1996 Nissan Quest XE from North America - Comments

Throttle position sensor. Out of warranty, Dealer replaced.

Mysterious hard starting problem turned out to be leaking fuel injector. Fuel additive (lots of it) solved this.

Replaced fuel pump and regulator.

Cruise control failure. This cruise was added by dealer, it is junk. Get a factory cruise it has vacuum pump of it's own. Aftermarket cruise relies on intake manifold vacuum does not work well.

Rear trim over hatch tends to fall off after a time.

96 Quest is not fully OBD II compliant.

Some code scanners will not work on it.

Autozone currently does code scan for FREE. Car currently has Sticking EGR valve. (check engine light on)

This vehicle has held up well considering the use it has had. 100000 miles in first four years. My wife drives it every day and it is reliable.

Break shoes last about 40000 on the front and rear are still in great shape after 150000. Original Tires (Generals) lasted 45000. Currently on Toyos.

For a minivan this (test drove them all)

this model had excellent performance and handling and has had above average reliability. $18000 new price.

See fourth paragraph below re: your check engine light.

1993-98 Nissan Quest: Reliability

Trouble Spots

Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair bulletins and questioned mechanics to search for commonly occurring problems for a particular vehicle. In some cases we also give possible manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many instances these trouble spots are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the manufacturer, however, we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle problems.

Automatic transmission: Burnt transmission fluid and no reverse gear may signal a defective rear control valve and low/reverse brake. (1993-94)

Automatic transmission: If the transmission does not shift properly until warmed up, make sure it is filled only with Nissanmatic "C" transmission fluid. (All)

Check-engine light: Clogged fuel injectors may cause hesitation and check engine light. (1997-98)

Coolant leak: Coolant may leak from the front of the cylinder head, which may appear to be a head gasket, but comes from a threaded plug in the front of the head. (1993-95)

Doors: A rattle in either of the front doors may be caused by the door-guard-beam spot welds breaking loose. (1993-94)

Heater core: Leaking heater cores require a restrictor in the heater inlet hose. (1993-98)

Suspension noise: A new stabilizer bar and bushings are needed if there is a crunching or scraping noise from the front end. (1993-95)

Tail/brake lights: If the tail/brake lights work intermittently, the socket may be loose from the plastic connector. (1993-95)

I finally figured out what caused the hard starting and stalling problems with my 1996 Nissan Quest.

There is factory connector installed between the "fuel out" tube on the fuel pump and the fuel line that goes forward to the fuel filter and on to the injection rail )inside the fuel tank) .

This device starts to leak after time. Fuel that is sucked up by the fuel pump is sprayed right back into the fuel tank and limits the amount of fuel pressure to the injectors.

I removed the device and installed a short piece of fuel hose in it's place with a clamp on either end. Van starts quickly now and never stalls.

How do I fix the power steering on my 96 Nissan Quest. I know I have to find the leak, but what happens once I have found this leak, and how many places can it be coming from?