CAN COMMUNICATION â NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Nissan Quest engine problems
moderate 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 11 engine complaints filed for the 2011 Nissan Quest, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Nissan Quest in our records for engine problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN; DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin does NOT apply to LEAF vehicles and Titan XD vehicles with V8 diesel engine. This bulletin has been amended. See Amendment History on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year. We are re-circulating this update to make regional and dealer personnel aware that we are re-notifying customers at this time.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN; OIL LEAKING AROUND VALVE TIMING CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE This bulletin applies only to Maxima, Quest, Altima Coupe, Altima Sedan, Pathfinder and Murano vehicles with a 6-cylinder engine and Titan/Titan XD vehicles with a V8 gasoline engine. This bulletin has been amended. The PARTS INFORMATION section has been revised. No other changes have been made. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2011 Nissan Quest has a documented stalling issue that shows up early, with complaints starting within weeks of purchase. Engine shuts off suddenly during downhill driving when the fuel tank is below 1/4 or 1/2 full—fuel gauge readings show fuel remaining when the stall occurs. One dealership service chief told an owner he'd seen this exact failure three times in one month; another owner was simply told not to run the tank below half-full rather than get a fix.
Restarts are hit-or-miss. Some owners restart immediately; others have to wait ten minutes or move the vehicle to level ground before the engine catches. Multiple owners report stalls at highway speeds (70 mph), at traffic lights, and during everyday driving with children in the car.
Separately, owners report the 3.5L engine burns through oil rapidly with no visible leaks. Oil level drops to dangerously low levels between services despite no evidence of leakage. Check engine lights come on without explaining the problem. One owner heard pinging noise for years; the dealership said they couldn't detect it.
A few owners also report hard, jerky acceleration from 0–10 mph and one incident of severe engine revving while stopped at a light.
Failure modes owners describe
Engine stall on downhill/low fuel
Engine shuts off without warning during deceleration on downhill grades, primarily when fuel tank is below 1/4 or 1/2 full. Vehicle can sometimes be restarted after waiting or moving to level ground, but restart failures have been reported. Multiple owners report the issue; one dealership service chief confirmed seeing the same problem in three other vehicles within a month.
When: Most common from startup to 4,000 miles; occurs on downhill grades or slopes when fuel below 25-50% capacity
Symptoms owners cite: Engine cuts off during downhill driving; Stalling at red lights or in traffic; Fuel gauge reading inconsistent (shows fuel remaining but engine dies); Difficulty restarting; sometimes requires vehicle to be moved to level ground or rolled to different location; Stalls can occur at speeds from 5 mph to 70 mph
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives. One owner was advised by dealership not to let fuel tank fall below 1/2 full. Another dealership stated they could not assist or diagnose the failure.
Excessive oil consumption
3.5L engine exhibits abnormally high oil consumption unrelated to known leaks. Oil level drops significantly between services despite no visible leaks. Check engine light triggers when oil level is critically low, but without specific warning. Pinging noise accompanies low oil condition; dealership inspections found no visible evidence of leaks.
When: Noted years after purchase; observed at 70,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rapid oil level drop (no oil on dipstick within days of topping off); Pinging/knocking noise from engine; Check engine light illuminates without descriptive warning; No visual oil leaks detected
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple service visits found very little oil during oil changes; no leaks identified. Owner requested dealership address pinging noise; dealership stated they could not detect pinging.
High engine idle/revving
Engine revs excessively high while vehicle is stationary at traffic light without driver input. Subsequent restart attempts produce same high revving behavior, though severity decreases.
When: Occurred while stopped at red light
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden high engine revving while stopped; Revving continues on restart attempts; Severity decreases with subsequent restarts
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to dealership; no repair outcome documented.
Harsh acceleration 0-10 mph
Hard take-off from stop with jerky, non-smooth acceleration in low speed range. One owner reported vehicle jerked when brakes were applied during attempted acceleration.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Hard take-off from 0 to 10 mph; Non-smooth acceleration; Jerking during acceleration
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Engine will stall and sometimes not restart when driving down a steep grade when fuel tank has 1/4 tank left. *tr
3.5 l motor has unusually high oil consumption and pinging was noticed years ago when vehicle was brought in for recall and notified service advisers but they paid no attention to it saying nothing could be found. There is no oil pressure gauge to alert driver of low oil pressure. Check engine icon comes on but doesn't alert driver as to what the problem is. Vehicle in question was taken in for…
Had engine trouble with your 2011 Nissan Quest?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2011 Nissan Quest?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 3,300 and 50,000 miles, with the median around 7,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 3,300; a quarter make it past 50,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Nissan/Quest.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.