There’s no piece of cake means to tell this: Our long-term Nissan Titan XD Diesel was ane of the most disappointing novel vehicles nosotros choose evaluated inwards recent memory, a distinction highlighted yesteryear our truck’s serious mechanical issues in addition to grounded inwards its full general inability to endear when it was healthy.
Spearheading Nissan’s in addition to thus novel second-generation Titan lineup for 2016, the XD leverages a near-heavy-duty build in addition to an available Cummins turbo-diesel V-8 to serve a niche somewhere betwixt established half-ton in addition to three-quarter-ton pickups. While lesser, gasoline-fueled Titans choose since joined the mix, the diesel fuel XD is a brutish curiosity that, inwards theory, is ideal for the commuting in addition to moderate workloads nosotros inquire of the trucks inwards our fleet. But therein lies this middling heavyweight’s paradox: For how massive in addition to unwieldy this Titan XD is on the road, its payload in addition to towing maximums of 2003 in addition to 12,037 pounds, respectively, are eclipsed yesteryear those of some light-duty trucks.
While the XD’s ride is undeniably rigid when empty, its control-arm front end suspension in addition to leaf-spring solid nurture axle offering a chip to a greater extent than compliance than a full-HD pickup’s. For the crew-cab-only 2016 model, nosotros settled on the midrange Pro-4X trim alongside measure four-wheel campaign in addition to a six-foot, six-inch cargo box for a fair $52,165. (Subtract $5000 for the XD’s livelier 390-hp gas V-8 that Nissan added subsequently inwards 2016.) Along alongside bountiful measure equipment—bright LED headlights, a towing package, blind-spot monitoring alongside nurture cross-traffic alert—the off-road-oriented Pro-4X brings a locking nurture differential, Bilstein dampers, 18-inch wheels alongside all-terrain tires, in addition to a bevy of underbody sideslip plates. The Titan’s nonfunctional fender vents in addition to grossly overhung snout are offered at no additional charge.
Adding the $3310 Pro-4X Convenience packet (heaters for the steering bicycle in addition to iv of the v seats plus leather hides all around) along alongside the $1100 Pro-4X Utility in addition to Audio packet (a Rockford Fosgate stereo, front end in addition to nurture parking sensors, in addition to a host of tie-downs inwards the cargo bed) was a sounder determination than our trim-level choice. Our Pro-4X’s lack of whatever assistance steps for an as-tested $57,155 truck (Nissan offers cab in addition to box steps separately equally accessories) riled its detractors. And at to a greater extent than than xx feet long in addition to weighing 7280 pounds, the XD is simply also hulking to effectively tackle off-road terrain.
—Josh Jacquot, Reviews Editor
Despite the pocket-size 310 horsepower from the Cummins turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8, the diesel’s 555 pound-feet of torque pulls the Titan through traffic alongside determination. Early logbook comments noted the stability alongside which the Titan tugged most iii tons of trailer in addition to jalopy, albeit without much haste. Some niggles cropped up, too, including concerns most a numb in addition to heavy helm that continued to groan at depression speeds fifty-fifty after nosotros discovered the power-steering system’s fluid was depression in addition to topped it off. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 recalcitrant tailgate-release grip also plagued the Titan for much of its term, despite the dealer replacing a faulty electronic lock actuator at no charge.
The diesel fuel XD was lethargic at the essay track, plodding to lx mph inwards 9.4 seconds after its 6000-mile break-in menstruum in addition to roofing the quarter-mile inwards 17.3 seconds at 82 mph. Those times improved somewhat, to 8.9 in addition to 17.0 seconds, ane time the XD had loosened upward at 40,000 miles, equally did its stopping distance from lxx mph (204 feet downwards to 197) in addition to meager suitcase to a greater extent than or less the skidpad (0.66 g versus 0.71). But other diesel fuel rigs from Ford, General Motors, in addition to Ram churn out to a greater extent than than 900 pound-feet of torque, alongside some examples able to bolt to lx mph inwards less than 7.0 seconds. The Cummins V-8 also sounds less refined inwards functioning than its 32-valve dual-overhead-cam layout would suggest; the wavering growl that accompanied the 5.0’s clatter prompted technical manager Eric Tingwall to scribble “Chewbacca is my co-pilot” inwards the Titan’s logbook.
The Wookiee nether the hood also had a voracious thirst for diesel fuel exhaust fluid—a urea-based solution injected into the XD’s exhaust organisation to boundary nitrogen-oxide emissions. With our truck’s laborious duty bicycle (DEF consumption is relative to engine load) in addition to the XD’s small, 4.5-gallon DEF tank, the 44 gallons nosotros fed the Nissan over 40,000 miles, at roughly $6 per, came inwards many little doses. The DEF monitor inwards the Titan’s information display also occasionally asked for refills when the tank was nearly total in addition to flashed service alerts that apace disappeared.
Other logbook entries expressed wonderment at Nissan’s approving of the XD’s uncouth Aisin six-speed automatic. Even after 2 figurer reflashes nether warranty, the Titan’s transmission lurched through its ratios nether acceleration and, alongside equal abruptness, clunked into gear at slower speeds. “It’s hard to believe person could sign off on this transmission calibration,” noted assistant technical editor David Beard.
Virtually every driver agreed that the Pro-4X’s cosseting Zero Gravity front end seats were its best attribute, alongside the crew-cab interior itself stocked alongside amenities in addition to storage options for long voyages in addition to a make of work. But the cabin’s vibrations, chintzy materials, in addition to outdated 7.0-inch touchscreen that washed out inwards sunlight never impressed its occupants. Deputy online editor Dave VanderWerp summed it upward well: “This novel Titan feels a generation or to a greater extent than behind full-size pickups from the Detroit Three.”
