Instructions from Audiovox say to use cigarette lighter ... can't be more straight forward than that. Nissan does NOT have any recommended procedure. That is why the Audiovox is delievred to your door. New 2000 Quest will have factory installed TV/VCRs. I would imagine that Nissan will back them with the Nissan Warranty. One thing many people forget...ALL warranties are limited warranties and a lot depends on the dealer and customer demeanor. OK..what does a dead horse sell for? ......
Have a 1996 Quest with 14000 miles. Had only electrical problems in the past. After about 6 hours of interstate driving, stopping every other hour for a few minutes, van had a loud whine after restarting. Whine lasted 5-10 minutes and letting up on accelerator stopped it. This happened after the last three stops of the journey. No longer hearing the whine with normal city driving. Seems to be related to the hard driving. Transmission fluid is ok. Any ideas?
My dealer confirmed that there is in fact, a mysterious wiper swipe problem that occurs just after using the turn signal. The wipers will then swipe a single time. This is unreproducable, yet, the problem resides in the Ford electricals. Ford has fixed this problem in their Explorer models and is working on a fix for the Quests. Repairs will apparently be made to those individuals who report the problem, not thru a recall. I do not know if the fix is available yet. I do have the problem and plan to ask to have it fixed the next time my car needs service. Good luck!
I haven't had the wiper swipe problem (knock on wood). But it seems to me that it should be a simple fix. It's got to be either in the wiring in the steering column or wiper stalk, or in the stalk/switch assembly itself. Hopefully they will come up with a fix soon. I have seen a lot of Quest and Villager owners complaining of this problem.
93 Quest manifold bolts - I have had one bolt replaced by a dealer since a local mechanic would not touch since it was such a difficult job - he mentioned that it was a defect that is not being ack. by Nissan. Has anyone heard of this?
The wiper swipe problem is caused by a faulty combination swith.I had the problem and heard about it somewhere on the net {most likely here} and I had to explain to the dealer what was causing the problem , of course they claimed that Nissan know nothing about it while Mercury had already put out a service notice on it.They claimed that Nissan would not pay for the fix until they had a sufficient amount of complaints about the problem. Since having the switch replaced I have not noticed the "swipe" anymore!!
The dealer had the van for two days. The seat lever is on order, but they replaced the wiper switch. They called it the "phantom wipe" and the service person I spoke with said it is a VERY common problem at their dealer. He says they get about three new switches per day, and they are generally used THAT DAY.
It hasn't done it since, and hopefully never will again...
I have a new 99 Quest GLE with almost all the toys that just turned 1000 miles. Problems -- None. Compliants -- None. I got it for $500 under invoice. My grandkids really love the TV/VCR entertainment system. The flipup rear window sure makes loading a small package very convenient, I use it more than I thought I would.
Bought our 99 Quest SE in August and have been checking out some of the problems people have been having. Our weatherstripping did come lose after about a week - my husband just glued it. That's wild though that it's happened to quite a few people - not a good sign. I also remember reading about the mileage not being as promised. We've only been getting about 17 mpg around town; haven't done any real long trips yet. I've wanted the Quest for a long time and must say we are very happy with it. It's not as quiet as I thought, though. My husband took it in for the TV/VCR installation and he just got the basic. I don't see any hookup to the cigarette lighter, and I think the key must be in to start the power (I don't think the light stays on), so I'm not sure how it's hooked up. So far, so good though . . . Interesting advice about not going to the dealer for maintenance service - it looks like we'll be following Schedule 2, although 6 mos/7,500 miles seems like a long time for first service. Any comments/advice?
We've got a '99 Quest GLE with 13,500 miles in 11 months. When turning into a parking space or easing into the garage (i.e., at low speed), I'm starting to hear a squeaking or squealing noise as the wheel is turning. I'm suspecting the steering rack assembly, since an '84 Cutlass Ciera started making the same noise before needing its steering rack replaced.
How about it? Anyone else hearing this, or is it only us? Thanks for your help.
Regarding your power steering noise, I haven't noticed anything like this on my Quest. I wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that it's the rack though. It could be as simple as a loose serpentine belt. Or possibly a noisy/bad power steering pump.
If you pop the hood with the engine running and have someone turn the wheel for you, you should be able to locate the source of the noise (that's if it does it at standstill).
Of course your best bet is to take it into the dealer since it is still under warranty. Even though you may run the risk of having one of those dealers that says every noise is "normal". Good luck. Let us know what happens.
Monday morning (no wonder - the van got hangover) the battery went dead again on our Quest 99, for the third time in 6 weeks. But this time totally dead, no illumination or any starter movement. I know there was an argument a couple of weeks ago on this topic whether Audiovix is guilty, installer, Nissan or me. But who said it is because of TV/VCR? Anything can leak power (including the alarm or door opener) and Tv/VCr is just one of the several possibilities I could name. It is not supposed to drain the battery overnight like that anyway out of the blue. Every device in the van was turned off for sure, but it still drained power. I think the simplest thing to do is to change the battery, dealer refused to do it so far saying battery seem to be OK. I will insist on it now (3 times in a row is too much inconvenicence for a 9 month old van), if not - will try another dealer.
