2012 Nissan Quest reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2012 Nissan Quest has 93 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 7 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 6 Quest years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Electrical system, software.

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (28 of 93), then Electrical system (18) and Fuel and propulsion system (16). Those filings include 5 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Quest has 18 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Nissan Quest. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall electrical system, software 2012-02-29 · NHTSA campaign 12V076000

Summary NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN QUEST VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 29, 2010, THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, 2012. DUE TO SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING, WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS OR IDLING ON A DECLINE WITH ¼ TANK FUEL OR LESS, THERE MAY BE AN INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY STALL.

Remedy NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-647-7261.

Complaints by component (93 total)

Powertrain

Electrical system

Fuel and propulsion system

Engine

Structure

Speed control

Service brakes

Tires

Air bags

Fuel system, gasoline

Wheels

Engine and engine cooling

Exterior lighting

Forward collision avoidance

Lane departure

Seat belts

Seats

Steering

Visibility and wipers

Show 11 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"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,…"
Unknown or other, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2025-11-22
"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."
Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-12-08
"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…"
Powertrain · filed 2024-06-10
"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…"
Powertrain, Electrical system, Service brakes · filed 2024-05-22
"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…"
Service brakes · filed 2023-08-23

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2012 Nissan Quest VAN FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Quest	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	19	24	21 MPG	$3100

Specs and fitment

Fourth generation (RE52), 2012–2017

Body styles Minivan

Oil 5W-30 (VQ35DE; about 4.9 qt with filter) , 4.9 qt capacity

Tire size 225/65R16 or 235/55R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 12V-076 covers certain 2011-2012 Nissan Quest vehicles: due to software programming, while driving at slow speeds or idling on a decline with about a quarter tank of fuel or less, there may be an insufficient supply of fuel to the engine, causing a stall. The campaign lists 23,531 vehicles; dealers reprogram the fuel-pump control module.

Compare

Next year 2013 Nissan Quest See every Nissan Quest model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Nissan Quest reliable?

What are common problems with a 2012 Nissan Quest?

Is the 2012 Nissan Quest more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Quest has 18 complaints, 2 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Nissan Quest been recalled?

The 2012 Nissan Quest has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Nissan Quest?

Owners have filed 93 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Quest with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Nissan Quest get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Nissan Quest is 21 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Nissan Quest use?

The 3.5L VQ35DE commonly takes 5W-30, about 4.9 qt with filter—confirm the filler cap and owner's manual.

What tire sizes does a Nissan Quest use?

OEM sizes commonly include 225/65R16 and 235/55R18 depending on trim.

What fuel-system software recall covers certain Quests?

Recall 12V-076 covers certain 2011-2012 Nissan Quest vehicles for software that can allow a fuel-pump concern at slow speeds or idle on a decline with a low fuel level.