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Nissan · Known Issues

2008 Nissan Quest Problems: 6 Known Issues

2008 model year · NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports · Updated September 2026

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Issue summary

According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2008 Nissan Quest has 6 documented known issues, with 4 rated critical. The most serious are Power Sliding Door Motor and Latch Failure ($200-$800 repair), Fuel Level Sender Resistor Failure Causing False Fuel Gauge Reading (V42) ($0-$600 repair), Brake Pedal Pivot Pin Not Spin-Formed to Specification (V42, Recall 10V072) ($0-$0 repair) and VQ35DE Timing Chain Guide and Secondary Tensioner Wear (Rattle on Start-Up) ($1,200-$2,800 repair). Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $150 to $2,800. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.

In This Article

  • Quest Electrical1
  • Quest Fuel System1
  • Quest Brakes1
  • Quest Engine1
  • Quest Body/Panels1
  • Quest Safety/Recalls1
  • FAQ
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In This Article

  • Electrical1
  • Fuel System1
  • Brakes1
  • Engine1
  • Body/Panels1
  • Safety/Recalls1
  • FAQ

All 6 Known Issues

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ALL YEARS2017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420001999

On the 2004-2017 Nissan Quest 3.5L VQ35DE V6, the Quest's power sliding doors suffer from motor failures, broken cables, and latch mechanism issues. The electric motor that drives the door wears out, leaving the door stuck partially open or unable to power-close. The latch assembly also fails, preventing the door from staying closed. In some cases, the door opens unexpectedly while driving, creating a serious safety hazard.

This issue also affects: Nissan Altima, Infiniti G35, Nissan 350Z

Common Symptoms

  • Power door stops mid-travel
  • Door won't close completely
  • Grinding noise when door operates
  • Door opens on its own while driving
  • Power door feature stops working entirely

How to Fix

Replace the sliding door motor assembly ($300-$600) or the latch assembly ($150-$300) depending on the failure. Check the door cable for fraying before assuming the motor is bad. Lubricate the door track and rollers with white lithium grease every 6 months. If the door opens unexpectedly, the latch recall (NHTSA 15V-595) may apply — contact Nissan dealer.

Owner tips & cautions

  • WarningIf the sliding door opens while driving, disable the power door switch immediately and use manually only. Then get to the dealer for the latch recall. This is a child safety issue.
Typical repair cost:$200 - $800

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Community Reported
Medium Confidence

On the 2007-2009 Nissan Quest VQ35DE, nHTSA opened preliminary evaluation PE14-012 in May 2014 after roughly 140 complaints that 2007 Quest vans ran out of fuel with the gauge still showing fuel remaining. Nissan traced the fault to one of two resistors in the fuel level sender unit circuit opening up, which makes the gauge and the distance-to-empty display read high once the tank drops below about a quarter. Owners reported the DTE readout showing more than 70 miles of range immediately before the engine stalled from fuel starvation - a genuine safety exposure, because the stall happens without warning in traffic. Nissan's own investigation found the same sender circuit in 2008 and 2009 vans, and the agency closed PE14-012 on Nissan's agreement to run a service campaign covering approximately 68,003 model year 2007-2009 Quest vehicles.

This issue also affects: Infiniti FX35, Infiniti G35, Nissan 350Z

Common Symptoms

  • Fuel gauge shows fuel remaining when tank is empty
  • Distance-to-empty display reads high, sometimes by 60-80 miles
  • Engine stalls from fuel starvation with gauge above empty
  • Gauge needle jumps or sticks below a quarter tank

How to Fix

This is covered by a Nissan service campaign (bulletin NTB15-071), not a safety recall, so it does not appear on a standard NHTSA VIN recall lookup - ask a Nissan dealer to check the VIN against the campaign directly. The remedy is free at the dealer: an external amplifier box with a jumper harness is installed to bypass the failing resistor circuit in the sender, restoring accurate readings. If the campaign has already been performed or the van is outside it, the alternative is replacing the fuel level sender unit inside the tank. Until repaired, treat the gauge as unreliable below a quarter tank and refuel by odometer distance.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $600

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2008-2009 Nissan Quest VQ35DE, nHTSA campaign 10V072000 covers a manufacturing defect in the brake pedal assembly on 2008-2009 Quest vans: the end of the brake pedal pivot pin was not spin-formed to specification during production. A pivot pin that is not properly formed can allow the pedal to shift on its pivot, and the resulting misalignment reduces the braking force actually delivered to the master cylinder for a given pedal effort. Owners experience a pedal that feels wrong or a van that does not stop as it should - a straightforward crash risk. This is a build defect at the pedal box, entirely separate from the hydraulic ABS-actuator problem that affects the later V43 generation.