I have a 98 Quest with 11K. Lately, when the lights turn on (I have the auto lamp feature on), the panel lights go off and then on again. Also, the alarm goes of by itself every 5-10 minutes following this problem.
As a temp fix, I disconnect one of the battery cables. This only happens at night when the lights turn on.
We also have a 99 Quest GLE with 8900 miles making a similar noise. Taking to the dealership next week to have that looked at as well as a defective taillight assembly. Bulb won't stay in the socket. Will let you know what they say about the steering noise.
We took our 99 GXE in to replace the wiper switch and I mentioned that the left mirror shakes a little on the freeway. The service manager stated that he has heard of this on several Quests. They have ordered the mirror. Also, while I was there I showed him that the cover on the passenger side airbag was loose. He has ordered a whole new bag stating that the cover must be in place properly for the bag to deploy. I love the van, but I am considering an extended warranty since we will have this van a long time. The switch was replace and have not had any additional troubles.
I am having the same problem with mine. It is like something is rubbing in the column. Took it to the dealer and they found a leaking rear window strut and said that was causing the noise. Doesn't make sense to me but I am taking it in Friday so they can replace it and I will see what happens. Paul
I have a 97 Nissan Quest. When left out in the sun, the interior develops a definite ammoniacal odor. this developed a year after the purchase. Neither myself nor my wife are incontinent, and we do not have kids. has anyone else had this problem?
Sounds like the plastic interior parts are emitting ammonia or formaldehyde. Same thing that happens from new carpet, wallpaper, etc. This can certainly cause adverse health effects, like sick building syndrome.
Just curious if your 97 Quest was ever in a flood? This could cause mildew in the insulation around the doors and behind the wall panels. If so, they may have to remove all the interior panels and replace the insulation.
It could also be coming from the a/c condenser. In hot weather, mildew can build up in there from too much moisture; this could make the vehicle interior smell bad. Try spraying a deordorant/disinfectant into the outside air intake a/c vents, those are the vents right below the windshield above the hood. Have the a/c on full blast while you're doing this... let it run for about 5 minutes. If you live in a humid warm climate, you may need to do this once a month during the really warm periods. Btw, one way to prevent mildew from building up in your condenser is to not use the reclyed air so much.... no more than a few minutes at a time.
Good luck.
Pocahontas Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sports Cars Conference
Regarding: the latch on a sliding door window vibrating into the "unlocked" position.
I have a 1999 Quest GLE. The window in the sliding door on the driver's side rattles excessively. It has not vibrated into the "unlocked" position yet. When I open the window the rattling goes away. I believe the root of the problem is with the latch. Unfortunately, I cannot find any areas on the latch that could possibly be tightened. Looks like I will be going to the dealer.
After 3 times battery was dead dealer cannot find anything wrong with the battery and blames it on TV. Now I unplug TV power cord from the unit every time when its parked. I am not sure it if helps, but if battery does not go dead in 2 months TV hardwiring is probably to blame. Let me know what your dealer found out.
I have a 2000 quest se. Am I using the front holders incorrectly or do they just stink, and are not to be used while the vehicle is moving? I have had 2 cups of coffe(1 iced) fall on the floor. They advertise 13 cupholders, but i am findind 2 to be useless.... please respond if anyone else has this problem.
Have you been adjusting the cupholders to fit the cups you are using? The little arms on the outside adjust in and out. We have used them a lot, for everything from cans of Pepsi to Big Gulps and haven't lost one yet.
I got my van back this morning, so here's an update, especially since Vshun has asked for it.
Re: something draining the battery. They found pinched wires somewhere near the engine block. According to the dealer that was the root cause of the battery going dead after a couple of days of not driving.
Re: window latch popping open. The offending latch was replaced with a new one.
Here's something that I find strange. This was the third time I had to take the van in. (The first time was a minor problem with a seatbelt mechanism, which turned out to be a misunderstanding on my part. They've reportedly replaced the mechanism anyway. ?!? The second time was the recommended free 1K-mile oil change). All 3 times I could not get a record from the dealer on what exactly was done to the vehicle. All I got was a verbal explanation of the repair and my keys back. When asked for the paperwork, the dealer said that it was "no charge" and thus no paperwork was to be generated.
Is anybody else out there having any difficulty receiving records of warranty repairs from the dealer? I would certainly like to have them for my records.
I have taken our Quest in for some warranty work (and it goes in again Friday - report to follow) and I have always gotten a computer printout before they do the work showing what is to be done, and another when I pick it up showing what was done and any charges if applicable.
If I were you, I'd politely ask the service manager for copies of those service reports for your records. I don't see why they should have a problem with that. If they do, ask them why.
Without documenting a service visit, you have no history of your problems/results should you need to pursue things further. This becomes especially important when you find your bumper-to-bumper has expired but the same problems keep coming up. It also makes it difficult communicate with Nissan or another service shop if you need to follow-up on something. You also have no legal recourse if your car is damaged- "We never touched his wiring harness, your honor. Maybe he was trying to electrocute himself. He seems awfully distraught to me." ;-)
I had a similar experience with a Subaru service department. The ABS solenoid kept getting stuck and I would loose my ABS. The mechanic would jiggle it and the problem would go away. Finally, it happens out of warranty, and the service manager says "I have no record of this being a recurring problem. You either have a $75 problem or a $750 problem depending on which part is bad." I jiggled that solenoid from time to time until I traded the car in on my Quest.
