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1993 Nissan Quest Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 1993 Nissan Quest has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Exhaust manifold stud and bolt breakage.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 1993 Nissan Quest.

Reported to NHTSA

Exhaust manifold stud and bolt breakage

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

15 NHTSA complaints · 1995-07 → 2004-06

“EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKEN NISSAN REPLACED BOLTS 1800.00 20,000 MILES LATER SAME PROBLEM NISSAN SAYS NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN LONGER THAN 20,000 MILES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10075189
“CONSUMER STATES THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS HAVE BROKEN FOUR TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS, CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10001535
“THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE BLOCK IN TWO LOCATIONS. THE BOLTS VIBRATE LOOSE AND FALL OUT OR SHEAR OFF. SOME OF THE GASKET FALLS OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #704134

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Fuel tank, filler hose and vent hose leaks

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

12 NHTSA complaints · 1998-05 → 2002-11

“VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSE. WHEN CONSUMER FILLS UP GAS TANK THE GAS RUINS THROUGH THE CAR ONTO THE GROUND”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #852151
“AFTER FILLING GAS TANK UP WITH GAS, FUEL STARTED LEAKING FROM THE FUEL FILLER TUBE HOSE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #823780
“THERE IS A HOLE ALONG THE GAS TANK, CAUSING A LEAKAGE. WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING THE CONSUMER CAN SMELL FUMES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #831772

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Rear and side window glass shattering

VISIBILITY

5 NHTSA complaints · 1995-01 → 2001-01

“REAR WINDOW KEEPS EXPLODING IN A LOT OF PIECES AFTER STARTING UP VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #877264
“CONSUMER WIFE WAS DRIVING AND THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED DEALER REPLACED IT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #975665
“GLASS IN REAR HATCHBACK DOOR SHATTERED AND FELL OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #959180

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Power door lock malfunction

STRUCTURE

9 NHTSA complaints · 1996-01 → 1998-09

“DOOR LOCKS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN DOORS ARE OPEN, LOCKS MUST BE HELD IN UNLOCKED POSITION TO EXIT VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #506863
“ELECTRICAL POWER DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM INTERMITENTLY MALFUCTIONS, DOES NOT ALLOW THE UNLOCKING OF DOORS, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #809928
“VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM LOCKED BY ITSELF WITH THE CAR ON AND OFF”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #810151

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Seat belt retraction, latching and motor faults

SEAT BELTS

9 NHTSA complaints · 1995-12 → 2009-09

“FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER 'S LAP/SHOULDER BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #805647
“FRONT DRIVERS AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS STUCK IN ONE STATIONARY POSITION. CONSUMER CAN HEAR MOTOR RUNNING BUT NO MOVEMENT OF SEATBELT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10022959
“BOTH FRONT MOTORIZED SHOULDER SEAT BELTS-DO NOT RIDE ON TRACK PROPERLY, THEY MAKE LOAD NOISES, JERKY MOTION, AND SPEED OF TRAVEL VARIES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #717075

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Blower and heater burning smell, smoke and fire

VISIBILITY

11 NHTSA complaints · 1995-07 → 2002-09

“SMELL OF BURNING OR HOT WIRE COMES FROM BLOWER WHEN TURN ON AIR-CONDITIONER OR HEATER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #969825
“SMOLDERING FIRE CAUSED BY LEAVES GETTING INTO VENT SYSTEM; SMOKE STARTED COMING THRU DASHBOARD”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #974175
“WHEN OPERATING HEATER IT SMELLS LIKE BURNING LEAVES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #832276

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Hydraulic brake pedal, stopping distance and line corrosion

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

10 NHTSA complaints · 1995-05 → 2010-03

“EXPERIENCING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND MUSHY BRAKE PEDAL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #974585
“ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #825603
“FRONT DISC BRAKES ROTORS PREMATURELY WARP, BRAKE PEDAL PULSATES, REGRINDED TWICE WITHIN 55,000 MILES”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #804384

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

67 crashes 1990–2024

How the 67 occupant deaths break down

37

driver deaths

30

passenger deaths

67

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1993 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

4

complaints mentioning a crash

9

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 1993 Nissan Quest reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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