2012 Nissan Quest Owner Complaints

I purchased the van and noticed that at times it would suddenly de-accelerate and drop from whatever speed im doing and refuse to speed up even if I press the gas peddle to the floor. Id come up to a stop sign and stop, then at times it wouldnt accelerate, even with the peddle to the floor, it would barely move forward. I brought it back to the person I purchased it from tried to describe what happened, they had someone check the transmission and said it was fine. Its continued to do this, and has almost caused crashes because it does it periodically and without warning on inclines, at red lights, if I driven a long distance (i.e. 1hr or so) etc, and when stopped. Its done this especially when it comes to hills, its terrifying but I have no other vehicles and now only drive it locally, avoid hills, and only if I absolutely have to. This is my first Nissan and wasn't aware of issues like this as I typically buy Buick's, so I researched Nissan issues and recalls and recently saw a recall from October 2025 related to the fuel pump injector system reset that describes what ive experienced exactly, but when I took it to the Nissan dealership in Saratoga NY, they said its not a recall, just a warning for my model and year, and they would need to charge me to inspect it, and didnt advise if it was repairable. Anyone else who has this model Nissan I would want warned immediately, and I mean immediately. Its scary seeing other vehicles coming up behind me and I dont know if my van will accelerate or not, I took out a loan to buy this vehicle and am still paying it off. I cant buy another right now. The actual recall for what appears to be the same issue came out for 2013 and newer Nissans but again, should include this model for year 2012. Those of us with this vehicle should be included in the recall so we can drive safely as well. Please make this update to the recall asap. Thank you for your time and consideration to review this

NHTSA ID

11700978

Incident

Mar 24, 2025

My van is not accelerating properly, it seems to idle out and does not go over 20 mph it idles on acceleration decline. i could not get out of way fast enough if traffic was busy.

NHTSA ID

11629506

Incident

Dec 7, 2024

The CVT transmission on this vehicle has failed. The vehicle is jerking and and stalls while driving. If I'm at a light stopped and the light changes to go, the vehicle won't move unless I put my foot all the way down on the accelerator then it Jenks and starts to move. I took it to Sheridan Nissan in Delaware, and they told me this has been the issue with the CVT transmission and I need to just get rid of the van. To get a new one put in is over $7000 with just a 12 Mos12,000 miles warranty and they say it may go out again. I was told by another dealership that Nissan new about this problem, but won't fix it. I've noticed that they have replaced CVT transmissions in other Nissan vehicles and other years, but seem to skip the 2012 Nissan Quest. The engine light came on after it started jerking and I had it towed to Nissan and then they told me that the transmission is slipping. They told me I could drive it home, but to "get rid of it because it doesn't have much life left." Please make Nissan recall these transmissions like they did others. If they are all CVT transmissions, why are some being fixed and others being ignored? Please help.

NHTSA ID

11593554

Incident

May 15, 2023

Have fixed myself Ac compressor kit about 97,051miles on [XXX], maf sensor, two vvt solenoids having driven it 20,000 miles in five years trying to rid light. Nov 2019 purchased at 94,719 miles. Roberts nissan of manchester, tn checked and serviced on [XXX] at 95,186 milles in excellent condition. Light will not stay off for power train system, cam timing bank, timing chains, vct camshaft timing vct, power supply circuit. Nissan did replace recall ABS actuator. Had checked Cookeville Nissan [XXX] light on and they turned off saying it checked ok after a cold start for $230. It is loud now at 114,998 miles! This auto must have defective parts since Gateway has serviced it regularly. I am concerned about driving. Talked to consumer affairs of Nissan and was told it was over 65,000 miles and not valid. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11590145

Incident

May 22, 2024

The contact owed a 2012 Nissan Quest. The contact stated while shifting the vehicle into reverse, the vehicle launched forward at high speed without any warning. The contact pressed on the brake pedal, but it failed to stop the vehicle, causing the contact to loss control and drive into a ditch and crashing a tree causing the vehicle came to a complete stop. The air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered injuries to the left leg and foot and head and seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed totally loss from the insurance company. The manufacturer was contact and stated that there was no recall for the failure and did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11540402

Incident

Jun 13, 2023

Mileage

50,000 mi

CVT Transmission failed and had to replace with new CVT Transmission while returning from a trip on June 7 2023. It failed in middle of the trip. Aamco Boardman, OH helped replace it with brand new transmission and it cost $7525. Last year also Compressor failed and had to replace it with brand new compressor at the local garage here in Shippensburg. Mileage is only 110000 miles. Very disappointed and dissatisfied with 2012 Nissan Quest.