When we first bought our Ques GLE 1999, my wife loved it. Now she hates it and dreams of the day we can get rid of it. The number of problems mounts up, and if for a last few months I had to visit dealership every month, now the visits became weekly. The problems are not addressed if they cannot be reproduced, or often claimed to be "present on all Quests and so not to be problems at all". My previous 2 cars were bought new and I did not have a fraction of the problems we had with Quest. My first new Nissan sedan (made in Japan) was never in dealership for warranty service, it was a perfect vehicle. My new Toyota Corolla gave me about 1 problem each year and I thought its quality is bad after owning Nissan sedan. I have numerous problems and I visit my dealer (1 hour each way), usually to be sent back with "cannot reproduce". My Quest battery dies periodically. Today it died on Wal-Mart parking lot after 15 minutes. The van was 3 times at dealer place regarding this problem. All dealer does is test the battery and say "its fully charged, go home", instead of replacing it. Last visit dealer blamed the hardwired TV for the problem. I removed the wire and TV was disconnected for the last 2 weeks totally and still the battery died today. The engine developed specific noise. It was there for a week, when I brougt it to dealer last week it disappeared. Dealer said if they cannot hear the noise there is no problem. Today the noise returned and that loud that I think every neighbor around can hear it. Even some things dealer admits need to be fixed Nissan blocks them. After one visit dealer admitted the (inconsistent) problem and ordered the part. On my next visit they had a Nissan rep on site, who could not reproduce the problem (I mentioned to them it happens 1 times out of 10) and so blocked the repair with ordered part. We are trying today another dealer with our "dead battery" problem and engine noise. We thought of our Quest as a very nice van and good deal, now we think of it as total junk as well as of Nissan service. It takes now too much time and energy to keep this van going, and its not 1 year old yet. I know there are some happy people on this board, but I wanted to post different opinion to show that the picture for quality is not black-and-white.
Hey, if I were in your shoes, I'd feel the exact same way. A recurring/unsolved problem, combined with incompetent dealer service can be extremely frustrating and take all the joy out of owning a new vehicle.
Taking your van to a different dealer service is a good idea. Especially from what you've stated previously... sounds like your present dealer service is just ludicrous. I've never heard of a part being ordered, then not being fixed on second follow up visit...! Next step would be Nissan 800 customer service; also perhaps check out the lemon laws for the state you live in.
One more: have you tried speaking directly with the service manager (not just the advisor)? If not, you should call before you take your van in, and speak directly with the manager to explain your situation and frustration.... I think this will help insure that you get special attention to this matter. Btw, in case you missed, did you read post# 200 of this very same topic. The user had a similar battery problem that was fixed; he states his dealer found a "pinched wire near the engine block... that was causing the battery to drain." Anyway, hopefully this new dealer service will have the fix. Good luck.
Pocahontas Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sportscars Conference
thanks for the advice. However another dealer behaved somewhat similar yesterday regarding the battery. My wife came to him with 2 problems: engine noise (on previous visit my first dealer did not fix it - due to Murphy law it had disappeared at the moment vehicle entered their garage) and dead battery complaint. The seem to fix the engine problem (driving belts) but did nothing with the battery and did not find any leaks. They tested the battery and said battery tests are OK and they can do nothing. Our van was stranded 4 times with dead battery during the last 3 months. Headlights are not the cuplrit (we use Auto1 setting) + our TV wire is now permanently disconnected (so Nissan service cannot blame the problem on it). Still both dealers said if by the time you bring the van to them battery tests show Ok they do nothing with this problem. I do not intend to leave this problem, I know in 3 weeks the van will be stranded again on some shopping plaza parking lot. Booster cables are the most frequently used tool for us recently. I believe if both dealers bevahe this way - this can only mean this is due to some unstruction from Nissan for this type of problem, so it is useless to talk to the manager, need to talk to Nissan though and make them change it. I will try to complain to Nissan directly - they either have to replace the battery or finx some leak in wires. I searched on Nissan Web site and could not find customer service, can anybody help? (There was some brochure for such complaints, I cannot find it at the moment).
Some other problems I have which dealer says its OK (they are more a nuisanse and not a big deal as dead battery on 10 months old vehicle) - 1. If steering wheel is turned a little I cannot switch turn signal to the same side. For instance, turn steering wheel just a little to the left and after that try to show left turn signal - the switch does not go, returns into the central position immediately even under force. Dealer said this is normal, I doubt it as I never remember having it on any other cars I had. Is it just me or this behavior is normal for Quest or some other cars? 2. When pumping the gas sometimes (1 out of 10 attempts) the valve just shuts off. Like you bring your van with empty fuel tank, start pumping, every 0.2-0.3 gallons it shuts off. So I have to click again and again on fuel pump manually, probably 30 times so it finishes the full 17 gallons. This is inconsistent. Dealer looked at it and at first admitted the problem and ordered the replacement part. When I brought it for repair they had Nissan rep on site who took it to gas station, pumped 5 gallons (it was no problem this time) and said everything is fine and no fix will be made, this is all some gas station fault. They also said some gas stations nozzles may be incompatible with Nissan fuel tank opening. Well, I use the same gas station with my other car and never had this problem, never seen anybody else pumping like me on the same gas stations. This problem is not a big deal but just annoying.
