Nissan Quest 2004+

dtownfb · December 2004

As eyeblind stated, you should have received notification from Nissan, not the dealership. I would call the Nissan hotline and let them know you have not received your notification. It's a small sticker to put on the inside of your owner's manual. I got mine sometime in September.

eyeblind · December 2004

For those interested in a DVD system for there Quest 'www.autobarn.net" has a cool system. You can get a headrest dvd system for the 2004 Quest S or SL. They match the Quest headrest shape, color and fabric exactly. You can get one or two headrests. You can also buy them with or without a dvd player. Price starts at $799.00. Two headrests dvd screens and a dvd player cost $1,300.00
Also, for those who want paint protection. I had a clear bra put on my Quest. It covers the hood, bumper and side mirrors. It keeps rocks and things from chipping the paint. You can barely tell it is even there. You wash it and wax it just like paint. It does not fade your paint and can be easily removed. I had it put on at a local auto detail specialist shop for $475.00. The Nissan dealer a get my car serviced at is now offering it.
it

ahightower · December 2004

I bought the van in October. They should have had updated materials, or at least already put a sticker on there. I'll swing by and make a stink. Maybe the salesman will give me another free tank of gas.

garandman · December 2004

We just purchased an 05 SL from Team Nissan in MAnchester, NH for use at work in New Hampshire. We move computer equipment around to customers and while not heavy, it's bulky and somewhat fragile.

We compared the mid-level trim of the Quest, Honda and Toyota. There are some differences and similarities, none show-stoppers for us.

The Quest's claim as the most roomy is justified on several fronts. We have to load a big piece of equipment in the back and measured the vertical opening height of the rear, the width at the top, and max width. We also measured the side doors. Subject to differences in measurement technique, here's what we found

Quest max height (rear) 42", width 49"

Side doors 48" high and 32 wide.

Honda max height 40-40.5", width about 30" at the top and 49 in the middle

Side doors 45" high and 28 wide.

Toyota max height 40", width about 41" at the top and 49 in the middle

Side doors 44" high and 29 wide.

The vehicle we purchased has floormats, seats, splashguards and cabin filter. We paid precisely the invoice price, according to Edmunds, which is roughly $1,200-1,500 less than the other two. Nissan just implemented 3% financing so we saved that as well.

We will also extend the warranty to 5 years, 100K and purchase the roof rack crossbars (around $130) which only come standard on the SE, apparently.

For us it really came down to the Quest versus the Sienna. The Toyota has their rock solid reputation, but is dowdy looking and the vehicle dynamics aren't great. The Quest drives a lot better than it should, despite the large size. I think pumping up the tires to max pressure in front and a few lbs less in the rear would make it even better.

The dashboard layout is not a plus for us. It's slightly inconvenient, and the increased utility doesn't offset that. Because most of our staff uses Garmin portable GPS's, which can be set up directly in front of you and display your exact speed, the size or location of the speedometer was moot.

At home we have a 99 Dodge Caravan (not Grand) Sport. We live in the city so the short wheelbase is advantageous. We remove one of the Captain's Chairs (we have three kids) and gain as much room as a Grand van for most uses.

For the work van the DVD or Nav system didn't cost-justify itself. At home we have the 10" Samsung portable DVD player that can "flip" the screen display at the touch of a button so we can suspend it from the ceiling. Only downside is the headphones require wires. But the screen is fantastic, we can use it wherever we go, it was only $600, and they didn't have factory DVD in 1999.....

I predict the staff here, mostly engineers, will enjoy driving this vehicle a lot more than they expect. It books!

garandman · December 2004

As an addendum, we well noted problems with build quality and other issues with the first 04 Quests. And dislikes about the 4 speed transmission and speedometer and fuel gage.

We bought the SL trim because we wanted the five speed. But there have been a lot of changes in the feature matrix for 05, so go to the nissanusa website and look at the packages there - in general, the packages have had features added.

