2007 Nissan Quest Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report a fuel gauge that reads roughly a quarter tank or more when the tank is in fact empty, sometimes leading to the engine shutting off while driving. Timing chain and tensioner noise, transmission shudder or slipping between gears, and various brake and front-end problems also appear in the complaints, typically well past 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel gauge reads wrong, engine quits (out of gas)

   • 121 complaints (53%)
   • median 106,500 mi at 8.0 yrs old (108 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 16 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Complaints describe the fuel gauge and distance-to-empty display showing a quarter tank or roughly 40-70 miles remaining while the tank is actually empty, and the engine shutting off or stalling with a loss of power steering and brakes. Owners often had the vehicle towed, only to be told it had simply run out of fuel. Some replaced the fuel pump or fuel level sensor, sometimes more than once, without the reading becoming reliable; a dealer-installed campaign part did not resolve the gauge reading in at least one reported case. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 160,000 miles, often at highway speed when the gauge showed a quarter tank or less.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Confirm the fuel gauge and distance-to-empty reading at several fuel levels, and ask whether the fuel gauge service campaign on 2007-2009 Quest vehicles was performed. Keep the tank above half full until the gauge is verified as accurate.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On august 20, 2014 while driving back from va to md on i495, our 2007 Nissan Quest began to stalled and then the engine shuts off completely while we were in the middle of this highway. Luckily, there weren't much traffic and we were able to pulled over to the emergency lane with the vehicle's momentum. We also notice the steering wheel began to stiffen up where it was becoming difficult to steer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10632742, filed 2014-09, 120,582 miles

   “The fuel guage is malfunctioning. I have run out of gas while driving the vehicle on several occasions. I have replaced the fuel pump and fuel sensor and the issue is still present. The vehicle ran out of gas in motion on a busy street, then on a busy exit ramp, once on interstate 695 in baltimore. The vehicle was nearly hit by traffic behind the vehicle when it ran out of gas due to a faulty fuel gauge.”

   NHTSA complaint #10915504, filed 2016-10, 168,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Timing chain and tensioner noise

   • 27 complaints (12%)
   • median 85,000 mi at 8.3 yrs old (25 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2018

   Complaints describe a rattling or knocking noise from the front of the engine, often at start-up or at idle in park, traced by mechanics to a worn timing chain, idler or tensioner guide. Owners report the repair is relatively costly because of access to the chain, and one complaint notes that engine noise returned until the chain and tensioners were replaced. Typically reported from about 70,000 miles upward, most often around 100,000-120,000 miles.

   What to check: Listen for a rattle or knock from the engine at cold start and at idle, and ask for records of any timing chain, tensioner or guide replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were headed out on a 2400 mile trip and wanted to make sure our van was ready. First issue was the struts. Got those fixed. A week later we were back in because of engine noise and they fixed the timing chain and tensioners. A few days later again because of engine noise we found out the wheel bearing needed fixed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10893738, filed 2016-08, 122,000 miles

   “This is by far the worst case of negligence I have witnessed from an automaker! Again Nissan ignores and covers up a known problem. The timing chain 'death rattle' is highly annoying and makes the owner feel as if the engine will 'go' at any minute. The fact that the repair/replacement cannot be performed without removing the engine from the car is appalling. The poor design on the tensioner guide is well document by Nissan and yet they continued to pass off inferior products to unsuspecting customers. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10787270, filed 2015-10, 98,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, slipping and harsh shifts

   • 29 complaints (13%)
   • median 102,500 mi at 8.5 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2019

   Owners describe the transmission jerking or slipping between gears, shuddering or vibrating under acceleration, and being especially noticeable when coasting and then reapplying the throttle. Some report that shops were unable to reproduce or fix the behavior, and one owner notes the transmission had already been replaced under an extended warranty and then acted up again. Mostly reported from about 105,000 to 145,000 miles.

   What to check: Test drive at light and moderate throttle from a coast and watch for shudder or delayed engagement, and check whether the transmission fluid has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2007 Nissan Quest with144,500 miles, has a real bad clunking sound when accelerating, decelerating, or taking off from a standstill. A mechanic told me that it is from bad motor mounts. When accelerating or braking, the motor moves a lot. It does not make any more noises when turning, mainly win braking and accelerating, but also when the transmission shifts up or down a gear.”

   NHTSA complaint #11281349, filed 2019-11, 144,000 miles

   “Transmission slips between shift. And shutters at times and has a bad vibration when accelerating. The vehicle on has 110000 miles and has had trouble since it's had right at 105000. I'll never buy another Nissan and now we are having AC problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #10861151, filed 2016-04, 105,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal feel, ABS and caliper issues

   • 16 complaints (7%)
   • median 74,884 mi at 5.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2018

   Owners report a spongy or low brake pedal that needed pumping, pulsation through the pedal on long downgrades, and ABS/traction control warning lights with an ABS actuator that made noise but did not build pressure. One complaint describes loose or missing caliper bolts found during a rattle diagnosis, and another describes a speedometer drop with the ABS and traction lights on. Reported from very low mileage (under 10,000) up to about 90,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check pedal firmness and whether the ABS and traction control lights stay on after start-up, and have the brakes and caliper hardware inspected before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought my 2007 Nissan Quest in april 2008 with only 26 miles on it. I noticed within a couple months that when going over 30 miles an hour the brakes did not engage right away and I had to pump them once or twice to get them to work much like my 20 year old car when I was a teen. In sept 08 I was in an accident when driving 35 miles an hour with a good 5-6 car lengths away when the car in front of me suddenly stopped and I could not stop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10264834, filed 2009-04, 6,000 miles

   “I was traveling down a 6% downgrade on a freeway in my 2007 Nissan Quest. At the time (jan 2008), the vehicle had about 15,000 miles on it. I was continuously braking to keep the vehicle at a safe speed. As I was braking, the brakes began to pulsate. The pulsations got louder and more aggressive as we continued down the downgrade, to the point like if felt the brakes were about to fail. Soon after, in january 2008, I brought the vehicle to the Nissan dealership in bellevue, wa. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10316167, filed 2010-03, 17,435 miles

Buying note. Verify the fuel gauge against actual fuel level at several points and confirm whether the fuel gauge campaign was completed, since that is by far the most common report here. Also budget for a timing chain inspection and a careful transmission and brake check on a higher-mileage example.

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.