For the sake of justice to the service, need to mention we had some problems fixed still, such as left wiper problem -fixed with the help of this newsgroup (I printed some messages and showed them to service guy), and engine problem seem to be gone for now.
I'd call the dealer and speak directly to the General Manager about your battery problem. If that doesn't work, call Nissan 800 Customer service and file a complaint. You should find the customer service number your owner's manual; it's usually in the back. Not sure if this will work for you, but the 800 # from my area is 1800-nissan1. Also, once they fix the problem, you might want to ask them for a whole new battery. Every time it runs down it wears on the battery...
Your steering wheel turn signals sounds normal. The vehicle is set to automatically turn off the turn signal when you're turning.... that saves you the hassle of having to turn it off yourself after you've started your turn. Hey, not a bad idea to use the turn signal before you start the turn. ;-) Talk to you later.
Pocahontas Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sports Cars Conference
I have the same thing with turn signal not engaging when the wheel is turned a little. Although I do not find it "normal" or "convinient" the dealer states so.
I know its normal to turn off the signal when vehicle steering wheel is turned back. However I think it is NOT normal not to let the signal engage in the first place, i.e. I can really turn on any signal right or left only when wheel is set straight in central position. That is not the case on my other car, or I do not remember having this on my previous cars. I can see that I am not alone from akrasnov message.
I'm sorry to hear of all the problems you are having. I'ts really frustrating when the dealer won't fix them for you. I'm experiencing some of the same frustration myself. I think they are more related to the dealer than the van though. If they would just fix it I'd be happy, but right now I'm not.
Regarding the troubles you are having...
1. The battery going dead. This should be easy as pie for the dealer to solve. All they have to do is hook up an electrical tester between the negative post of the battery and the ground cable. This will tell them whether or not there is an electrical draw on the battery with the ignition off. If there is, all they have to do is start pulling fuses until they determine which circuit the draw is on. Once they know that, they will be able to trace the wiring on that circuit, checking for loose connections or broken wires, and checking the things on that circuit for problems. I think you need to tell them that you know that this is possible, you know that they CAN do it if they want to, and to keep you as a satisfied customer they should do it.
2. Regarding the turn signal thing, ours does it too. Unfortunately, I think your dealer is right here, this is the normal operation of the turn signal stalk. If the wheel is just turned slightly, the stalk doesn't "catch". It's just something I have learned to live with.
3. Regarding the gas nozzle shutting off on fill up, this used to happen to me too. I found that by not inserting the gas nozzle all the way in, it would not shut off. Also using the middle setting on the pump handle, the gas goes in slower but does not shut off.
My '99 Quest with 5k miles seems be a good overall vehicle when it comes to value and comfort. My only complain is the transmission. The brochure states(page 16)"transmission knows the difference between flat freeways and mountain roads..... it shifts smoothly no matter the scenario" Hogwash! The one I have is not smooth at all. I can feel an annoying tap in the gas pedal when it shifts from 1st to 2nd, same when downshifting for the overdrive. And when it comes to mountains forget it. I put it through its paces on the Skyline Drive this past Fall and the thing stunk. Down shifting and up shifting in those hills was very ugly. Back for service the master mechanic told me "it is suppose to shift". He said he hooked it up to a piece of equipment that checks if it shift at the right time and it did o.k. So as long as it shift service does not care how. Anybody with similar experience? Is this normal in this transmission? Anybody had his/her transmission repaired on a '99? As far as I know the only thing from Japan in this van is the engine. I have no idea where this transmission comes from. I think Nissan is in more trouble than I thought. Your Opinions appreciated.
the transmission comes from Nissan also. My '99 seems to shift normally (you can hear it and se it on the tach, but don't really feel it). I don't like automatics in general, but this one is as smooth as most. It does shift out of overdrive pretty often climbing hills, in order to keep the momentum in a heavy vehicle.
You might be better off switching off the OD if it is shifting frequently in hilly terrain.
I did not see this problem, and I drove it sometimes through the hilly terrain. My only problem is cruise control which is programmed in a really primitive way, once the car starts going a little uphill it keeps the same rpm and then suddenly revs it up 1000rpm or more, I just feel how it is sucking fuel then. To Dave re. battery: I think Nissan must change it if they can find no leak. I am about to write at the moment to Nissan about it, let them authorize battery change or whatever else they suggest to finish this "your battery tests are fine" story. I thought to write about these 2 other nuisances (gas pump and turn signal) but after your message I won't - probably this is how Quest is built.
Let me know how this turns out. Really, this shouldn't be a tough problem to diagnose. It's too bad your dealer is so unwilling to fix this problem.
Here's hoping things go better for you in the future.
