Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems

sopman

About the rear hatch not going up all the way. See message 548 for an explanation.

edmund101

Max,

Quest will have a short production run for 2002 and will be back again on 2004 (actually May of 2003 since Nissan is the first to bring in the new cars). It will be an all Japanese Engine and tansmission however the Cabin will be designed by Renault. Renault is expert in space effeciency and they know how to take advantage of nook and crannies. Also the headlights & grill,bumpers will be European. Will have side airbages and maby curtains too like the Mercedes. If you check the Escape URL you will get an idea. Renault Van have done very good in Europe(#1 for 2 years in a row). Sounds like it will be very hot Van when it comes out. Check this site for preview:

http://www.renault.com/gb/produits/espace.htm

akangl

Well, I finally found out why my Quest's transmission has been shifting erratically. It kind of let me know in a not too nice way. I drove my son to school this morning and then ran a couple more errands, after the second stop I headed back out onto the highway and started to accelerate, I wasn't paying too much attention to the van until I noticed that the engine sounded rather loud. It was then that I glanced at the tach and noticed it was running at 5,000 rpms........at 45 mph!! I tried slowing down and going again but the van still refused to shift. So, I used a Ford Windstar trick (yes I used to own one) and stopped put the van in park and shut it off and restarted it. After that is would shift but not very well. Took it to the dealer figuring they wouldn't be able to duplicate the problem, but bless the van's heart it showed Chuck what was wrong. It was the revolution sensor in the transmission and of course they had to order the part. Chuck told me the van is fine to drive and it will probably continue to act up but the part will be here in a couple days. Ah, the joys of a first year redesign.

dhoff

Sorry I didn't get back sooner. I've sworn off the internet at work so I can actually get work done. So far it's working.

What you will need is a phillips head screwdriver, a pair of pliers, an old toothbrush and a can of spray throttle body/air intake cleaner. Make sure it is sensor safe. It will say on the can if it is.

Start by removing the air filter. This is a good time to change it if it is dirty. Then remove the black rubber hose leading from the air filter to the throttle body by loosening the clamp at the end. You will also have to disconnect a couple of other lines that lead into this using the pliers.

Then (with the engine off) spray the cleaner into the throttle body while holding the throttle plate open. (It's a good idea to wear eye protection while doing this - is smells vicious! I also wear latex gloves to keep it off my skin.) Take the old toothbrush and scrub inside the TB and both sides of the plate.

Once it's cleaned up, button everything back up (make sure everything is connected) and start the engine. It will crank for a while, and run rough for a little while, that's normal.

I've done this about every 10,000 miles on my 99 Quest. It may be related to the fuel we use. We always get gas from the same chain. If there were any ohter station conveniently located, I would switch brands. But PDQ has a lock on this market!

Dave

maxdriver

Thanks for the info on Nissan's plans for the Quest!

sam7068

I do sympathize with you, however I haven't seen anywhere in your posting that you have tried to sell your vehicle? You know if you try to sell it to perpective buyers in your local newspaper you can easily get your money back. I have been driving Nissan for 22 Years and never had any problems and when I sold the cars (Just sold a '91 Altima XE with 111k for 4K.(slightly over retail)allways got more money than expected. Currently I own '92 300zx, 2001 Quest and 2000 crew cab. The only money I have spent so far on any Nissan has been for Oil change and tires. I strongly suggest you try the local newspapers and sell your car and buy another name brand. I am sure every brand has a lemon once in a while.

sam7068

I meant I sold '91 Stanza last week for 4K not an Altima!!!

mrugshal

Trou, I have 2000-Quest and have the same problem with steering. Dealer is trying to fix it but I am not hopeful they will be able to. I also have a clanking noise in transmission when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. They say this is normal !! Pasanger side sliding door rattles too. Really a piece of junk. mrugshal@hotmail.com.

