NissanQuest2002Overview/nissan/quest/2002/base/

2002 Nissan Quest

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Quest.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Nissan Quest is a VAN that requires 4 qt of 5W‑30 API engine oil, pairs it with an Automatic 4‑spd transmission, and delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 15/21/17 mpg. With only 46 total owner complaints—chiefly in the Engine & Engine Cooling area—and zero recalls, it stands out as a trouble‑free example. Within the broader 1991‑2017 complaint history, where the peak year (2004) saw 445 issues and the low point (1991) just one, the 2002 model sits near the low end, indicating solid reliability for that generation.

Model year201720162015201420132012201120092002

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/17 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 152089E01A. Note the factory battery and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 sizeP215-65R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter152089E01A
Engine air filter165460B0S0VW
Fuel filter164000W005 alt 172757B001
Spark plug224011P116 alt 224011P114
Battery244106B000 discontinued · alt 244106B600
Front wiper blades288906B700
Serpentine belt119207B005 alt 119500B005
Thermostat21200V720A
Cabin air filter272987B000 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 17 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.

11.2–11.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.20 sec — 1999 GXE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2001SE 3.3L V611.50 sec18.50 sec170 hpFWD
1999GXE 3.3L V611.20 sec18.10 sec170 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 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. 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

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

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts141-156 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts62-68 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts21-25 ft-lbs
Main Bearings67-74 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs

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
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance1.0 approx. ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance10,000 approx. ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing15 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityFront A/C, 2.00; dual A/C, 3.376. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityFront A/C, 7.00; dual A/C, 11.00. oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance450 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-14 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)34.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance10-14 ohms
Engine Compression173-128 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure8.5 psi @ Idle, 60-65 psi @ 2000

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

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
110-12 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60-6510–12 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
243 ft. lbs.43 ft. lbs
3Loosen all bolts.
47 ft. lbs.7 ft. lbs
522 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
660-65 degrees.60–65 degrees
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
12.9 ft. lbs., step 2: 6.5 ft. lbs., step 3: 5.8-72.9 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 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)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Timing 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 2002 Nissan Quest recorded 46 complaints and 0 recalls in the federal database, with a total service bulletin count of 45, placing it near the low‑end of the model’s complaint trajectory. It follows a 2001 figure of 51 complaints and 1 recall, and precedes the dramatic 2004 surge of 445 complaints and 4 recalls, indicating that 2002 sits in a relatively quiet segment of the generational pattern. The most frequently cited problem categories for 2002 are Engine & Engine Cooling (6 complaints), Tires (5), Electrical System (5), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (3), while crash and fire complaints are minimal (2 and 1 respectively). Compared with the surrounding years, the complaint volume and recall activity are modest, but the concentration in powertrain and electrical systems suggests recurring mechanical concerns that are not tied to a single identified defect. Consequently, while the 2002 model does not show a high overall safety defect burden, prospective buyers should verify service history and address any reported engine, tire, or electrical issues before purchase.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
45
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
46
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 46 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling6
Tires5
Electrical System5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Equipment3
Visibility2
Exterior Lighting2
Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 45 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…
NTB17-019H2024-04-29Visibility/WiperWINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY…
NTB13-028I2024-04-29Visibility/WiperREMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See…

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 2002 Quest take?

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

Does the 2002 Quest have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Quest get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.