This issue also affects: Infiniti FX35, Infiniti G35, Nissan 350Z

Common Symptoms

  • Reduced braking force for normal pedal effort
  • Longer stopping distances
  • Unusual or shifting brake pedal feel
  • Pedal movement or play at the pivot

How to Fix

Free recall remedy under NHTSA campaign 10V072000 - Nissan dealers inspect the brake pedal assembly and repair or replace it at no cost. Check the VIN on the NHTSA recall lookup; 2008-2009 vans that have changed hands several times often still show this as open. Any 2008-2009 Quest showing reduced braking force, unusual pedal feel or pedal movement should have this recall verified before other brake diagnosis, because a pedal-box fault will not be found by inspecting pads, rotors or fluid.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

Research This Issue

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2004-2017 Nissan Quest VQ35DE, both the V42 (2004-2009) and V43 (2011-2017) Quest use the VQ35DE 3.5L V6, and this engine family has a well-documented timing-drive wear pattern discussed at length in Nissan owner communities. Three distinct parts fail: the plastic primary chain guide cracks and breaks up, the secondary (bank) chain tensioners lose their hydraulic bleed-down control, and the primary tensioner plunger sticks. The signature is a loud rattle or buzz for a few seconds on cold start-up as oil pressure builds, plus a rattle on throttle between roughly 1,500 and 2,500 rpm; worn secondary tensioners instead produce a constant whine from the front of the engine. It is a mileage-and-oil-quality failure, most often surfacing past 120,000-150,000 miles and much earlier on engines run on extended or neglected oil changes. Left alone, a disintegrating guide can let the chain jump timing.

This issue also affects: Infiniti FX35, Infiniti FX45, Infiniti G35

Common Symptoms

  • Loud rattle or buzz for a few seconds on cold start
  • Rattle from the front of the engine between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm
  • Constant whine from the engine bay
  • Check engine light with camshaft/crankshaft correlation codes
  • Rough running or misfire if timing has jumped

How to Fix

No recall. The correct repair is a full timing-chain job - primary and secondary chains, all guides, both secondary tensioners and the primary tensioner, plus the front cover seal and water pump while the front of the engine is open. Replacing only the tensioner on a chain that has already stretched brings the noise back. Because it is a front-cover-off job on a transverse V6 in a minivan, labor dominates the cost. Prevention is genuinely effective here: keep to a short oil-change interval on the correct-viscosity oil, since sludge is what makes the tensioners stick.

Typical repair cost:$1,200 - $2,800

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2004-2009 Nissan Quest, the V42 Quest offered the SkyView fixed glass panels over the second and third rows plus a powered front moonroof - four glass openings in one roof, each with its own drain tray and hose. The drain tubes route down the pillars under the headliner and are prone to kinking and to plugging with debris; when they back up, the water tray around the glass overflows into the headliner rather than out the rocker. Owners report soaked headliners, wet carpet in the second and third rows, and - because the drip path runs down onto the overhead and center electronics - killed radio, amplifier and HVAC control units. The seals around the fixed SkyView glass can also perish independently and let water in between the glass and the roof panel. Nissan addressed water leaks from the SkyView roof in a service bulletin issued in September 2005.

Common Symptoms

  • Water dripping from headliner over front or rear seats
  • Wet or stained headliner and pillar trim
  • Damp carpet in second or third row
  • Musty smell inside the van
  • Radio, amplifier or HVAC control head stops working after rain
  • Water pooling in moonroof tray

How to Fix

No recall. The fix is almost never the roof panel: pull the headliner trim or the A-pillar covers, locate the four drain hoses, and clear them with low-pressure air or a soft trimmer line - never a stiff wire, which punctures the hose. Straighten any hose kinked under the headliner and reroute it clear of the pillar trim clips. If the fixed SkyView glass seal itself has failed, the panel must be resealed or the glass replaced. Anything that got wet downstream - radio, amp, HVAC control head - needs to be dried out and often replaced, which is what turns a cheap drain cleaning into a four-figure bill. Clear the drains preventively at least annually on any V42 with the glass roof.

Typical repair cost:$150 - $2,000

Research This Issue

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Community Reported
Medium ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026

On the 2008-2009 Nissan Quest, nHTSA campaign 23V067000, filed in 2023 and covering 404,690 vehicles including 2008-2009 Quest vans (alongside 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder and Armada), addresses the resin Nissan emblem on the driver's airbag cover. The emblem, supplied by Autoliv, can develop cracks with age and heat cycling and detach during airbag deployment - launching a hard plastic fragment directly at the driver's face at deployment speed. This is a separate defect from the Takata inflator recalls and is not resolved by any Takata remedy. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023, so many owners of these older vans - especially second and third owners whose address is not on file with Nissan - have never been notified.

