Most common 1997 Nissan Quest problems
Share of the 89 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Quest complaints by model year
Best Quest years: 2017, 2015, 2016. Years to avoid: 2004, 2007, 2012, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1997 Nissan Quest recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: minivans. The fuel tank vent hose allows air to vent from the fuel tank during refueling. Cracks have developed in the vent hose. If (1) the fuel tank is overfilled, not allowing excess fuel in the vent hose to flow back into the tank, (2) the vehicle is driven only a short distance after refueling and, (3)…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the vent hose.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
Vehicle description: passenger Mini vans equipped with automotive batteries supplied by gnb technologies. These batteries have a defective negative post that can cause acid leakage and related corrosion damage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these batteries. Until a new battery is obtained, owners should not attempt to "jump start" these batteries.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1997 Nissan Quest:
Unexpected opening on sliding door
There is no summary currently available
Fuel tank vent hose leakage
Periodic exposure to liquid gasoline May result in extraction of antidegradants from the subject fuel tank vent hose.hoses which have suffered loss of antidegradant can develop cracks in areas of high strain.fuel May spray or drip from cracked vent hoses following tank fill.starting at job#1 1998 my (california emissions vehicles) and job#1 1999 my (federal emissions vehicles), the subject vent hose composition…
What 1997 Nissan Quest owners say
Body & structure
Manufacturer refused to investigate why the consumer's vehicle stalled. The vehicle would stall without cause. The mechanics could not find the problem. The consumer request to be reimbursed for the repair costs, economic losses, and loss of transportation. Other problem are as followed: the engine would come on along with the vehicle dying out, output shaft leak, brake leakage, A/C did not blow cold, power antenna made noises when in use, the sunroof leaked water, right rear wheel leaked fluid, and there was leak coming form the left axle area. The service dealer found the positioning cable was not making connection and the fuse links did not make a connection, the A/C remained blowing cold after 2 hoses had been replaced. The A/C compressor was coming apart internally causing metal to release throughout the system.
During a vehicle crash the window and door locks malfucntioned while being in a "locked" position, and the occupant wasn't able to get out of the vehicle, had to go through a broken window to get out.
Electrical system
While the vehicle was parked the consumer heard the vehicles horn blowing and went to see what the problem was. Upon reaching the vehicle the consumer saw smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The insurance investigator indicated that the wire within the engine loom shorted and melted other wires in the loom,which caused the smoke. On a separate occasion the 10 amp fuse blew causing the vehicles dash indicators (speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge) to stop working. The vehicle has been plagued with multiple electrical failures
I have had multiple issues with the electrical system in this van. Various lights will come on when I turn on the operating lights at night, but some will randomly not work. For example, the lights on the heater will sometimes come on if I push buttons up and down the panel, or turn the fan off and on. Sometimes I can get the lights on the am/fm cassette to come on if I push various buttons for the radio stations. The lights on the dashboard have gone out completely by degrees. I currently have a dark dashboard. These problems started happening the day I bought this vehicle used, and I took it back to somersworth Nissan (in somersworth, new hampshire) where I bought it. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl contact owns a 1997 Nissan Quest caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire, but the vehicle was completely destroyed. A fire report was filed and the contact has pictures of the failure. Two days later, she received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 00V419001 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly). The dealer stated that they did not store recall information exceeding the year 2000. The contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure and current mileages were 119,747. Updated 07/15/08. Updated 07/15/08 the consumer stated after she exited the vehicle, her son informed her the vehicle was smoking. Updated 10/22/08.
I just wanted to state that I have identified with most of the failure problems that are listed on the complaint page. The right rear seat belt has failed, it will not pullout or retract, and no one cause this problem, it is a malfunction of the saet belt. There is a significant fuel odor in the van from time to time, no particular time noted. The sliding door does not lock and unlock properly, and it will lock by itself and stick, also it will not stay in the open position consistantly.my brake pads are going out, it May just be normal wear and tear, but they seemed to go out all of a sudden. In general it makes all kinds of whistling, grinding and bumping noises when driving.
1997 Nissan Quest engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Nissan Quest a good car?
Based on 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Quest rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Quest at the same age. It is one of the Quest years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Nissan Quest?
The body & structure — 16 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body › door. Next are the electrical system (14) and fuel & propulsion system (11).
How many recalls does the 1997 Nissan Quest have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Nissan Quest, the most recent from December 15, 2000 (tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Quest?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2015 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2007, 2012, 1995 and 1996. See the full Nissan Quest years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Nissan Quest problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 17% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.