trou

I am glad we are not the only ones that feel this van is a piece of junk. I am so tried of the service dept telling us that a problem is "normal". This isn't our first van but our first quest (and our last) we have never had as many things go wrong. The workmanship in our van is poor to say the least. I had molding come off in my hand, molding come off the sliding door. the air bag cover lift, the turn signal doesn't stay down when the wheel is turned only slightly ( I am told this is normal I only hope that I don't have somebody slam the back of this van while I am fighting with the signal to stay down) and of course the noise in the steering wheel. If you have read earlier comments you will know the major repairs to the transmission, axle and motor mounts. Over the last few weeks it has made a intermited noise in the brake area not one you would expect when you need brakes. We have had enough. Nissan has been the worst company to deal with (actually they don't want to discuss . Its their way or no way). Good Luck (you will need it)

mrperfect

I guess there are lemons built with every van, however, if you go over and look at the Honda van forum, you will come back and kiss your Quest. S'funny, I have 20,000 miles om my 1999 and NO problems have surfaced. Did you buy a demo orused van?

mrugshal

Trou,

I read your message on other board that you were trying for Lemon Law protection. Any luck? I am trying the same. Can we get in touch over email? mrugshal@hotmail.com

kamalee

have a 2000 Quest and is 5 months old, Nissan offer me Security+, at $1000, I can have a 6 years/75,000 miles Silver Protection Plan.
Have anyone have trouble with Silver Protection Plan from Nissan?
Are there any other better deal?
Should I go for 7 years?

Thank you for those who gives me comments.

stever

Isn't there a 5 year, 60,000 mile manufacturer's powertrain warranty already?

Steve
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cutnfun

Hi! I have a 95 Quest and have had a problem that no one can diagnose. On 3 seperate occasions my engine has just turned off on the freeway. The first time was at about 10K miles and we had been driving in the heat, air on for hours, climbing altitude, etc. The 2nd time was about 90K mi later on a VERY hot day (116 deg) and the air had been on for 2.5 hours. The last time was just recently but it wasn't too hot (only about 80 deg) but the air had been on about 1.5 hours. The engine just dies. If I wait a bit, I can restart the car and drive a few miles until it dies again. If I let the car completely cool down it drives just fine. This problem hasn't left a code and the service people can't duplicate the problem. Any one out there had a similar problem? If so, what did you do? Thanks in advance!

Carrie

mrperfect

This is an old problem with a lot of cars. Either the fuel filter is clogged or your electric fuel pump is defective, it should be simple for the dealer to find. have him check fel\ul pressure and flow. Since the fuel pump is buried in the gas tank, they do NT want to relace it.

anasyst

An unusual thing happened to my van today, shortly after parking it, the passenger side window shattered, seemingly on its own. It made a loud popping noise and then crumbled into thousands of tiny pieces. The window was fully rolled up and a car was parked closely next to mine on the passenger side, thus I'm almost certain nothing hit it.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience or know what could cause such a phenomenon?

Thanks for your input.

stever

I have heard of similar instances, with lots of different theories as to why they self-destruct (side windows, front windows, rear windows, etc.).

Anyone else?

Steve
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mrperfect

All curved modern window glaas is under internal tension...part fo the manufacturing proces and the making of the glass and layer inserts. I have seen this happen once and saw the aftermath of it a number of times. The stress gets too much interior to the glass and it shatters...glass replacement companies are very familiar to this scenario as well as any insurance company.

tika2

Does anyone know of a center console that can be added to a Quest that's not a TV/VCR console, especially one with a trash container?

I have just joined the ranks of Quest owners, having just purchased a wedgewood blue 1999 GLE with 21,000 miles for $12,600. Before buying it, I read through the messages posted here (all 600 of them!) so I know some of the things to watch out for: As far as I can tell, my middle bench seat does not shake noticeably. And according to the Nissan customer service computer, my wiper switch and tail light assembly have been replaced. I paid a Nissan dealer to give the vehicle a complete check-up before I bought it. Except for some very dusty rear brakes and loose mud splash guards, the mechanic found no major problems to be concerned about. (Those could be explained by the fact that this vehicle started its life in Arizona and Texas.)

