Nissan 350Z Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Nissan 350Z options? We analyzed 7 model years (2003–2009) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Found a Nissan 350Z? Check that exact car.
Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Nissan 350Z has 657 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls across model years 2003–2009. The most reported issue area is SUSPENSION. 2003 drew the most complaints; 2008 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Nissan
- Model
- 350Z
- Model years analyzed
- 2003–2009 (7 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 657
- Safety recall campaigns
- 12
- Crash-related complaints
- 28
- Fire-related complaints
- 6
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2003 (275 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2008 (24 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SUSPENSION
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Nissan 350Z: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe NISSAN 350Z has 657 NHTSA complaints and 12 recalls on record. 28 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 657 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 12 federal recall campaigns
- 28 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
12 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2003–2009. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 657 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
657 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
SENSOR ON DASHBOARD LITE WON'T GO OUT, SHOWING AIRBAG DISABLED DUE CHILD IN SEAT.
I WAS DRIVING MY 08 350Z (CURRENTLY HAS 70K MILES) ON THE HIGHWAY APPROX 60 MPH WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT FOR MY EXIT. THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT DOWN AND STUCK WHEN I SHIFTED OUT OF 6TH AND THE CAR WOULDN'T GO INTO ANY GEAR. I MISSED THE EXIT AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED. TURNS OUT THE SLAVE CYLINDER THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED 20K MILES AGO UNDER RECALL HAD GONE BAD AGAIN! EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS THAT IN 68K MILES, I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE SLAVE REPLACED 2X, CLUTCH REPLACED 3X, FLYWHEEL RESURFACED 2X, FLYWHEEL REPLACED 1X, CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED 1X, MULTIPLE TRANS SERVICES, MULTIPLE TIMES BLEEDING THE CLUTCH. ALL WORK DONE AT DEALER USING OEM PARTS. THIS IS A KNOWN 350Z DEFECT AND NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPLACING THE CLUTCH SYSTEM W/ AN IMPROVED DESIGN BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED!
CSC FAILURE 6 TIMES. FAILURE OCCURED IN MULTIPLE PLACES, ON THE HIGHWAY, SIDE STREETS, COUNTRY ROAD.
I PURCHASED MY 08 350Z GRAND TOURING OCTOBER 5, 2015 FROM HOY FOX TOYOTA IN EL PASO TX. 3 DAYS LATER IT LEFT ME STRANDED. THE CLUTCH STAYED TO THE FLOOR AND IT WOULDN'T GEAR. THEY SOLD IT TO ME SAYING IT HAD A NEW CLUTCH SO I DECIDED AFTER TEST DRIVING IT TO TAKE IT. I HAD TO WAIT 30 DAYS FOR MY POWER TRAIN WARRANTY TO KICK IN SO I CAN MAKE A CLAIM. INITIALLY IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH WAS COVERED. HOWEVER, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. LATER THEY SAID I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW CLUTCH KIT FOR AROUND 2800. OF COURSE I DON'T HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. I PURCHASED AND EXEDY AFTERMARKET CLUTCH , FLYWHEEL AND PRESSURE PLATE AS THEY TOLD ME TO DO. TOOK IT HOME NOVEMBER 15 AND IT WORKED FINE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. IT THEN BEGAN TO LEAK CLUTCH FLUID AND CLUTCH FELT SOFT. I WENT BACK AND THEY KEPT TELLING ME TO GO TO NISSAN. I PAID FOR A DIAGNOSIS AT VIVA NISSAN IN EL PASO TX AND THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER WAS THE ISSUE. I HAD TO GO BACK AND FORTH AND TRY TO GET THE HELP TO FIX THIS ISSUE. I BOUGHT A SLAVE CYLINDER ONLINE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD THAT PART UNDER WARRANTY. I TRIED TALKING TO THEM AT DEALERSHIP BUT NO HELP UNTIL I MADE A BAD REVIEW. THEY TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY SAID NO WORRIES WE WILL FIX IT. THEY REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER AND IN 3 DAYS ONCE AGAIN IT FAILED. PLASTIC NISSAN PARTS ARE NO GOOD. THEY GET DAMAGED EASILY AND EVEN NEW CARS WITH LESS THAN 5000 MILES NEED IT ALL REPLACED. THE ONLY SOLUTION WE ALL MIGHT HAVE IS A HEAVY DUTY SLAVE CYLINDER FROM ZSPEEDSPORTS AND ITS EXPENSIVE. I'VE BEEN READING SO MANY CASES AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. IT'S RIDICULOUS WHAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND FOR NISSAN NOT TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY . I HAVE NO CAR AND ITS AT DEALERSHIP ONCE AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER 23013379. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE REPLACED AND FIXED. TOO MANY CASES AND NO HELP FROM DEALERSHIP.