NHTSA ID

11526634

Incident

Jun 7, 2023

I was on a busy freeway only 10 miles from my city and my van with no warning started to slow down and I tried pushing gas to make it go faster to the speed limit because there were semi trucks lined behind and beside me and it wouldn’t accelerate at all. It just continued to slow down at a fast rate and I was trying to get to the side of the freeway as fast as possible and the steering wheel got hard to turn to the side. It was a struggle and I had my husband, and all 5 of my daughters with me. We were all scared out of our minds. Vehicles were passing so close to us and so fast. The vehicle came to a complete stop on the side of the freeway and the engine was still running and I tried to push gas but it just revved up and didn’t move at all. My family and I were stranded for hours waiting for help to come. We could have been hit by so many vehicles. I turned off the van and restarted a few minutes later to try to get it to go but it wouldn’t budge. Just made whining sounds.

NHTSA ID

11488584

Incident

Mar 11, 2022

Vehicle lost power multiple times while being driven. The alternator has been replaced three times last being 12/21. Battery has also been replaced. Vehicle has been to 2 mechanics. Potentially thought A/C compressor was causing problem. Replaced by mechanic number 2 May 2022. Vehicle runs until headlights are engaged, a/c or radio etc. Vehicle was driven 10 miles without radio, a/c or lights. Power drained within 2 miles of turning headlights on and cut out in traffic. Sputters and able to pull over without causing accident barely. Left stranded multiple times. Once on a major highway with traffic, stranded on side of road. Spouse rescued while waiting for tow truck. Multiple tows with major motor club. Catalytic Converter light is active and was checked by TJ's in Loganville, GA, it did not need to be replaced at this time. Affordable Auto Services, Mulberry Road Winder GA and B&B Auto Services, Dacula GA (3 alternators and 2 batteries).

NHTSA ID

11471461

Incident

Apr 5, 2022

Instumrnt panel goes blank, often stays off. Sometimes have to pull over to turn off vehicle and turn back in. Rarely works when this is done.

NHTSA ID

11464920

Incident

May 12, 2021

The dashboard on my 2012 Nissan Quest S is splitting at the edges leaving a gap between 1/16-1/32 wide. The area around the passenger air bag is now outlined and I am concerned it my effect the air bag. This started about a year ago and is getting worse.

NHTSA ID

11441958

Incident

Aug 1, 2021

Daughter's Quest has a bad CVT transmission. Diagnosis made by independent service center. Check engine light came on. Codes P1700, P0746, & P0868. Unsafe to drive - doesn't accelerate, shakes, shutters, etc. Other Nissan Quest/Nissan owners with same issue (Pathfinder, Rogue, Juke, Murano, Versa,Sentra,Altima). Refer to CarComplaints.com. I mailed a letter to Nissan Corp Office in Franklin TN. They offered no assistance. Nissan settled a class action law suit for Sentra, Versa, Altima with same trans problem by agreeing to replace trans and extend warranty from 5yrs/60K miles to 10 yrs/120K miles. Want Nissan to replace bad CVT transmissions and extend warranty on Quest vans and other models with bad CVT transmissions.

NHTSA ID

11437223

Incident

Dec 21, 2020

Dashboard has a square cut on the passnger side, it is like a blade cut.

NHTSA ID

11431304

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

CVT transmission is failing, it is very very common with Nissan.