I picked the Quest because I like how comfortable it is to ride in and to drive. I test-drove all 10 models of 2 to 3-year-old minivans before I picked the Quest, and I fell in love with its feel as soon as I drove it. It feels much more stable compared to the Odyssey and Sienna, which both feel like riding an elephant on a rollerskate the way they sway back and forth on quick curves. I also picked it for the removable seats and 4th door. (I had to spend a bit more to get a 1999 to get those features.) Since my husband and I exhibit at lots of trade shows for our business we need to haul a lot of items to furnish our booths. (No kids yet, but now with a van we have room for some.) We are planning a second honeymoon next August -- a repeat of our first one 10 years ago -- driving from California to Wyoming and through 8 Western states. We hope our new van will give us a great trip.

I also have a message for Dave (dhoff #502) regarding the horrid smelling A/C. There is product made from natural herbs which can be sprayed into the system to disinfect all the "yeasties and beasties" living in it. Works on window A/Cs too. Let me know if you would like more information.

Tika

cookie22

I built my own console for my Van. I even put carpet on top so my little dog has a place to sit. Works good too. Lid lifts up for storage.

tika2

Thank you cookie22, but I'm actually more interested in buying a pre-made console than in building one myself. I'll see if anyone else has any ideas here. If not, I might be asking you if you are willing to share your plans.

mrperfect

Some are available at JC Whitney on the internet. I see them at Costco ansd Sams -- about $49 - $69. They are around just go out to look for them. The internet may show ypou a lot more places.

cutnfun

Hi Tika,

I purchased a console at Costco (I'm fairly certain) for my Quest. It's been great! It comes with 2 cup holder, a little flip up place for glasses, a deeper console for trash if you'd like (I put CD's and all kinds of stuff in it) and a few other little odds and ends holders. It fits perfectly between the 2 front seats. I've tried to transfer it to my new Caravan but it is too loose. I worry about it coming loose and hurting someone in the event of an accident.

And, thank you mrperfect for your input about the fuel pump. I asked the Nissan guy about that and he said that if it was the fuel pump it would be acting up more frequently. However, it is possible there is something wrong in the electronics part of it that acts up when my car heats up. Who knows?! I have it in the shop right now (getting that check engine light to turn off) and I'll call and have him do a check with the fuel pump and see what he comes up with. We are getting ready to sell the van and want to get this problem fixed before we hand it over to anyone.

Thanks again!

Carrie (proud new owner of a Dodge Grand Caravan)

dhoff

I like the sound of this herbal remedy. Is it available at any auto parts stores?

Regarding the center console, I was at Big K earlier this week and saw one there that looked like it would fit perfectly. It had a storage compartment in the top with a door. It was even a gray color that looked like it would match the interior (if that's what you have). Didn't look at the price.

Cutnfun, it's either a fuel delivery or electrical problem (just call me Mr. Obvious). Too bad it didn't store an error code when it quit. Just to help narrow it down, does it jsut suddenly die or does it sputter or miss a bit before it cuts out? If it's really sudden, I think it would more likely be electrical. Let us know what happens.

Dave

AltimaMan

Has anyone heard about the Marketing Assistance - MA line item on a dealer invoice. The Sales Consultant is saying that Nissan is charging the dealer this cost and must pass it on. He even faxed me the invoice with the charged circled. Has anyone encountered this before?

Help!

AltimaMan

srg3

Thanks to dc52 for posting #557 Dec 16, 2000. I too was fighting this intermittent stall problem (first drive of the day usually). I've a friend who traded his van and I've read numberous posts here and elsewhere over this same condition . I too had many of the same things replaced or suggested to replace (I addressed these in other postings...electrical, fuel pump, fuel filter, idle air valves, knock sensor etc) I followed your advice and replaced the fuel pressure regulator. The stalling has ceased!!! Nissan had told the dealer to check this previously; by inspecting the vacum hose that connects to the regulator and looking for "gas" that might have passed through a pin hole in the diaphram. Nissan's thought was the engine's heat might cause a very small pin hole in the diaphram element to self seal after the engine warmed up. The dealer said everything was OK and I too checked it, but obviously not OK. I'd also recommend if you have a reliable mechanic, have em do it. I did the repair myself...looks simple, but because of the orientation of the part I ended up removing the fuel rail and a few other things..real pain for my and my fat fingers. Thanks again and as you said - Definitely worth taking a shot for the price.

