NissanQuest2012Overview/nissan/quest/2012/base/

2012 Nissan Quest

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Quest.

Body VANTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2012 Nissan Quest is a van equipped with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios and an engine that takes 4.8 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, delivering EPA-rated fuel economy of 19/24/21 mpg. In the context of the model's complaint history spanning 1991 through 2017, the 2012 model year recorded 93 total owner complaints with the power train as the top complaint area and one recall issued. This places it well below the peak complaint year of 2004, which saw 445 complaints, and far above the inaugural 1991 model's single complaint, suggesting a mid-range reliability profile for the nameplate.

Model year201720162015201420132012201120092008

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/24/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. 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 24F · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-65R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter16546V0100
Spark plug22401EW61C
Battery244101MA1A
Front wiper blades288901JA0A alt 288901JA1A
Serpentine belt117201JA0A
Thermostat1305031U00 alt 212009HP0A
Cabin air filter27277JA00C alt 27277JN20C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.8 in
Overall width77.6 in
Overall height73.2 in
Wheelbase118.1 in
Curb weight4381 lb
Track (front / rear)68.1 / 68.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 24 / 21 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.

7.9–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.90 sec — 2014 LE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2011LE 3.5L V67.90 sec16.10 sec260 hpFWD
2011LE 3.5L V68.00 sec16.10 sec260 hpFWD
2011LE 3.5L V68.30 sec16.40 sec260 hpFWD
2011LE 3.5L V68.40 sec16.50 sec260 hpFWD
2014LE 3.5L V67.90 sec16.10 sec260 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.8 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE NISSAN E-PSF OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts65 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub152-155 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary ResistanceExcept 0 or Between terminals 1 and 2 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary ResistanceExcept 0 Between terminals 1 and 3
Ignition Timing12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.98 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Radiator Cap Pressure ReliefRadiator leak pressure testing, 5 psi.
Injector Primary Resistance11.1-14.5 ohms
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs / 54 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle62 ft-lbs / 90 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.63 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.63 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.024 in / 0.551 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.023 in / 0.55 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4.3 ft. lbs., Step 3: 7.01.4 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114-15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9514–15 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
132 ft. lbs., step 2: 84-9032 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
172 ft. lbs.72 ft. lbs
2loosen all bolts in reverse order
329 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
4103 degrees103 degrees
5103 degrees; Check diameter of bolts at two points, 11 mm and 48 mm from the end. Whenever the difference between these two points exceeds the limit of 0.11 mm, replace bolts.103 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
124-28 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9524–28 ft. lbs

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 at 105,000 mi; coolant at 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 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) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
At 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 2012 Nissan Quest recorded 93 complaints, 1 recall, 1 investigation, and 119 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs). This represents a notable increase in complaints compared to the 66 reported in 2011 and a sharp contrast to the 18 complaints reported in 2013. Across the vehicle's record, complaint volumes have been erratic, peaking at 445 in 2004 before trending downward in later years. The 2012 model sits as a relative peak of instability within the 2011–2017 window, with Power Train issues being the most frequent complaint area at 21 reports. The provided data does not specify the root cause of these Power Train issues, though the year also saw 5 crash and 2 fire complaints. Because complaints dropped significantly in the immediately following years, 2012 is not the ideal year to buy.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
119
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
93
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 93 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train21
Unknown Or Other9
Structure7
Engine5
Electrical System4
Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System4
Fuel/Propulsion System4
Tires,Wheels4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

12V076000Electrical System:SoftwareReported 29/02/2012

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN QUEST VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 29, 2010, THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, 2012. DUE TO SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING, WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS OR IDLING ON A DECLINE WITH ¼… Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN CUSTOMER…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 119 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES 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 2012 Quest take?

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

Does the 2012 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 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.