NissanQuest1998Overview/nissan/quest/1998/base/

1998 Nissan Quest

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Quest.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Nissan Quest came with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel-economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined, and its maintenance regimen called for 4.2 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. Owner records show 51 total complaints for this model year, with visibility cited as the leading complaint area, alongside a single recall. Within the model’s 1991–2017 complaint history, that total sits far below the 2004 peak of 445 and just above the 1991 low of one, marking the 1998 Quest among the least complained-about years in the nameplate’s history.

Model year201720162015201420132012201120091998

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 450 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520855Y0A. Note the factory cabin air filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 450 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520855Y0A
Engine air filter165460B0S0VW
Fuel filter164000B001 alt 164007B010
Spark plug2240153J06 alt 2240153J05
Front wiper blades288906B700
Serpentine beltA195M16E0MVW alt 1172097E20
Thermostat21200V720A
Cabin air filter272987B000 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.8 in
Overall width73.6 in
Overall height67.7 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Curb weight3993 lb
Track (front / rear)63.4 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 21 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Quest of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

11.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.40 sec — 1995 GXE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995GXE 3.0L V611.40 sec18.30 sec151 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings28-33 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsBolts: 12-14 ft-lbs, nuts: 17-20 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts13-16 ft-lbs
Main Bearings67-74 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs6MM

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub174-231 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub178 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing15 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil TypeNISSAN A/C System Oil Type R or equivalent
Oil Capacity6.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance450 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F
Optional BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)34.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)43.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance10-14 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance10-14 ohms
Engine Compression173-128 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure17 psi @ Idle, 57-70 psi @ 3200
Intake Valve Lash0.00 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.00 in

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle62 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket18-25 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.945 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
243 ft. lbs.43 ft. lbs
3Loosen all bolts completely.
422 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
540-47

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEmission Control System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 105,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 Nissan Quest posts one of the cleanest federal records of its first generation, with only 51 complaints, 1 recall, and 1 investigation—a sharp step down from the 102-182 complaint range logged by 1994-1997 model years and the lowest tally until 2001-2002. Notably, 1998 sits at the trough between the early-generation complaint surge (1993-1997) and a renewed spike in 1999 (126 complaints, 4 recalls), suggesting this model year may have benefited from interim fixes before subsequent production shifts reintroduced issues. The top complaint clusters—Visibility (8), Air Bags (5), Structure (5), and Equipment (5)—are spread across non-powertrain categories, and with just 3 crash-related complaints and zero fire complaints, the safety-incident footprint is light. However, 54 TSBs is a meaningful figure, indicating Nissan was still actively issuing service guidance, so a pre-purchase inspection should verify those bulletins have been addressed. On balance, the 1998 model year is a comparatively strong choice within this generation's arc, though buyers should remain attentive to the visibility and airbag areas where the most owner complaints were logged.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
54
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
51
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 51 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility8
Air Bags5
Structure5
Equipment5
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Fuel System, Gasoline3
Latches/Locks/Linkages3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V419001Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank AssemblyReported 15/12/2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. THE FUEL TANK VENT HOSE ALLOWS AIR TO VENT FROM THE FUEL TANK DURING REFUELING. CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE VENT HOSE. IF (1) THE FUEL TANK IS OVERFILLED, NOT ALLOWING EXCESS FUEL IN THE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VENT HOSE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 54 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB08-097L2023-09-21SteeringDIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been…
NTB23-0492023-06-16Electrical System12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service…
NTB23-0532023-06-16Electrical SystemSILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION…
NTB13-107F2023-04-27Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB16-003C2023-04-17Electrical SystemINTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Quest. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Quest take?

4.2 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Quest have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Quest get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.