Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2 | 17% | 0 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 6% | 64,000 miles |
| 2012 | 15 | 16% | 30,000 miles |
| 2011 | 15 | 23% | 8,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 14% | 84,000 miles |
| 2008 | 6 | 12% | 86,000 miles |
| 2007 | 50 | 22% | 103,000 miles |
| 2006 | 12 | 16% | 47,000 miles |
| 2005 | 20 | 24% | 85,000 miles |
| 2004 | 71 | 16% | 84,000 miles |
| 2002 | 4 | 14% | 12,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 7% | 145,000 miles |
| 2000 | 9 | 10% | 79,000 miles |
| 1999 | 8 | 7% | 73,000 miles |
| 1998 | 3 | 7% | 75,000 miles |
| 1997 | 9 | 10% | 58,000 miles |
| 1996 | 15 | 11% | 68,000 miles |
| 1995 | 42 | 25% | 89,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchased the van and noticed that at times it would suddenly de-accelerate and drop from whatever speed im doing and refuse to speed up even if I press the gas peddle to the floor. Id come up to a stop sign and stop, then at times it wouldnt accelerate, even with the peddle to the floor, it would barely move forward. I brought it back to the person I purchased it from tried to describe what happened, they had someone check the transmission and said it was fine. Its continued to do this, and has almost caused crashes because it does it periodically and without warning on inclines, at red lights, if I driven a long distance (i.e. 1hr or so) etc, and when stopped. Its done this especially when it comes to hills, its terrifying but I have no other vehicles and now only drive it locally, avoid hills, and only if I absolutely have to. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 Nissan Quest. The contact stated while his son was driving at approximately 65 MPH, an explosion was heard in the engine compartment and black smoke was seen coming from the rear of the vehicle. The driver stopped on the side of the highway and the family exited safely however smoke filled the inside of the vehicle immediately when the doors were opened. The contact stated that the family members noticed that the engine compartment was on fire as flames were exiting the front of the vehicle. The sheriff attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher however was unable to. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The contact stated more than half of the vehicle was on fire. The contact was unaware if a fire or police department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. …
The electrical system failed that connected the radio, navigation system and back up camera around four to five months after receiving bill of sale. When parked or stopped the vehicle stalls by dimming of lights and making a kind of stalling sound. The windows sometimes tend to slowly wind up or down(electrical). My safety and that of others were put at risk because of the electrical issues and so the vehicle is notable to perform at the level it should. The vehicle was inspected by a certified auto mechanic and was confirmed that it was an electrical issue. No warning was detected that i am aware of.
3.5 l motor has unusually high oil consumption and pinging was noticed years ago when vehicle was brought in for recall and notified service advisers but they paid no attention to it saying nothing could be found. There is no oil pressure gauge to alert driver of low oil pressure. Check engine icon comes on but doesn't alert driver as to what the problem is. Vehicle in question was taken in for oil change months ago and was told there was very little oil but there were no warnings detected and there are no known oil leaks. Checked oil level when the check engine icon came on again and topped off oil level to safe amount and the next day it came back on again with no warning signs of a very unsafe oil level(oil was not present on the dipstick). Mileage for vehicle is around 70K+. …
Was told by the dealer that the front engine mount needs to be replaced, as it was starting to wear. The engine was not moving at all at this time. In December 2014 was told again of the engine mount at the dealer (engine still not moving). Spoke with mechanic regarding issue and why he thinks it needs replacing. I was shown by the mechanic why he thinks it needed to be replaced. I told the mechanic and the service personnel that within all the years of my driving and that with all the vehicles I have owned I have never replaced an engine mount. Ask mechanic if this was an issue with all Nissan's or just the Quest, the response I received was only the Quest.
All four motor mounts have gone out within the year. During one instance 3 mounts went out at once. I was driving down the highway when I heard clanking noise. I immediately took the car into the shop. While there I was told this is a common problem with this model.
While the engine was on and the car in drive, but stopped with my foot on the brake, the engine unexpectedly revved up to about 6000 RPM. The first time was about 2 months ago, in a parking lot. I thought perhaps I had inadvertently pressed the accelerator while my foot was on the brake. Two days ago it happened again. This time I had driven about half a mile, stopped the car for a couple of minutes, and when I started again the engine raced once it was put in gear. I had to turn it off and then on 3 times for it to come back to normal. Yesterday I drove about one mile to a traffic light, and while I was stopped waiting for the light to change the car started to rev high and move into the intersection until I moved it out of drive. I had to shut off and restart for it to return to normal. …
On June 26th 2013 the vehicle experienced total loss of power while driving and there was a corresponding strong electrical burning smell. Fortunately the vehicle was able coast off the main road and the family was able to exit safely. No fire started but car would not restart. Car was towed to Nissan where they identified the problem as the ground battery cable being pulled off the transmission mounting point. The battery cable was replaced with a modified design that prevents this from occurring, the damage caused by the ground wire breaking was $2,871 which included the ground wire, 6 ignition coils, ECM, ipdm and labor. There is a TSB ntb06-075 for Quest models 2004-2007, however the 2008 had the same design as indicated in the TSB. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Quest years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (71), 2007 (50), 1995 (42), 2005 (20) and 1996 (15) model years. Engine complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Nissan Quest engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Nissan Quest model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Nissan Quest engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles; 27% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (35 mentions), followed by the exhaust system (18).
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.