My Quest is going in next week to have a bunch of gaskets replaced in the cooling system. There has been a small leak in one of the fittings and I have had to add coolant a couple of times.
Once that is fixed I have to convince them (or the dealer across town) that I really do have an exhaust or manifold leak and get that fixed. The noise drives me nuts, but a mechanic at my dealer told me it was normal, "exhaust resonance" he called it. I will see. I'm going in next week to drive a new Quest to see if it makes the same noise too. If not, I will know for sure.
The dealer finally said the rubbing noise I hear in the steering column are some bushings. They sprayed some lubricant on it but the noise is still there. Gonna have them try to fix it again next time I take it in.
is it legitimate to ask the dealer to let drive a new van to compare? I can see you successfully pressured them to let you do it, what is the secret?
Nissan main office is closed since Christmas till Jan 3 2001. I wrote them a letter regarding the battery with detailed explanations and copies of dealer srvice records, will see how they react when they get it.
I think it is legitimate to ask them to test drive a new van. They claim the noise mine makes is normal, but no other Quests I have driven make the noise. But I didn't have to ask, a salesman offered, because I am thinking of trading up to a 2000.
Unfortunately this week has really gotten away from me. I took the week off of work and I'm trying to get a lot of stuff done around the house, but the time is flying and I haven't been able to take the time to go to the dealer to try one out. Maybe tomorrow, but I'm not counting on it.
I was able to get my Quest in to get the coolant leak fixed.
1. I had my 2000 se for 2 months now and I am beginning to notice wind noise around the doors. Has anyone else had this problem? Is this something the dealer can fix?
2. Do I have to have my van serviced at the dealer I bought the vehicle from or can I go to any nissan dealer?
I did not notice any excessive door noise so far, but you can try any dealer and they should be happy to service you. The engine noise I had fixed 2 weeks ago (diagnosed and fixed as driving belts problem) returned again several times. Getting frustrated at all the trips we have to make to the dealer... Sent a letter to Nissan regarding battery problem with all the documentation a week ago, no response so far. Will keep posted about this saga.
Here in south Florida, a battery that is discharging and then reading OK after charging is normal. Due to the heat down here, the temp under the hood gets terribly high and belts, hoses and batteries suffer. A bad battery down here can check good and I (and others) have changed alternators, ignition switch (the large one under the hood) and other parts. It can be a tough bug to find. If it is the battery, then it should be under manufacturers warranty. Try to get a new one out of their shop (the battery manufacturer). If I were you at this point, and I am not, I would install a new battery from Delco, Exide, whatever. If it proves to be the problem, then you are out only a few dollars and the dealer may reimburse you for the old battery (keep it when it is replaced). if it is the battery, then you have just trained the staff of mechanics. If not, then you are positive that the problem lies somewhere else within the car and Nissan is responsible -- if it still kills your new battery, then you have proven to Nissan that you are a serious owner and not just a complainer. If they log you as a constant complainer over little things, they will never fix your vehicle. In this case, your buying a new battery shows them that you are not just some constant complainer. There is a tank pressure release tube when you take off the gas cap, it should allow gas to be inserted until full. I don't know how Nissan sets up their gas tanks to allow them to equalize air pressure when the tank is being filled. Sounds like they ordered the fix and then reneged. The tube could be clogged, pinched or defective. My 99 Quest GLE fuels OK. Shifting up and down without any discernable engine surge or RPM change is impossible. There always is a noticeable difference when an automatic transmission shifts gears -- poking the gas pedal down makes it all the more evident.
I have a 99 Quest with 25K and started noticing noise that sounded like the belts squealing at 20K. I took it to the dealer today and they say that my power steerting belt needs to be replaced. Does this sound normal? He also said it is not covered under warranty. My brake light had been coming on whenever I went over a bump, this he says is because I need to have my brake pads replaced. Does this sound right?
Since it wouldn't be fair not letting folks know how my dying battery story turned out (see entry #200), here it is.
The so-called "pinched wires" diagnosis from the dealer did not pan out, and the battery died again the following weekend. This time, they replaced the battery, noting that they found a "bad cell" in it. Why they couldn't find it last couple of times is beyond me. This was still a warranty repair, though, so I paid nothing, except a day's worth of car rental fees, since I wanted to keep it at the dealer an extra day to ensure a clean cold start. (Dealer paid for the first day.) The new battery so far works, not surprisingly, like new. We'll see how long that lasts.
As a side note, I did get a copy of the repair record this time, after some insistance on my part. I just do not get that whole attitude. Saying that they show it in their computer really does very little for me. Overall, I would say that I am more unhappy with the dealer than the van itself. All that cargo/people room and the seating flexibility came in handy quite a few times for me already. It did take me a while to get used to spending that much for gas, after owning a little Saturn with a 5-speed tranny.
Michele - the belt thing could just need adjusting, unless some road trash has some how cut it in some way. The brake thing sounds total off base, unless your driving habits include riding the brakes and/or delivering the mail. What happens as the brake pads wear, the amount of brake fluid required in the calibers increases as, this causes the level of brake fluid in the master cylinder go down a little. The light flashs when you go over a bump due to the brake fluid sensor can now drop down just enough to make contact, causing the light to flash. Go to any good autoparts store and pick up some brake fluid and fill the master cylinder to the fill line. Or the next time you have the oil changed at one of those quickie lube places ask them to check you brake fluid. I believe there is a diagram in the owner's manual that shows you where the fluid goes, I sure you can take of this yourself if you try.
