1996 Nissan Quest Problems, Recalls & Reliability

174 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1996 Nissan Quest, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 25/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Latches & locks leads the reports.

174Complaints
25/100Trouble index
2Recalls
80,000Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 1996 sits among all Quest years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Latches & locks 26 complaints (15%)
“While driving or even if the vehicle is parked, the sliding door lock will un-latch and door will open by itself and the interior lights will also come on. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 1996 Quest
Other 24 complaints (14%)
Fuel system 19 complaints (11%) · typically ~103,000 miles
Airbags 18 complaints (10%)
Engine 17 complaints (10%)
Body & structure 16 complaints (9%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 47 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 62,384 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 00V419001 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE ALLOWS AIR TO VENT FROM THE FUEL TANK DURING REFUELING. CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE VENT HOSE. IF (1) THE FUEL TANK IS OVERFILLED, NOT ALLOWING EXCESS FUEL IN THE VENT HOSE TO FLOW BACK INTO THE…

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VENT HOSE.

VISIBILITY 98V012002 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH POWER WINDOWS THAT CAN BE CLOSED AFTER THE IGNITION KEY IS TURNED TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND THE RIGHT FRONT (PASSENGER) DOOR IS OPENED. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 118,…

Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A LABEL REMINDING OWNERS NOT TO LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED BECAUSE THE POWER WINDOWS CAN OPERATE FOR 15 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE IGNITION HAS BEEN TURNED OFF UNLESS THE…

Federal defect investigations

FUEL TANK VENT HOSE LEAKAGE EA00015 opened 2000, closed 2001

Led to recall campaign 00V419001.

UNEXPECTED OPENING ON SLIDING DOOR SQ00008 opened 2000, closed 2002

Technical service bulletins

58 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 1996 Nissan Quest. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 1996 Quest TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

1996peak 29 in 20012018

Questions buyers ask

Is the 1996 Nissan Quest reliable?

The 1996 Nissan Quest drew 174 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 25/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).

What are the most common 1996 Nissan Quest problems?

The top reported problems for the 1996 Nissan Quest are latches & locks (26 complaints), other (24), and fuel system (19).

At what mileage do 1996 Nissan Quest problems show up?

Owners most often report 1996 Nissan Quest problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 62,384 and 120,000 miles.

Does the 1996 Nissan Quest have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 1996 Nissan Quest. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.