One oddity is that the roof rack crossbars are optional except on the SL. They're about $130. They seem pretty functional, though.

max02 · December 2004

Went & looked at '05 Quest & I asked the salesperson if it worked regardless of how fast you were going. I know the Chrysler T&C has this option but is only effective til 25 mph. I can't find info on nissan's web site nor the brochure. Also, is there any true about now is the best time to buy...don't want to purchase '04 b/c of problems. So, when would be the best time to purchase an '05?

samnoe · December 2004

I'm not sure, but I guess it's full time [all-speed] traction control. The only minivan who has low-speed only is DC vans (up to 30-35 mph). And since Nissan offers stability control, it sure works at all speeds.

Usually in the end of the year is you get the best deals to move inventory off the lot, but then the '06 models are already on the lot also, so some people just go with the newer models...

ahightower · December 2004

The best time to buy is right now. Get an '04. I figured this late in the year they'd have ironed out most of the problems. You can check the VIN number to make sure all the issues have been addressed (see multiple prior posts). For me, the 3.5S had all the features I needed. The '05 3.5S comes with power sliding passenger side door and tailgate, but otherwise identical features to '04, and those power operated things were not important to me. The base price has dropped a few hundred, but the current rebates, financing, and desperation of Nissan dealers more than makes up for it. The guy who chose '05 so he could get a 5-speed tranny in an SL has a good idea, but for me the '04 3.5S was the way to go. Personally the 4-speed seems plenty responsive to me, and the gas mileage is about the same between the two. I've never driven one with a 5-speed, maybe that would spoil me, but this one really does seem fine. I think most of the professional reviewers who complained about the 4-speed either drove like maniacs, or had to deal with lots of hill terrain. I can't imagine it would be worth several thousand dollars for an extra gear under normal family use. And I'm young and used to drive a Mustang, so I do appreciate performance, not just making excuses.

werner339 · December 2004

I just had my CSIs done, and now my doors rattle worse than before. Has anyone else experienced the same? Does anyone know what the modification entails? Parts? Adjustments? I don't know whether it's worth taking it back. They may make it even worse. Perhaps they still have the old parts and can reinstall.

garandman · January 2005

I don't think this would be possible - installing the motors and sensors required would likely be prohibitively expensive?

Are you sure you want them? We have a '99 Caravan without them. My wife thought she wanted them until we rented a van for a week in FL that had them.

While being able to open the door from the fob may be handy if you have your hands full, our experience was that the kids may bolt ahead to the van, instead of staying with you. Most of them are very difficult to open or close manually (the Quest is the easiest we've see so far), and it quickly becomes an annoyance rather than a convenience. I gave up buying a new one without them because only the base models are so equipped and we wanted some of the other features.

The Caravan has the easiest to open manual doors we've run into (by a small margin) but the detent when the door locks back seems very secure compared to most others.

The big plus for the new model Quest is the size of the side doors. They open up wider and higher by several inches than the vehicles from Honda and Toyota, at least.

ahightower · January 2005

I have an '04. The low fuel light comes on and it says I have ZERO miles to empty. I tank up and it never needs more than 16.5 to 17 gallons. If this has a 20 gallon fuel tank, that means I have at least 50 miles to empty. I know they want to be cautious, but can't it be a little more accurate? My wife drives it primarily, so when she tells me she needs gas, I have no idea how long that light has been on. Can I stop on my way home from work, compare prices along the way, or do I have to hit the first station I see and be late?

Also, I finally decided to switch to premium (93 octane) this morning. Only doing about 20 mpg in mixed city/highway driving, I figure if I can get another 2-3 mpg I'll come out ahead at current prices. We'll see. I've talked about it before but always chickened out at the pump.

gg2k2se · January 2005

Yes the DTE is conservative. I guess they are afraid of what might happen if it was the other way. Can you imagine the posts on the Problems board; "lousy vehicle ran out of gas even though it said I had 3 miles till empty."

