the Titan the outstanding truck that they are certainly spending a lot of money to promote.

[CraigG]

Charlie not to add to the confusion but I have a B-lsd light no slip light. I have an 04 or 4x4 with no E-lock no failure but I thought this was interesting I remember having a conversation about never seing a slip light or anything. build date is 03/04.

[Hawaiianbasshead]

http://nissantitan.info/forum_posts....113&PN=1&TPN=1 looks like a couple guys there broke theirs since I broke mine. so obviously more guys have broke them than come here to respond to a poll... lookin bad for that roll pin shearing as thats what one of those guys brought up as the dealer saying was the problem... hope it can still be fixed with that TruTrac LSD? anyone know?

[RockyMtnTitan]

Originally Posted by Hawaiianbasshead

http://nissantitan.info/forum_posts....113&PN=1&TPN=1 looks like a couple guys there broke theirs since I broke mine. so obviously more guys have broke them than come here to respond to a poll... lookin bad for that roll pin shearing as thats what one of those guys brought up as the dealer saying was the problem... hope it can still be fixed with that TruTrac LSD? anyone know?

Sounds entirely possible that this pin could be the culprit in at least a few of these failures.

From the Head's differential disection thread:

"The infamous pin that holds the spider gear shaft in is indeed held in place with a drift pin and not a bolt. It is a hollow pin. Most stronger units use a bolt to hold it into place (that I've seen)."

[OddBall]

hmmmmm RMT, the plot thickens...or is it sickens?


In any event I am picking mine up tomorrow. There was a delay due to the axle having to come from Tennessee which is fine but the dealer stepped up and did all the NTB's no questions asked. My next issue is whether it will withstand the test come next month. Dragging a trailer to ATL and bringing back a car plus a bed and cab loaded with stuff. The truck and trailer will be over 11K GCWR easily with the trailer commanding 5500-6000 of that. The service advisor said no problem. So, we shall see

For now I am happy with the way Nissan handled this.

[RockyMtnTitan]

Originally Posted by OddBall

hmmmmm RMT, the plot thickens...or is it sickens?


In any event I am picking mine up tomorrow. There was a delay due to the axle having to come from Tennessee which is fine but the dealer stepped up and did all the NTB's no questions asked. My next issue is whether it will withstand the test come next month. Dragging a trailer to ATL and bringing back a car plus a bed and cab loaded with stuff. The truck and trailer will be over 11K GCWR easily with the trailer commanding 5500-6000 of that. The service advisor said no problem. So, we shall see

For now I am happy with the way Nissan handled this.

So, how long did it take them to get the new diff from the time you brought your truck in...a week or so? It seems that Nissan may be getting these new diffs out sooner (at least for some) than in the recent past, where we heard tales of them taking a month or more to get one to the dealer. I'm just wondering at what point, if at all, they'll be sending out modified/upgraded diffs to replace these failed ones.

[OddBall]

Originally Posted by RockyMtnTitan

So, how long did it take them to get the new diff from the time you brought your truck in...a week or so? It seems that Nissan may be getting these new diffs out sooner (at least for some) than in the recent past, where we heard tales of them taking a month or more to get one to the dealer. I'm just wondering at what point, if at all, they'll be sending out modified/upgraded diffs to replace these failed ones.

Well, the dealer called, I believe last Wednesday and told me it was coming out of TN and it probably wouldn't be in until at least Monday with a Tues completion. It must have arrived at the end of the week or very early Monday AM because the work was completed Monday afternoon.

I mentioned there had been discussion about a cheesy roll pin design for the diff and that was possibly the cause. He hadn't heard anything concrete but he mentioned he had a bunch of diff failures in and one in particular was a 4x2 XE king cab which seemed odd. It was a stripped down truck so that might knock out the theory of the ABLS equipped trucks being the culprit. Then again, it may not

All I know is I have the truck back and that new diff cover has some deep fins! The fact they are doing that tells me they know there is a big problem with these but they're just sitting on them to ride out the repairs.


And I saw the repair total for my truck: $4200 My part of it was $48.36 for an LOF and state inspection. I can live with that!


I'm heading to ATL in a few weeks to tow a car back to the DC area. I wonder if the diff will hold up???

[Titanguy86]

1) 2004
2) 4x4
3) yes
4) yes
5) 19000
6) 1
7) yes
8) 4000
9) No
10) yes
11) no

[blackdiamond]

1)Year- 2004
2)4X4 or 4x2 4X4
3)BT or OFFROAD PK-just yes,or no,or both. BOTH
4)The Locker?-Just yes or no YES
5)Miles at 1st failure 7500
6)number of failures FIRST
7)Have you ever towed?Yes or no YES, OCCASIONALLY
8)Max tow weight-best guess? 9000 lbs
9)Do you live in hilly area?Yes or no YES
10)Ever have the brake problem-just yes or no. YES
11)Do you have VDC-yes,or no NO

Nissan just bought it back last week.