mmonroe53

Hi! This is my first time posting here. I've been researching information on my 95 Nissan Quest. I too have been having this same stalling problem with my van. Hot temperatures seem to make it worse. I've brought it into the shop several times over the last three years and no one can pinpoint the problem! I've called Nissan a dozen of times to talk to a service rep. about this, telling them the problem and leaving my name and number. I've never had a returned phone call. I also had a male friend call, thinking this would help me to get a response, but, still nothing!!! This past week, it was only about 75 degrees, and I was stuck in traffic because of an accident and Here we go again!!! It killed on me and the engine light came on. I let it cool off and could drive a few blocks more and then the same thing! I left it parked at a friends house over the weekend(thankfully it stopped close to someone that I knew) until I could get it to the shop and when I went to pick it up, it ran fine! All the way to the shop, no problems! They have been having it 2 days now and they can't seem to find the problem! They have been running it non stop to see if it will act up and guess what? Its not doing anything wrong!!!

Can someone please help me with this? Is there a recall or something out there that I don't know about? If other people are having the same problem with the same van, same year??????? If so, then something must be done! If anyone knows anything about this or how to find out about these kinds of things, please let me know!

I would love to sell it and get something newer, but my husband just bought a new Nissan Frontier, so I really don't want to have two notes to pay. I really need to get this problem solved!
Do you think Nissan is covering something up???

Thanks in advance for any responses!!!!

Susan

mrperfect

Failure of these items can drive you nuts. The mechanic that said it would fail more often is dead wrong and so could you if it fails in heavy traffic or an emergency manuveur. I had a friend who actually traded in a car that had interrmittent stalling. I used to be a passenger of his on the way to work --- we even stalled in the middle of one of the Philly bridges. When he took his new car in for its first service, he noted his old car was parked in back by one of the mechanics. When he laughed at the mechanic, the mechanic justs chuckled and said -- fuel pump.
I also had the same intermittent problem a few years later and had to tell the Pontiac dealer what to replace. Have seen caddys, Lincolns, Mazdas, also with the same problem. It is a bear to convince half-trained mechanics what to replace. Even if you have to pay for it yourself, fixing the auto is the primary thing -- who cares why they fail. Many ford products have the fuel filter clamped to the frame under the rear of the car -- talk about out of sight, out of mind.:-)

darioc

Has anyone heard anymore about a dampener kit being developed by Nissan to respond to the shaking mid-row captains chairs. There was some discussion some time ago and my service manager had commented that Nissan tech-line had confirmed this.
My full load '99 SE is about 15 months into its warrantee - seats still shake miserably - still as far as i'm concerned a potential safety issue.

ccl088

Has anyone had this happen on their Quest?This doesn't happen EVERY time I go to start it. You turn the key like normal and the engine spins over like normal and then just before it starts there is a loud BANG or KNOCK and then it starts and runs fine. Like I said,this doesn't happen all the time but when it does,it is aggravating!!If you don't know what I am taking about listen to your engine when you start it you might hear it sometime.

Chris

frank2001

Sounds like a fuel pump cloged up or low octain gas. Try putting Premium gas on your next two fill ups and see if that would get rid of your noise. Do you live in a cold climate? Is your van garaged?

gty1

Today I took my Quest van in because the right rear brake light only worked occasionally. They replaced the sockets and sent me on my way. (Also, I will add that while I was at the shop I had the transmission serviced and the fuel tank vent hose recall work preformed.) Anyway, after I left, I noticed something strange happening. Now, when I hit the brakes, on occasion, the parking lights will also come on. It is not doing this all of the time, and there does not appear to be a pattern to the problem. Also, when I get out of the van, I get a nice little shock if I touch the side of the van or the door. Any ideas on what my dealer did wrong? The technician thinks it is the brake light switch on the brake pedal, and they are willing it replace it for free to keep me happy, but this problems sounds like more than a switch. Could it be a grounding problem? Any ideas appreciated.