NHTSA ID

11430974

Incident

Aug 30, 2021

Traveling at a high speed of 75 vehicle without warning stalls can't give any gas... Will not restart to after it has sat for about 20 mins then it will start and stall out again..ABS light and brake battery light keeps jumping on and off

NHTSA ID

11428401

Incident

Aug 9, 2021

My Brake system was flushed but my brake light and battery and ABS LIGHT stays on flickering I was driving my vehicle at high speed and it it just stalls with no warning... I have to wait 20 mins or more before it'll start again. It has bn doing this for an entire year..driving full speed with no warning just shut down in middle of traffic

NHTSA ID

11428330

Incident

Aug 8, 2021

My 2012 Nissan Quest has completely rotted out causing the muffler system and the motor mount to move causing significant damage and repair. Over $2,500 just to buy parts and repair all due to excessive rust on the body frame underneath. Its only a 2012 yet it looks as if it is a lot older. While driving the muffler system failed and broke away along with the motor mount which shifted. Cannot be driven any longer.

NHTSA ID

11426007

Incident

Jul 22, 2021

IN 2019 OUR PAINT STARTED PEALING OFF IN CHUNKS. I CAN RUB MY HAND A CROSS THE PAINT AND IT WILL FALL OFF. WHEN I WASH MY VEHICLE EVEN MORE PAINT WILL COME OFF. THERE ARE NUMEROUS SPOTS ON MY VEHICLE WHERE THE METAL IS EXPOSED.

NHTSA ID

11414719

Incident

Aug 12, 2019

Mileage

95,000 mi

FRONT SUN ROOF EXPLODED, SHOWERING GLASS OVER THE ROOF. DRIVING ON A SMOOTH CITY STREET AT 35 MPH. NO OTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON IN THE VICINITY, AND NOTHING OVERHEAD. TEMPERATURE NEAR FREEZING AND SPITTING SNOW. THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

11403340

Incident

Mar 11, 2021

Mileage

92,000 mi

I AM HAVING A PROBLEM ON THE CVT TRANSMISSION OF MY 2012 NISSAN QUEST. IT'S BECOMING TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT'S KEEP ON JERKING WHEN I'M DRIVING IT IN THE STREET THAT IS WAY I DON'T DRIVE IT IN THE FREEWAY BECAUSE IT'S TOO DANGEROUS AND LATELY IT SPEED UP THAT I ALMOST GET AN ACCIDENT. FIRST IT WON'T RUN WHENEVER I STOP AT STOP SIGN AND/OR STOP LIGHT, WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR IT WON'T RUN LIKE IT NORMALLY DO AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL SPEED UP THAT I ALMOST GET IN AN ACCIDENT. I WANT THE NISSAN MANUFACTURER TO RECALL MY QUEST AND FIX MY TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

11396062

Incident

Feb 12, 2021

Mileage

101,485 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AS SOON AS CAR IS IN IGNITION AND STAY WHEN CAR IS STATIC. THE LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN IN MOTION. THE DEALER FIXED THIS ISSUE AND ANOTHER LIGHT CAME ON. I AM BEEN TOLD TO PAY ANOTHER 3000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE SEAT.

