Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Nissan Quest problems
Owners filed 44 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Quest with NHTSA between Feb 2002 and May 2021. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (8).
Complaints
44
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Tires6
- Electrical system6
- Equipment6
- Air bags4
- Structure4
- Exterior lighting4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Suspension3
- Visibility2
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Steering1
- Engine1
- Child seat1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
6
12
7
2
4
3
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
8 reports
“I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 88.000 MILES ON IT THIS CAR IT SHOULD BE JUST GETTING BROKEN IN JUST GOT DONE PAYING THIS CAR OFF IT COST ME AROUND 18,000 DOLLARS IN 2004 PAID IT OFF IN JUNE 2009 THINKING I COULD GET BACK ON MY FEET AGAIN BUT I SEE THAT WONT HAPPEN NOT WITH A BAD DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND A RUINED ENGINE THAT EATS ANTIFREEZE AND DRINKS OIL THAT'S JUST SOME OF THIS CARS ISSUES POOR HEAT OR NO HEAT IN WINTER I CANT BELIEVE WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ON ALL OF THE NISSAN SIGHT NOTHING IS BEING DONE BY NHTSA THERE ARE MORE THAN A FEW COMPLAINTS OUT THERE ITS UNREAL AND WHEN YOU NEED HELP THEY TELL YOU YOUR VIN# IS NOT THE CORRECT ONE IF ALL THESE CARS COME OFF ASSEMBLY LINE WITH DIFFERENT CONVERTERS AND MANIFOLD SYSTEM THEN AND PRECAST THAN MAY BE ,BUT NOT THE SAME PARTS WITH THE MANIFOLD AND THE SAME CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE FOWLED PRINTS NOWAY!!!ALL THESE 2002 ALTIMAS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT ARE BEING TOLD THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT VIN# WELL LETS SEE THESE VIN # BEFORE WE TELL THEM TO YOU THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 7 YRS KNOW DOESN'T NHTSA HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINT BY KNOW TO REOPEN IT CASECLAIN #03V084000 I SEE THEY HAVE SHORTENED A…”
Tires
6 reports1 crash
“WIDETRACK SR BL TIRE P22565/16 NISSAN QUEST MINIVAN. RIGHT REAR TIRE BLOWOUT MARCH 09, THEN, LEFT REAR TIRE BLOWOUT APRIL 20, 09. TIRES PURCHASED FEB.2005 AT TED WEINS LAS VEGAS. *TR”
Electrical system
6 reports1 fire
“2002 NISSAN SENTRA SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CUSTOMER STATES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON. OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND CODE STILL REMAINED. CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE ECM. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS AN ERROR AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE HE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT FAILURE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. *TR”
Equipment
6 reports
“I WAS INFORMED BY NISSAN THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ENGINE EXHAUST SYSTEM 12/03. I FOLLOWED UP AND HAD IT REPAIRED OR REPLACED , AT THIS POINT I'M UNCERTAIN WHAT HAPPENED. TODAY, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS INOPERABLE AND IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY 800.00 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS A DEVICE THAT IS APART OF THE ENGINE EXHAUST RECALL THAT WAS DONE IN '03. BECAUSE 2 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE RECALL WAS DONE, I AM NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND I AM FORCED TO MAKE ANOTHER COSTLY REPAIR. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE NUMEROUS RECALLS AND REPAIRS ON THE "NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEAR!" *NM”
Air bags
4 reports2 crashes
“ON MAYAUGUST 6TH 2021ON MAY 6TH 2021 I PURCHASED A 2002 NISSAN QUEST VAN FRON PICK-N-PULL AUTO LOCATE AT 2015 EAST SUMMER STREET IN HAMMOND IN 46320 I NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT THIS VAN HAD. 1.ENGINE DROPPED DOWN FROM THE BOTTOM. BY THIS TIME LOST CONTROL OF STEERING PULLING TO THE RIGHT SIDE. UNSAFE TO DRIVE!”
Structure
4 reports
“REAR DOOR HANDLES ON 2002 NISSAN QUEST BREAK OFF, LEAVING NO WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR TO THE PASSENGERS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.