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moderate 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Of the 15 electrical complaints filed for the 2012 Nissan Quest, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
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.
Among the 9 model years of Nissan Quest in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Vehicle stalling could increase the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect âTest with DCAâ and âReplaceâ results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. IMPORTANT: ï· CPX-900 is now an accepted testing tool to use along with or in place of the DSS-500
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2012 Nissan Quest has substantial electrical and control system complaints concentrated in a few critical areas. The most common failure is fuel gauge inaccuracy: the gauge shows the tank is half-full when it's actually nearly empty, causing the engine to stall without warning—especially when the vehicle is parked on a slope or decline. Multiple owners report this exact failure even though their vehicles fall outside NHTSA recall 12V076000's manufacturing date window (which ends 2/21/2012), yet their vans exhibit identical symptoms. Nissan has denied recall coverage to owners whose vehicles were built just days after the cutoff date.
Power loss is another recurring problem. One owner replaced the alternator three times and the battery twice, with the vehicle draining power rapidly once headlights or A/C are engaged; it died on a major highway, leaving the owner stranded. Water intrusion from the sunroof has damaged radios and caused rust in cargo areas despite dealer attempts at repair. Instrument clusters fail or display inaccurate information—one owner's speedometer reads 10 mph fast across normal driving speeds. Steering wheel controls (horn, cruise, Bluetooth, radio buttons), HVAC systems, and automatic windows have also malfunctioned. Stalling episodes with flickering ABS and brake lights, unannounced high-speed power loss, and accelerator hesitation round out the pattern. Dealers often cannot diagnose or refuse warranty coverage for these failures.
Fuel gauge displays incorrect level (shows half-full when tank is low), leading to engine stall without warning. Owners on slight declines or slopes are particularly vulnerable. Multiple owners report the vehicle won't start when parked on a slope with low fuel but will start after rolling to level ground or refueling. The issue mirrors symptoms in NHTSA recall 12V076000, though some vehicles fall outside the recall's manufacturing date window (2/23/2012 mfg date vs. recall cutoff of 2/21/2012) yet exhibit identical failures.
When: On declines, slopes, or when low fuel combined with vehicle position; failures reported at 500 miles, 42,000 miles, 80,000 miles, and during routine driving
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning on declines or slopes; Fuel gauge shows half-full when tank is nearly empty; Vehicle won't start when parked on slope with low fuel; Vehicle restarts after shifting to neutral on level ground; Recurring stall events (up to 3 times for one owner)
Repairs/costs cited: Recall 12V076000 involved software reprogramming for vehicles within the manufacturing date range; one owner reported $300+ for computer reprogramming outside recall coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall Campaign 12V076000 (Electrical System: Software) covers vehicles manufactured between 7/29/2010 and 2/21/2012. Nissan advised some vehicles outside this date range that they do not fall under recall, despite exhibiting identical symptoms.
Vehicle loses electrical power repeatedly while driving, with alternator failing multiple times. Power drains rapidly when headlights, A/C, or radio are engaged; vehicle can run only 2 miles with headlights on before stalling. Owner replaced alternator three times (last replacement 12/21), battery twice, and had A/C compressor replaced in May 2022 by separate mechanic. Vehicle leaves owner stranded multiple times including on major highway.
When: Multiple incidents over extended period; last alternator replaced 12/21; A/C compressor replaced May 2022
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle loses power while driving; Power drains rapidly when headlights are on; Power drains rapidly when A/C is on; Power drains rapidly when radio is on; Engine sputters before losing power; Vehicle can run 10 miles without lights/A/C/radio but only 2 miles with headlights on; Repeated stranding, including on highway
Repairs/costs cited: Alternator replaced 3 times; battery replaced 2 times; A/C compressor replaced May 2022. Services at Affordable Auto Services (Mulberry Road, Winder GA), B&B Auto Services (Dacula GA), and TJ's (Loganville GA). Catalytic converter light active but did not require replacement at time of diagnosis.
Sunroof leaks water into A-pillar and cargo area, causing 2 inches of water accumulation under cargo area and rust formation behind panels. Radio stops working after water intrusion. Despite 5 days in dealer service, Nissan could not determine cause and refused to service radio as it was out of warranty. Rust damage was discovered by independent radio repair shop.
When: First noted May 2014 with wet A-pillar; second major intrusion event July 10, 2015 after car wash; vehicle purchased February 2013 as new
Symptoms owners cite: Wet driver-side A-pillar; Water on right side of rear sunroof; Wet headliner in rear of vehicle (both sides); Radio stops working; Rust visible behind rear panels; Water accumulation (2 inches) in cargo area
Repairs/costs cited: Headliner, subwoofer, and amplifier replaced in 2014. Sunroof suspected as defective. Independent radio repair shop discovered rust behind panels; dealer could not determine radio failure cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan attributed leak to defective sunroof with crack and replaced headliner, subwoofer, and amplifier. Later claimed they could not recreate leak or determine radio issue, refused warranty service on radio.