My wife and I both know that we have about 3 gallons remaining once the fuel light stays on.

The mpg comparison with premium sounds interesting. I'll be waiting for your results.

dtownfb · January 2005

What is the tank size on the 2004 Quests? I thought it was 18 gallons. is it 20 gallons?

gg2k2se · January 2005

The online spec sheet says 20 gallons.

garandman · January 2005

I haven't tried this in the Quest, or inquired, but in our 99 Caravan, the DTE goes to 0, then after a little while will reset itself for 40-50 miles. So it seems they have programmed in a reserve amount.

Perhaps Nissan has done the same.

We had two Subarus and one could be driven until the needle was completely below the E and there was still over a gallon in the tank. Tried the same thing in Subaru #2 and had to call AAA....

LDegrelle · January 2005

They look kinda the same - we wanted the Green Tea, but they allegedly changed it. I wonder if its actual change (on their website it looks brighter and 'gaudier') or just better sounding name?

ahightower · January 2005

I think it's actually different. As you say, it seems brighter, closer to crayola green than muddy green on the '04.

gg2k2se · January 2005

Very different colors - I own a Green Tea and have seen several Jades at the dealer. Green Tea is dark green and Jade is very light colored, almost a green shade of silver (if that makes any sense)- it looked nice, but color is very subjective.

ahightower · January 2005

FYI, no difference in fuel economy with premium gas, in mixed city and highway driving. No discernable change in performance either. Think I'll stick to regular from now on and save $3 per tank.

phani · January 2005

Hi guys, are 2005 Nissan Quests suffering from similar quality issues like the 2004s were. I would greatly appreciate your feedback regarding this. Thanks in advance.

garandman · January 2005

I have an 05 now and was convinced speaking with owners that the build quality problems are behind them.

1,500 miles on it now and it's been excellent. We use it at work and even the biggest minivan hater is now an enthusiast of the Quest! That engine is terrific and we're averaging 21-22 mpg in mixed by mostly highway driving, with a load. Very impressive. One coworker bought an 04 Honda Ody and after he looked at and drove the Quest he wishes he'd tried it before buying.

phani · January 2005

Thanks for your input garandman.

famof3kids · January 2005

We have gotten our first 'good' snowfall in Western Virginia. I couldn't wait to try out the VDC and TCS on our new Quest SE. I had watched the videos, link posted earlier on this forum, regarding the TCS and VDC. I had high hopes for this amazing system.

Well, lets just say that the video shows a G35 booking it down a snowy road, the driver swerves to miss a car and is able to stay in control and in the road and continue on his way.

Being safer, I testing this in a parking lot at speeds up to 35mph. The vehicle makes lots of noises, the ABS sounds, but, it doesn't swerve like the G35 did in the snow. I suspect it is due to the Quest weight and higher center of gravity.

I 'think' that the VDC was working, but, wasn't able to tell. Since the ABS modulator was running, even though I wasn't touching the brakes, I assume it was attempting some wizardry. However, I know that the TCS worked and did retard the engine to match conditions.

So, anyone else tested VDC and have a story about it? Good or bad?

Mark

gg2k2se · January 2005

Yes, we've used traction control many times since last winter here in mid-state NY. My 13 year old son even did a science project on it; we timed both my non-TC car and the Quest on a 100 foot run in a snowy parking lot. And just this morning my wife in the Quest made it up the hill in front of my house and I did not in my non-TC Maxima (both front wheel drive cars with snow tires).

