2006 Nissan Quest Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission behavior: harsh or delayed shifting, lack of acceleration, and in some cases the van dropping out of gear. A second cluster concerns electrical and gauge faults — fuel gauge and odometer readings that quit, warning lights, and occasional no-start or shutdown events. Most complaints in the sample arrived between roughly 40,000 and 120,000 miles, with braking and gauge concerns appearing earliest.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Harsh shifting and loss of acceleration

   • 13 complaints (18%)
   • median 89,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2006–2019

   Complaints describe the van jerking or slamming when shifting, surging and then bogging down, or revving without the vehicle picking up speed — sometimes after a cold start that drives normally until the van warms up. Several owners report the van slipping to neutral or stalling while pulling into traffic or accelerating from a stop, and some had the transmission replaced. Owners say dealers and independent shops often could not duplicate or identify the problem; a service bulletin on lack of power or poor acceleration advises checking for stored codes first and confirming the driver is not resting a foot on the brake pedal. Reported from about 40,000 miles upward, with many cases between 80,000 and 140,000 miles, often after the van reaches operating temperature.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the van long enough to reach full operating temperature and include stop-and-go as well as highway speeds; note any clunk, delay, or revving without acceleration. Ask for transmission service records and whether any diagnostic codes were stored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is safety concern for me and my family. My Nissan Quest 2006 se when it down shifts does not accelerate. This problem is a serious risk for me and my family when we are on the interstate and then exit and wait at the signal the car does not move and just revs up with almost zero acceleration. I want Nissan to take this car back and provide me a replacement.”

   NHTSA complaint #10576094, filed 2014-03, 120,000 miles

   “Coming home from church with my family I was slowing down to make a turn at an intersection and van started jerking in the middle of the intersection and would not accelerate as I was crossing intersection. Serious safety issue for my family and others on the road. If Nissan wants to hold up their name and keep their customers, they need to recall these vehicles and repair them immediately before someone dies from their malfunctioning vehicles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10610737, filed 2014-07, 94,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Fuel gauge and odometer display failures

   • 10 complaints (14%)
   • median 91,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2006–2017

   Owners describe the instrument cluster losing digits on the odometer and the fuel gauge reading wrong or going blank, in some cases showing a full tank when the van was out of fuel and had stopped on the road. Complaints also mention other cluster indicators fading out and warning lights coming on. Some owners report the dealer would not repair the cluster or that no fault was found. Typically reported between roughly 80,000 and 100,000 miles, though a few cases appear earlier.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: With the key on, check that every digit on the odometer and the full sweep of the fuel gauge displays cleanly, and compare the gauge against a known fill level. Ask whether the cluster has been replaced or repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving with my kids and gas gauge was showing full but the car stopped in the middle of the road . I had to call road side assistance and the guy told me the was not gas in the car. Since than it happens with me twice.after researching on internet I learned that this is very common problem in Nissan Quest modles.I called Nissan but they refused to help me.”

   NHTSA complaint #10654683, filed 2014-11, 84,000 miles

   “My 2006 Nissan Quest showed me having a quarter of a tank in gas, I stopped and filled it up and it did not register as getting any gas until a couple of days later. I just read the recall report but the Quest is not on there.”

   NHTSA complaint #10316017, filed 2010-03
3. 3
   Brakes

   Early brake wear and steering wheel shake when braking

   • 9 complaints (12%)
   • median 28,000 mi at 2.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2013

   Complaints describe front rotors that warp or wear quickly, causing the steering wheel to shake under braking, with some owners reporting repeated rotor replacement. Several owners say pads were worn out at low mileage and that the dealer declined to cover the work. A few reports mention ABS, traction control, and slip warning lights along with vibration from the front end, and one owner was told the ABS actuator pump needed replacement. Reported from about 20,000 to 80,000 miles, with the earliest brake wear complaints under 30,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test-brake from highway speed and feel for wheel shake; inspect rotor surfaces and pad thickness on all four wheels. Ask for brake service history and whether the ABS or traction warning lights have appeared.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My Quest was purchased 12/06. Since then the odometer has malfunctioned. They would not fix it. The brake disc have malfunctioned twice, even after Nissan replaced them. The response from Nissan was hotspots happen normally in discbrakes . The motor mounts went bad after 2.5 years. Now I am faced, after a little more than 4 years with power steering pump replacement and rack and pinion assembly.”

   NHTSA complaint #10418050, filed 2011-08, 70,000 miles

   “Steering wheel started shaking when I would press the brake. So took the van to my mechanic said my rotor needed replacing. While since then I had to replaced the front rotors five times. They keep getting bent. The steering wheel shaking stop with new rotors and start when rotors bend again. And yes the shaking is uncontrollable when it happens. Some one told me the Nissan sentra had that type of problem too.”

   NHTSA complaint #10519396, filed 2013-06, 80,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Sliding and liftgate door problems

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 44,000 mi at 3.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2020

   Owners report power sliding doors that stop latching, jam, or come off the track, and liftgates that will not open or close with the key or button. Some describe the doors closing with considerable force and no reversal when something is in the way, and others mention water leaks at the rear hatch that soaked the carpet. Complaints note dealer quotes for motor and cable repairs and a service bulletin covering sliding door motor and cable assembly replacement. Reported across a wide mileage range, from very low mileage on newer vans to well past 100,000 miles.

   Recall 05V4740001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Cycle both sliding doors and the liftgate several times by power and by hand, checking for slow travel, grinding, or failure to latch fully. Look for damp or musty carpet in the rear well and ask whether door motors or cables have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Over the last several months we have noticed a moldy smell in the car and it has gotten worse. We took it to the dealer who discover a leak in the rear hatch that had soaked the carpet in the rear well. Dealer found rear hatch seal had failed and needed to be replaced. All rear carpeting needs to be cleaned and disinfected. Entire car defogged.”

   NHTSA complaint #10324402, filed 2010-04, 64,000 miles

   “The hatch lift will not close or open with the key or push button; it is an open position. We contact a Nissan dealer and was quote $900 to repair. In 2012 we had to replace the transmission that cost us $2500. The dashboard all the lights have gone out and the cost to replaced that whole is over $600 just for the parts not including labor. When we bought the van we were very happy with it. But in the last 3years it has gone down hill. I car that we bought brand new for over $30,000 should last more than 7 years. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10512523, filed 2013-05, 100,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light stays on

   • 5 complaints (7%)
   • median 45,777 mi at 2.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2017

   Owners describe the airbag warning light flashing or staying lit from the time of purchase or after some years of use, with one report that the passenger seat sensor classified a small adult as a child. Complaints say dealers sometimes told owners the light was not a concern or found the system working normally, and one owner reported airbags did not deploy in a frontal impact while the light had been flashing. Reported from very low mileage on nearly new vans through used examples past 120,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key on and confirm the airbag light goes out after the self-test; if it flashes or stays lit, ask for a diagnostic scan and any repair records before purchase. Ask whether the passenger seat sensor has been checked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The srs airbag warning light was flashing when I purchased my 2006 Nissan Quest special edition (april 1, 2006), the dealer never indicated that it was a problem at the time of sale. When I read the manual at home, it indicated that a flashing srs airbag warning light is a problem and that the vehicle should be serviced by a dealer to avoid serious injury. I have brought it to the dealer (north texas Nissan) for repairs twice and once for diagnostics (bankston Nissan of dallas) but the problem still persist. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10158763, filed 2006-06, 300 miles

   “I purchase a used Nissan Quest in june 2016 couple weeks later the air bag light starts flashing. Another thing is the cluster that reads over hearing and miles flashes and twitches. My vehicle at the time of purchase had 121,246 miles I'm the second owner. I took to courtesy Nissan and was told that the flashing airbag light is nothing to worry about, but I have seen several reviews and complaints about the airbags and can't stop worrying since this is a family vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10972161, filed 2017-04

Buying note. These complaints point to transmission behavior and instrument cluster faults as the most common concerns, so a long test drive at full temperature and a scan for stored codes are worth prioritizing. Records of transmission, cluster, brake, and door repairs help show whether the issues described above have already been addressed on a given van.

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.