Nissan has been acing the mass consumer market for a while now and carries the reliability that Japanese vehicles are known for in all their models. The Nissan Quest is a midsize van that offers enough space for an average family and apart from the space, the Quest is also said to be easy to maintain. The sales aren’t great and Nissan sold just over 12,000 units of the quest but it sure is a massive jump from the previous year’s sales figures, suggesting the fact that Nissan has gotten the formula right. The 2011 Nissan Quest has a total of just 61 complaints and the car was recalled just once to address a fuel system issue. The majority of complaints were regarding the recalled issue and also a total electrical power cot down. Nissan does face rather strong competition in this segment and the major contenders are the Honda Odyssey, the Chrysler Town & Country, and the Toyota Sienna.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Alternator – The car was said to not start and the user had to tow the van to the dealers. The technicians stated it to be a battery issue and that they could recharge the battery. However, the user insisted on replacing the battery and got the repair done. 3 days later, the user had to again take the van to the dealer for the same issue. The van was said to have been parked with the battery all healthy but wouldn’t start the next morning. This left the mechanics suspecting the alternator and upon inspection, they found it to be faulty and needed to be replaced.
Mechanical Problems
- Engine – Users were finding the car to stall with the engine warning lights flashing continuously. The dealers had no idea of what the issue was and got the vehicle to an individual mechanic. Upon inspection, it was found that the vehicle had a high oil consumption ratio and that the oil level in the car was way too low. The complaint also stated that there isn’t any oil pressure gauge in the van to alert the drivers about what exactly the engine warning is about.
- Fuel system – Multiple users stated their engine stalled while driving on a slope and would only restart after trying for minutes. This was soon reported at the dealers but the technicians were not able to figure out the issue and the manufacturers were informed. This was soon addressed by Nissan through a recall.
- Transmission – It was said that the car had a delay to accelerate after pushing the gas pedal and it was also said that the vehicle made a noise while shifting gears. The dealers found no visible leaks of fluid and decided to check the internals of the transmission. They stated that an internal gasket had to be changed as it was letting the fluids enter different chambers.
2011 Nissan Quest recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
29th February 2012 |
12V076000 |
Fuel pump control module. |
Due to software programming, while driving at low speeds or idling on a decline with a quarter tank of fuel or less, there may be an insufficient supply of fuel to the engine. This can result in an engine stall without any warning and can increase the risk of a crash. |
The dealers will reprogramme the fuel pump control module, free of charge. |
Should you buy the 2011 Nissan Quest?
If you are looking for a sturdy and spacious family hauler, the 2011 Nissan Quest definitely needs to be on the list but however, this isn’t the best that the segment has to offer. The Nissan Quest has the advantage of being priced on the lower side when compared to its rivals but issues like the transmission glitch, the engine oil consumption, and the electrical shutdown make the van a little hectic to live with. It is advisable to get the fuel lines and the transmission inspected before getting the Nissan quest in order to avoid any future failures. Otherwise, with a little over the budget of the Quest, users can choose to pick the 2011 Toyota Sienna which is an all-around better vehicle in comparison.