NHTSA ID

11390508

Incident

Jan 22, 2021

Mileage

52,800 mi

THE LCD SCREEN ON THE DASH DOOR KEEPS ACTING CRAZY LIKE SCRAMBLING AND IT HAS NOW JUST GONE COMPLETELY BLACK

NHTSA ID

11387302

Incident

Sep 30, 2020

Mileage

99,000 mi

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE THE VAN WAS JERKING EVERY TIME THE GAS WAS PRESSED. THIS WAS EVEN HAPPENING THE DAY PRIOR WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. AT ONE POINT THE RPM WOULD GO START GOING HIGH WHEN THE GAS WAS BARELY BEING PRESSED. WE DECIDED TO GET OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT. WE WERE AT A STOPLIGHT AND THE VAN JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED GIVING ANY POWER WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS. THERE WERE NO LIGHT INDICATORS ON THE DASHBOARD TO ALERT OF ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN. THE RPM WOULD NOT REV UP EVEN WITH THE GAS PEDAL FLOORED. WE TURNED THE VAN OFF AND ON TO SEE IF THAT WAS THE ISSUE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND THERE WAS STILL NO POWER PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. THE VAN HAD TO ROLL UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO PARK SAFELY AT A GAS STATION. WE LET THE VAN SIT FOR OVER 30 MINUTES JUST IN CASE TO SEE IF IT WAS AN OVERHEATING ISSUE. THERE WAS A JIFFY LUBE NEARBY AND WE ASKED A MECHANIC WHAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE. THEY SAID THAT NISSAN HAD A CVT TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE LOSS OF POWER, TRANSMISSION JERKING, ETC. EVENTUALLY WE HAD TO GET THE VAN TOWED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID

11386890

Incident

Jan 2, 2021

Mileage

101,460 mi

I WAS SOLD A DECEPTIVE VAN AT THE END SEPT 2020, I DID A TEST DRIVE WITH THE SALESMAN, POINTED OUT SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE VAN LIKE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRACTION LIGHT ON, AIR BAG LIGHT ON, REMOTE MISSING TO CONTROL TV, THE SALESMAN TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THE LIGHTS THAT'S ON HE WILL GET THAT FIX AT A LATER DATE AND TO BUY THE TV REMOTE AND A DEDUCTION WILL BE APPLIED TO MY CONTRACT. I WAS FINE WITH THAT, BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE. I ADMITTEDLY START TO FIND OTHER ISSUE WITH THE VAN THE MORE I DROVE IT LIKE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR IS NOT WORKING, THE COMPLETE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT WORKING SO THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, BLUETOOTH SETTINGS, RADIO VOLUME BUTTON. I HAVE MADE THE SALESMAN A WHERE OF THIS BUT HIS WHOLE TONE CHANGED. I WAS TOLD TO GET WHATEVER ISSUES FIXED MYSELF AND MAYBE A DEDUCTION WOULD BE APPLIED TO MY BALANCE, ONCE AGAIN I SAID BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE AGREE ON. SO NOW ITS TIME FOR MY TEMPORARY TAG TO EXPIRE, WAS ISSUED A NEW ONE 3 TIMES BUT HAD TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP TO LET THEM MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE VAN WILL NOT PASS MARTA/EMISSION TO GET REGISTER FOR REAL LICENSE PLATE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE VAN IS MISSING THE CADILLAC CONVERTER AND THE SALESMAN WILL NOT PUT ONE ON SAID YOU DO NOT REALLY NEED IT ON THE VAN. AT THIS POINT HE SAID IN A CONVERSATION WITH ME THAT A PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE VAN FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND RETURNED IT FOR ISSUES, BUT WHEN I SAID I'M NOT SATISFIED WITH THE VAN AND WANT TO RETURN AS WELL, IT WAS PASS 2 MONTHS NOW AND AS LONG AS THE VAN GETS ME TO POINT A TO POINT B THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS! ONCE AGAIN THE MORE I DRIVE THE VAN I'M FINDING ISSUES SO NOW THE BUTTON ON THE RADIO GET STUCK WHEN PUSHED IN, CONTROLLING THE HEAT AND AIR IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN, SO WHEN I TURN ON THE HEAT, THE AC BUTTON WILL NOT TURN OFF, ALSO THE AUTOMATIC WINDOW BUTTONS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. THIS VAN IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE PERIOD.

NHTSA ID

11377477

Incident

Oct 27, 2020

Mileage

152,000 mi

AUTOMATIC REAR DOORS CANNOT BE STOPPED FROM CLOSING ONCE ACTIVATED AND A PERSON CAN GET CRUSHED IN THE DOOR.

NHTSA ID

11372490

Incident

Aug 13, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN QUEST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN WORLD OF RED BANK (NEWMAN SPRINGS RD E, RED BANK, NJ 07701) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR AN UNKNOWN FAILURE AND WAS RETURNED TO THE CONTACT. A YEAR LATER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE REOCCURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11365118

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi