We bought a used '04 Quest in '08 that was still under warranty. Got all the kinks out before the warranty expired the same year.

We have replaced the brakes at least 3 times, with the awful vibration returning way too soon after "fixing" said vibration. This time was the last straw. My husband replaced the rotors and brakes Saturday night. Sunday morning we got in the van to go to church, and had the exact same problem with brand new rotors and brake pads. Infuriating!!

What are we supposed to do now?? Does this problem get worse with higher mileage? Is there another part that wears out, making this problem not fixable? How are we ever supposed to sell a van that has a problem like this??

(we've been looking for a year for the right deal on a 4wd, due to our rural rugged landscape)

The brake problem with this car is terrible. Most people are having it done once a year or more (like me). This car is seriously under-braked and this is a safety issue. The brake rotors overheat and warp long before they should, causing pulsation and increased stress on all the front-end parts.

I believe most people take their lumps and change brake parts (at $500 a pop!) until they sell or crack up the car. Since we can't neglect brakes, it's a money-maker of the worst kind for Nissan and all the shops that put the same crappy OEM parts in the car - guaranteeing it comes back in 6 months to have the rotors cut. And so the cycle continues.

We all know brakes wear out, but this is the kind of planned obsolescence that killed American car makers in the 1980's. This car is currently 9 years old - with only 45,000 miles - and the brakes have been done once a year. Time to buy stock in the brake pad and rotor industry.......

When test driving the car from a personal seller it vibrated and they put on new pads and rotors so I would buy it. Within 2 months it started again. I was advised to rotate and balance which I did. No luck. I had to get them done on my $250.00 that same year. It was again bad in Feb, April, August which I paid another $200.00. It is still doing it after the company that did the work put on rotors and pads (the best they had) one month ago. I am taking to another mechanic tomorrow.

I was hoping to get an idea of what is making this happen on this site-we thought hubs, calipers, bushings or anything to help out.

I am close to getting rid of the car, does anyone have a sure fix?

The vehicle weight vs. brake system design is the issue. In a nut shell, same system as the original first quests, but vehicle is 1000 pounds heavier. If you will email me wtb95rs@cox.net, and specify this site and vehicle, I will get you the site I found with ceramic front and rear brake pads along with slotted and drilled front and rear rotors for a total of around 200 dollars. Yes, I first thought real cheap = real cheap. I am an aggresive driver, I went on a trip up into the Ky hills, and another in the North Carolina mountains, basically gave the brakes hell, by that point I would have been having rotors turned, nope nope nope, they are still kicking butt. They have a slight rumbble to them under hard braking, but that is just the pads against the slots, have been told by several that is normal. Best 200 dollars I spent.

I purchased my van in April 04’ with 40,500 miles on it. I am so sad to say that Nissan has done nothing but disappoint me from day one. To name a few lets start with the interior lights falling out, the arm rests are made out of a cheap material & you have to push on the passenger door to have it open. In addition, this is what my life with my van has been like... BRAKES, BRAKES, BRAKES!!!! Let's review the dates of service for only the brakes: 4/27/07, 9/25/07, 1/19/08, 3/27/07, 8/28/08, 9/2/08, 2/27/09, 2/27/10 & ON5/14/10 I was given an estimate that I need to replace my front brakes, yet again!!!! Brakes I have cost me over $1,300.00 & was told on 5/14/10 that I need to spend another $400.00 on brakes yet again. LET ME STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD MY Vehicle'S BRAKES SERVICED BY GUESS WHO?...NISSAN!! THAT'S IT!!! POHANKA NISSAN OF SALISBURY, MD. NO ONE ELSE!! SO I’VE PAID TOP DOLLAR USING THE DEALER & TOP DOLLAR USING NISSAN PARTS!

I contacted Nissan, WHAT A JOKE!!! On 5/24/10 Hayley Sweet, Regional Consumer Affairs Specialist, Nissan Consumer Affairs (800)647-7261 writes, "The repair is outside of the manufacturer's warranty."

News flash HAYLEY, this is not normal!!! As she rambled on during a telephone conversation I took notes that she stated 3 times that the vehicle's weight played a factor in why the vehicle would go through brakes more often than another vehicle. She was playing this up due to me citing the fact that my grandparents own a Chevy Astro van and in 140,000 miles and 10 years, they've replaced their brakes 1 time. Once HAYLEY was through rambling I had one question, “IF YOU ARE CITING THE WEIGHT OF A VEHICLE WHEN TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY I WOULD GO THROUGH BRAKES MORE OFTEN THAN SOMEONE WHO OWNS ANOTHER VEHICLE, then why on earth would the brains at Nissan put SEDAN brakes on a MINI VAN that weighs over 1,000 more pounds. Does that make sense to anyone? That's right, the brakes on my Nissan Quest Mini Van are the same braking system as the Nissan MAXIMA! WHY????? Why would they take from the Maxima that weighs over 1,000 pounds less, is shorter in length & has a different distribution of weight. Obviously this system is INADEQUATE for the van!!! As if all of this were not enough, today I have been told by Nissan that in addition to that $400 they want yet again for brakes, now I need a NEW TRANSMISSION!!! WHAT? I have 106,000 miles on my vehicle it is a 2004. It is not my driving habits, I have owned a Chevy Cavalier, a Jeep Cherokee, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a Ford Taurus, a Toyota Camry & a Kia Spectra. At this point, with Nissan telling me they want ANOTHER $3,600 (just for PARTS) I think I would have been better off with the Kia.

DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!! I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING MAGNETIC SIGNS MADE THAT WARN PEOPLE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. IN 2007 I THOUGHT THAT I HAD GOTTEN A STEAL, IN REALITY I HAVE BEEN ROBBED EVER SINCE!

Like the others on this site with the same problem I too was told by Nissan that the prob wasn't covered by the warranty. Nissan told me the rotors were "Out of round".

This happened twice within a short period of time. I NEVER had this issue on any other vehicle I owned. Yes brakes need to be serviced and replaced, but not like this. It seems that the rotors on the 2004 Quest were faulty and instead of doing a recall Nissan just has us paying to replace them with the same sub standard parts. I'm extremely dissatisfied with their service. When I turn in my lease I'm NOT going to purchase another Nissan vehicle. I've had other issues too, The most recent one is electrical.

Significant brake vibration while braking. Took to a Nissan dealership, brake pads were worn out, rotors needed turning (2nd time rotors needed turning). Vehicle has a 36,000 or 3 year warranty which the vehicle was still within that mileage and time frame. Nissan indicated that it was "normal" and not covered under warranty. I said it was NOT "normal" for the brakes to be worn out at 29,100 miles and the warranty stated that defects in materials and workmanship would be covered even on "normal" maintenance items. Nissan disagree'ed and refused to pay for the repair. First vehicle I have ever owned that the brakes were worn out so soon on a brand new $30,000 vehicle driven under very good driving conditions on mostly flat land.