Complete failure of steering wheel controls including horn, cruise control, Bluetooth settings, and radio volume buttons. Additionally, rear wiper motor does not work and radio buttons stick when pushed.
When: Noted after initial purchase in late September 2020; discovered during extended ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel horn not working; Cruise control not working; Bluetooth control buttons not working; Radio volume buttons not working; Rear wiper motor not working; Radio buttons stick when pushed
Repairs/costs cited: Owner attempted to have dealer address these; dealer refused to fix issues under original agreement.
Engine stalls without warning and will not accelerate upon restart. Dealer diagnosed solenoid replacement as needed. Vehicle exhibited same failure pattern as recall 12V076000 vehicles despite VIN not being included in recall.
When: At approximately 82,499 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls without warning; Vehicle will not accelerate after restart; Symptoms match NHTSA recall 12V076000
Repairs/costs cited: Solenoid replacement required.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle VIN not included in NHTSA Campaign 12V076000, though exhibiting identical failure symptoms.
Speedometer displays 10 mph higher than actual speed across 30–70 mph range, verified independently by GPS devices (iPhone GPS and TomTom). Instrument cluster including speedometer was replaced 1 month prior to complaint, but new cluster is either faulty or set up incorrectly. Owner notes this is a safety issue.
When: Discovered after instrument cluster replacement; failure immediate or very early in cluster lifespan
Symptoms owners cite: Speedometer reads 10 mph higher than actual vehicle speed; Speedometer discrepancy consistent across 30–70 mph range; Speedometer verified against two independent GPS devices showing same 10 mph overread
Repairs/costs cited: Instrument cluster replaced 1 month before complaint; new cluster faulty or incorrectly configured.
ABS light and brake light flicker continuously. Vehicle stalls without warning at high speed with no accelerator response, requiring 20+ minutes before engine will restart. Then stalls again after short driving. Issue has persisted for over a year.
When: Over entire year of ownership; stalls occur at high speed with no warning
Symptoms owners cite: ABS light flickering; Brake light flickering; Unannounced stall at high speed; No throttle response during stall; Engine requires 20+ minute wait before restart; Vehicle stalls again shortly after restart; Brake system previously flushed but lights remain on
Repairs/costs cited: Brake system was flushed; issue persists.
Instrument panel goes blank or displays scrambled/corrupted graphics, then goes completely black. Owner reports having to pull over and cycle vehicle on/off to restore display, which rarely works. LCD screen on dash door scrambles with characters and has gone completely black.
When: Intermittent; one owner replaced cluster but still experienced issues
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument panel goes blank; LCD display scrambles with corrupted graphics; LCD screen goes completely black; Display failure requires vehicle power cycle; Power cycle rarely restores display function
Repairs/costs cited: One owner replaced instrument cluster; issues persisted or recurred.
Climate control operates erratically with A/C button remaining stuck on even when heating is selected; A/C will not turn off when heat is requested. Automatic window buttons do not function properly.
When: Noted after initial purchase in late September 2020
Symptoms owners cite: Heating/cooling has a mind of its own; A/C button will not turn off when heat is selected; Automatic window buttons do not work properly; A/C control stuck on
Accelerator pedal hesitates to respond when depressed while vehicle is slowing down in traffic at 50 mph. Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; issue reported as a safety concern.
When: At approximately 42,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal hesitates to respond; Hesitation occurs while slowing in traffic
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Nissan quest. While driving approximately 50 MPH and slowing down in traffic, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but hesitated to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not informed of the failure. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12v076000 (electrical system, fuel system, gasoline). The approximate…
I was parked on a slope, with about 1/8 a tank of gas and the van would not start. I was able to start the vehicle after I put it in neutral and rolled it to level ground. I googled the problem and found out there was a recall, which I was never informed about. I took the van into the local Nissan shop and they performed the recall fix. When I asked why I wasn't notified of the recall, they…
I was sold a deceptive van at the end sept 2020, I did a test drive with the salesman, pointed out several issues with the van like check engine light on, traction light on, air bag light on, remote missing to control tv, the salesman told me not to worry about all the lights that's on he will get that fix at a later date and to buy the tv remote and a deduction will be applied to my contract. I…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 15 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 6,000 and 82,499 miles, with the median around 60,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 6,000; a quarter make it past 82,499. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.