I bought my 2004 Quest, used, a year ago, after numerous trips and 3 kids attacking it, I have yet to experience the major problems others have described. Both my wife and myself, love this vehicle. Usually issues with excess brake wear are related to a person's driving habits. Tire wear can be caused by the same driving habits. The type of tire can also cause excess wear. Good quality "sticky" tires which handle great will wear out more rapidly in hot weather. I have found with both my Nissan's, if you don't ignore preventative maintenance, and follow service recommendations, these issues don't come up. I have had not problems with power or the transmission.
I bought a used 2004 Quest in February of 2006 with 32000 miles on it.
I have had some problems with this car. Sometimes my radio will not play, and if it goes on for days this way, the instrument panel will fade out and then it will drain my battery. I discovered a work around,which takes care of this problem. I shut the car off and open the slider or the hatch in the back, and close them by the button on the overhead console switch, then turn the car back on. The radio will then work fine again. I think all the complaints I have been reading about sounds almost like this problem. It is some how connected to the electricals of the slider and hatch.
I also had to replace the expensive odd size tires, but thanks to one of the complaints I will check the other 2 companies making those tires for next time.
The only other thing that is wrong is the tire pressure sensor. I lose air all the time and have had the seals replaced, but it did not last long. Just had one stem replaced; cost around $289.00 with labor, and that was because the metal tire cap rusted to the stem. Replacing all the caps to plastic caps.
My brakes in the front need replacing, and it just started to get the steering vibration when stepping on the brakes, but I believe it is because they are ABS brakes and need replacing. I have had this problem on other types of cars with ABS brakes.
And the issue with the brakes wearing out quickly; I know my brakes are ceramic and found out that those types of brakes wear out faster.
Otherwise the car runs smooth, and being a big heavy bulky car, I do great on gas.
Just as with most of the comments here, we have had nothing but problems with our Quest. We bought an '04 Quest in Oct. "03 and almost right away the nightmare began, starting with the recalls. Our list of non-stop issues:
The tires-it is true they wear out in a very short amount of time and they are extremely expensive. To top it off, you have no choice in replacement tires, they are an odd size tire, only a couple of companies sell them.
Brakes- they too wear out quickly. Don't tell me it is because of how people drive their vehicles, that is a bunch of nonsense and just an excuse they use.
Rattling noise coming from back of van- taken in several times to fix it-keeps returning.
Front passenger-side door has never been aligned right. After about three months of ownership, it was very difficult to open and shut the door. It now barely opens. Dealer says they can't fix it-have to take it to a body shop.
Tires are constantly leaking air.
Oil leak.
Have been having an issue for over a year now with service engine light coming on. We were first told that two problems needed to be fixed to repair the problem. Paid $1,000 for those two fixes. Now they're saying the whole computer needs to be replaced- $1,500 fix!
Have also experienced the gas gauge problem (not reading a full tank even though it was just filled-up) as others have.
Have also experienced the same problem as others have with what Nissan calls "fail safe mode". What happens is when you put the van in drive, it will only go about 10 mph, no faster. The only way to fix it is to shut the van off and restart it. This has happened to me 3 or 4 times. They have no explanation for it.
Steering wheel shakes.
As you can see, I could go on and on about all the defects with this vehicle- and that is what they are-DEFECTS! At one point, I was so fed up with all the problems, I called Nissan Corporate. They were willing to do nothing! They do not stand behind their vehicle at all! From everything I've read about this, the 2004 Nissan Quest has had way too many complaints and issues for this to be ignored. Obviously, this model is a lemon and something should be done by Nissan for all the grief they have caused their customers. Don't worry, I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen!
We bought two other Nissan vehicles previous to this one and never experienced the problems like we have with this Quest. Needless to say, we will NEVER buy another Nissan and we will NEVER recommend Nissan to anyone we know!
Have a 2004 SL that I purchased new in spring of 2005. I had problem of engine speeding up one time to almost 5000 rpm while on idle easing into garage. Luckily I quickly put it into neutral while holding with brake. Within 5 seconds it had returned to idle. This happened several times, although not this bad in this first year of ownership. Nissan could not figure it out as it could not be duplicated. It finally quit doing it after about 15,000 miles. I now have 77,000 miles of trouble free operation.