Greg

akangl

My 99 Quest SE had the same problem, step on the brakes and get parking lights, turn on the parking lights and get brake lights. It was like that for almost a month and did damage to the taillight sockets and bulbs. My Quest would also shock me if I touched it anywhere on the metal after I got out. It turned out to be a connector was rubbing another wire and it had reversed the brake/parking light circuits. In my case I was lucky I didn't have a marshmellow roast on the side of the road. I no longer own this van, the problems got to be too great and I didn't like the idea of living at the service department. Good luck with yours.

tika2

To dhoff regarding the herbal remedy for foul smelling air conditioning units: The product is a pump spray called Herbasceptic by NOW products. It is extracted from grapefruit seeds, known to have strong natural antisceptic properties. When sprayed repeatedly into a/c systems over a period of time it will kill off the mildew living in it. It is not available in auto parts stores, but I got mine from Altius Holistic Center, 26 W. Montecito Ave. Sierra Madre, CA 91024. ($4.95 for 4 oz. bottle). I'm sure they would send you some by mail if you also included something for shipping.

Thank you to you and others who have commented on various center consoles. I found a very nice heavy-duty one made from wood (not plastic) through the Herrington catalog.

kingcooker

I have a "98" Nissan Quest and the door locks keep unlocking themselves. It also has the security system. We have had it into the dealer to be fixed 2 times and they can't seem to find the problem ( it is still under warranty). Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it?

mrperfect

Go to another dealer. there has been a TSB out for the last two years that exactly identifies the fix. Sounds like you have reached a very stupid dealer maintenance staff. The switches (lock/unlock) in BOTH front doors are probably defective and need replacing under warranty -- as described in the TSB (Technical Service Bulletin).

urw

I have just bought a 1996 Quest. Love it, but the brake paddle has begun to make noises, as though it has a hinge that needs grease.
Anyone out there with this problem?

kingcooker

Sorry I didn't tell you that the dealer has replaced the lock on drivers door twice and the passenger door once, still unlocking. We had also taken it to the dealer a year ago because it was locking on it own, they didn't find the problem. After a few days it quit locking itself and everything worked fine until this year. I was wondering if the security system is part of it. You can also hear a clicking sound in the dash area if your in it setting still or going down the road. Thank you for any advice anyone could give me.

shanton

I love my '94 Quest and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Renault/Nissan remodel. My Quest is the "stripped" base model with tow package (alloy wheels, rear stabilizer bar, full-size spare tire, larger radiator) and it's a nice little vehicle. I will buy another Nissan because I really like the way I'm treated at the Vallejo, CA Nissan service department.
I am having a problem with the van hesitating, usually when I first drive the car after a resting period, but not consistenly--maybe once a day. There's also sometimes a bad exhaust smell in the cab (!) when the heater is on. And, the O2 sensor is tripping the check engine light, though the O2 sensor is fine. I've got 107,000 very reliable miles on the van. The last technician I spoke with mentioned that my catalytic converter "might not be as good as it used to be." I know nothing about catalytic converters. Would problems with the CC cause symptoms like mine??
BTW, after checking your site, and lemonaid.com, I did decide to press Nissan and got them to pay $316 in parts for the replacement of my exhaust manifold. They had to drill out 3 broken bolts. I'm hoping they'll pay the $53 I paid to have my breather hose replaced just prior to the recall (of which I have not been officially notified...) Thanks!!

ancay

I have a 2000 Quest. One month after purchasing it, the horn broke. Since the horn is on the same electrical circut as the cruise control and the alarm system, they stopped working too. After the repair, the same problem occured five more times and the dealer was not able to fix it. Currently, I am in the process of a court dispute with NISSAN according to the Lemon Law. Has anyone had a similar technical problem?

nichols183

I have 1999 Quest, the throttle was sticking. The dealer offered to repair it for $90.

I bought a $3.97 can of throttle body cleaner and followed the directions. I have not had a problem in the past 1000 miles. Larry

stever

That seems to be a problem for a few folks around here (dhoff, etc.). Here's a link.