I am glad Nissan replaced the battery for you. Before I moved here to South Florida and the the high heat and humidity, I thought I had known of most battery type of failures. Terrible weather we are having...prediction of high 50s tonight, might have to use a sweater.
This board, as well as the one on the Villager, has had repeated mention of expensive problem with this part. Is this only an issue with earlier models (if so what is the year range)? Do we 1999 or 2000 Quest owners have any reason for concern? If so, is there anything that can be done preemptively?
Comments
Dave
Since having the switch replaced I have not noticed the "swipe" anymore!!
It hasn't done it since, and hopefully never will again...
We've got a '99 Quest GLE with 13,500 miles in 11 months. When turning into a parking space or easing into the garage (i.e., at low speed), I'm starting to hear a squeaking or squealing noise as the wheel is turning. I'm suspecting the steering rack assembly, since an '84 Cutlass Ciera started making the same noise before needing its
steering rack replaced.
How about it? Anyone else hearing this, or is it only us? Thanks for your help.
If you pop the hood with the engine running and have someone turn the wheel for you, you should be able to locate the source of the noise (that's if it does it at standstill).
Of course your best bet is to take it into the dealer since it is still under warranty. Even though you may run the risk of having one of those dealers that says every noise is "normal". Good luck. Let us know what happens.
Dave
I know there was an argument a couple of weeks ago on this topic whether Audiovix is guilty, installer, Nissan or me. But who said it is because of TV/VCR? Anything can leak power (including the alarm or door opener) and Tv/VCr is just one of the several possibilities I could name. It is not supposed to drain the battery overnight like that anyway out of the blue.
Every device in the van was turned off for sure, but it still drained power.
I think the simplest thing to do is to change the battery, dealer refused to do it so far saying battery seem to be OK. I will insist on it now (3 times in a row is too much inconvenicence for a 9 month old van), if not - will try another dealer.
Anybody is having same problems with the battery?
As a temp fix, I disconnect one of the battery cables. This only happens at night when the lights turn on.
Anyone with similar problem?
Will let you know what they say about the steering noise.
Guitarzan
Community Leader/Vans Conference
It could also be coming from the a/c condenser. In hot weather, mildew can build up in there from too much moisture; this could make the vehicle interior smell bad. Try spraying a deordorant/disinfectant into the outside air intake a/c vents, those are the vents right below the windshield above the hood. Have the a/c on full blast while you're doing this... let it run for about 5 minutes. If you live in a humid warm climate, you may need to do this once a month during the really warm periods. Btw, one way to prevent mildew from building up in your condenser is to not use the reclyed air so much.... no more than a few minutes at a time.
Good luck.
Pocahontas
Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sports Cars Conference
I have a 1999 Quest GLE. The window in the sliding door on the driver's side rattles excessively. It has not vibrated into the "unlocked" position yet. When I open the window the rattling goes away. I believe the root of the problem is with the latch. Unfortunately, I cannot find any areas on the latch that could possibly be tightened. Looks like I will be going to the dealer.
Has anyone experienced this problem.
Jason
Now I unplug TV power cord from the unit every time when its parked. I am not sure it if helps, but if battery does not go dead in 2 months TV hardwiring is probably to blame.
Let me know what your dealer found out.
I have had 2 cups of coffe(1 iced) fall on the floor. They advertise 13 cupholders, but i am findind 2 to be useless....
please respond if anyone else has this problem.
Dave
update, especially since Vshun has asked for it.
Re: something draining the battery.
They found pinched wires somewhere near the engine block. According to the dealer that was the root cause of the battery going dead after a couple of days of not driving.
Re: window latch popping open.
The offending latch was replaced with a new one.
Here's something that I find strange. This was the third time I had to take the van in. (The first time was a minor problem with a seatbelt mechanism, which turned out to be a misunderstanding on my part. They've reportedly replaced the mechanism anyway. ?!? The second time was the recommended free 1K-mile oil change). All 3 times I could not get a record from the dealer on what exactly was done to the vehicle. All I got was a verbal explanation of the repair and my keys back. When asked for the paperwork, the dealer said that it was "no charge" and thus no paperwork was to be generated.
Is anybody else out there having any difficulty receiving records of warranty repairs from the dealer? I would certainly like to have them for
my records.
-Mike
If I were you, I'd politely ask the service manager for copies of those service reports for your records. I don't see why they should have a problem with that. If they do, ask them why.
Dave
I had a similar experience with a Subaru service department. The ABS solenoid kept getting stuck and I would loose my ABS. The mechanic would jiggle it and the problem would go away. Finally, it happens out of warranty, and the service manager says "I have no record of this being a recurring problem. You either have a $75 problem or a $750 problem depending on which part is bad."
I jiggled that solenoid from time to time until I traded the car in on my Quest.