Tires made it to 50,000 with tread still left & front brake pads at 60,000. Knock on wood, but this was one of the last built of that model year after Nissan had improved the quality of the earlier production. Only warranty item I had was the replacement of glove box lid due to a broken hinge.
We have had our 04 Quest since January 05 and had all of usual problems. But first, a few positives:
Quest is only minivan that my wife considers attractive enough to drive. That sort of trumps everyone else. And speaking of everyone else, check out Honda and Toyota forums, their vans also have their share of problems (unlike their cars). This must be a common trend for the minivans. And Chrysler is worst than all of them, including the Quest!
Nissan did extend their bumper to bumper warranty on ’04 model to 5 years/60k miles. So even though we bought our van with 32k miles (almost out of warranty), we “enjoyed” extended BTB warranty for another 3 years. One night argue that we shouldn’t have needed to use the warranty, but that is another story…
I am not going to go through all the usual problems, they have already been thoroughly covered. But I will address this:
Tires: as people pointed out, OEM tires are extremely expensive and not particularly good. My original tires did last until 55k miles, at which point, I got Yokohama (?) replacements for around $100/tire installed. DO NOT GET OEM TIRES!
Tire stems/sensors. I have had enough with those things! Over the years, I have had my car back to the dealer at least 10 times and one stem still has a slow leak (~2psi/month). If it get worse, I will simply replace it with a “dumb” stem and check the tire pressure the old fission way… I will probably have to live with the “flat tire” orange light and a warning “buzzer”.
Brakes: unlike pulsating under “lock-up condition”, vibrating brake pedal has nothing to do with ABS! I replaced the front pads/rotors at 55k miles. Original front rotors were vibrating pretty bad. Now, at 73k miles the replacement rotors started to vibrate (which makes it feel worse, because I also have a worn out inner tie rod joint). Unfortunately, this is a common problem on pretty much ALL FWD vehicles and you just have to live with occasional rotor replacements… Fortunately, there are now replacement aftermarket rotors available for around $55/side. In the rear, I just replaced the pads (which were work MORE than the front pads!!!), but rear rotors appears to be fine, so left them on the car.
We might consider trading-up to the newer Quest, but until our kids are older (anther 3-5 years), we are “stuck” with this generation of Quest unless someone else comes out with an attractive minivan.
Purchased 2004 Nissan Quest, new. Less than 2 weeks later the rear window fell out. It was replaced and repainted to fix it.
Less than 50K, the doors have been readjusted and hinges replaced numerous times, now they are saying a body shop has to fix it.
The right front passenger window keeps rolling down on its own. Even when you roll it back up, it will drop back down a few inches and you have to hold the button down for a while to make it stay up.
Been in the shop for over a month to try and fix a clunking noise. They have replaced the axles 3 times and the transmission once, still not fixed and they still have the van at the dealership, but they have no clue what the problem is or how to fix it -- and all at less than 50,000 miles. Vibration started at low speeds and it feels like the wheels are about to fall off.
Has anyone had these issues successfully repaired? And how did they fix it so we can tell them how to fix our van.
We bought our 2004 Nissan Quest after being very satisfied with our 1995 Nissan Quest. We were loyal customers.
This has been the worst automobile I have ever owned. I have replaced the front brakes/rotors at my own expense the first time at 33K miles. I have replaced the front or rear brake pads/rotors every 6 to 10 months. I pitched a fit after the second round (while still in warranty). The dealers suggested it was my driving. I pointed out that my previous 1995 Nissan Quest was driven solely by me as well, but never had any brake problems.
I've always considered myself a "mechanically aware" female. I've flown planes, navigated many boats over the years, and driven many trucks/cars over the years. I resented this dealers' pointing the finger at me.
This van has serious brake issues and Nissan refused to stand by their product. It is too bad. I called Nissan headquarters and asked to switch to another of their models. I was willing to work out a fair swap. They said no... They have lost another "lifelong" customer... I make a point of telling anyone interested about Nissan not standing behind their product.
This is what happen when Japanese cars are built in the US plant... there are no QA on the workmenship, we bought ours, the new 2004, the 1st generation with new style and look.
Our 04 Quest does not any engine issues, but there are issues with the radio will not power up, tire pressure sensor leaks air, the original tires and brake pads worn out at 25k miles.
The covers in the back of the seats do not latch well in place. After 2 years they started to come loose, and the trims and the console on the ceiling also became loose and rattle.
Same story here folks. I'm a LOYAL Nissan owner since who knows when. I've had Maximas, Z's, earlier Quest, etc.
The 2004 Nissan Quest has some great features that I still love to this day. But *GASP* there are some problems.
At about 20,000 miles I started noticing vibration through the steering wheel, and yes, the brakes were already starting to shudder. I figured it must be tires, so I waited (a short time) to get those replaced. Once replaced, I figured I'd be on my way, but it was the brakes, not the tires. With brand new tires, there was no difference. The original tires wearing out fast? That's not really a big deal. Most car manufacturers put on high performance treads on new cars because they will handle more impressively when people are buying. The tires are softer and not expected to last long. You'll get that from just about any car maker.
Anyway -- brakes were getting worse and worse. We DO NOT BRAKE hard. In fact, when I finally got SICK of them around 50K, I pulled the wheels and all but the rear right brake pad had PLENTY of life left in them. I replaced them anyway, since I had them out.
BUT, no difference. Time for rotors. Replaced rotors, and they felt GREAT! For about 5K miles -- then, back to shuddering. I pulled the rotors this time and had them turned. I've heard from several sources that it's not a bad idea to turn even brand new rotors after a few thousand miles because the outer surface can have thermal imperfections. So far, brakes still feel good.
However, at high speed, I still have shaking -- can't figure it out. Don't know if it's a bushing, axle, shock. No idea.
RATTLES! Don't even get me started. Which I would've paid better attention at the test drive, but this sucker rattles to no end. Despite several visits, these have never been fixed. And I hate ANY rattles in my car, so having a new car with 100 of them was and is very frustrating.
Shift knob fell out into my hand whilst driving once. That sucked.
Battery died very early -- probably at 2 years. Right around that time, the rear hatch and side doors were having trouble shutting. Replaced battery, and it seemed to fix the problem. But, after a few weeks, the rear hatch was still having trouble. Don't worry about replacing the rear hatch struts. They are VERY STRONG and still work -- it has to do with the $600 motor that needs to be replaced. Not looking forward to that, though I'll be doing it myself because it's at 90K now and out of warranty.
AIR BAG sensor -- supposedly, my blinking airbag light is not due to a malfunction of the airbag system, but just a sensor, which costs plenty to replace, and is basically just a piece of junk.
Display!!! Yep -- can't read my fuel level, mileage, or temperature. $300 part, $90 diagnostic (to be applied to 3 hours labor if that's the problem). I can't even sell this car unless I get it fixed -- they'll probably put a salvage title on it if I can't read the OD.
AM Stereo SIGNAL -- has been dead nearly since the beginning. We had the recall done. Worked for a week, and started getting fuzzy again. If I hit a bump in the road, it will switch it back and forth from good too bad. Seriously -- I thought my grandpa's car from the 60's was the only car to do that!!!
There was a nasty noise coming from the rear of the car once. Figured it was another typical rattle. Well -- one day, I go to convert the rear seat -- the right side falls down. The T45 "TORX" (I think that's the size) bolt holding down the right side of the bench has FALLEN OUT!!! WTF!!! Are you serious? Good thing it wasn't my two kids in the back seat getting in an accident when I found out.
Splash guards in the wheel well -- most horrible design ever. They have a very small "ear" that uses a clip into the body of the car. Both sides broke within a few weeks. I had one replaced -- it broke withing a few days!!!
Tires "clicking"? I figured this one out myself!!! There is a large cotter pin used outside the locking nut on the front axles. It has slack, and as you drive, it will move up and down and CLANK. Seriously! Can you believe it! Well, it's true. Take it out, dip it in some silicone, and put it back in and let it dry. Fixed my problem. Lame!!!
Driver side BACKUP mirror feature -- everytime we backed up the car, the thing would adjust to COMPLETELY down and in, until it started CLICKING like it was gonna break. Got it fixed under warranty, but it sucked. I hate giving away my car for a day+ with no specific time table. It's such a pain.
Leaky roof windows - - yep, we had them. Luckily they were under warranty.
Carpet clips under rear seat. Always coming undone. No way to fix. It'll just keep doing it -- forever.
Other than this, I love the car! (LOL). If we could fix the display, the brakes, and the shaking at higher speed, I would probably not complain about the car much at all. The rattles would be secondary. As it is, they add to the frustration of paying out $36K for what was supposed to be the next big thing in minivans and getting a handful of problems. However, I do believe Nissan has improved on their 2004 design, and I feel a little stupid for buying an inaugural year car. Never buy the first year, folks. Buy 2nd or 3rd.
Things I'd like to see on my 2004 Quest? Sliding side door windows. Rear head rest tuck into rear seat (duh!). Those two features are no brainers, and have been incorporated in competing vehicles. Also, the newer style center console (between pass/driver seats) on the Quest is SOOO much nicer than the junky piece of crap on our 2004.
I have had my 2004 Quest since 2004, and as with others, have had my share of fixes. Brakes and tires were the most common of them all, and as was said you can use after-market; that would be cheaper.
Maintenance is definitely key with all kinds of vehicles, American or foreign. I am now at 90,000 miles and still love my van. It still drives smoothly - sometimes too smoothly that I don't even realize how fast I am going.
I love this van, and couldn't be happier with my decision when I bought it.
We bought our 2004 NISSAN Quest in October 2003.
Our front rotors and brake pads were replaced at 20000 miles. The van has 75000 miles now and the rotors and pads are still good. We have changed the rear pads once.
The tires were a big problem. They wore out after about 22000 miles. We went with the Toyo tires and they have been great.
We did have to change the throttle body early on, but the warranty covered it. The van would only go about 10 miles per hour. We were lucky to have a good service department, and they took care of it.
We have also replaced the CV axles, fuel pump, spark plugs, and one ignition coil.
The check engine light is on and the code P1273 (air fuel sensors have to be replaced) cost about $300.00.
The front hub bearings need to be replaced about 600.000.
I have let Nissan know that we are through with them, and that we will never buy another Nissan. They don't stand behind their vehicles.
We have had our 2004 Quest since June 2004. Besides tires, which are a wear item, we replaced the brake between 12 and 18 months. Which includes pads and rotors. The van is too heavy. Tires and brakes cannot handle the weight. Other than that, we love the van. Not a single problem.
It was a new model and you have to expect problems. Anything that went wrong, was fixed under warranty. There were a couple of recalls that were fixed by the dealer with no expense to us.
117,000 miles and still going strong.
I was loyal to Nissan until our Quest experience ended that loyalty... permanently. I ran into most of the issues listed here, especially as pertains to brake and tire issues. At about 65,000 miles the timing chain got off and we had to have it replaced. That cost $4,200.00! The electronic buttons all stopped working and they want $600.00+ to fix that. The motor mount went out around 50,000 miles. The arm on one of the bucket seats simply snapped off when being lowered. Nissan has done nothing to compensate us. I will NEVER buy another Nissan.
"I was loyal to Nissan until our Quest experience ended that loyalty... permanently. I ran into most of the issues listed here, especially as pertains to brake and tire issues. At about 65,000 miles the timing chain got off and we had to have it replaced. That cost $4,200.00! The electronic buttons all stopped working and they want $600.00+ to fix that. The motor mount went out around 50,000 miles. The arm on one of the bucket seats simply snapped off when being lowered. Nissan has done nothing to compensate us. I will NEVER buy another Nissan."
Sounds like my old Ford Windstar. Except it had far more serious problems around that mileage like starter, intake manifold, electrical, and transmission issues. Total cost of repair: $6,000. I'd rather take the Nissan.
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