Common Symptoms

  • Visible cracks around the Nissan emblem on the steering wheel airbag cover
  • Emblem loose or lifting from the airbag cover

How to Fix

Free recall remedy under NHTSA campaign 23V067000 - Nissan dealers replace the driver's airbag cover at no charge. Because this recall is recent but the vehicles are old, VIN verification is the practical step: check the VIN on the NHTSA recall lookup or with a Nissan dealer rather than assuming an older van has no open recalls. Do not attempt to glue, replace or remove the emblem yourself - the cover is part of the airbag module and any work on it risks both an improper deployment and disabling the restraint.

Typical repair cost:$0 - $0

Research This Issue

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Community Reported
High ConfidenceVerifiedReviewed Aug 2026
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Other Nissan Models

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common Nissan Quest problems?

According to Au7o's research across NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports, the 2008 Nissan Quest has 6 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Power Sliding Door Motor and Latch Failure, Fuel Level Sender Resistor Failure Causing False Fuel Gauge Reading (V42), Brake Pedal Pivot Pin Not Spin-Formed to Specification (V42, Recall 10V072). Of these, 4 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.

Is the Nissan Quest reliable?

The 2008 Nissan Quest has 6 known issues compiled from NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, and owner forum reports. 4 issues are rated critical: Power Sliding Door Motor and Latch Failure and Fuel Level Sender Resistor Failure Causing False Fuel Gauge Reading (V42) and Brake Pedal Pivot Pin Not Spin-Formed to Specification (V42, Recall 10V072) and VQ35DE Timing Chain Guide and Secondary Tensioner Wear (Rattle on Start-Up). Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.

How much does it cost to fix common Nissan Quest problems?

Repair costs for known Nissan Quest issues range from $0 to $2,800, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, Power Sliding Door Motor and Latch Failure, typically costs $200-$800 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.

What is the 2004-2017 Nissan Quest Power Sliding Door Motor and Latch Failure?

The Quest's power sliding doors suffer from motor failures, broken cables, and latch mechanism issues. The electric motor that drives the door wears out, leaving the door stuck partially open or unable to power-close. The latch assembly also fails, preventing the door from stayin… Repairs typically run $200-$800. Severity: high.

What is the 2007-2009 Nissan Quest Fuel Level Sender Resistor Failure Causing False Fuel Gauge Reading (V42)?

NHTSA opened preliminary evaluation PE14-012 in May 2014 after roughly 140 complaints that 2007 Quest vans ran out of fuel with the gauge still showing fuel remaining. Nissan traced the fault to one of two resistors in the fuel level sender unit circuit opening up, which makes th… Repairs typically run $0-$600. Severity: high.

Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.

Data compiled from NHTSA recalls, manufacturer TSBs, automotive forums, and AI-assisted research. No aggregated owner-report counts available for this vehicle yet.

What is the 2008-2009 Nissan Quest Brake Pedal Pivot Pin Not Spin-Formed to Specification (V42, Recall 10V072)?

NHTSA campaign 10V072000 covers a manufacturing defect in the brake pedal assembly on 2008-2009 Quest vans: the end of the brake pedal pivot pin was not spin-formed to specification during production. A pivot pin that is not properly formed can allow the pedal to shift on its piv… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.

What is the 2004-2017 Nissan Quest VQ35DE Timing Chain Guide and Secondary Tensioner Wear (Rattle on Start-Up)?

Both the V42 (2004-2009) and V43 (2011-2017) Quest use the VQ35DE 3.5L V6, and this engine family has a well-documented timing-drive wear pattern discussed at length in Nissan owner communities. Three distinct parts fail: the plastic primary chain guide cracks and breaks up, the… Repairs typically run $1,200-$2,800. Severity: high.

What is the 2004-2009 Nissan Quest SkyView Roof and Moonroof Drain Blockage Causing Interior Water Damage (V42)?

The V42 Quest offered the SkyView fixed glass panels over the second and third rows plus a powered front moonroof - four glass openings in one roof, each with its own drain tray and hose. The drain tubes route down the pillars under the headliner and are prone to kinking and to p… Repairs typically run $150-$2,000. Severity: medium.

What is the 2008-2009 Nissan Quest Driver Airbag Cover Emblem Cracks and Becomes a Projectile (V42, Recall 23V067)?

NHTSA campaign 23V067000, filed in 2023 and covering 404,690 vehicles including 2008-2009 Quest vans (alongside 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder and Armada), addresses the resin Nissan emblem on the driver's airbag cover. The emblem, supplied by Autoliv, can develop… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: medium.