Despite its many faults, our Nissan racked upward miles hauling slice of furniture in addition to yard debris, towing off-road toys to a greater extent than or less Michigan, in addition to fetching cars from both coasts. While the thousands of miles our truck covered alongside a trailer lowered the fuel-economy average to xv mpg overall, the unladen Titan returned eighteen mpg on our 200-mile highway loop. (As a heavy-duty truck, the XD is exempt from EPA fuel-economy estimates.)
Basic maintenance for the diesel fuel Titan was substantial. Nissan’s service schedule calls for regular checkups every 10,000 miles unless the oil-life monitor inwards the cluster asks for it sooner, equally our hardworking truck’s did. We spent $1634 on iv routine stops, plus a 5th in addition to in conclusion $298 see for novel brake in addition to transmission fluids that should choose been changed yesteryear 2 dissever dealers equally component of the Nissan’s 20K- in addition to 40K-mile jobs.
The XD’s logbook reached peak negativity when the Cummins engine started acting upward to a greater extent than or less 27,000 miles, ultimately stranding us several times. While en route from Ann Arbor to Santa Barbara, California, to squall upward C/D’s flame-painted Mitsubishi Eclipse “GT-R”, the XD limped into an Iowa dealership downwards on mightiness in addition to illuminating a check-engine lite for depression coolant levels. The service desk, determining goose egg serious was amiss, replaced the coolant in addition to erased the codes earlier clearing us to bear on inwards the at ane time seemingly salubrious truck.
It was 2400 miles later, on the render trip inwards the California desert alongside the Mitsu inwards tow, that the same check-engine warning reappeared, which nosotros confirmed alongside an OBD II scanner purchased from an auto parts store (the closest Nissan store was lx miles away). With the in conclusion dealership experience proving uneventful, nosotros felt reasonable inwards repeating the previous receive until the number could last farther investigated dorsum home. In hindsight, given the at ane time chronic coolant loss, nosotros would choose been wiser to seek a instant sentiment from some other Nissan store.
Our optimism ended inwards Nebraska when the truck’s problems went into overdrive, the Titan consuming to a greater extent than coolant earlier limping into some other dealership alongside white fume spewing from its tailpipe. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 kaleidoscope of check-engine warnings pointed to a leaking exhaust-gas-recirculation cooler, which is a rut exchanger that uses engine coolant to cut the temperature of exhaust that is routed dorsum into the combustion chambers to curb NOx emissions. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fuel injector inwards our truck’s engine had also failed—a separate, known employment alongside the Cummins V-8 engine—which the dealer replaced nether warranty along alongside the Titan’s total exhaust system. The service techs also pressure-tested the Cummins’s cooling organisation in addition to EGR rut exchanger but curiously found no evidence of leaks.
We retrieved the truck from Nebraska a calendar week later, returned home, in addition to and thus dispatched it to Virginia International Raceway inwards back upward of our annual Lightning Lap event. The Titan made it to VIR, but the 5.0 began to run crude oil spell at the track, in addition to to a greater extent than engine repairs in addition to inspections parked the XD at diverse Nissan outlets inwards Virginia, Ohio, in addition to Ann Arbor. The truck’s troubled running finally subsided when a novel EGR cooler was installed nether warranty at 36,000 miles—the 6th pit halt related to the master copy problem. While Nissan says that structure of the EGR cooler was beefed upward on diesel fuel XDs built after September 2016, nosotros choose since read of other EGR-related issues from Titan owners on the internet.
Although the malfunction of its Cummins engine in addition to the subsequent problem it took for Nissan’s service network to right it were plenty to earn our long-termer an F on its study card, that employment was simply the in conclusion straw for drivers already frustrated alongside the Titan’s many day-to-day issues. As an extra-large tweener that tin give the axe disappoint fifty-fifty on its practiced days, Nissan’s large rig left us unconvinced that its quasi-heavy-duty niche is actually inwards demand of filling.
Rants & Raves
“It is precisely also large for its ain practiced in addition to actually shows Nissan’s inexperience alongside this shape of vehicle.” —Joseph Capparella
“Just over 8300 miles on the odometer in addition to the power-steering view feels equally if it’s failing.” —Drew Dorian
“This truck is precisely shockingly bad. Previously, I had exclusively been inwards the Titan alongside a trailer attached. Sadly, it drives similar it’s towing fifty-fifty when it’s not.” —Jeff Sabatini
“Over the in conclusion 2 days, I’ve spent 30-plus hours driving the Titan in addition to choose found the seats to last quite comfortable.” —Maxwell Mortimer
“Never choose I jumped into a vehicle this novel in addition to been this unsure of its capabilities to larn inwards habitation issue-free.” —Nathan Petroelje
“This truck feels equally if it’s already falling apart—lots of rattles in addition to vibrations from the interior in addition to we’re non fifty-fifty at 10K miles yet!” —Joseph Capparella
“The Titan makes noises that should choose given Nissan’s NVH engineers fits.” —Josh Jacquot
“Overall, an underwhelming-from-the-ground-up endeavor on a novel full-size pickup.” —Dave VanderWerp
“This transmission is horrible. It feels similar it has a street racer’s shift kit.” —Rusty Blackwell
“I frequently notice myself surprised at how piece of cake it is to jibe a Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado into my daily life. This truck precisely feels unwieldy.” —Annie White
“Access to the bed is hard for people of average height; the easiest means upward is to utilization the nurture tire equally a stool in addition to assay non to rip the crotch out of your pants.” —Rusty Blackwell
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Source : caranddriver