I've also tested the VDC in a snowy parking lot and noticed that it is definetely applying the ABS brakes even without touching the brake pedal. This seems to help "snap" the Quest straight when the back end goes out. I don't totally understand it, but I remember reading that selectivly braking either right/left side of the car will help pivot it back into the direction that the steering wheel is trying to steer it.

carzzz · January 2005

2004+ Quest could produce 230 hp & 238 lb-ft on regular fuel! --> check the spec from www.nissannews.com

jeoff · February 2005

TCS has an off switch. why?

ahightower · February 2005

I guess it's for performance driving, allows a little wheelspin. You'd probably never want it off in a minivan. They probably have it so they can claim to be the "driver's minivan".

samnoe · February 2005

It's usually when you're stuck spinning in mud or snow and you can't get out. Most people just giving gas and gas again until they are finally out of the trap - something traction control will prevent you to do. Then the OFF switch comes in handy.

weldonr · February 2005

Yes, I have. I had the Customer Satisfaction stuff done in Oct and was very hopeful the rattle would be gone (since they tried several times before to improve it). It was better at first but I still heard a little noise so asked them to check it. They said they did nothing (as everything looked good) but since then it has only gotten worse. I brought it back and they ordered a new part and then it got even worse. I am not sure what to do at this point.

famof3kids · February 2005

Well, we have 9500 trouble free miles on our Quest and we still love it. Average 25MPH on interstate, 20MPG in town.

garandman · February 2005

We now have 3,000 miles on our Quest SL, used for business and driven by 4-5 different drivers. Their personal cars are a Subaru wagon; 2003 Grand Caravan; 2004 Honda Odyssey; Ford Explorer; and Honda Accord EX-V6.

We have had no problems. The performance and look of this van continues to impress the minivan "dislikers" and the amount of room is great. We've average 22.3, 22.0, 21.8, and 22.1 mpg on the last four fillups (905 miles) in 70% highway/30% back road driving.

Like others we were concerned about the problems with initial build quality but Nissan seems to have addressed them.

It's funny after reading reviews to see what people like the best (and least). #1 - GREAT engine. #2 the leather steering wheel (SL and SE) is big and feels great. #3- it's big - you look almost eye-to-eye with giant SUV drivers. The side mirrors are big and easy to see out of. The side doors open wide for easy loading. They like the fact that the power tailgate can be pulled closed by hand and wish that were true for the power side door. They like the seats. I think the driver's seat is great.

People haven't complained about the center speedometer. They do complain about the odd shape of the hatch in the dash in front of the driver, which barely contains the logbook and a tennis ball (for gas stations that don't have hold-open pumps). We get a little squeking over bumps in cold weather from the side doors but discovered if you open the front doors first and close the side doors it goes away - the front door and side door mount flush with a rubber seal in between them.

We haven't had a chance to play with the two zone audio system, yet.

ahightower · February 2005

I'm up to 6,000 miles on our 2004 S, and still no significant problems to report. Had a broken passenger side interior front door handle upon delivery, the dealer took care of it right away. Gas mileage is about 20-22 mpg in mostly highway driving. I still enjoy the responsive engine and handling. Truly the Altima of minivans. Loving all the room inside. I've spent a few hours in the 2nd and 3rd rows and was very comfortable due to the ceiling height, adjustable position of the middle row seats to maximize leg room, reclining seat backs, and adjustable headrests. Even carried some plywood sheets with all the seats folded down (I'm going through a Bob the Builder phase). Can't wait to go camping with my sons, there will be room for everything. The automatic volume change on the radio is neat. Good sound quality in general from the base model 8 speaker system. I'd like to get Sirius eventually. The grocery bag hooks are very convenient too, and my wife really enjoys the "purse hanger" built into the side of the passenger seat. I call it the "Taco Bell bag hook". It's exactly the right height to keep it from sitting on the floor and sliding away - coincidence?... I think not. It's the little things that you appreciate every day.

A couple complaints. The front seat bottom seems a little short. I'm 6'2" and feel like I could use a longer seat. But it's nice and soft, and there is plenty of leg room. My 5'2" wife who drives it the most often has no problem with this. Also there is occasional squeaking coming from somewhere in cold weather on rough surfaces. I guess that's to be expected from any large vehicle. I have no problems with rattling doors, etc, but even if they did you'd never know it because of all the car seats and sippy cups rattling around back there.

