2012 Nissan QUEST problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
93 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 70 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 93 complaints (30.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 25 | 26.9% |
| Engine operation | 21 | 22.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 12.9% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 8.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 8.6% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 28 |
| Electrical System | 17 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 16 |
| Engine | 13 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Structure:Body | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
Power Train: 28; Electrical System: 17; Fuel/Propulsion System: 16; Engine: 13; Unknown Or Other: 12; Structure:Body: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Service Brakes: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 23 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2012: 11; 2013: 7; 2014: 4; 2015: 8; 2016: 8; 2017: 10; 2018: 7; 2019: 10; 2020: 6; 2021: 13; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 3; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 25 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 21 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10493151 · 2013-01-16 (January 16, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 NISSAN QUEST. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED ABNORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE FAILURE FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V076000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: SOFTWARE). THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE COUL…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493151 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10702370 · 2015-03-28 (March 28, 2015)
THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT IN OUT 2012 NISSAN QUEST AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AFTER COMING TO A STOP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10702370 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10445761 · 2012-01-29 (January 29, 2012)
PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2012 NISSAN QUEST JUST WEEKS AGO, CURRENT MILEAGE 320. ENGINE STALLED WITH LITTLE LESS THAN QUARTER TANK OF GAS IN A SLOW TURN. COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE VAN HAD ENOUGH GAS FOR 30 MILES TRAVEL. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CARS BEHIND US, SO I WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND RESTART THE CAR TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE ADVISER ADVISED ME TO MAKE SURE NOT TO LET THE GAS TANK GO DOWN BELOW 1/4 TANK. AFTER READING ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM CURRENT QUEST OWNERS, I WILL BE …
Owner-reported narrative. 320 miles reported. Look up ODI 10445761 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447506 · 2012-02-11 (February 11, 2012)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING UP A 2-3% GRADE. IT APPEARED TO RUN OUT OF FUEL ALTHOUGH THE NAVIGATION DISPLAY INDICATED THERE WERE 21 MILES UNTIL EMPTY. THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO INDICATED FUEL REMAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH AND FORTUNATELY IT COASTED TO THE TOP OF THE GRADE. AT THAT POINT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RECEIVING FUEL ONCE AGAIN AND KICKED IN. THIS APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED ON THE 2011 MODEL YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE NARROW ROAD AROUND A BLIND CURVE WITH NO PLACE TO PULL OFF. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10472967 · 2012-08-29 (August 29, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN QUEST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT ACCURATELY DISPLAYING THE LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH DUE TO LOW FUEL ALTHOUGH THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE TANK WAS HALF FULL. THE CONTACT INQUIRED WITH THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 12V076000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: SOFTWARE) BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472967 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10474208 · 2012-09-07 (September 7, 2012)
CAR WAS PARKED ON A PARKING LOT ON A VERY SLIGHT DECLINE. LOW FUEL INDICATOR JUST CAME ON BUT DISTANCE TO EMPTY INDICATOR STILL SHOWS 50+ MILES. VEHICLE STARTED AT FIRST BUT STARTED TO SHUDDER AND THEN ENGINE DIED. TRIED RESTARTING A FEW TIMES BUT IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF RIGHT AWAY. ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE FINE (RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC). HAD TO PUT 2 GALLONS OF GAS TO GET IT TO START AGAIN. DROVE TO THE GAS STATION RIGHT AWAY AND FILLED IT UP WITH ONLY 14.5 GALLONS OF TANK. MANUAL SAYS VEHICLE HAS 20 GALLON FUEL TANK CAPACITY. I WAS AWARE OF T…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,330 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10446754 · 2012-02-05 (February 5, 2012)
MY NEW 2012 NISSAN QUEST WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE FRONT SLIGHTLY FACING DOWN LOOKING AT THE ROAD WITH LESS THAN QUARTER TANK OF GAS. THE VAN WOULD START BUT WOULD NOT STAY IDLE AND THE DASH BOARD INDICATED THAT THE VAN HAD ENOUGH GAS TO GO 25 MILES. I HAD TO PUT THE VAN IN NEUTRAL TO ROLL IT DOWN THE STREET (FLAT SURFACE) BEFORE IT CAN BE STARTED AND KEPT ON IDLE. WHEN YOU ROLL THE VAN DOWN IN NEUTRAL WITH THE ENGINE OFF YOU LOOSE YOUR POWER BRAKES, SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO CARS COMING FROM EITHER SIDE. I REPORTED THE IN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10446754 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11377477 · 2020-12-02 (December 2, 2020)
I WAS SOLD A DECEPTIVE VAN AT THE END SEPT 2020, I DID A TEST DRIVE WITH THE SALESMAN, POINTED OUT SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE VAN LIKE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRACTION LIGHT ON, AIR BAG LIGHT ON, REMOTE MISSING TO CONTROL TV, THE SALESMAN TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THE LIGHTS THAT'S ON HE WILL GET THAT FIX AT A LATER DATE AND TO BUY THE TV REMOTE AND A DEDUCTION WILL BE APPLIED TO MY CONTRACT. I WAS FINE WITH THAT, BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE. I ADMITTEDLY START TO FIND OTHER ISSUE WITH THE VAN THE MORE I DROVE IT LIKE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR IS…
Owner-reported narrative. 152,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11377477 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11488584 · 2022-10-10 (October 10, 2022)
I was on a busy freeway only 10 miles from my city and my van with no warning started to slow down and I tried pushing gas to make it go faster to the speed limit because there were semi trucks lined behind and beside me and it wouldn’t accelerate at all. It just continued to slow down at a fast rate and I was trying to get to the side of the freeway as fast as possible and the steering wheel got hard to turn to the side. It was a struggle and I had my husband, and all 5 of my daughters with me. We were all scared out of our minds. Vehicles wer…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11488584 at NHTSA ↗