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Nissan QuestModel year report

1996 Nissan Quest Problems

Complaints
134filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
103,000miles, 27 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl FWD · 16 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Nissan Quest (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year center on two things: door locks and sliding doors that behave unpredictably, and fuel vapors or fuel leaks around the tank vent system. The lock complaints often involve doors locking by themselves, sometimes with keys inside, and sliding doors popping open while driving. Fuel-odor reports appear from low mileage up to well past 150,000 miles and several owners describe the smell after refueling or with the A/C running. Airbag warning lights and rusted subframe or structural areas round out the longer-term reports.

  1. Latches, locks and linkages

    Door locks lock or unlock by themselves

    • 21 complaints (16%)
    • median 72,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1998–2004

    Owners describe all the doors locking or unlocking with no input — while parked, while running, and while driving — and say keys get locked inside. Some report the driver door lock failing to open and the lock actuator being replaced, with the behavior returning later. Dealers replaced actuators or cleaned the lock mechanisms according to the complaints, and several owners say the problem came back. Reported from very low mileage up to about 135,000 miles, across all seasons and whether the vehicle was moving or parked.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Test every lock several times with the engine off and on, and ask whether the door lock actuators or the lock control module have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #751886, filed 2001-09

    “All doors will lock under 3 scenarios: 1) doors will relock immediately following, unlocking the doors. 2) doors will lock after closing driver door. 3) doors may lock without any action taking place. Could be locked out of vehicle if doors lock when closing door, with keys in the vehicle. Dealership replaced door lock actuator in 1998, problem started reoccuring in 2002 and continues to occur intermittently.”

    NHTSA complaint #10096248, filed 2004-10, 22,851 miles
  2. Fuel system

    Fuel odor inside the cabin, sometimes after refueling

    • 18 complaints (13%)
    • median 111,500 mi at 11.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2018

    Owners report a strong gasoline smell inside and around the vehicle, often most noticeable after filling the tank or while driving with the A/C on. Some were told by the dealer that a vent hose was involved and had it replaced, yet the odor persisted. Several owners say they were told their vehicle was not covered by the vent hose recall because of its VIN, even though the symptoms matched. Reported from about 23,000 up to 155,000 miles; several owners link it to refueling or to the tank being filled above half.

    Recall 00V419001

    What to check: Smell for fuel around the filler neck, under the vehicle and inside the cabin after a fill-up, and ask whether the vehicle received the fuel tank vent hose recall 00V419001.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 1996 Nissan Quest has fuel vent problems particularly after refuel. I smell fuel inside the car and I am concerned about the risk of fire and/or explosion. This problem appears to be identical to the problem described in NHTSA recall number 00v419001. However, Nissan company is saying that my Nissan's VIN is not included in the recall.”

    NHTSA complaint #10312006, filed 2010-02, 103,000 miles

    “The interior of van would fill with a gas odor. It also had a gas leak when the tank was filled. I had it checked out at the dealer and they informed me that it was related to a manufacturer's recall of the fuel filler vent hose. They repaired it and replaced the vent hose, but the odor continued. I took it back for a second time but the dealer could not find anything wrong with it. The gas odor would come on mainly when the A/C was on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10070593, filed 2004-01, 135,000 miles
  3. Latches, locks and linkages

    Sliding door pops open or will not stay closed

    • 19 complaints (14%)
    • median 81,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2004

    The side sliding door unlatches on its own — at speed, over bumps, or on level ground — and the door-ajar light and interior lights come on. Some owners also report the door will not stay open on an incline and can swing shut, and others say it will not close properly. Dealers adjusted the door and suggested replacing the latches without promising the problem would be fixed, according to the complaints. Appears from roughly 70,000 to 135,000 miles in the sample, and is described as happening at a range of speeds and road conditions.

    What to check: Open and close the sliding door repeatedly on flat ground and on a slope, watch for the ajar light flickering while driving, and check whether the latches or door alignment have been worked on.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “1. Driver door lock will not open at lease once a day. Replaced actuator by dealer on 6/14/00, worked for about a year then started doing same thing again plus. 2. Sliding door opens and the ajar light comes on daily or whenever a bump in the road is hit. 3. Rear door has to be opened and has to be manually reset for all the doors to lock. The number of failures, 1890 is an estimate, every time I drive this car, which belongs to my wife the doors act as described, my wife has been complaining since 1998. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10052933, filed 2004-01, 57,656 miles

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #721420, filed 2000-04
  4. Air bags

    Airbag warning light on or airbag unit replaced

    • 17 complaints (13%)
    • median 97,200 mi at 6.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1996–2005

    Owners report the airbag warning light flashing or staying on, and dealers telling them the airbag control unit or module needs replacement at significant cost. In one account the airbags did not deploy in a collision that destroyed the vehicle. Several owners declined the repair because of the cost. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 140,000 miles, with some lights noted as intermittent for years before staying on.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Turn the key to the on position and confirm the airbag light comes on and then goes out, and ask whether the airbag control unit has ever been replaced or diagnosed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had many problems with this ouest.I have replaced the heater control,both side exhaust manifolds,replace acc c/v boot,replace antenna motor,replace air bag control unit,replace back windshield wiper motor,replace both front lower ball joints and the vent hose. This are just the major things. I have spend around 7000.00 on this Quest for repairs and up keep. I brought it new in may of 1996. Never again.”

    NHTSA complaint #10069383, filed 2004-01, 62,384 miles

    “Dt: since 08-26-05 the air bag warning light stayed on. It had been turning on and off for the past two years. When the consumer had taken the vehicle to the dealership they told him that the airbag unit had to be replaced. The consumer has not yet replaced the airbag unit. There have been no accidents. The consumer felt that the airbag unit should not have to be replaced since it has never been used.”

    NHTSA complaint #10135914, filed 2005-09, 97,200 miles

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 134 consumer complaints for the 1996 Nissan Quest. 27 of the complaints include a mileage, and 4% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 103,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 23 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (7), Brakes (5), Transmission and drivetrain (4), Suspension (2), Tires (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Latches, locks and linkages: “Door locks will lock/unlock intermittently, rear passenger side lighting assembly went out, sliding door will ajar while in operation, and tapping noise from engine has not been recognized by mechanics.”

NHTSA complaint #10049456, filed 2003-12, 90,000 miles

Fuel system: “Had gasoline smell for quite a while. The dealer informed me of a recall on a vapor vent hose for my van and replaced it but the gasoline smell never went away. I took it back a second time but the dealer could not find anything. Less then a year and while driving with the same smell of gasoline coming through the A/C my vant caught on fire, and within seconds everything under the hood was engulfed in flames. I called Nissan but they tell me the van is no longer under warranty so there is nothing they can do for me.”

NHTSA complaint #10030272, filed 2003-07, 135,000 miles

Air bags: “Dt: the airbags did not deploy although the van was destroyed and totaled. Even the police couldn't believe that the airbags did not depoly. Consumer hit a deer, and the impact was on the driver's front side. Neither of the two front airbags worked.”

NHTSA complaint #10122565, filed 2005-05, 135,000 miles

Body and structure: “The door locks intermittently lock by themselves for no reason. The last time this happened, my two children were left locked in the car, in 110 degree weather while my wife frantically called the police to help get them out. This is a dangerous situation and Nissan needs to issue a recall to fix this before someone gets killed.”

NHTSA complaint #763875, filed 2002-07

Mileage when problems were reported

4% of the 27 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 70,000 and 139,000 miles.

0%0–104%10–250%25–5026%50–7511%75–10041%100–15019%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (27 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 103,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’98’0123’04’08’14’18
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1996 Nissan Quest. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Quest · sedan FWDnot rated4 / 3———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1996 Nissan Quest version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Quest FWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162118$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1996 Nissan Quest → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 23 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 23 bulletins →

Other model years of the Nissan Quest

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2017644,0000—22—Not enough data
20161356,0000—22—Not enough data
20151254,0000—22—Not enough data
20141864,0000—21—Falling
20131895,8520—21—Falling
20129370,0001—2150 · TypicalFalling
20116616,5001—2160 · TypicalFalling
20092284,0002—19—Falling
20085097,0003—1913 · FewerStable
2007228100,0001—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20067457,0001—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20058250,8002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200444533,8224—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20022934,0000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20014258,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20008748,0002—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199911850,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199841103,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19978968,5002—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1996134103,0002—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995167100,0003—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994165111,1002—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993118162,0005—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Nissan Quest model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Nissan Quest?

Complaints on this model year center on two things: door locks and sliding doors that behave unpredictably, and fuel vapors or fuel leaks around the tank vent system. The issues reported most often: Door locks lock or unlock by themselves; Fuel odor inside the cabin, sometimes after refueling; Sliding door pops open or will not stay closed.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Nissan Quest have?

NHTSA recorded 134 consumer complaints for the 1996 Nissan Quest as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1996 Nissan Quest is reported most often?

Latches, locks and linkages is named most often, in 26 complaints (19% of the total), followed by fuel system with 21.

Has the 1996 Nissan Quest been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1996 Nissan Quest get?

The EPA rates the 1996 Nissan Quest (Quest, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Nissan Quest reported?

Among the 27 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 103,000 miles and the middle half falls between 70,000 and 139,000 miles; 4% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.