Nissan Quest: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Nissan Quest: 7 model years scored from 183 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns. Worst year 2012, best year 2011.
Nissan Quest: which years to avoid
Across 4 scored model years the Nissan Quest ranges from 60/100 in 2012 to 95/100 in 2013 — a 35-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy a Quest at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Power Train (28 of them).
Safest years: 2011, 2013, 2017 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2012.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2011 (score 77). Worst: 2012 (score 60, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 94 | BUY | $4,462 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,590 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | DATA PENDING | $4,730 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | — | DATA PENDING | $5,020 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 95 | BUY | $5,186 | 18 | 0 |
| 2012 | 60 | CAUTION | $5,426 | 93 | 1 |
| 2011 | 77 | BUY | $5,523 | 66 | 1 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Quest, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Nissan Quest
Across every Quest model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Power Train49 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System29 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Gasoline25 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Fuel delivery and emissions repair$580–$1,360
- Fuel/Propulsion System25 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Fuel System25 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Unknown Or Other15 complaints across all Quest years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Nissan Quest years to buy?
2011, 2013, 2017 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2013 at 95/100, on 18 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
Which Nissan Quest years should I avoid?
The 2012 is the weakest year we score, at 60/100 (CAUTION), on 93 complaints and 1 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Nissan Quest problem?
49 of the complaints filed against the Quest across all its model years sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04