MODELYEARINDEX

Which Nissan Quest years to avoid

Across 4 scored model years, the 2012 and 2011 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Nissan Quest Full report
D
Grade 2011–2016
2012 vs model median 2.2×
Model median3× median
Fuel System 10
Electrical 10
Tires & Wheels 9
Avoid

2011 · 2012

Best

2014 · 2016

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2011
1.70× 44 D
2012
2.17× 63 D
2014
0.30× 13 A
2016
0.20× 11 A

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2011 D 44 reports · median 6,200 mi

  1. Fuel System 25

    First incident: vehicle's low fuel warning light came on and computer indicated 55 miles to empty. Approximately 8 miles later, while idling in a parking lot on a subtle downhill slope, the engine stalled. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 10

    Engine will stall and sometimes not restart when driving down a steep grade when fuel tank has 1/4 tank left. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 3

    Purchased brand new vehicle on 4/20/11, on 7/20/11 car would not start. Had to tow car to dealership, they said it was the battery and they would recharge it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

1 crash

2012 D 63 reports · median 26,000 mi

  1. Fuel System 10

    Vehicle stalled while traveling up a 2-3% grade. It appeared to run out of fuel although the navigation display indicated there were 21 miles until empty. The fuel gauge also indicated fuel remained. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 10

    The contact owns a 2012 nissan quest. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was not accurately displaying the level of fuel in the vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Tires & Wheels 9

    I bought a 2012 nissan quest almost 2 years ago. I have 20,000 miles on the vehicle and the tires are horrible! They are bridgestone turanza el 400. They are feathering and balding. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 1 injuries

The best year for the Quest

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2016 is the best-scoring Quest model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 94.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2016 0.20× 11 A
2014 0.30× 13 A
2011 1.70× 44 D

Recalls

1 campaign on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
12V076000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2011, 2012 23,531

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2012 were reported at a median of 26,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Nissan Quest years should you avoid?
2012, 2011 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Nissan Quest model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Nissan Quest?
2016 is the best-scoring Nissan Quest model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 94.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Nissan Quest have?
1 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Nissan Quest model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2012 Quest
Complaints in window
63
Severity-weighted
117
Model median (weighted)
54
vs model median
2.17×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
1
Open investigations
0
Score 43.3 D