THE POWER DOOR LOCKS ON MY 96 NISSAN QUEST HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THE FAMILY CALLS THEM "CRAZY" AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT EVER LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE KEYS IN HAND. I AM RETIRED AND MY WIFE AND I BABY SIT SOME OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN, WE PRAY THAT WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM "CRAZY" DOOR LOCKS WHILE TRANSPORTING THE GRAND KIDS. I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO A LOCAL SERVICE REP. AND HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE QUEST VAN POWER DOOR LOCKS. HE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER REPLACING ALL THE POWER DOOR LOCKS. THIS LEFT ME WITH THE FEELING THAT A ROOT CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN FOUND AND PERHAPS I WOULD BE NOTIFIED IN THE NEAR FUTURE OF A "RECALL" OR SERVICE BULLETIN TO HELP WITH MY "CRAZY" POWER DOOR LOCKS. AFTER JUST SEEING THE CBS REPORT TONIGHT, IT IS APPARENT THAT MANY OTHER HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT LET NHTSA KNOW. I JUST SPENT OVER $500 TO FIX THE AIR BAG LIGHT FROM COMING ON, TO REPLACE THE CONTROL MODULE, NOW I AM WONDERING IF THE POWER DOOR LOCKS PROBLEM MAY BE ANOTHER BAD CONTROL MODULE. CONTROL MODULES THAT INVOLVE SAFETY ISSUES SHOULD BE VERY RELIABLE.
1996 Nissan Quest complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
THIS VEHICLE'S DOORS WILL LOCK RANDOMLY FOR NO KNOWN REASON. IT HAPPENS WHETHER RUNNING OR NOT AND IS COMPLETELY AT RANDOM. IT PRESENTS THE POSSIBLITY OF A SMALL CHILD BEING LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE AND IF THE KEYS ARE ALSO IN THE VEHICLE THE CHILD COULD BE TRAPPED. *AK
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY BLEW UP. CONSUMER REPLACED BATTERY, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER OR MECHANIC TO DETERMINE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS OVER 90 DEGREES AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN SUN, VEHICLE WILL ALLOW GAS TO GET TO ENGINE ERRATICALLY AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON, RESULTING IN UNPREDICTABLE DECELERATION. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICE TO DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO REPLACED THROTTLE SYSTEM SENSOR SWITCH WHICH DID NOT CORRECTED THE DEFECT.*AK
THE POWER DOOR LOCKS CONTINUALLY LOCK BY THEMSELVES. ONCE, LOCKING MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VAN WITHOUT IT RUNNING. WE LIVE IN TEXAS, AND IT MAKES ME SICK TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT HAD AN EXTRA SET OF KEYS. I KNOW FROM A CBS NEWS REPORT THAT MY VAN IS NOT THE ONLY ONE LIKE WE THOUGHT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO. IS IT GOING TO TAKE A CHILD'S DEATH FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED? NISSAN TOLD ME TO HAVE IT FIXED MYSELF. I CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THAT. IT HAPPENS TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT.
BRAKES FAILED, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, EMERGENGY BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE ROLLED INTO LAKE AND SUNK. HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE VEHICAL HAS FAILED ON ME FOUR TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT USED IN EARLY 2000, WHILE OPERATING UNDER HEAVY STRAIN AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS, THE ENGINE QUITS DEAD WITH NO NOTICE OF THE ON COMING FAILURE, I HAVE HAD IT INTO A DEALER TWICE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY CAN NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.IT IS DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLE A DEADLY SITUATION FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR CHECKED AND CHECKS OK. I WOULD NOT NOR WILL NOT SELL THIS CAR TO ANYONE UNDER IT'S CURRENT CONDITION.*AK
DOORS WILL LOCK ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT WARNING INCLUDING WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING AND NO DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGERS ARE INSIDE. DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE.*AK
DEALERSHIP FIXED LOCK PROBLEM, BUT THEN REFUSED TO FIX ALARM PROBLEM AFTER CAR WAS PAID FOR. THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $500.00 TO FIX IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED RIGHT. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK
NOTICED GAS SMELL INSIDE AND AROUND VEHICLE FOR SOME TIME EVEN AFTER THE RECALL FIX WAS DONE. ON DATE OF FAILURE, VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND ENGINE RAN POORLY WITH VISIBLE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. GAS FUMES WERE EXTREMELY STRONG AND GAS WAS VISIBLE ON INJECTOR AND ENGINE. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING THERE IS GASOLINE SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS ALSO A GASOLINE SMELL WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED.*JB
AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING/SYSTEM INOPERABLE. WARRANTY EXPIRED 5 MONTHS AGO.DEALER WILL INSPECT FOR $75.///DOORS LOCK/UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES. DEALER REPLACED LOCKS AT COST OF $393.///SLIDING DOOR DOESN'T CLOSE PROPERLY AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. SUSPECT LOCK FAILURE.///POWER STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 10MPH.*AK
DOOR POPS OPEN INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. LOCKING DOOR DOES NOT PREVENT DOOR LATCH FROM POPPING OPEN. ALSO DEALER ADVISED OF CRACKS IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE BOLTS HAVE TORN AWAY FROM THE ANCHOR POSITIONS. CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND ONLY HAS 50, 000 MILES.*AK
SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE OF VAN OPENS BY ITSELF. *AK
ON 4/18/01, NOTICED ONE HEADLAMP NOT LIT. ON OPENING THE HOOD, DISCOVERED BOTH MAIN GROUNDING WIRES WERE "EXPLODED" FROM INSIDE THEIR CASINGS. INDIVIDUAL STRANDS WERE IN SOME CASES STILL INTACT WHILE OTHERS WERE COMPLETELY SEPARATED. WIRES NEARBY WERE ALSO SEVERED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR ELECTRICAL SURGE. AN ADDITIONAL SMALL SECONDARY GROUNDING WIRE WAS SEPARATED FROM ITS MOUNT. RECONNECTING THAT WIRE "FIXED" THE NONFUNCTIONING HEADLIGHT. NEXT DAY, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT. ON OPENING THE HOOD, DISCOVERED BOTH MAIN GROUNDING WIRES COMPLETELY SEPARATED, SECONDARY GROUNDING WIRE SEPARATED, HEADLAMP WIRING CONNECTORS "BURNED" AND ALL CONNECTING WIRES (3 PER) SEPARATED. ELECTRICAL "SCARRING" EVIDENT ON NEARBY METAL AND PLASTIC INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WIRE AND PLASTIC FRAGMENTS FOUND UNDER AND AROUND AFFECTED AREAS. WINDSHIELD WASHER FILLER CAP AND FUNNEL "SCARRED". ALL OTHER MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS APPEAR TO OPERATE NORMALLY, INCLUDING TURN INDICATORS AND PARKING LIGHTS. HAS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM OCCURRED ELSEWHERE? IS THERE REMEDY THROUGH NISSAN EVEN AFTER WARRANTY IS EXPIRED? COPYING TO NISSAN AFTER SUBMITTING TO NHTSA. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR LISTENING AND INVESTIGATING. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
AIRBAG LIGHT HAD BEEN FLASHING. CONSUMER CALLED TO DEALER WHO STATED REPAIR MIGHT COST BETWEEN $500 - $ 2000 . NOT REPAIRED. *AK THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING SMOKED REAL BAD AND HAD QUIT. *YH
ALL FOUR DOORS WON'T UNLOCK WITH REMOTE CONTROL, BUT WHILE DRIVING DOORS WILL LOCK.*AK
THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS ON MY NISSAN VAN IS IF YOU PULL THE SEAT BELT MOST OF THE WAY OUT WHEN PUTTING IT ON THEN MOVE FORWARD IT WILL LOCK UP AND ONLY TIGHTEN NEVER RELAXING IN ORDER TO LEAN FORWARD. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT AND REFASTEN. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA WHILE DRIVING.
GAS FUMES WERE LEAKING INTO VEHICLE. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
EA 00 015/FUEL TANK VENT HOSE LEAKAGES: VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH FUEL LEAKAGES FROM THE FILLER NECK, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. *AK
THE FUEL TANK VENT LINE FLEXIBLE RUBBER HOSE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE METAL VENT PIPE DEVELOPED AT LEAST TWO CRACKS IN IT. THIS IS CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT OF THIS CONNECTING HOSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS REFUELD. THIS LEAKAGE OCCURS UNTIL THE LEVEL IN THE FUEL TANK IS LOW ENOUGH THAT IT IS BELOW THE FLEXIBLE HOSE.
GENERAL AMERI G45 TIRE, P205/75R15; WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH REAR LEFT TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRES. TREAD HAD SHREADED TO PIECES. TIRE WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS A NISSAN TRUCK, QUEST, 1996.*AK
SEAT BELTS FOR FRONT PASSENGER AND FIRST ROW BENCH SEAT OUTBOARD PASSENGER WILL NOT RELEASE AND KEEP GETTING TIGHTER AROUND PASSENGERS. HAVE TRIED TO RELEASE BELT AND BUCKLE AGAIN WITH SAME RESULT.
I CONTACTED PERFORMANCE NISSAN AND ALSO NISSAN CORPORATION SEVERAL TIMES. THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO FIX MY REAR SUSPENSION CRACKING NOISE. ALL THEY COULD DO WAS PUT RUBBER BETWEEN THE SPRINGS IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. WELL, IT DID FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS, BUT THE CRACKING NOISE IS BACK AND WORSE THAN BEFORE. I ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT FRONT SUSPENSION CRACKING NOISES BUT ALSO WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED BEFORE, BUT ARE ACTING UP AGAIN. THEY DON'T RETRACT. THE ENGINE HAS KNOCKING AND PINGING NOISES AT ALL SPEEDS, SO I TRIED SUPER UNLEADED TO SEE IF THE ENGINE KNOCKING AND PINGING NOISES WOULD STOP, BUT THEY DIDN'T. WHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST IS THE FACT THAT MY SUSPENSION WAS INSPECTED BY NISSAN CORPORATION AND THEY THEMSELVES SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THEY PUT SOME KIND OF RUBBER BETWEEN THE SPRINGS TO QUIET THE NOISE. IT DID NOT LAST. I HAVE ASKED INDEPENDENT NISSAN DEALERS IF THEY HAVE RAN INTO THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAID YES. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT NISSAN KNOWS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THAT THEY CAN FIX IT, BUT DO NOT WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY. I BELIEVE THAT THEY WANTED FOR MY WARRANTY TO EXPIRE SO THAT I WOULD STOP COMPLAINING TO NISSAN ABOUT THEIR VEHICLE. PRETTY MUCH, IT SEEMS LIKE A BOUGHT A LEMON. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SO MANY TIMES FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY COMPONENT. IF THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGAT
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY PASSENGER'S SLIDING DOOR OPENED INTERMITTENTLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T CLOSING PROPERLY. *AK
WHEN FRONT OF VEHICLE IS ON A HILL, DOOR LATCH WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN OPEN. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE IF A CHILD HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT DOOR IT MIGHT CLOSE ON THE CHILD. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING. *AK *ML
THE RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN CLOSED. THE DEALER HAS ADJUSTED IT TWICE NOW. AFTER THE LAST ADJUSTMENT THE DOOR CAME AJAR ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING DEALER. THE DEALER IS CURRENTLY SUGGESTING THAT I REPLACE BOTH LATCHES AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $265.00 ALTHOUGH HE CANNOT ASSURE ME THAT THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THE LATCHES DID NOT APPEAR TO BE BROKEN WHEN ADJUSTED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING WITH WINDOW OPEN CONSUMER NOTICED RAW GAS ODOR INSIDE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK.ET.
VEHICLE IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE (COOLANT) FROM THROTTLE BODY DUE TO THROTTLE BEING CORRODED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE SITTING IN VEHICLE WITH ENGINE OFF AND KEY IN IGNITION, ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM SOUNDED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. EFFORTS WERE MADE TO SHUT IT OFF TO NO AVAIL. AS A RESULT MY ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART MY VEHICLE. A MECHANIC HAD TO BE CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. *AK
WHILE MAKING A STOP AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AIR BAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH IS DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH IS WELL KNOWN ON THE 1996 QUEST. THE VEHICLE OWNER BECOMES AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BY THE RED DASH INDICTOR LIGHT BLINKING ON AND OFF. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE SRS SYSTEM FAILURE BUT WILL NOT COVER REPLACEMENT FOR THIS PART UNLESS VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A CHRONIC FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT.
POSSIBLE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE UNDERHOOD, RESULTED IN FIRE. YH
STEERING WHEEL ELECTRONIC CONTROLS DON'T WORK, DEALER ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT REOCCURRED. *ET
THE HORN CHIRPS/BEEPS INTERMITTENTLY ALL THE TIME. *ET
THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK THEMSELVES, ON ONE OCCASION THE DOORS LOCKED A SMALL CHILD WITHIN THE VEHICLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *MJS
NO SUMMARYLISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE POWER LOCKS LOCKED ON THEIR OWN ONCE THE DOOR WAS SHUT. ALSO, AT TIMES THE KEY WILL NOT UNLOCK THE LOCKS. THIS HAS CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOCK THE KEYS IN THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT & DOME LIGHT WOULD COME ON & STAY. THE SLIDING DOOR WOULD COME OPEN IN FIRST POSITION ,BUT NOT ALL THE WAY. HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE DOOR WOULD BE LOCKED. THIS HAPPENED EVERY DAY. NO MATTER IF DOOR WAS LOCKED/UNLOCKED. SOMETIMES COULD BE LOCKED OUT OF VEHICLE. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED THE LOCK ASSEMBLY. #98B23 SERVICE BULLETIN. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT SNAPPED. DEALER AGREED IT WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT REFUSED WARRANTY REPAIR OR ADJUSTMENT.
DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE AUTONOMOUSLY. DEALER INDICATES FAILED ACTUATOR AND CHARGES $160 TO REPLACE.
REAR WIPER FAILS TO MOVE/RETURN TO PROPER POSITION WHEN USING KEY ON LIFTGATE TO OPEN GLASS. DEALER CHARGED ~$350 TO REPLACE MOTOR.
OXYGEN SENSOR CAUSING "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. CHANGE ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND ONCE AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED.
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE. PEDALE WENT TO THE FLOOR, THERE WAS LITTLE RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKES, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL BEFORE STARTING TO SLOW DOWN. THIS WAS AT THE SPEED OF 25 MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
DOORS WILL LOCS AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT ANY REASON. *AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED RESULTING IN TWO SMALL CHILDREN TO BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE OUTDOORS IN 100 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SIX TIMES, PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE LATCH ON THE SLIDING DOOR MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE LATCH. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Nissan Quest → · Every Quest year → · How the figures are calculated →