My previous 2 cars were bought new and I did not have a fraction of the problems we had with Quest. My first new Nissan sedan (made in Japan) was never in dealership for warranty service, it was a perfect vehicle. My new Toyota Corolla gave me about 1 problem each year and I thought its quality is bad after owning Nissan sedan.
I have numerous problems and I visit my dealer (1 hour each way), usually to be sent back with "cannot reproduce".
My Quest battery dies periodically. Today it died on Wal-Mart parking lot after 15 minutes. The van was 3 times at dealer place regarding this problem. All dealer does is test the battery and say "its fully charged, go home", instead of replacing it. Last visit dealer blamed the hardwired TV for the problem. I removed the wire and TV was disconnected for the last 2 weeks totally and still the battery died today.
The engine developed specific noise. It was there for a week, when I brougt it to dealer last week it disappeared. Dealer said if they cannot hear the noise there is no problem. Today the noise returned and that loud that I think every neighbor around can hear it.
Even some things dealer admits need to be fixed Nissan blocks them. After one visit dealer admitted the (inconsistent) problem and ordered the part. On my next visit they had a Nissan rep on site, who could not reproduce the problem (I mentioned to them it happens 1 times out of 10) and so blocked the repair with ordered part.
We are trying today another dealer with our "dead battery" problem and engine noise.
We thought of our Quest as a very nice van and good deal, now we think of it as total junk as well as of Nissan service. It takes now too much time and energy to keep this van going, and its not 1 year old yet.
I know there are some happy people on this board, but I wanted to post different opinion to show that the picture for quality is not black-and-white.
Taking your van to a different dealer service is a good idea. Especially from what you've stated previously... sounds like your present dealer service is just ludicrous. I've never heard of a part being ordered, then not being fixed on second follow up visit...! Next step would be Nissan 800 customer service; also perhaps check out the lemon laws for the state you live in.
One more: have you tried speaking directly with the service manager (not just the advisor)? If not, you should call before you take your van in, and speak directly with the manager to explain your situation and frustration.... I think this will help insure that you get special attention to this matter. Btw, in case you missed, did you read post# 200 of this very same topic. The user had a similar battery problem that was fixed; he states his dealer found a "pinched wire near the engine block... that was causing the battery to drain."
Anyway, hopefully this new dealer service will have the fix. Good luck.
Pocahontas
Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sportscars Conference
thanks for the advice.
However another dealer behaved somewhat similar yesterday regarding the battery.
My wife came to him with 2 problems: engine noise (on previous visit my first dealer did not fix it - due to Murphy law it had disappeared at the moment vehicle entered their garage) and dead battery complaint.
The seem to fix the engine problem (driving belts) but did nothing with the battery and did not find any leaks. They tested the battery and said battery tests are OK and they can do nothing.
Our van was stranded 4 times with dead battery during the last 3 months. Headlights are not the cuplrit (we use Auto1 setting) + our TV wire is now permanently disconnected (so Nissan service cannot blame the problem on it). Still both dealers said if by the time you bring the van to them battery tests show Ok they do nothing with this problem.
I do not intend to leave this problem, I know in 3 weeks the van will be stranded again on some shopping plaza parking lot. Booster cables are the most frequently used tool for us recently.
I believe if both dealers bevahe this way - this can only mean this is due to some unstruction from Nissan for this type of problem, so it is useless to talk to the manager, need to talk to Nissan though and make them change it.
I will try to complain to Nissan directly - they either have to replace the battery or finx some leak in wires. I searched on Nissan Web site and could not find customer service, can anybody help? (There was some brochure for such complaints, I cannot find it at the moment).
Some other problems I have which dealer says its OK (they are more a nuisanse and not a big deal as dead battery on 10 months old vehicle) -
1. If steering wheel is turned a little I cannot switch turn signal to the same side. For instance, turn steering wheel just a little to the left and after that try to show left turn signal - the switch does not go, returns into the central position immediately even under force.
Dealer said this is normal, I doubt it as I never remember having it on any other cars I had.
Is it just me or this behavior is normal for Quest or some other cars?
2. When pumping the gas sometimes (1 out of 10 attempts) the valve just shuts off. Like you bring your van with empty fuel tank, start pumping, every 0.2-0.3 gallons it shuts off. So I have to click again and again on fuel pump manually, probably 30 times so it finishes the full 17 gallons. This is inconsistent. Dealer looked at it and at first admitted the problem and ordered the replacement part. When I brought it for repair they had Nissan rep on site who took it to gas station, pumped 5 gallons (it was no problem this time) and said everything is fine and no fix will be made, this is all some gas station fault. They also said some gas stations nozzles may be incompatible with Nissan fuel tank opening.
Well, I use the same gas station with my other car and never had this problem, never seen anybody else pumping like me on the same gas stations.
This problem is not a big deal but just annoying.
For the sake of justice to the service, need to mention we had some problems fixed still, such as left wiper problem -fixed with the help of this newsgroup (I printed some messages and showed them to service guy), and engine problem seem to be gone for now.
Your steering wheel turn signals sounds normal. The vehicle is set to automatically turn off the turn signal when you're turning.... that saves you the hassle of having to turn it off yourself after you've started your turn. Hey, not a bad idea to use the turn signal before you start the turn. ;-) Talk to you later.
