Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Nissan Quest 2004+: Problems & Solutions

1…1617192122…42

Comments

  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    I haven't had that issue. This weekend we had some unseasonally warm temperatures (close to 80). I had the dash button set to cool and the rear set to cool (all the way to the left). Cool air blew from the ceiling in the rear.

    I've had the rattles int he door (fixed by warranty), steering wheel shake (warped rotors; fixed), loss of power when starting and to some extent the AC not blowing cold air. The loss of power I have not been able to duplicate but they do know about it. The AC has not been an issue. I stopped measuring the air out of the vent and concentrated on the comfort of the passengers in the vehicle. When the kids say they are cold and the outside temperature is in the high 80's and the relative humidity is over 90, I think the AC is operating just fine. Of course this is not Arizona hot but it is typical of the NOrtheast inthe summer.

    I just have not had the issues that others have reported. The items I have had were either fixed or a solution is being worked on. The dealership that i took my van to has been very easy to work with. Very honest and open about the problems with the Quest. The only thing we have had to pay for is oil changes. Unfortunately I recently moved and need to find the local Nissan dealership in York.

    I really enjoy driving this vehicle. We are closing in on a year and I don't regret this purchase at all. I was hoping not to have so many problems with th vehicle but this is what you get when you buy a first model year car.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    In cars that have rear heat, the vents go under the seats and the air blows from the floor. Even though it's not a house, vans are more open then cars so it makes even more sense to have the hot air come from the floor rather then thorugh the ceiling. It would requirerunning the heat longer and at a higher temperature. Plus it would give your rear passengers the feeling that they are being suffocated with all that hot air blowing in your face. I guess you could have mid-level vents but that would be difficult to design into the van with the sliding doors.
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Had the CSI and door recall done. They also resurfaced my brake rotors because of some vibrations with heavy braking. It did take them 3 days to do though.

    So far so good. No squeaks and rattles. But then again, there were no squeaks and rattles before they did this stuff to the car either! ;-)

    Keeping my fingers crossed!

    tom
  • famof3kidsfamof3kids Member Posts: 160
    At around 6000 miles the overhead console began to squeak. A very annoying, metal to metal squeak. A 'fingernail on the chalk board' kind of squeak!

    Called my trusty dealer, was my first visit back, so, also got my tires rotated and oil changed. He was able to make the appointment in 2 days. They had a TSB from Nissan for squeaky overhead consoles. I got to glance at the TSB. The repair included two strips of rubber weather stripping and some glue. Apparently the metal supports for the console were mounted directly against the roof cross members, so, the metal on metal gave way to a wonderful squeak.

    But, all is fixed now, and we continue on our Quest loving our van. We still recommend it to anyone.
  • john323john323 Member Posts: 1
    I am in southwestern VA and am having the same problem with a Nissan Quest with 3300 miles on it. THis first happened with a tank full of Exxon however, the last few tanks were with Shell 87 octane. THe fuel prior to that hwas Exxon. There has only been about 10-12 tanks of fuel in this car since it was new. It goes to the dealer in a day or two for diagnosis. I am curious as to the problem. Three or four years ago, we owned an Audi A6 2.7L V6 turbo. The fuel sending units, there are three in the tank, went out and we had the same problem. The gauge showed "E" when what we really had was an "F".
  • sunflowergrlsunflowergrl Member Posts: 2
    I went to my BBB hearing back In October finaly, and my results ttok over a week for some reason and the arbitraor has given the Nissan "certified technichian" permission to take one more look at my vehicle and see what is going on and then he will make a ruling from there if there are more problems from then on. Needless to say, while I was waiting for the "certified" guy to come from FL, my transmission went on the darn thing, finaly, it only took months of telling them that there was a problem, it took a week for that to get fixed. Now the guy finaly got here from Nissan and my van has been gone for over a week now, and I am not calling them and I have had no word from them. I am getting to know the people at Enterprise rental cars real well, since I have had 4 different rentals in a month and a half, needless to say I guess I get to try out what else is out there so I know for when I buy again. I have had other problems with the quest as well, the radio was replaced, the drive shaft was replaced and now the transmission at a year old, and 17k on it. I am so dissapointed in Nissan for not doing something about these new quests that we all bought and have had entirely too many problems with.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    I am so dissapointed in Nissan for not doing something about these new quests that we all bought and have had entirely too many problems with.

    Actually they did do something and issued the Customer Service Initiative. But it sounds like you have a lemon.

    What model Quest do you have?
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    Has anyone who has gone through BBB ever got any other answer then "Let them have one last look". In states where there are mandatory maximum number of days out of service to classify as a lemon it appears the answer is "one more try" sounds like some people are "too close" together
  • scott174scott174 Member Posts: 74
    To be totally honest with you, if you want to get results you have to see an attorney. One that specializes in Lemon Law buy backs. My lawyer says that Nissan is one of the worse to deal with. They should know, they have had plenty of 04 Nissans come through there offices. I had to wait 6 months for the whole process from beggining to end. Good luck, but most of all be patient AND persistent.
  • gg2k2segg2k2se Member Posts: 109
    Sorry to hear about the lemons but we've had good luck with our Quests. We replaced our 95 Windstar in December 2003 with an SE. About 6 months ago my brother-in-law, who swore he'd never get a minivan, picked up an S. His wife loved the styling. And just last week my other brother-in-law bought one with skyview, but no leather. I'm still awaiting further details but that sounds like a 05 SL. My early 04 model had a few issues, but we worked through them and are satisfied with our Quest.

    I'll keep you updated on all 3 Quests.
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Well, it's been 3 weeks since the CSI was done on my van and no problems. We'll see how it does over the winter, but as long as it remains mechanically reliable we'll keep it.

    Hope you others get reliable vans in the end too- I think we all deserve it.

    tom
  • LDegrelleLDegrelle Member Posts: 74
    I have been scouring the boards for a while and have been watching all the comments. From what I have seen it seems that the 'S' model has fewer problems (probably as it has fewer gadgets). For some reason it also seemed that the 'heat from air ducts with vent on' issue was in the SL or SE models. Am I wrong in this?

    Just curious
  • gg2k2segg2k2se Member Posts: 109
    The only SE specific issue I recall was the leaking skyview roof. The auto sliding doors on the SE and SL had a cold weather closing issue. The squeaking doors and other recall items were probably on all models. The S/SL 4 speed transmission also seemed to have more issues than the 5 speed SE.

    The nissanhelp.com website has a list of all recalls and service bulletins
  • nissan22nissan22 Member Posts: 17
    I saw an attorney that specialized in Lemon Law buy backs. The entire Lemon law process took 4 months. Nissan bought my early 04 Quest back. I had every intention of buying an 05 Quest, but my husband was hesitant. Now I have an 05 Odyssey and I hate it. I miss the Quest SE. I never had a problem with back pain from any vehicle before, but the Odyssey is killing me. The Quest was very comfortable, and the tilt down side mirrors when I put the Quest in reverse is a plus that I can't seem to find on any other manufacturers' vehicles. Hope you have luck with your Lemon Law, but if you're planning on buying a vehicle other than a Nissan, make sure you take it on a LONG test drive.
  • nissan22nissan22 Member Posts: 17
    I had the "leaking skyview window" problem with my Quest. The problem turned out not to be the Skyviews at all, but the T bolts from the roof rack. The T bolts were not sealed causing the rain water to get inside the roof and leak into the car from the clothing hooks directly behind the second row seats. If I had known this was the problem sooner, prior to having the skyview windows replaced 3 times, then I might have been able to keep my Quest.
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    Thanks Scott174 & Nissan22. I do have a lawyer I am working with. We have a court Arb. date for Dec and a meeting with an Administrative Judge in a bout 1 week. With any luck we should have this worked out soon. I have been going through the process for about 4 months, these are the first sit-downs.

    I was mostly curious about the third option (BBB Arb) more out of curiosity. I have not seen anything positive on this, unless of course you are Nissan and don't want to have to buy-back one of these vans.

    I will keep all posted as to the outcome of this.