Steve
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roadrunner44

Just bought a 99 Villager Sport, and love it. Dealer is working on a flaw in the autolamp system--lights won't come on automatically, but the dome lights come on whenever they want. Weird!

Main complaint is mileage. Can't get up over 21.5 on highway @ 7o mph, steady foot. Is this normal for the new 3.3? Met a man the other day with a 3.0 (assume he's honest) says he gets 27-28. Best I can get goi

akangl

I just recently got rid of a 99 Nissan Quest SE, best highway mileage I ever got out of it was 24 mpg and that was using cruise control at 65 mph. Sorry to say I don't think the new Quest/Villager twins are known for outstanding gas mileage.

stever

The lifetime mileage on our '99 Quest GXE (3.3) is ~20.8. Best highway tank was 29; usual is more like 23. Town driving runs around 18. Stay tuned for my 50k update in a week or so :-)

Steve
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stevenb1

Hey good people, I need some info and advice. I own a '94 Quest that until recently as a great van. At about 100K, the crankshaft broke, resulting in a repair near $5K. Three weeks after I got it out of the shop, the transmission went out, costing another $2500. Here are my my questions. Have any of you Quest owners had the same problems? I understand there was a technical service bulletin put out on the Quest crankshaft for model years 93-96. Does anyone know how to find it? Finally, is there any recourse I have with Nissan to recover some of the $$$ I had to put out?

dhoff

The best I have ever got was 23.something, not quite 24, with our 99 Quest. This was for highway driving, around 60-65 mph. I've found that we usually get around 20-22 on the freeway (70-75 mph).

27-28? I kind of doubt that. Maybe drafting behind a semi. :-) May have been the kind of people that figure their gas mileage by looking at the gas gauge rather than how much gas they actually pump in.

Did you really get 29 once Steve? Are you sure you didn't put $5 worth in the tank and forgot about it? ;-) Heck, I get 29 mpg in my Nissan NX. 1.6l 4 cylinder, 5 speed, frontal area about 1/3 of a Quest... I suppose it's possible. I'd be really skeptical if someone claimed to be getting that consistently.

Dave

dhoff

You need to subsucribe to the VillagerQuest mailing list on Yahoo groups and check the archives. Someone on that list just had a similar thing happen. They had their accessory belts changed or tightened by the dealer. The crankshaft broke after that, and they were able to get the engine repair covered.

As far as the transmission goes, in a few years of monitoring everything I can find on the internet about these vans, I have heard of very few transmission problems with them. That's not to say there are none, but compared to the others, not many at all. I know that is of little consolation to you though. I suppose it is possible the tranny failure could have been related to the engine repair, if they connected something wrong or something.

As far as trying to get some of this covered, do some reearch first. Check Alldada for TSB's. They can be purchased online. I'm sure you will find something on the crankshaft there. Once you find the info, take it to your dealer and let them know that you know there was a known problem with these engines, and you'd like the repair covered. Try to be firm and polite, and don't lose your cool, because the dealer will have to contact Nissan for you and it would be good to have them on your side.

I wish you luck on this. That's a whole lot of cash to pay out for repairs. Let us know what happens.

Dave

cookie22

Awhile back I wrote about a problem with my left front wheel. Problem was : when I make a right turn onto a street with a gutter and the left wheel is forced up and down there is a gruntig sound like the tire is rubbing against the fender well. To-day the dealer finally figured out that the bushings on the sway bar was bad,so he has ordered the part and hopfully that will take care of it. It took a couple trips to the dealer with several posts from this group to get the job done . TIA

stever

Dave, how's life in Madison?

I got 29.9 on one tank calculated after putting 10.5 gallons in at 31,166 miles on 11/26/99. My figures never lie:-)

I got 10.3 on a 16.2 gal. fillup at 28,533 miles on 11/10/99, but I think that was an anomaly, lol.

stevenb1; here's the link to the VillagerQuest group. I think it's a public group so you can search the archives without having to join if you don't wish to.

Steve
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