Nissan Engines Might Be Running on Empty. We think.

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#fuel-system #investigation #recall
Fuel gauge with the arrow on empty

Nissan owners have some trust issues that have them sweating each time they pass a gas station. Should I have filled up again ... just in case?

The Reason Nissan Gas Gauges Are Unreliable ∞

The most common cause of all this chaos is issues with resistors in a circuit of the sender unit.

Think of the sender (or sending) unit as the gauge inside the tank which updates the gauge on your dashboard. The unit contains a float that is mounted to a variable resistor. Based on the float's level, the resistor sends a corresponding electrical current to your dashboard gauge.

So, as the gas in your tank drops --> the float sinks --> the resistance increases --> the resistor sends less current to your dash gauge --> your dash gauge drops --> and you think damn, I need to stop for gas again?

When there are electrical problems in the resistor, it will send the wrong amount of current to the dash gauge. The most common breakpoints for the resistors is when the tank is full (the float is all the way up) or the tank is near empty (the float is nearly all the way down).

Repair Costs ∞

If that all sounds very expensive to repair, that's because it is. Owners report that diagnosis ($100+), sender unit ($250+), and labor ($250+) can cost a pretty penny once it's all said and done.

Quest Investigation Leads to a Recall ∞

In May 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation after receiving 140 complaints from 2007 Quest owners. According to those complaints, the gauge could be off by as many as 60-80 miles, especially when the tank was less than 1/4 full.

"The driver said she looked at the gas gauge the first time and it displayed another 80 miles to empty. The second time the gauge said the Quest still had enough gas for another 60 miles. The driver had no warning because the low fuel light didn't illuminate."

By January 2015, the investigation led to a fuel gauge recall of 68,000 Quests between the 2007-2009 models years.

As part of the investigation, it was found that the inaccurate levels were due to problems with the resistors in a circuit of the sender unit. Nissan found one of two resistors could open and cause false gas gauge readings when the tank is below 1/4 of a tank.

To fix the issue, Nissan installed external amplifier boxes with jumper harness to bypass the electric circuit.

The Recall Doesn't Go Far Enough ∞

The recall was good news for 2007-2009 Quest owners, but what about everyone else? The gas gauge issues are not specific to the van, it also affects the Gen 3 Altima, Gen 2 Frontier, Gen 1 Rogue, and additional years within the the Gen 3 Quest.

Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported

This problem has popped up in the following Nissan generations.

Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.

Further Reading

A timeline of stories related to this problem. We try to boil these stories down to the most important bits so you can quickly see where things stand. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts for your vehicle over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Roughly a year after an investigation was opened into inaccurate fuel gauges

    Nissan has agreed conduct a "service campaign" for the 2007-2009 Quest. How does a service campaign differ from a recall? A recall is a fix related to a safety issue and some are federally mandated. A service campaign is issued by the automaker to upgrade or repair your vehicle for something that isn't necessarily safety-related. Now, this is where the line gets grayed because I would categorize running out of fuel on a crowded highway as a serious safety defect, but Nissan doesn't. You say tomato, I say car crash.

    In any event, the issue appears electrical in nature:

    "Nissan says the gas gauge can give inaccurate levels because of problems with resistors in a circuit in the sender unit. The automaker found one of two resistors could open and cause false gas gauge readings when the tank goes below one quarter of a tank. Gas would be used out of the tank all while the gas gauge said a quarter of a tank was available."

    To fix it, Nissan dealers will install an external amplifier box with jumper harnesses to bypass the resistor's electrical circuit.

    keep reading article "Nissan Agrees to Fix Quest Gas Gauges Following Investigation"

  2. Own a 2007 Nissan Quest? You might want to think twice about passing a gas station without filling up next time.

    That's because the Quest is currently under investigation for a gas gauge that can be off by as much as 60-80 miles. The inaccurate readings are leaving drivers stranded, sometimes in dangerous situations. One North Carolina driver said it's happened to her twice, once with her grandchildren in the van.

    "Driving along in peak traffic and suddenly vehicle shuts off. No power steering and almost involved in accidents both occasions the first time I was alone the second time I had my grand babies with me and that was terrifying for them as the other road users were whizzing past..."

    We've all probably been guilty of taking our cars to the last drop of gas after the fuel warning light comes on, but in the Quest's case there is no such warning. One minute you're rocking out to Hootie and the Blowfish -- or, you know, whatever the kids listen to these days -- next minute you're stranded on the side of the road.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says they've received numerous complaints, all within the past 14 months. This is still just a preliminary investigation, but we will notify you if a defect is found.

    keep reading article "Nissan Quest Owners Get Investigation After Years of Gas Gauge Complaints"

OK, Now What?

Maybe you've experienced this problem. Maybe you're concerned you will soon. Whatever the reason, here's a handful of things you can do to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

  1. File Your Complaint

    CarComplaints.com is a free site dedicated to uncovering problem trends and informing owners about potential issues with their cars. Major class action law firms use this data when researching cases.

    Add a Complaint

  2. Notify CAS

    The Center for Auto Safety (CAS) is a pro-consumer organization that researches auto safety issues & often compels the US government to do the right thing through lobbying & lawsuits.

    Notify The CAS

  3. Report a Safety Concern

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the US agency with the authority to conduct vehicle defect investigations & force recalls. Their focus is on safety-related issues.

    Report to NHTSA