I still get a kick out of being the biggest "mini" van on the road, with the best price, and all the safety features standard. I have no doubt this was the best decision for my family.

I'd also add that the styling is really growing on me. I thought it was "unique" at first, and was willing to look a little weird for all the other benefits. But it really disguises its size by interesting styling, and the more new Siennas and Odysseys I see, the less I like them.

stever · February 2005

The tennis ball trick is a new one!

Steve, Host

eyeblind · February 2005

famof3kids, ahightower, garandman thanks for the updates. It is nice to hear from Quest owners enjoying their vans. I don't have time mow, but I;ll give my update soon.

plashenick · March 2005

Got a letter from Nissan today noting a new round of "fixes"

1) Noise reduction kit for sliding doors
2) Structural insulation in the body above doors
3) Replace driver power window switch
4) Shifter lever
5) 2nd row seat levers
6) Throttle pedal
7) ball studs that mount read door support struts
8) Reading lamps will be modified (?) to improve operation
9) a/c servicing label will be replaced

I recall some of these on last fall's initiative, but were not done when I brought my car in, but some like items (1, 2 and 9 may have been done during that visits).

Here is some info. that a few people were looking for:

Radio (Clariion) has no sound: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: MFG Bulletin Number: 04078

miketx · March 2005

Hi all,
I have searched and searched the forums and cannot find an answer to this question:

what is the proper way to open the driver and passenger doors on the Quest (from the inside)?

I just purchased a used '04 Quest and when you pull on the interior door latch, nothing happens. You have to pull on it and then "bump" the door open with your arm. What's up???? Every door since the dawn of automotive time has "popped" open a little when you pull on the latch. I don't get it. At first I thought I had locked the doors, but then figured out that there was no indication that the latch is opening the door...no noise, no feeling, etc...
This function alone could cause us to return the vehicle (I have 3 days, full refund).

I have also noticed warm air coming out of the vents with no A/C or heat on......but I think I saw that in the list of problems mentioned.

Any help would be appreciated!! I really like the van and it's performance, but this is really confusing!!!!!

Thanks, Mike

eyeblind · March 2005

I don't have an answer to your door problem, however, you are right about the hot air blowing out of the vents with no a/c or heat on. There has been much discussion about this topic over in the the Quest problems forum. If you hit the recirculate button this will stop all air flow through the vents if the a/c or heat is off.

dtownfb · March 2005

Mike, I have the child proof locks on the slliding doors so i never opened them from the inside. Check if the van had the customer service initiative done this past fall. I know they made modifications to certain models slididng doors. It could have somethign to do with the doors acting this way.

What model is you Quest? Does it have power doors?

Ihave the manual doors. I'll check tonight on how they work.

miketx · March 2005

My problem is with the front doors, not the sliding doors. I stopped by the local Nissan dealer today and the doors on the Quests there did not behave like mine, so it is a problem, so I'll have to get this fixed.

Mike

miketx · March 2005

Ok, now I have another question. Where is the compass? Everything online tells me it should be in the auto-dimming mirror, but my wife can't find it. Do some models not have a compass? I called NissanUSA and my local dealer and neither could answer the question. The service bulletins make it sound like all auto-dimming mirrors have either compass or compass and temperature. I do know the temperature is on the dash display.
FYI this is a 04 Quest SL.
Mike

jipster · March 2005

There should be an on/off button on the mirror.

dtownfb · March 2005

it sounds like the doors could use an adjustment.

carzzz · March 2005

Nissan Quest will relocate the dash-board and back to tradition dash!

dtownfb · March 2005

AWWWWW! I like it the way it is!! Not like your ordinary minivan. But it is all about sales and the race to 1 million.

mark_texas · March 2005

I just rented a base '05 Quest for a week-long family vacation (around 1500 miles). Here's my take:

The good - The van handles quite well. The V6 is smooth and powerful. It had plenty of power, even in the mountains. The steering wheel could be used in sports cars. It fits the hands perfectly. There is plenty of luggage space behind the 3rd row. The deep well in back (that holds the 3rd row when not in use) allowed all of our luggage to be loaded without blocking the the rear window. Once at the resort, it was nice to fold the 3rd row into the floor to free up room to haul skis and boots.

The bad - The center dash layout is awful. I never got used to looking down and to the right to check my speed. The area to the far right of the dash that shows indicator lights (e.g., cruise control is set) is easily washed-out in normal sunlight. The LED display is somewhat odd. I liked to use the trip computer to show time and distance traveled, but it would not stay on if the radio was on. The radio station would be displayed instead. This is really strange since the trip computer and the radio use different lines on the display. Why can't it show both at once? The gear shift lever blocks the view of fan control. The entire center console needs to be tilted towards the driver. It is difficult to see exactly where the various knobs are set. The buttons for the radio, trip computer, etc. are hard to discern at a glance.

I'm not sure if other vans offer this, but it would be nice if the 3rd row was split so that only half of it could be stowed. It wasn't an issue on this trip, but it would provide better flexibility.

Finally, the trim piece that hides the rear hatch release cracked. It sounded like the rear hatch didn't close all of the way, so I lifted up on the handle to open the hatch a few inches. I then pushed it closed with the heel of my hand, and this made the trim piece crack. This is a poor design.

Would I buy one? I'm not in the market for a minivan, but I would have to pass on the Quest if I were. This is almost entirely due to the center dash and poor console layout that I couldn't warm up to. This is too bad, since it is otherwise a nice vehicle with a great engine.

garandman · March 2005

YMMV. We use a Quest SL as a company vehicle, and it is driven by 4-5 different people. It is getting used nearly twice as much as anticipated because the SUV drivers ditched them for the Quest.

None of them, including me, took longer than 10 minutes to get used to the central speedometer.
This is also largely true of the mini, which has a central speedo.

Some people just can't adjust, and the additional space that you get from the central location is less important to them.

Shifter hiding instruments will vary with the height of the driver. The base Quest does not have adjustable pedals like the SL (and has a 4spd, not 5spd).

Crank-down center windows and split 3rd seats are another YMMV feature. I'd rather have the wider doors in the Quest (they're 3-4" wider than most minivans) than have the extra weight and complexity of roll-down side windows. For us, the one-piece 3rd seat is more comfortable to sit in and easier to stow and unstow.

We also seem to be getting much better mileage than the other new vans are getting. Even driving in snow and up and down the hills to VT along with some around-town use we're getting over 22 mpg average for the last several tanks.

srikanth2305 · March 2005

We are considering a quest and want to know the following details.

Is the build quality still an issue. I heard that Consumer report lists the new quest as one of the worst ones and also read that nissan has made a lot of progress in terms of build quality. So how is the 05 model, is it improved a lot or still have issues?

Nissan is offering $2000 rebate on quest now. Will it improve during the year end model clearance or is this the best they come up with?

Thanks in advance.

toronto1968 · March 2005

We love our '05 Quest, but my younger son when in his child seat is blinded by the sun on the big sliding door windows. The Oydessy and Sienna all have a pull down shade. I have gone to my local Automotive store but can't find anything big enough or dark enough. Does anyone else have this problem? and if so, do they have a creative solution?
Thanks

dtownfb · March 2005

Try Toys R US or some other children stores to find a cover for the window. They probably have a wider selection then an auto part store. You may even consider getting your windows professionally tinted.

dtownfb · March 2005

It appears that Nissan has addressed all the major problems regarding the Quest for 2005. If you are not in a hurry, you may want to wait another month or two and check if any 2005 folks have chimed in.

Nissan Quest 2004+

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