    Nissan22: questions, once you received a favorable ruling how long did it take Nissan to complete their part of the buy-back?
  • missiemissie Member Posts: 5
    Purchased new 04 fully loaded SE in late July in N.O.. Radio problems almost immediately. Service dept. said unaware of ANY quest radio problems. Ended up replacing entire DVD/stereo system after one month. Now auto passenger sliding door opens by itself at weird times (in park, overnight). Also, drivers seat was wet on two occasions (with heated seats, etc...was afraid my bottom would be electrocuted! ha). Dealership had car for two days and couldn't duplicate or locate any problems. They did pay for my rental, however. Have also noticed that my door ajar light doesn't light when the driver passenger door isn't closed correctly. The only way I knew, was the interior lights came on going around a curve!! This a huge safety thing for me. Dealer also denies knowing of any quest service bulletins regarding the wet seats (roof leak) or mysterious door openings. We know this is not true after reading this ENTIRE message board. I have no idea what to do about these issues...this was a 35K car...Louisiana has a very hard-to-win lemon law....what are my options? Should I call the Nissan 1-800 number and continue to document EVERYTHING?!
  • frittobfrittob Member Posts: 52
    Went in for my 1 year inspection (14K miles) and their telling me 4 new tires ... @ $150/each

    I know this van is heavy, but I was hoping to get a bit more than a year out of the tires

    2004 Quest SE, 17" wheels, mostly highway miles
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Wow, I have almost 15K miles and minimal noticeable wear on my tires. Maybe your alignment was way off? Did you check the wear indicators on the tires? There should be a mileage warranty on the tires too.

    tom
  • chelle1chelle1 Member Posts: 1
    Boy, can I relate. Our '04 Quest, with 25K miles and 1 year old, is also in the shop. It was in a couple of days last week and then back this week. Now we're told they *think* it will be at least two or three weeks (or longer?) before we get it back. Yesterday they said the transmission was going out on it. Today they said possibly a valve problem but that part is on back-order and will take awhile to get here. After they replace that, then they'll be able to determine if the entire transmission needs to be replaced or not. They finally offered me a rental after leaving me stranded with no vehicle all the other many times its been in the shop. This is our 4th Nissan and we've never had this many problems or trips to the dealership for repairs/recalls with the other three combined as we've had with this one in 1 year we've had it. I love the Quest's spacious inside but I lately I feel like the dealership has it more than I do and I don't feel like I can depend on it. I've contacted Nissan about early termination on the lease but the quote they gave me is outrageous. I am now trying to talk to consumer affairs about waiving the early termination penalty given the fact that I don't have a vehicle that is reliable or even driveable for that matter or in my possession. I don't know much about the lemon law or arbitration process but if anyone out there has any suggestions for us, please feel free to reply. I'm open for any advice or suggestions that might help us. I just don't feel this vehicle is performing up to standards. And yes we've had alot of the other problems mentioned here on the boards, too.
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    Look into your states LemonLaw www.mycarstats.com is a good resource for finding the laws of your state. Call the Factory, register complaints. keep documents. You will need the paper trail if you want satisfaction
  • questdaddyquestdaddy Member Posts: 6
    I have advice, although not from problems with my quest. I had a volkswagen which I bought in 1996. It had defects in the paint, which after giving the dealership 2-3 chances to repaint we realized it would never look 'factory new' (which is of course what you pay for when you buy a car). I couldn't get any satisfaction from the dealership and I was so down about the outcome that the salesman actually took me aside and made a few suggestions that may be useful to those with unresolvable problems:

    File the problem with the BBB. Just the paperwork to start the process and show the co. you are serious. Then the magic, call the Regional Rep for the auto maker. This is someone actually employed by the company, but their sole purpose in the end is customer satisfaction. The BBB must have provided the number to me, if not the corporate office of VW did. They set up a meeting with you at the dealership to look over the problem. When you site the problems, do your homework and find out the service bulletin info, the receipts from every attempt the dealer made and length of time the car was kept, pictures, etc. (so that you can show both problem, that you gave the dealer attempts to fix it, and the bulletins can show a lack of resolution to really correct the problem to "new" condition). I showed my intense sadness and dissatisfaction, but remained respectful and professional. After a long drawn out few hours, he asked me the key question: "What will it take to make you happy?" I said, honestly, put me back in my Toyota. With my previous car, I paid for a new car and got a new car in new condition with no defects. (you could of course just skip the toyota line, but it was how I felt at the time!) So he said what he can do is put me in a car of comparable equipment and take back the old one. But of course they had no new 1996's so I ended up in a 1997, in choice of color since that one was 'no longer available' (wonder why!). I also ended up in a model with a few added features that I did not have to pay the difference on, since it was not my fault this was necessary. Dealer not happy, so he recommended another local dealer for continued service. I left very happy and at 100k, I am still happy with the outcome. VW stood behind the problem and hiring an attorney was never necessary. I hope Nissan has the same level of commitment to customer satisfaction.

    Good luck. And let me know if you have any questions that I may have skipped over for an attempt at brevity.
  • nissan22nissan22 Member Posts: 17
    We had a hearing with the BBB in August. The suggestion by the BBB to Nissan to buy the van back came around the 3rd week of September. Nissan agreed to this around Sept 30. The finalizing of paper work and transferring the vehicle did not happen until Nov 17.
  • fmunoz1069fmunoz1069 Member Posts: 35
    Hi everyone I just purchased a 04 SL with the sky roof package, and we love this van. We traded in our 2002 Toyota Sienna LE, too many problems. I was wondering if anyone has a problem with the fuel gauge not reading correctly after filling the tank. I had a 1/4 of a tank so I filled up and it only went up 2 more bars. I tried turning the ignition key on and off thinking it had to reset or something and still the same reading. I also noticed that when the a/c is off and you have the temp set on cold and the fan on 1 or 2 that warm air comes out of the front vents. Anyone experienced this? thanks for any input.
  • samuelgsamuelg Member Posts: 36
    Fmunoz:

    Regarding the warm air coming from the front vents.....you can check my numerous postings.

    I went to arbitration because of this problem and lost. Why? Because Nissan says all 04 Quests blow warm air. It's not a defect in material or workmanship. It's a design issue- the Quest has no coolant cut off valve going to the heater core. That means hot coolant always flows thru it, dumping heat into the ventilation system. Improper damper design doesn't separate the air flow adequately, so you always get warm air blending, unless you turn on the AC to cool it off. Year round.

    Good luck. I'm looking at adding a valve to fix it properly- my dealership supports such a remedy to fix the problem. But I'm on my own. They won't touch it. Other than that, it's a great van.

    Sam G
  • frittobfrittob Member Posts: 52
    Same thing (fuel gauge not hitting full) happened to us once on a road trip.
    After the van cooled down it reset itself.
    Hasn't happened since so i figured it was just a fluke
  • missiemissie Member Posts: 5
    Well, after the last posting, the radio/dvd went out again. I brought it to the dealer immediately, and the tech got to actually "see" the problem in action. They've had the car for 4 days now. I also called 1-800-Nissan1 and have a report # and file. The regional rep is on the case. He , too, asked me what it would take to make me happy. I told him a New Quest that works/runs properly. I love my Quest - just want it to work...sigh....Dealer did give me an '05 Expedition as a loaner...Will see what happens next.
    Where do I get a listing of all the service bulletins for the Quest????? I want to keep all that info. in the file....
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    I purchased a 04 Quest in July and I have had numerous repairs on this vehicle. I am currently communicating (or lack of on their part) with my regional representative in hopes that Nissan will place me in a different vehicle. In the event that the are not willing, I will be filing a "lemon law" claim. I currently have 5,500 miles on my van and I have had it towed to the dealership at 3,300 miles, 4,200 miles and the last trip at 5,300 miles (seems to be every thousand miles). I have been having intermittent power or lack of power. Nissan has offered my the run a round! They are aware of the problem, but their traditional way of fixing it did not work, thus they are anticipating a "software enhancement" to come out approximately 12/29/04 or shortly after that "should" eliminate the problem. I am at my wits end with a vehicle that is not reliable and shocked at how Nissan treats their customers. I have owned nissans in the past and I am on the fence if I would ever purchase again.
  • eyeblindeyeblind Member Posts: 156
    Go to www.nissanhelp.com. There you can see and read all the service bullitens on the Quest.
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    I have had lots of problems with MY DVD ending with them replacing the system several times. The last replacement was with what they called a "Countermeasure radio". You can find details in my earlier posts. I had entered into Lemon Law action with Nissan and have been able to get a monetary settlement, of course the lawyer will get more then me, but they are paid from Nissan as part of the settlement.