TAKATA RECALL
CLUTCH STUCK TO FLOOR FROM SLAVE CYLINDER GOING OUT. *TR
Read 14 more owner reports
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED PRESSED CLUTCH PEDAL AND IT STAYED ON THE FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY CHARACTERISTIC AND STRONG BURNING SMELL, UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS, CAR RENDERED INOPERABLE. SAFETY HAZARD, STUCK IN GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR
DRIVING, PUSH CLUTCH IN IT STAY ON THE FLOOR, CANNOT SHIFT, DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY, SAFETY HAZZARD, THERE ARE NUMEROUS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2008 350Z NISSAN NEED TO DO A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILL OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 NISSAN 350Z ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH TO SWITCH GEARS IT WAS STUCK ON THE FLOOR AND DIDN'T COME BACK UP. THE CLUTCH WAS STUCK IN GEAR AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND GET IT TOWED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN 350Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON THE RESULTS. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED OF A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V521000 (AIR BAGS) AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN 350Z. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN ENGAGED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH FORCE AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE SLAVE CYLINDER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER HAS GONE OUT ON THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. IT HAS COST ME OVER $500 EACH REPAIR. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS. THE SECOND TIME IT WENT OUT WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN I WAS GOING SLOW AND THE THIRD TIME HAPPENED THIS MORNING WHEN I LEFT FOR WORK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND ALL NISSAN WANTS TO DO IS CHARGE OFF THE WALL PRICES. I'M A MASTER MECHANIC AND THE DESIGN OF THIS WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS. *TR
THE VEHICLE IS A 2008 350Z ROADSTER WITH 15,000 MILES, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT AROUND 7500 MILES (UNDER WARRANTY) DUE TO BEARINGS THAT WERE BROKEN. WHEN THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO MID-HIGH REVS IN 1ST/2ND GEAR, THE CLUTCH WILL DISENGAGE AND FALL TO THE FLOOR. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY STRONG BURNING SMELL (CHARACTERISTIC CLUTCH BURNING SMELL) AND IS EXTREMELY DAMAGING TO THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS TO BE PULLED UP MANUALLY AND IS NOTICEABLY SOFTER AFTER THIS HAPPENS. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED IN 2007 350Z'S AND HAS CONTINUED INTO THE 2008 350Z'S. THE 350Z MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 10/07. *TR
DRIVING ON FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH, WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO CLUTCH PEDAL I REALIZE THERE IS LITTLE TO NO CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSURE AND CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS TO THE FLOOR AND HAS TO BE PULLED BACK WITH MY FOOT. FELT SLIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE AT THE END OF PEDAL TRAVEL AND DISENGAGED AND CHANGED GEARS INTO NEUTRAL. PUMPED CLUTCH WHILE IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSURE COULD RETURN TO NORMAL WITH NO SUCCESS. CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT REMAINED THE SAME AT THE VERY END OF TRAVEL AND WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO GEAR. CONTINUED PUMPING CLUTCH PEDAL AND WAS LUCKY TO GET BACK INTO SIXTH GEAR WITH A GRIND INTO GEAR TO CONTINUE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT SPEED. STILL PEDAL CONTINUED TO STICK HALFWAY OR MORE DOWN AND HAD TO BE RETURNED BACK TO STATIC POSITION MANUALLY. DROVE TO LOCAL DEALER SINCE WAS ON THE WAY TO INTENDED DESTINATION WHERE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED AND EACH GEAR ENGAGEMENT BEING IRREGULAR TO NORMAL. LEFT CAR AT DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR OVERNIGHT DELIVERY SINCE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. CLUTCH PEDAL IS STILL HALFWAY DEPRESSED AS LEFT. *TR