Pocahontas
Community Leader/Coupes, Convertibles, and Sports Cars Conference
I know its normal to turn off the signal when vehicle steering wheel is turned back. However I think it is NOT normal not to let the signal engage in the first place, i.e. I can really turn on any signal right or left only when wheel is set straight in central position. That is not the case on my other car, or I do not remember having this on my previous cars.
I can see that I am not alone from akrasnov message.
Regarding the troubles you are having...
1. The battery going dead. This should be easy as pie for the dealer to solve. All they have to do is hook up an electrical tester between the negative post of the battery and the ground cable. This will tell them whether or not there is an electrical draw on the battery with the ignition off. If there is, all they have to do is start pulling fuses until they determine which circuit the draw is on. Once they know that, they will be able to trace the wiring on that circuit, checking for loose connections or broken wires, and checking the things on that circuit for problems. I think you need to tell them that you know that this is possible, you know that they CAN do it if they want to, and to keep you as a satisfied customer they should do it.
2. Regarding the turn signal thing, ours does it too. Unfortunately, I think your dealer is right here, this is the normal operation of the turn signal stalk. If the wheel is just turned slightly, the stalk doesn't "catch". It's just something I have learned to live with.
3. Regarding the gas nozzle shutting off on fill up, this used to happen to me too. I found that by not inserting the gas nozzle all the way in, it would not shut off. Also using the middle setting on the pump handle, the gas goes in slower but does not shut off.
Hope this helps.
Dave
Anybody had his/her transmission repaired on a '99? As far as I know the only thing from Japan in this van is the engine. I have no idea where this transmission comes from. I think Nissan is in more trouble than I thought. Your Opinions appreciated.
R2
You might be better off switching off the OD if it is shifting frequently in hilly terrain.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
To Dave re. battery: I think Nissan must change it if they can find no leak. I am about to write at the moment to Nissan about it, let them authorize battery change or whatever else they suggest to finish this "your battery tests are fine" story.
I thought to write about these 2 other nuisances (gas pump and turn signal) but after your message I won't - probably this is how Quest is built.
Here's hoping things go better for you in the future.
My Quest is going in next week to have a bunch of gaskets replaced in the cooling system. There has been a small leak in one of the fittings and I have had to add coolant a couple of times.
Once that is fixed I have to convince them (or the dealer across town) that I really do have an exhaust or manifold leak and get that fixed. The noise drives me nuts, but a mechanic at my dealer told me it was normal, "exhaust resonance" he called it. I will see. I'm going in next week to drive a new Quest to see if it makes the same noise too. If not, I will know for sure.
Happy Holidays
Dave
is it legitimate to ask the dealer to let drive a new van to compare? I can see you successfully pressured them to let you do it, what is the secret?
Nissan main office is closed since Christmas till Jan 3 2001. I wrote them a letter regarding the battery with detailed explanations and copies of dealer srvice records, will see how they react when they get it.
Unfortunately this week has really gotten away from me. I took the week off of work and I'm trying to get a lot of stuff done around the house, but the time is flying and I haven't been able to take the time to go to the dealer to try one out. Maybe tomorrow, but I'm not counting on it.
I was able to get my Quest in to get the coolant leak fixed.
Good luck with your problem. Keep me posted.
Dave
2. Do I have to have my van serviced at the dealer I bought the vehicle from or can I go to any nissan dealer?
Thanks for any info.
The engine noise I had fixed 2 weeks ago (diagnosed and fixed as driving belts problem) returned again several times. Getting frustrated at all the trips we have to make to the dealer...
Sent a letter to Nissan regarding battery problem with all the documentation a week ago, no response so far. Will keep posted about this saga.
There is a tank pressure release tube when you take off the gas cap, it should allow gas to be inserted until full. I don't know how Nissan sets up their gas tanks to allow them to equalize air pressure when the tank is being filled. Sounds like they ordered the fix and then reneged. The tube could be clogged, pinched or defective. My 99 Quest GLE fuels OK. Shifting up and down without any discernable engine surge or RPM change is impossible. There always is a noticeable difference when an automatic transmission shifts gears -- poking the gas pedal down makes it all the more evident.
Thanks
Michele
how my dying battery story turned out (see entry
#200), here it is.
The so-called "pinched wires" diagnosis from the
dealer did not pan out, and the battery died again the following weekend. This time, they replaced
the battery, noting that they found a "bad cell" in it. Why they couldn't find it last couple of times is beyond me. This was still a warranty repair, though, so I paid nothing, except a day's
worth of car rental fees, since I wanted to keep
it at the dealer an extra day to ensure a clean
cold start. (Dealer paid for the first day.)
The new battery so far works, not surprisingly,
like new. We'll see how long that lasts.
As a side note, I did get a copy of the repair record this time, after some insistance on my part. I just do not get that whole attitude. Saying that they show it in their computer really does very little for me. Overall, I would say that I am more unhappy with the dealer than the van itself. All that cargo/people room and the seating flexibility came in handy quite a few times for me already. It did take me a while to
get used to spending that much for gas, after owning a little Saturn with a 5-speed tranny.
-Mike
Mike