    Is the problem you get "no sound", but displays are normal.
  • eyeblindeyeblind Member Posts: 156
    noelkimmi- was your Quest towed to the dealer for the lack of power issue or another issue?

    plashenick- do you still have your Quest or did they buy it back? Was your only lemon law issue the silent radio?
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    My quest was towed to the dealership two of the three visits for a lack of power. On the third visit, the quest lost power less than a mile from the dealership and we were able to get it there without being towed. When the Quest loses power, it is still driveable. The problem is there is a "lack of power". The vehicle will move, but you are lucky if you can get up to 10mph after pushing the gas pedal to the floor completely. This is very dangerous, but Nissan advises to stop the vehicle and turn it off...wait 10 seconds and "presto" the problem solved. That sounds like magic, but their solution to the problem has not worked for me and they want me to sit and wait for their "software enhancement" to arrive and "HOPE" that it works.
  • dconlandconlan Member Posts: 3
    We have had the same expeirence with our 2004 Quest it will stay in third gear and no has no power. Can you tell me who at NISSAN told you that there is a "software enhancement". When I asked about a fix for the no shift in the transmission two weeks ago (11/16/2004) I was told by Nissan Consumer Affairs (Juan)that they do not know about any problems or bullitens regarding the transmission not shifting.
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    I have a physical copy of the bulletin that I had to beg, borrow and steal from the service department to get my hands on. My initial problem started on 9/20 and the dealership informed me that it had just been posted through their hot line. The bulletin states "if a customer complains of intermittent power...do not replace any parts...advise customer to turn engine off and wait 10 seconds and restart(this "should" eliminate the problem-not in my case)...it states that this type of problem may not be duplicated. After having my van lose power 3+ times, I contacted Nissan. They are worthless! They need to be educated on their customer service skills. I spoke with them today and again they informed me that they are aware of the problem and they are anticipating a "software enhancement" as early as 12/29 or the first of the year. They offer no assistance and portray a "I really don't care attitude". I have asked numerous times if they would buy me out of my vehicle and I would purchase a Murano, but they are unwilling to deal. I have an attorney working on my case and I hope that Nissan pays dearly (not just for me, but for all owners of the Quest). After dealing with Nissan and their poor customer service and lack of caring I will NEVER buy another Nissan and I urge others to do the same. It is extremely frustrating and sad that I have been a previous owner of many nissan vehicles and that Nissan would prefer a customer to lemon their vehicle rather than amend the problem!
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    I have asked for the manager...his manager...his manager and so on, but Nissan just truly does not care about their customers. They continue to "pass the buck" forcing customers to attain legal counsel.
  • sportsmomsportsmom Member Posts: 1
    Thank you so much for the info you posted last year. It's now Dec 2004 and we've got deep snow in Oregon. The standard tires on the Quest are worthless in snow. I got stuck on a mild grade going into my own neighborhood! I found your post on the list, and called the dealer to see if there were any recommendations for snow tires. He insisted that I would have no problem getting the rights size tires....WRONG AGAIN, Mr. Service man! Thanks to your post I knew what to ask for and the Les Schwab was able to get me in studded snow tires in 2 hours. (for the record you still have to use a 215/70/16 and I think I'm getting some rubbing when I turn.)

    My biggest frustration with the Quest is that I know more about it than the dealer. I get Nissan letters with the dealer letterhead and address and they don't have any idea what I'm talking about. I still have a horrible sulphur smell coming from the exhaust (people have stopped me in parking lots to tell me to go get my catalytic converter checked) but Nissan thinks its the gas I'm buying. Even though the other 2 Quests they sold have reported the same problem.

