NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE23-020: Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE23-020 on November 15, 2023 and closed it on June 27, 2025. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Nissan Titan and Titan XD for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE23-020 (also written PE23020)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed June 27, 2025
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Nissan North America, Inc.
- Components
- Engine; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Diesel
- Vehicles and equipment
- Nissan Titan and Titan XD
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE23-020.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
On November 15, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE23020 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2016 through 2019 Nissan Titan XD trucks equipped with 5.0L Cummins diesel engines. The complaints allege the condition was due to a failure of the engine crankshaft. The purpose of the investigation was to understand the scope, frequency, and safety related consequence of the alleged defect. During the investigation, it was found that the subject vehicles can experience a loss of motive power due to a failure of the crankshaft main bearings which can lead to a fractured crankshaft. This resulted in a loss of motive power and an inability to restart. An analysis of all complaint sources shows many vehicles exhibit knocking, vibration, malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) warnings, and/or poor engine performance prior to a total failure. Some consumers report driving their truck in for repairs only to be diagnosed with a failed crankshaft. ODI has not identified any injuries or fires attributable to this failure. ODI is aware of one complaint alleging a non-injury crash involving a curb strike. ODI is also aware of complaints of overheating starter motors and melted starter motor wiring occurring after prolonged attempts to start engines that have suffered a broken crankshaft. In its response to ODI's January 26, 2024 information request letter, Nissan provided information detailing several material and process changes involved in the production of the subject vehicle’s engine.
These changes appear to coincide with incremental improvements in failure rates but there is no indication that a single factor was the primary cause of the failures. Analysis of ODI consumer complaints and manufacturer provided data found that failure rates decreased progressively for each model year. Review of failure mileage found that 50% of the failures occurred by 60,000 miles with a significant decrease in failures after 80,000 miles. Assuming average yearly mileage driven, the newest model year trucks (2019) would be near or past peak failure mileage. Given the low failure rate, the observable warnings available to the driver, and much of the fleet being past peak failure mileage, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation with no further action. The closing of the investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a defect does not exist, and NHTSA will take further action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE23-020. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Nissan
All Nissan recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Nissan VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE23-020
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.