Nissan Quest Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year Quest should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 2004 Nissan Quest has the most documented problems with a problem score of 372 — driven by 4 recalls, 302 complaints.

Q: What is the best year Quest to buy?

The 2017 Nissan Quest is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 5, meaning 0 recalls and 5 complaints on record.

Q: Which Quest has the fewest problems?

The 2017, 2016, 2014 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Nissan Quest model year (1993–2017) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

1537

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Nissan Quest Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

2004

4 recalls · 302 complaints

29 reported injuries

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Problem score: 372

#2 WORST

2007

1 recall · 167 complaints

4 reported injuries

Top issue: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Problem score: 178

#3 WORST

1995

0 recalls · 110 complaints

4 reported deaths

Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Problem score: 130

Best Nissan Quest Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2017

0 recalls · 5 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS

Problem score: 5

#2 BEST

2016

0 recalls · 9 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 9

#3 BEST

2014

0 recalls · 10 complaints

Main area: POWER TRAIN

Problem score: 10

Found the right year? Verify that specific Quest with a free VIN report.

Nissan Quest — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
2017	0	5	—	—	5	Excellent
2016	0	9	—	—	9	Excellent
2015	0	11	—	—	11	Excellent
2014	0	10	—	—	10	Excellent
2013	0	11	—	—	11	Excellent
2012	0	67	—	—	67	Good
2011	0	40	—	—	40	Good
2010	0	0	—	—	0	Excellent
2009	2	16	3	—	28	Excellent
2008	3	32	2	—	45	Good
2007	1	167	4	—	178	Caution
2006	1	65	4	—	76	Good
2005	2	56	—	—	62	Good
2004	4	302	29	—	372	Avoid
2003	0	0	—	—	0	Excellent
2002	0	23	2	—	27	Excellent
2001	0	33	1	—	35	Excellent
2000	0	74	8	2	100	Good
1999	1	91	5	—	104	Good
1998	0	32	—	—	32	Excellent
1997	0	69	2	2	83	Good
1996	0	104	2	—	108	Good
1995	0	110	—	4	130	Good
1994	0	110	—	—	110	Good
1993	4	100	3	—	118	Good

All 25 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Nissan Quest Shopping Guide by Era

2013–2017

Best: 2017

Mid-decade Quest units are entering high-mileage territory. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and verify recall completion status. The 2017 shows the lowest problem count for this era.

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older Quest models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Quest should I avoid?+

Avoid the 2004 Nissan Quest if possible. It has 4 recalls, 302 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 372 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Quest to buy?+

The 2017 Nissan Quest is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 5. It has only 0 recalls and 5 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Quest has the fewest problems?+

The 2017, 2016, 2014 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Nissan Quest Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Nissan Quest.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Nissan Quest.

Check a Specific Nissan Quest VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →