Most common 2004 Nissan Quest problems
Share of the 445 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 →
2004 Nissan Quest recalls (4)
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
On certain Mini vans equipped with a folding third row rear seat, when the third row seat is raised from its stowed position, it engages striker brackets, one on each side of the seat cushion. The fold-away striker loop is welded to a mounting bracket.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the third row seat striker brackets free of charge. The recall began on December 19, 2005. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
On certain Mini vans, there is a seat adjustment mechanism that contains exposed moving components located at the rear inside edge of the second row seat.
Remedy: On earlier model vehicles built through June 28, 2004, dealers will replace the inboard second row seat adjustment handle, rivet a plastic reinforcement to backside of the existing seat back cover carpeting, install…
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain minivans equipped with a power sliding door(s), at an ambient temperature below approximately 40 degrees fahrenheit, the actuator for the power sliding door(s) May experience binding due to an out-of-specification condition.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the actuator for the power sliding door(s). Owner notification began on June 23, 2004. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the advanced air bag requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the air bag for the front passenger seat is to be turned off (so that it does not inflate) when certain occupants, such as small children, are in the front seat.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front passenger seat cushion/sensor assembly. If the seat cushion/sensor is found to be operating improperly, the seat will be removed and recalibrated.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2004 Nissan Quest:
Side air bag non-deployment
The subject vehicles are equipped with optional seat-mounted side air bags.all vehicles are equipped with standard frontal air bags and side air curtains.installation of the incorrect SRS diagnosis sensor unit does not impair deployment of the frontal air bag and side air curtain in the event of a crash.no reports of non-deployment of the subject seat-mounted side air bags have been received by the manufacturer or…
Finger pinch point
Odi has received five reports alleging that the consumer was injured using the vehicle's second-row seat release lever to fold the second row seat.Nissan states, ...the customer operation of the lever in some cases and subsequent orientation of their fingers is different than expected.Nissan also reported additional complaints for a total of 11 injuries.Nissan modified the lever for production twice.the latest…
Power-sliding door opening
In January 2004, Nissan received reports of power sliding doors coming open while driving.Nissan determined that at temperatures below 40 degree f, an out-of-spec door actuator could bind and prevent the door latches from fully engaging.this can lead to the door coming open unexpectedly.Nissan notified NHTSA by letter dated April 1, 2004, that it is conducting a safety recall campaign (NHTSA no.
Finger pinch point
The seat adjustment mechanism contains exposed moving components, located at the rear edge of the second row seat.when the operator attempts to adjust the seat, a finger May be pinched in the moving seat adjustment mechanism.Nissan will conduct a safety recall on an expanded scope of Nissan quest vehicles.on vehicles produced from March 26, 2003 through September 26, 2005, Nissan will rivet a plastic reinforcement…
What 2004 Nissan Quest owners say
Electrical system all 77 →
Car fire. Our minivan was parked, the engine shutoff and the keys were removed from the ignition. The car sat for three hours in very cold weather in a residential neighborhood. Based on the videos, it appears the electrical system started sparking and set the engine area on fire. Eventually the cab was on fire and the entire minivan was burned and completely lost. It took 7 minutes for the fire department to arrive and an additional 11 minutes for the firemen to extinguish the raging fire. All this was caught on a neighbor's security camera. The video files are over 5 mb so this website will not allow me to upload the video files. I should also mention we drove the van earlier in the day without problems.
While applying the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate. Within seconds of parking the vehicle a fire occurred. The vehicle displayed a dangerously slow acceleration as if the transmission was in the wrong gear when trying to accelerate the vehicle. There was also poor fuel economy (11.6 to 12.1 mpg instead of the normal 19-26 mpg). Also, within the first few weeks of ownership, the power sliding door on the right side opened independently on two occasions and failed to open or close on several occasions, there were problems with the control buttons, the radio text display on the dash read malfunction multiple times and sometimes it occured when the engine was started. There was a problem with the catalytic converter.
Transmission & drivetrain all 72 →
On 10/08/2015 - within 10 days after my last servicing thru Nissan dealer I lost transmission on my Nissan Quest 3.5 se model year 2004 with mileage 110000. It was very painful experience as vehicle had to be towed to tom wood dealer where its been replaced at a very high cost from my pocket that I was not prepared. I was surprized on the transmission failure for such a low mileage but more surpise that the dealer could not detect it during multi-point inspection check after every oil change servicing. For the sake of record, I have performed all of the Quest servicing (100%) thru the dealer from where I bought this van initially. Also I had replaced transmission oil at 60K mile servicing that was recommended at that time. This van is well maintained and still got this transmission failure is a surpize and raises concerns to the Nissan dropping quality. …
While driving on the interstate with 2 infants in cars seats as well as 3 other adults the vehicle lost power. It would not accelerate. Within minutes the steering was stiff and was extremely difficult to turn. Pulled off the interstate and onto a side road. The vehicle finallt decellerated to a full stop. Turned it off and restarted a few moments later. Vehicle ran again but no steering. Popped the hood and looked and no power steering fluid in the well. Added fluid and steered OK till 4 blocks from my house at which time the steering acting up again and not accelerating no matter how far you push the pedal. Turned it off and restarted again. Steering not working but accelerated enough to park it at home. Took to my mechanic but says he cannot look at it until Wednesday. Was so scared cause had the grandbabies in the van.
Engine & cooling all 71 →
I entered 14 freeway by sierra hwy entrance, as soon as I got in the fwy and left the pedal gas to slow down to get into traffic my van lost power and the shut off complete, i was very fortunate that it happened at the entrance and the cars behind me were able to stop on time and nobody got hurt, also today as soon I exit the cvs store get in into traffic, 1 minute after the van lost power and got stuck in traffic, this is very scary for me and my kids, my mechanics are not able to find the problem, please help
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Quest. While waiting at a stop light, the engine surged and the vehicle was forced out into a four-way intersection. After a few seconds, the engine went back to idling normally. On February 9, 2015, while waiting at a restaurant drive thru, the engine surged forward while the brakes were engaged and crashed into the preceding vehicle. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000. The consumer stated on three occasions, the engine revved, and lunged forward as he was braking, causing him to loose control of the vehicle which resulted in him hitting a handicap parking sign. …
2004 Nissan Quest engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Nissan Quest a good car?
Based on 445 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Quest rates avoid: 7.8× 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 2004 Nissan Quest?
The electrical system — 77 complaints, 17% of all complaints for this model year, most often about wiring. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (72) and engine & cooling (71).
How many recalls does the 2004 Nissan Quest have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2004 Nissan Quest, the most recent from October 17, 2005 (mid/rear 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 2004 Nissan Quest problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 54% 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.