2008 NISSAN 350Z NISMO / CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS,WHEN THE GEAR ENGAGES IT`S VERY BOUNCY?. *TR
WHEN RPMS ARE HIGH IN FIRST GEAR, THE CLUTCH DISENGAGES TO THE HALFWAY POINT AND YOU LOSE ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS. THIS IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A BURNING CLUTCH SMELL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NISSAN RECALLED THE 2007 350Z FOR THE SAME ISSUE (CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER), BUT IT'S APPARENT THAT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES WITH THE 2008 MODEL AND I'M ASKING THAT THE NHTSA INSTRUCT NISSAN TO EXTEND THE FIX TO 2008 MODELS. *TR
CLUTCH THROWOUT BEARING NOISE & HARD SHIFTING FROM FACTORY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN 350Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS INTO SECOND GEAR WHEN THE CLUTCH IS FULLY DISENGAGED. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND IS LESS LIKELY TO GRIND IN SECOND GEAR IN WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. WHEN SHIFTING FROM 3,500 RPMS TO 4,500 RPMS FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRIND MORE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THEM WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500 UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ WHEN THE CONSUMER SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR FROM FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRIND AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. UPDATED 02/26/09. *JB
HELLO I HAVE A 2008 NISSAN 350Z 6 SPEED MANUAL BASE MODEL, THAT I HAD BROUGHT IN DEC 12 OF 2007 BRAND NEW. SINCE THEN THE CLUTCH ON THE CAR HAS GOTTEN STUCK THREE TIMES. ALL THREE TIMES ARE RANDOM. TWICE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND ONCE WHILE DOING A U TURN. THE CAUSE OF THIS IS BURNING UP MY CLUTCH AND THE NISSAN DEALERSHIPS HERE IN THE ORLANDO AREA ARE GIVING ME THE CLASSIC DEALERSHIP RUN AROUND. I CALL NISSAN ON THERE 1-800-NISSAN-1 NUMBER AND SAID THEY CANT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DEALER LOOKS AT IT, WITH A POSSIBLE CHARGE OF $600.00 FOR LOOKING IT AT. MY CAR IS AT 22,000 TODAY ON DEC 3 2008. NISSAN POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS UNTIL 3 YEARS 36,000 MILES, BUT TO CHECK THE CAR IS AT MY COST. NISSAN HAS REPORTED ON THE SLAVER CYLINDER RECALL, BUT THEY SAY THAT'S WHAT MIGHT NOT BE WRONG WITH IT.*TR
CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. DEALER SAYS THE FLYWHEEL IS BROKEN AND CAR NEEDS A NEW CLUTCH. THE CAR HAS 3700 MILES ON IT AND NISSAN WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR HAD 400 MILES ON IT. *TR
Showing 20 of 657 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Nissan 350Z
These pages show model-year patterns across 7 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Nissan 350Z, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Nissan 350Z has 657 complaints on record across 7 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Nissan 350Z has 12 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 28 of the Nissan 350Z's 657 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Nissan 350Z vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Nissan 350Z vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Nissan 350Z has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Nissan 350Z.
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Nissan 350Z reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Nissan 350Z reliable?
Poor. The Nissan 350Z has 657 NHTSA owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SUSPENSION. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Nissan 350Z years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2003 (275 complaints), 2004 (144 complaints), 2005 (83 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Nissan 350Z problems?
Top reported issues: SUSPENSION (148 complaints); POWER TRAIN (133 complaints); TIRES (123 complaints).
Does the Nissan 350Z have recalls?
Yes — 12 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Nissan 350Z. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.