AI Damage2016 Nissan Quest: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Nissan Quest filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and suspension. The maker issued 82 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 82
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 46% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 8% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (46% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 29.
- Suspension: 2 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 18.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Structure: 1 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- CVTnamed in 3 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 29 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 4 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car need transmission replaced - there is no warning on car that transmission is having major issues (ie no check engine light). My car shakes on turning this has been on going since I purchased the car in 2017.
Check engine light appeared without warning and car would slow down and no longer accelerate on the highway. Took to the dealership and was told it needed a new transmission with only 64,000 miles of use.
The contact stated that the vehicle began to vibrate and then began to shake the entire vehicle. The contact removed his foot from the accelerator pedal and started to tap the brakes. The contact stated that the vehicle started to shake more violently while slowing down.
I typically lost control of steering causing the vehicle to jerk in one direction or the other. This was repaired almost a year ago. I had the vehicle serviced at a independent service center. It could have possible caused an accident had I not been able to counteract the loss of steering.
It snowed last night, and a piece of ice got stuck in the driver's side exterior door handle and kept the handle slightly ajar. Because of this, the driver's side door would not open using the interior door handle.
The airbag light turns on when a passenger is sitting on the passenger seat. The "airbag off" is "on" on various occasions during the drive, it goes on and then after some times it turns off. The airbag seems faulty.
These components have a vibration and crunch that does not allow safe use. Since then it has taken imnumerable times to repair for the same faults and they still persist.
Brake switch stopped functioning. Brake lights intermittently did not work, and eventually push start did not function. Researched online is a common problem.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,401 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 33% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Quest has 10 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other…
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
- DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed…
- VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED IN THE TCM This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CVT JUDDER AND DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NHTSA lists 82 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Quest?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, suspension, electrical system. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (31%), warning lights, check engine (31%), jerking, harsh shifts (15%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Nissan Quest?
NHTSA lists 82 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Nissan Quest from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.