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Nissan Quest 2004+

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Comments

  • 1qazxsw21qazxsw2 Member Posts: 2
    Any thoughts? Pros and cons? I have two kids (5&7) and one coming. I looked at the Town and Country. But, with all its bad rap, I'm seriously reconsidering... I need to tow a 2000 lbs tent trailer too.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    The 2008 Quest has performed better than the earlier model years, 2004 & 2005. But it also could be due to less information available since sales dropped over the years.

    The positives are the engine, transmission, handling and ride. The cons are the interior quality, reliability, and some electrical issues. The best thing you can do is have a mechanic look it over.

    In the minivan world, there are very few reliable used minivans. The Sienna is the most reliable but it comes at a price. If it checks out with a mechanic and it is the right price, I would buy it.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Dont buy it. I have a used 04 Nissan Quest that I bought -I just needed a minivan some times on the weekend ,and it is my 3rd vehicle-so it`s not my primary car and just driven when needed. And they depreciate horribly.So I got a bargain.
    but if it`s your primary car --then avoid it at all costs.

    Horrible brakes and rotors, tire problems,rattles-like to 15 yr old car,loose trim pieces, Electrical problems like CEL etc-- so avoid the Quest . The 08 is better marginally than 04-but that`s not saying much.

    Buy a used Odyssey/Sienna. Sienna is a little bit more reliable than Ody and will be cheaper -especially now with Toyota`s recall issues. Buy a less than 3 yr old Seinna with <36k miles and buy the 7yr or 8yr 100k/125k mile ext Toyota warr for about 1000 and you will do great.
  • calvin1962calvin1962 Member Posts: 34
    I agree in general. We also bought an 04 Quest, full of confidence after a couple horrible Chrysler Minivans. Actually, the Quest could have been designed & built by Chrysler. Great design concepts & pretty forward thinking gadgets but cheaply built & poorly executed. Our power door would NEVER close more than 2X ina row without help. After at lest 10 trips to the clueless dealership, I took a crack at it myself & so far so good (about a year). Other than all the rattles & armrest falling off our biggest issues wer rotors (Aftermarket have beeen great), wheel bearings (crapped out at 60K), and a tensioner mechanism on the timing chain. Our local dealer said it was because we did not change the oil often enough....huh? I will NEVER buy another firts model year vehicle, but possible after four tries they fixed most of the major problems. On the other hand the Quest has been discoe'd...Right????
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    Our 05 Quest SE as been 'ok'.

    Our rear lift doesn't always function in hot weather...but that is about it.

    We have 68k miles, we had the brakes changed once, the battery once. Within the first 5k we had to have the drivers window re-seated. We've replaced the the tires once...our Yokohama AVID are MUCH better than the OEM tires...agreed...not a fan of OEM tires(note sure if 08's use the same). I've had the coolant flushed twice. AC belt is making a louder noise than normal...will get checked soon. The manual sun visor over one of the sun roofs had it's 'tab' break off...it got stuck inside...I got it out and have it manually in place. Not much use having a sun roof in TX over the infant seat :)

    No major problems so far...we fill 6 of the 7 seats so our options are limited.

    There are inconsistent rattles, which gets annoying, but we usually have so much junk in there that it all blends together :)

    There have been photos of the "NEW" Quest at the auto shows...if you're brave enough to be a 1-st year owner ;)

    We checked the others (Honda, Toyota) extensively and at the time and felt this was the best...probably would be just as happy with those...it's a mini-van after all
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Overall we're quite happy with our 05 van with close to 50K miles. We've replaced the OEM tires, one battery, and all four brakes--all maintainance stuff, and a catalytic converter under warranty.
  • calvin1962calvin1962 Member Posts: 34
    Sorry to hear about your problems. I agree the Quest is junk, but once you own it, it is up to you to decide when to unplug the thing. If the tranny is bad I think it is now. If you are keeping it, I put aftermarket slotted rotors & ceramic pads to get rid of brake issues, Front & back are <$200 on Ebay (including pads), and the brakes are a piece of cake to replace.

    I had a timing chain tensioner fail. The local dealer (the local dealer blamed me for not changing oil, but on a vacation, a deale in FL repaired it under warranty. The door has always been a problem. I fixed it the last time myself & it lasted almost a year. The dealer record was 6 weeks. I also replaced two wheel bearings at 60K.

    My 04 has 80K & I will keep it til it dies, but I will NEVER own another Nissan.

    Good luck,
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Has anyone had trouble with the mass (or master?) air flow sensor behind the air filter? My van (05, S model, 50K miles) stalled the other day. It would start but die within seconds. Brought it in the dealership and according to code it was this sensor being dirty and causing it to misread air-fuel ratio. The engine was getting too much air and not enough fuel. Instead of replacing the sensor(which would cost $1K) I had them clean it out, which set me back $400. The van runs fine but still ont he lean side (at 108%). The desired range is 90-110%. I think if the compuer can't readjust the van back to close to 100% I'm going to try and replace the sensor myself to save money. $1K sounds too much for what sounds like a simple replacement job.

    One big word of causion to all you guys who replace your own air filters--make sure it's a tight fit. I trimmed the rubber seal off a bit to make the Fram brand filter fit. Presumably this caused dirt to get it and clogged up the sensor.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    edited June 2010
    Oh yeah, could anyone point me to a website where I can buy Nissan OEM parts cheaper than the dealership?

    My dealership says this sensor costs $500. But a quick google search gave me a website where it's listed for $125? Don't know 100% if it's the same part though.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Try http://www.partsgeek.com/. I bought front lower control arms from them last summer. It was OEM (not really a choice with this vehicle) and it still had the tag from a dealership in in the midwest.

    My guess is the part you are looking at is OEM. Because there were so few Quests sold, the aftermarket is very limited. I would feel comfortable buying the part for $125. Just make sure you know how to install it.

    Good luck.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    edited June 2010
    Thanks dtownfb. I stumbled on this site as well. It's good to know you've had good experience with them. I'll give them a try in the future. You're an old timer on here. How is your Quest holding up?
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Also do a google search for "PartsGeek coupons". they always have discount codes. Normally small like 5% or so but every little bit helps.

    Overall my Quest is holding up. In the winter the driver's side sliding door rattles. I have to replace the front rotors (warping) every other year and the back rotors alternating years. but it has over 84,000 miles and all else is fine. It's been paid off for 18 months now and have no desire to add a car payment. We'll run it as long as we can. I will not buy another Nissan! Quality is too uneven for me. The Nissan dealer (service center) experience leaves me enjoying Toyota more and more. I get everything done at an independent mechanic. Very honest and easy to deal with. Actually he replaced the lower control arms for me.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    I can't speak for other brands' dealer service departments as we never used them. But I have mixed feelings about the Nissan dealer we used for service. They seem to do a good job although at a very high price. For example, they charged me $400 for cleaning this sensor and would've charged me $1K to replace it (part is $500). Well, PartsGeek lists the same part for less than $200. It makes me mad that the dealer would overcharge so much (150%)!
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I would do an online search for parts...I had to get a new intake air runner (something like that) for my Infiniti. Total price was over $1k at the dealer...I found the part (OEM) just over $200 online...and had an independent install it for $45...
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    edited June 2010
    I made the mistake of having the van towed to the dealer. Should've gone with an independent shop. The main hurdel was I didn't and still don't know one I can trust. I'll ask my friends who've been locals longer than I have.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    A good mechanic is like a good barber and a brand of under wear that fits just right. Once you find them, you never want to let them go. :)
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    Of course...the opposite is true as well...dumb hair-do and a permanent wedgie...
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    "..a permanent wedgie"

    That's a good one!
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    I guess I jinxed myself. Had the van inspected today. I had the front brake pads, rotors and brake hardware (springs that control the calipers broke). I expected the rotors and pads because of warping. Later today the van cutoff and the SES, Slip and TCS light came on. After two tries, it started and those lights stayed on. When I got home I connected my code scanner and read P1800 & P0340 (twice). I erased the codes and ran a couple of errands. All the lights remained off.

    I think P0340 has to do with the camshaft position sensor (front bank); not sure about P1800.

    At 84k+ miles I guess it's time for things to begin breaking.....
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Sorry to hear that man. I don't understand. Were you actually able to erase the codes from the computer and turn off the warning lights that way? That doesn't eliminate the underlying problems though.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    edited July 2010
    My code reader can erase the codes. I knew what P0340 was but had no idea about the P1800 which is why I cleared the codes to see if it was a one time deal. The codes came back the next day and the van shut off twice on my wife. I replaced both camshaft sensors (aftermarket made by BWD) and this fixed the problem.

    It was pretty easy to find the sensors. Getting them out and re-installing the new ones took some dexterity. On another Nissan forum, I had access to the full TSB describing how to deal with P0340 and it showed the exact locations of the camshaft sensors. It made it very easy.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Could you post a link to the forum for my future reference, in case I need to get my hands dirty one day? Thanks.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    www.nissanhelp.com

    If you become a subscriber (no cost), you can download two files a day.
  • tamu2002tamu2002 Member Posts: 758
    Thanks.
  • jwells4118jwells4118 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 2004 quest and i dont know why its handeling so bad!!!..... I replaced all the rotors and pads and also 2 of the calibers on the front.....the van now has 110,000 miles on it. at 80,000 i had to replace the front hub bearing. Also I keep up on my oil changes and always run synthetic. I just put new belts on it and also had the tune-up done. Now latley when i drive it ...the steerin g wheel shakes, its hard to keep it in the lane because it just is handeling so bad..!!!.. Could it be my shocks and struts?? does or has anyone else had this problim??? what could it be??
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    edited July 2010
    it could be a number of things. The items you replaced have nothing to do with the handling.

    I would have a good mechanic look over the suspension and steering components. The van could also be out of alignment or tires out of balance.

    how many miles are on your tires? Does the steering wheel shake all the time or only during certain situations?
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    edited August 2010
    Dont know Dtownfb if you resolved this thing or not but sorry for not posting earlier. I had the exact same problem as yours. I was driving- the van cut off,shut down and the 3 lights SES,Slip and TCS came on. I shut the van --restarted again and drove straight to the dealer. The van was driving kind of rough.Dont know if it is a safety issue or not -b`cos the van just shut off on the road. Luckily there was no one behind on the road. :P

    The problem is the Camshaft Position Sensor. The dealer replaced the sensor and said there were 2 error codes--the same ones you mentioned. He said this is a common issue with the Quest. The cost was $350 including parts and labor.

    Also , I would be very wary of using aftermarket parts like sensors and computer/electronics on any [non-permissible content removed] 3 vehicles. These parts can mess up the engine and driveability as everything nowadays is computerized and has to be reprogrammed. One of our office staff had a O2 sensor/cat.converter problem on his 2000 Nissan Sentra -- both had to be replaced-dealer cost was $1500.So he went aftermarket and purchased aftermarket O2sensor and the cat.converter-- and it messed up his engine as it could not be reprogrammed and his engine needed replacement .Was not worth fixing it with 140k miles-so he dumped it and got a Corolla. ;)

    Mechanical parts like tires,brakes,batteries are fine but for sensors,chips,cat. converter or computer electronics -- I would always go OEM instead of aftermarket ones- more so for Asian makes. Hope this helps.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Thanks deltheking. There is a TSB on this issue that recommends replacing both camshaft sensors. I did use aftermarket parts and so far, so good. I understand the hesitancy with using aftermarket parts but I did read up on this issue and did not find anyone that had a problem with aftermarket camshaft position sensors. Plus there is a bigger market for this engine since the Maxima and Altima share the same basic parts.

    I did have issues with P1800. It doesn't trigger a "check engine" light but does bog the engine down esp. at take off. Basically you have to change the VAIS intake sensor. This is a Nissan only part. I ordered it online from a dealer and replaced it myself.

    We just returned from vacation to Atlanta (over 1600 miles) and no issues.
  • vafiomarvafiomar Member Posts: 1
    Hi I have an '04 quest and all of sudden the driver seat which is electrical, stopped moving backwards, all the other features work fine but the rear activation not. I called the dealer and they told me that I might need to replace the whole chair together with the motor. I need to know if there's any other way to fix that. At first I thought that the switcher was the problem but later while searching for answers was told that it could be the motor. At this point I'm lost and I have no clue what could be the problem or how to solve it. Please help!

    Thank you.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    A reporter is interested in talking with owners of the Nissan Quest who are also parents. If you are interested in commenting on your experience, please reply to pr@edmunds.com no later than Saturday, November 20, 2010 and include your city and state of residence, the model year of your vehicle and the age of your child/ren.

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  • udisterudister Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2010
    Hi you can change ball joint ($23) instead of whole control arm ($350) dealer price. I did on my 2004 nissan quest easy to do it.
  • rbudn83510rbudn83510 Member Posts: 23
    Hello,
    Was driving on the parkway today and couldnt avoid some moving road debris and it struck the front of my car......put a hole in my oil pan and it ripped up that big black plastic piece underneath the front bumper. I am trying to see what that black plastic piece would cost from some online parts dealers but cant seen to find that particular part described anywhere. Does anybody know what it is called and where i may find it online? Thank you for your time!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited January 2011
    Try searching for an "engine splash shield". I had to put some zipties and new screws in mine a couple of times when it got loose underneath. You could probably punch some small holes along the rip and ziptie it back together. But they don't look all that expensive online.

    Have you got a quote for the oil pan replacement yet? Mine has a bunch of dings in it but it's not leaking and the oil pickup seems ok.

    Mine's a '99 Quest btw.

    Steve, visiting host
  • nquestnquest Member Posts: 2
    Hello,

    I took my van to the dealership for alignment. They sais they can not do it coz I need to replace front driver/pass lower control arm and that would cost $950.00(labor+parts). I didn't do it. I was not sure you can change just the ball joint on this 2004 quest??? I was just checking the control arm pricing on internet and it is lot lower than dealer and just came through your post. Just want to make sure again that you changed only ball joint and not the control arm? Looks like Nissan do not sell ball joint seprately...just another way to rip off customer.

    Thanks,
  • udisterudister Member Posts: 5
    Hi, yes you can do it. I did it 6 months ago.
  • nquestnquest Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for quick response.

    Any particular web site r u using to order auto parts? Actually I am doing this first time so need any recommendation if you have any reliable web site?

    Thanks,
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    For me...I don't put my phone number online...or even email address.
  • udisterudister Member Posts: 5
    ebay $43 for both lower ball joints. only 3 bolt to take the control arm off plus tire thats it.
  • gcunje99gcunje99 Member Posts: 1
    Can you tell me where ican get the lower ball joints to buy?
    Maybe the part no>

    Thanks,
    Gabe
  • udisterudister Member Posts: 5
    At ebay motors, 2 FRONT Lower Ball Joint Set For Nissan Quest 04-08 http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-FRONT-Lower-Ball-Joint-Set-NISSAN-QUEST-04-08-/3901093- 94487?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=

    Sell one like this
    2 FRONT Lower Ball Joint Set For NISSAN QUEST 04-08

    i hope this helps you if not massage me back
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