    Anyway, thank you so much for your excellent detailed information. Tire problem mostly solved, and I got in the driveway last night!
  • dsolterodsoltero Member Posts: 7
    Anyone have problems with exhaust fumes in the car and if so.... how did you solve it. Any info would be helpful. Thanx. DS
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    Thanks for the help.
  • greasemonkey2greasemonkey2 Member Posts: 6
    I had the same concern. Brought it back to the dealer for service and they told me it was common on all models and it was caused by the way the exhaust system is designed. The cataylitic converter is positioned right under the passenger seat.
  • greasemonkey2greasemonkey2 Member Posts: 6
    I'm curious about why your van needed to be towed to the dealer. I just recently had it towed to the dealer because the van would start but then imdeiately shut off. When it went to the dealer it suddenly started to work OK. The dealer charged me $110 for the tow charge because they saw no problem even though the tow guy saw experienced the same problem when he tried to start it.

     

    Did you have the same problem???
  • greasemonkey2greasemonkey2 Member Posts: 6
    i'll sign a class action law suit.
  • midugmidug Member Posts: 2
    Count me in.
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    The reason for the tow was a lack of power. My van would start, but I couldn't gain any power. When I first encountered the problem my van started up and within seconds it lost power. It was still driveable., but I was unable to reach speeds over 10mph. I called the dealer and they directed me to the towing company. The second time I had my vehicle towed I had just left my house, I made it about two streets and the dash began to light up like christmas and was beeping like crazy...again no power and unable to reach speeds over 10mph. I made it back home and spoke with the dealer, once again they directed me to the towing company. The last time my van went crazy on me with this power problem, I was about 1/2 mile from the dealership and I drove it in there (at a snails pace). The service department didn't even want me to leave it with them because they didn't know how to fix it...they inform me each and every time that "Nissan is aware of the problem...", but I insisted on leaving the vehicle for safety reasons and because I wanted them to check for any new problems. I don't know why you were charged for the tow, as the vehicle is under warranty and the bulletin put out by Nissan states that the problem "may not be duplicated". If you need a copy of this letter, let me know and I will send it to you. I am just disgusted with Nissan! I have never heard such a poor excuse...we know there is a problem and we are trying to fix it, but the traditional way didn't work. Nissan has certainly shown that they have no care or concern for their customers as I am still driving around in a van that Nissan is unable and unwilling to repair.
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    So why don't you seek recompense under the Lemon Law of your state?
  • dconlandconlan Member Posts: 3
    Could you fax me a copy of the bulletin?
  • lcomplcomp Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 2005 Quest - when it is under 35 degrees I cannot shift out of park until the van warms up for at least 5 minutes. Anyone else with this problem?
  • missiemissie Member Posts: 5
    04 quest is STILL in shop since 12/3. Nissan service rep is on case. At one time their service dept. said they couldn't duplicate the radio (no sound but still display)and I had to remind them that when I drove it in, that their own guy witnessed the problem personally. (The key is to bring it in while it's doing it!). They have since told me that they did figure out why my auto. psgr. sliding door opens on it's own (at strange and dangerous times). Roof still leaks - I told them that it could be the T bolts in the roof racks (as was posted earlier) instead of the skylight. A shame that I have to tell them what is the possible cause.....Radio/DvD replaced entirely again, I'm sure....sigh.....
  • plashenickplashenick Member Posts: 165
    How are you still having the sound system problems (no sound when unit is on) and power-sliding door re-opening and Nissan says it knows nothing. These are well documented issues; go through this site and you will find the service bulletin's and the part numbers for repairs.

     

    Have you thought about going to other Nissan dealers. What state do you live in? Maybe should should examine your options under the Lemon Law.

     

    Never be a consumer who does what the manuf. says , because it is in their interest.
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    Sure...what is your fax number?
  • noelkimminoelkimmi Member Posts: 8
    My lawyer is sending the documents tomorrow...I was waiting to hear from Nissan. They called today and informed me that they were not willing to buy back the vehicle or put me in another vehicle.
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles