CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2012 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.

2.3

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,733 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Nissan Quest drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2012 Nissan Quest Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #27

May 152023

Quest

  • miles

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

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.

- Smyrna, DE, USA

problem #26

May 222024

Quest

  • miles
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)

- Mcminnville, TN, USA

problem #25

Jun 072023

Quest 6-cyl

  • miles
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.

- Shippensburg, PA, USA

problem #24

Mar 112022

Quest

  • miles

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

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.

- Carlisle, AR, USA

problem #23

Dec 212020

Quest 6-cyl

  • miles
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.

- Manassas, VA, USA

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problem #22

Feb 122021

Quest

  • 101,485 miles
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.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #21

Jan 022021

Quest

  • 101,460 miles

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

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.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #20

Oct 042020

Quest

  • 119,000 miles
At 119,000 miles the vehicle experienced a complete transmission failure while driving. The vehicle wouldn't get out of 1st gear, making acceleration from a dead stop nearly impossible. Several calls to my Nissan dealership and to Nissan corporation resulted in "I'm sorry but we can't do anything for you but offer a complete replacement of your transmission at at cost over $5000". the vehicle is only 19K miles out of the extended warranty that I purchased from Nissan, but they are claiming they don't look at that, they look at the original manufacture warranty. Nissan is aware of issues with the cvt transmission they have put in their cars but refuse to fix the issues or work with customers.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #19

Dec 272018

Quest

  • 93,000 miles
The vehicle stalls due to transmission. Cvt failed when the vehicle has some 93,000 miles. Vehicle stalled in the middle of the freeway and did not move. We had to tow it home. This seems to be a widespread problem with these vehicles.

- Rex, GA, USA

problem #18

Sep 132019

Quest

  • 74,000 miles
Complete transmission failure right after passing the 60,000 mile warranty. The vehicle jerked and the check engine light came one. The Nissan dealer stated that the entire transmission needs to be replaced. It can't be rebuilt. This appears to be a known problem across other 2012 Nissan Quests. Other customers have complained about this as well. www.lemonlawcase.com/problem-vehicles/Nissan-cvt-problems/ Nissan should extend the warranty for the transmission to 100K miles for all 2012 Nissan Quests. Https://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Quest/2012/transmission/transmission_failure.shtml

- Overland Park, KS, USA

problem #17

Feb 082018

Quest

  • 161,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Quest. While driving various speeds, the fuel tank gauge indicated that the tank was empty. The contact stated that two hours after filling up the fuel tank, the tank would be empty. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle to brown's fairfax Nissan (11010 fairfax blvd, fairfax, va 22030, (703)-591-8009) where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and stated that there were no recalls or warranties per the VIN. The failure mileage was 161,000.

- Lake Worth, FL, USA

problem #16

Jul 282018

Quest

  • miles
Doesn't want to speed when accelerate, specially on a hill. No electrical problems detect it.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #15

Aug 012018

Quest

  • 12 miles
The vehicle stalls due to transmission. Cvt failed when the vehicle has some 93,000 miles. Vehicle stalled in the middle of the intersection did not move. I had to push it off the road. Very dangerous. This seems to be a widespread problem with these vehicles.

- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #14

Jun 142018

Quest

  • 125,000 miles
The van began to sputter and seemingly misfire once shifted into gear. I suspected a case of clogged fuel injectors and pressed firmly with the throttle to clear the line of debris. The van then stalled in the intersection as I was making a left turn, the transmission disengaged itself and provided no gear resistance. Fortunately the timing of oncoming traffic allowed me to coast out of the intersection, using the downward grade of a nearby alley in order to exit the street. Inspection of the van revealed obd II codes: P0500 and P0720. Further investigation revealed an existing recall for automobiles of this make, model and year, that exhibit the events I have encountered. I believe that recall:12V076000 recall date 02/29/2012 should be expanded to include my VIN due to the similarity of events encountered as well as the hazard thereby created. I am fortunate to have made it through the intersection without getting T-boned. Below are reference quotes and links that further describe the experience and illustrate the identical circumstances that prompted the existing recall. Reference a: P0500.enginetroublecode.com/Nissan-Quest P0500 obd-II diagnostic powertrain (P) trouble code description P0500 obd-II trouble code the vehicle speed sensor outputs a 4 pulse signal for every revolution of the rotor shaft, which is rotated by the transmission output shaft via the driven gear. After this signal is converted into a P0500 code. Reason for P0500 code the reason of P0500 obd-II engine trouble code is fuel composition sensor circuit malfunction. Parts or components should not be replaced with reference to only a P0500 dtc. The vehicle service manual should be consulted for more information on possible causes of the fault, along with required testing. Reference B: https://www.cars.com/recalls/Nissan-Quest-2012/ see attach. Thanks

