CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2011 Nissan Quest is great in terms of low complaints, but it also has an abysmal crash test rating for one very common type of impact.

The IIHS' "small overlap" crash test rates the vehicle's ability to protect front seat passengers when the car is impacted across 1/4th of the front bumper.

This mimics hitting a pole, or an off-center crash into another car — more common in the real world than a full frontal head-on crash.

See our crash test page for the detailed results — As you can see from the IIHS' crash test video, the Nissan Quest does not protect intrusion into the passenger space & major injury to the front seat passengers is likely.

9.4

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$4,060
Average Mileage:
123,400 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace/rebuild transmission (4 reports)
  2. not sure (3 reports)
2011 Nissan Quest transmission problems

transmission problem

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2011 Nissan Quest Owner Comments

problem #7

Jul 162024

Quest LE 3.2L V6

  • CVT transmission
  • 245,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Trip from Panama City Beach, Florida to St. Augustine, Florida I-10. MM 199 (Tallahassee) engine lite comes on, car jolts and starts slowing down. We drive to St. Augustine at 50 MPH at 3000 RPM.

On turning off on World golf Village Parkway to go home, the car will not accelerate. We limp west on WGV pky one mile and car stops. Call AAA and car towed to mechanic.

- Joe D., Saint Augustine, FL, US

problem #6

Nov 012021

Quest SV 3.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 77,050 miles

Nissan vehicles are outright crap. This is my second and the LAST Nissan I will ever own. All Nissan owners I know are bleeding. The front wheel disconnects after a while. The ball joint, front control arms, fuel tank, oil leaks, and transmission are all problems. Nissan is big garbage. A complete piece of automotive engineering disgrace!

- Chris O., Atlanta, US

problem #5

Mar 152019

Quest Sport V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,391 miles

click to see larger images

transmission failure

Hello, first of all we had nothing but problems out of this Quest Van ever since we bought it brand new off the lot here in El dorado Ar. We purchased the van from Trotter Nissan. Before we even paid it off we had stuff going on with the van . Computer, timing issue, transmission. There is no way the transmission should be going out this early. My wife was going over a dangerous bridge then all of a sudden no acceleration. She started going backwards thank God she didn’t panic. She didn’t have cell phone service and an hour later sheriff drives by and sees her stranded. Spent 120 bucks to have it towed. Nissan charged me 131 bucks to even look at it. I never saw the van move, it was in the exact same spot I had it towed to. Nissan doesn’t want to fix anything, they just want you to buy a new vehicle. They told me a new transmission would cost 6,248.95 . I think Nissan has put cheap low quality parts in this van and should be held accountable. I would like Nissan to replace transmission and to fix the timing issues and the bad computer in it. I hope a lawsuit it formed because this isn’t right! Nissan no longer sells vans because of all the problems. I pray for Gods righteous justice.

- Charles B., Eldorado, US

problem #4

Oct 142016

Quest S 3.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 138,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I just got vehicle paid off and transmission is out.

- Tenesha P., Georgetown, TX, US

problem #3

Dec 292016

Quest 6 cyl

  • CVT transmission
  • 112,000 miles

Complained at 40,000 and again at 96000 mile about the faulty transmission. Of course they said there was nothing wrong. Now at 112000 mile the transmission needs replacing and the extended warranty plan i purchased from a private company will not cover the repair because of the faulty transmission from the beginning.

- Deneise H., Huntsville, AL, US

problem #2

Dec 312015

Quest V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 79,322 miles

On 12/31/2015, I took my 2011 Nissan Quest in to the dealer. On 1/5/2016, I was notified that my transmission would need to be replaced. My vehicle only has 79,000 miles on it! I contacted the Nissan Consumer Affairs department and asked for assistance with the repair, since I think it's safe to say a transmission should not go out at 79,000 miles!

On 1/6/15, I was contacted by Nissan Consumer Affairs and was told they would be providing a ZERO assistance with this repair - simply stating, "it’s out of warranty". Actually, I was fully aware that the vehicle was out of warranty (by only 19,000 miles). Had it been in warranty, there would be no reason for me to call the Consumer Affairs Department and the dealer could have simply fixed it as a warranty claim. The specialist with Consumer Affairs made no attempt to try and help. I told him I did not mind paying part of the repair cost, but I didn’t feel it was right to stick a customer with a $4,000 bill at 79,000 miles. I felt Nissan should have covered the entire repair, although splitting the repair with me would have demonstrated Nissan’s willingness to stand behind its product. Instead, the specialist was rude and made no attempt to help. He simply read from a script and repeated Nissan’s stance over and over. When I asked to speak with a manager, he said I could not. He said all I could do was write a letter. This is honestly the worst customer service I have ever received from ANY business, EVER!!

It is obvious that Nissan does not put a value on customer satisfaction or repeat business! And they put a seriously flawed transmission in their vehicles! Just look up the problems Nissan has had with their transmissions and you'll see what I mean. Avoid Nissan at all costs!!

- Brad W., Ooltewah, TN, US

problem #1

Dec 272015

Quest LS V6 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,000 miles

While driving back home with my four kids from vacation, the vehicle lost moving power with engine still running in the middle of HWY 475 in Macon, GA while cars where going around 70-80 miles per hour. I was lucky that I was able to get it to the side of the road without getting hit by others, the vehicle gave no indications that the transmission failure was going to happen. This incident put my life and the lives of my family at risk. Not only that, we are military family and still making payments on this vehicle and now there are no warranties and we would have to pay $3,500 dollars to repair the transmission.

Hope the company looks into this, my Family was lucky to escape an accident but someone else may not run with the same luck. It's unacceptable that someone has to go to this with a 2011 vehicle that still paying for. I have to rent a vehicle to drive over 450 miles home to report to duty next day after waiting over five hours for a tow truck to take us to a Nissan shop, paid a company to transport my vehicle home (450 Miles) and then pay for the repair of the transmission, close to $5000 in total cost. Just completely wrong that we have to pay for all of this.

- Bernice R., Fort Knox, KY, US

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