Nissan Quest Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2004 draws 14.29 complaints per run and the 2002 1.4, a 10.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 66.1% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 219 complaints, typically at 5.5 years.

Nissan Quest years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Nissan Quest — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2017	1.5	6	4	yes
2016	2.17	13	6	yes
2015	1.5	12	8	yes
2014	2.5	15	6	yes
2013	1.5	15	10	yes
2012	6.77	88	13	yes
2011	4.91	54	11	yes
2009	1.89	17	9	yes
2008	3.92	47	12	yes
2007	13.2	198	15	yes
2006	4.46	58	13	yes
2005	3.94	67	17	yes
2004	14.29	343	24	yes
2002	1.4	21	15	yes
2001	1.43	33	23	yes
2000	3.05	61	20	yes
1999	4.75	95	20	yes
1998	2.06	33	16	yes
1997	2.78	75	27	yes
1996	5.25	105	20	yes
1995	5.57	128	23	yes
1994	4.96	119	24	yes
1993	4.23	93	22	yes

ROWS 23·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2004 Quest asks a median $5,499, against $1,900 for a 2005, the next model year: 189% more, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 9 Nissan Quest years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2004, 2007, 1999; the three worth hunting are 2002, 2001, 1998.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Nissan Quest — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	227	15.1%	covered
1 year	150	25.1%	covered
2 years	133	33.9%	covered
3 years	125	42.2%	you pay
4 years	121	50.3%	you pay
5 years	111	57.6%	you pay
6 years	135	66.6%	you pay
7 years	141	76%	you pay
8 years	110	83.3%	you pay
9 years	81	88.7%	you pay
10 years	53	92.2%	you pay
11 years	43	95.1%	you pay
12 years	24	96.7%	you pay
13 years	24	98.3%	you pay
14 years	17	99.4%	you pay
15 years	9	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 33.9% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 66.1% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 24% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Nissan Quest, the early trouble is Structure and Service Brakes — reported at around 3.7 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Nissan Quest — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	219	5.5 yrs	4	23
Power Train	207	5.9 yrs	6	1
Engine And Engine Cooling	198	4.8 yrs	1	6
Structure	176	3.7 yrs	7	2
Fuel System	156	5.3 yrs	3	8
Service Brakes	150	4 yrs	17	6
Gasoline	144	5.4 yrs	3	7
Fuel/propulsion System	119	7.5 yrs	1	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Quest's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Sienna draws 6.57, the Honda Odyssey 7.17 and the Kia Carnival 2.83, against 5 for the Quest.

FIG.05·Nissan Quest — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Quest	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Sienna	8,640	165	1995–2026
Honda Odyssey	12,904	206	1995–2026
Kia Carnival	388	16	2022–2026
Chrysler Pacifica	7,112	98	2004–2026
Chrysler Town and Country	4,148	174	1990–2016
Kia Sedona	2,544	70	2001–2021

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Nissan Quest

Recalls43 campaigns Fuel economy22 mpg best Common problems2,260 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices566 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1993–2017

Frequently asked questions

Is the Nissan Quest reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 5 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Quest years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2004, 2007, 1999. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2002, 2001, 1998. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Quest problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 5.5 years, followed by Power Train.

Will the warranty cover Quest problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 33.9% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 24% of the complaints here.

Is the Quest more reliable than the Toyota Sienna?

Yes: 5 complaints per production run for the Quest against 6.57 for the Toyota Sienna.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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