Is the 2004 Nissan Quest a bad year?
445 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 72, 7.2× a quiet Quest year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 7.2× the complaints of a quiet Quest year, spread over 8k–101k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2004 Quest owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 64,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 77 (17%) | 19k–98k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 72 (16%) | 8k–101k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 70 (16%) | 3k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 61 (14%) | 64k–110k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 42 (9%) | 13k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locksSTANDS OUT | 61 (14%) | 1k–15k miles · mostly behind | — |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 42 (9%) | 8k–58k miles · mostly behind | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Visibility and wipers | 27 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 25 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Equipment | 23 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 22 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 18 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 13 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 13 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 64,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 445 complaints: 7 mention a crash · 10 mention a fire · 30 report an injury · 1 says the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Apr 2023.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
During 05/05/2016 started having transmission issue, the car suddenly started giving starting problem and then when it will start it will not have any pickup in drive mode.
After having driven my Nissan quest to a friend's house, I was attempting to back out of the driveway. When I shifted into reverse, there was a loud thud from the transmission.
While engaging the vehicle into drive it seemed like the emergency brake was applied, and when the gears shifted, the vehicle jerked back and forward.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 64,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2004 Nissan Quest: 4
On certain Mini vans equipped with a folding third row rear seat, when the third row seat is raised from its stowed position, it engages striker brackets, one on each side of the seat cushion. The fold-away striker loop is welded to a mounting bracket. If the third row seat striker weld fails, the striker could separate from the mounting bracket. Striker separation could affect the risk of injury in certain types of crashes.
On certain Mini vans, there is a seat adjustment mechanism that contains exposed moving components located at the rear inside edge of the second row seat. When the operator attempts seat adjustment, a finger may be pinched in the moving seat adjustment mechanism which could cause an injury.
On certain minivans equipped with a power sliding door(S), at an ambient temperature below approximately 40 degrees fahrenheit, the actuator for the power sliding door(S) may experience binding due to an out-of-specification condition. This can result in the door coming open unexpectedly upon rapid acceleration, and an occupant could fall out of the door and be injured.
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the advanced air bag requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "Occupant crash protection." This reduces the risk of such occupants being unjured by an inflating air bag in a collision.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 36
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2004 Nissan Quest. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
Customer satisfaction initiative
Voluntary service campaign 2004 - 2005 quest and 2004 - 2005 armada supplemental restraint system…
Nissan; fuel tank is extremely difficult to fill
NHTSA defect investigations: 4
Side air bag non-deployment
Finger pinch point
Finger pinch point
Power-sliding door opening
Neighbouring years
2005 Quest: 82 complaints, keep it.
Every Nissan Quest year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · All Quest years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2004 Nissan Quest a bad year?
445 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 72, 7.2× a quiet Quest year. At 64,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 7.2× the complaints of a quiet Quest year, spread over 8k–101k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Nissan Quest?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (77), transmission and drivetrain (72), body structure (70), engine (61), air bags (42). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 8k–101k miles.
How many recalls does the 2004 Nissan Quest have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Seats (NHTSA 05V-480), Seats (NHTSA 05V-474), Latches and locks (NHTSA 04V-186), Air bags (NHTSA 04V-103). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.