NHTSA Complaint #10629129 — 2010 NISSAN TITAN

DURING A ROAD TRIP FROM FL TO NY, I NOTICED A FAINT RATTLE UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK BUT DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT. DURING THAT TRIP, I NOTICED MY TAILPIPE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS POSITIONED PROPERLY. IT WAS LOOSE! THE MUFFLER TO TAILPIPE MOUNTING FLANGE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY FROM, WHICH IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM (REFERENCE BLOGS; TITANSPOT, TITANTALK, CLUBTITAN). I THREW THE TAILPIPE IN THE BED AND KEPT DRIVING. THROUGHOUT THAT WEEKEND, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. ON OUR RETURN TRIP FROM NY TO FL THE VDC OFF, SLIP AND ABS LIGHTS SUDDENLY CAME ON WITH ABOUT 100 MILES LEFT IN THE TRIP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACTIVATE CRUISE CONTROL AND 4WD WOULDN'T ENGAGE EITHER. BROUGHT TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP IN CORAL SPRINGS, FL FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE WARRANTY SERVICE, CONSIDERING I HAD THE GOLD PREFERRED NISSAN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WAS INFORMED THAT EXHAUST COMPONENTS WERE NOT COVERED, AND SINCE THE 'NON' COVERED COMPONENTS CAUSED ELECTRICAL & SENSOR FAILURES, THEY WOULDN'T WARRANTY ANY OF THOSE COMPONENTS EITHER. THE HEAT DAMAGED THE PLASTIC CONDUIT, WIRES IN THE HARNESS AND THE ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS (AND ASSOCIATED WIRING). NOT TO MENTION, DANGEROUS EXHAUST GASES CAN ACCUMULATE UNDER THE CAB & BED OF THE TRUCK WITHOUT A PROPER MEANS OF EXHAUST ROUTING. THIS IS THE THIRD TITAN I HAVE OWNED. ALL 3 (2005, 2006, & 2010) HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME FAILURE AT THAT EXHAUST FLANGE. THIS VEHICLE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT EXPERIENCED CORRESPONDING ELECTRICAL & SENSOR FAILURES. NISSAN MUST ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS FLANGE CONNECTION DESIGN AND MATERIALS. IT IS A POOR DESIGN (WHEN IT FAILS, EXHAUST GASES ARE POINTED UPWARD AT THE TRUCK BED AND SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL WIRING). FOR NISSAN TO IGNORE THIS DEFECT IS UNACCEPTABLE. A STRAIGHT CONNECTION, OR BETTER FLANGE MATERIALS WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN RECTIFYING THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. *TR