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #13

Jul 062018

Quest

  • 128,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Quest. While driving approximately 65 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stated that the failure occurred on two different occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to michael jordan Nissan (3930 durham-chapel hill blvd, durham, nc 27707, (919) 489-3800) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #12

Nov 192017

Quest

  • 130,000 miles
Cvt started slipping around 115,000 miles when taking off on incline. Really bad slipping and had fluid changed at 121,000 miles. Surging and losing power on the interstate in traffic. Went completely out at 130,000 miles leaving my family stranded.

- Pulaski, TN, USA

problem #11

Nov 272017

Quest

  • 76,000 miles
Van started to have problems with the acceleration, I stepped on the gas and it didn't responded until several seconds later (5-10), it started slowly and then it accelerates slowly. Every time the vehicle stops, the transmission doesn't work. The check engine light came on, I took the car to an autozone store, and they found the error code P1778, which is cvt transmission error. I took the van then to the dealership and they told me that they found the same error code, and they told me that the transmission needs to be replaced at approx $3800 dls. The van has 76,000 miles. And so far, I've seen numerous sites that have claims and list problems with Nissan transmissions, and Nissan is not taking care of customers. This is a very serious problem that can cause an accident if you are trying to cross a street and the car doesn't respond. Also its very disappointing that Nissan doesn't help or doesn't have a recall to replace the transmission or fix this issue.

- Laredo, TX, USA

problem #10

Aug 122017

Quest

  • 81,300 miles
Van has had issues slipping on hills after stop with gears grinding and jerking. Brought in to dealership and they could not replicate. I mentioned I thought it might be transmission and how we can do preventive maintenance. They recommended flushing transmission fluid for $125 which I did. Less than month later, slipping still occurred on hills after stops. On way home this past Saturday, I was going about 30-40 mph when there was a stop light on a slight incline. I slowed down to about 5-10mph when the light turned green. I then pressed the accelerator pedal and the gear grinded and I had no power. As I pressed the gas no power was coming to van and I had to pull over. I had to turn off the vehicle and wait a minute or so and after starting the car, the vehicle seemed normal again. I noticed the check engine light also was now on. Brought the van in to dealership and after doing a drive test and replicating on a hill, they confirmed the slipping. They also did a diagnostic and confirmed transmission needed to be replaced to tune of $4100. Looking up this case there appears to be numerous problems with Nissan cvt transmissions. Nissan also provided an extended warranty for prior van models from 2003-2010 to 100K miles. My vehicle is a 2012 Nissan Quest with 81K miles. With all the Nissan having cvt transmission issues, it appears there is a pervasive issue that needs to be addressed by Nissan.

- Pacifica, CA, USA

problem #9

Jul 172017

Quest

  • 75,440 miles
Jerking motion: Sudden twitching and oscillating motion of acceleration and deceleration. After driving normally for about 10~30 mints, it happens at about 2000 RPM ~ 2500 rmp on uphill (with accelerator gentry pressed down). It stopes when I release the accelerator, when the engine comes down to below 2000 RPM. Https://youtu.be/7vclguaumoe

- Yonkers, NY, USA

problem #8

Aug 062016

Quest

  • 71,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Quest. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cvt failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Reading, MA, USA

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