2011 Nissan 370Z

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Nissan 370Z has 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (37% of all complaints), specifically: brakes and steering wheel stuck due to steering lock failure. known problem for 2009 to early 2011 nissan 370z. total value $1029.85. consumers should not have to pay for a factory fault. *tr.

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

22 complaints

37%

• BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL STUCK DUE TO STEERING LOCK FAILURE. KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2009 TO EARLY 2011 NISSAN 370Z. TOTAL VALUE $1029.85. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY FAULT. *TR
• IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NISSAN HAS HAD MANY ISSUES OF THE STEERING LOCK FEATURE THAT FAILS IN THE NISSAN 370Z. IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SO WIDE SPREAD THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FORK OVER 1200$ FOR AN ISSUE THAT'S SO WELL KNOWN. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO PISS OFF ALO
• DROVE MY CAR TO THE STORE THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME. ON THE WAY THERE, THE CAR WAS OPERATING IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION, AS USUAL. THE KEY INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP BUT THEN QUICKLY DISAPPEARED. AFTER GOING INTO THE STORE, I GOT BACK INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO ST

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL STUCK DUE TO STEERING LOCK FAILURE. KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2009 TO EARLY 2011 NISSAN 370Z. TOTAL VALUE $1029.85. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY FAULT. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

14 complaints

24%

• BASE MODEL. MANUAL TRANSMISSION. STOCK - NO AFTERMARKET ENHANCEMENTS. ON FREEWAY ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE (SHIFTING DOWN FROM 5TH TO 4TH) CLUTCH PEDAL "DISAPPEARS" INTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAVING A MIND OF IT'S OWN. TRANSMISSION HARD TO SHIF
• I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CLUTCH PEDAL LOSES ALL PRESSURE AND DROPS TO THE FLOOR WHILE I WAS TRYING TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN. MY CAR WOULD NOT LET ME OUT OF GEAR AND I HAD TO STOP WHILE IN GEAR CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CUT OFF. THIS CAUSED ME TO LOSE ALL POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. I WA
• DRIVING VEHICLE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AND CLUTCH PEDAL BEGINS SHOWING LITTLE TO NO RESISTANCE, EASILY SINKS TO THE FLOOR. SOON THEREAFTER CLUTCH PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESSED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR TO SHIFT GEARS. CAR IS TAKEN TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND CLUTCH FLUID FLUSHED AND REPLACED WITH DOT 4 FLUID. DRIVI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“BASE MODEL. MANUAL TRANSMISSION. STOCK - NO AFTERMARKET ENHANCEMENTS. ON FREEWAY ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE (SHIFTING DOWN FROM 5TH TO 4TH) CLUTCH PEDAL "DISAPPEARS" INTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAVING A MIND OF IT'S OWN. TRANSMISSION HARD TO SHIF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

12 complaints

20%

• THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR OR THE FUEL LEVEL SENDER MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK CLEARLY ALMOST TO THE TOP, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MISINFORMATION WHICH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. *TR
• KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK A
• YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AFTER LEAVING WORK TO MY CAR WITHIN THE PARKING LOT, MY VEHICLE DID NOT START. I ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO A LOW BATTERY WITHIN THE INTELLIGENT KEY FOR THE PUSH TO START IGNITION, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AT A LOCAL WAL-MART. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE K

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR OR THE FUEL LEVEL SENDER MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK CLEARLY ALMOST TO THE TOP, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MISINFORMATION WHICH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

5 complaints

• KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK A
• YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AFTER LEAVING WORK TO MY CAR WITHIN THE PARKING LOT, MY VEHICLE DID NOT START. I ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO A LOW BATTERY WITHIN THE INTELLIGENT KEY FOR THE PUSH TO START IGNITION, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AT A LOCAL WAL-MART. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE K
• FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT AROUND 37,000 MILES, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE PUSH BUTTON LIGHTS UP THE LOCK LIGHT BUT SECONDS LATER STARTED WORKING. ON JUNE 3RD 2015, AFTER DRIVING TO MY JOB TO PICK UP TOOLS TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT I PARK THE CAR, CAME BACK TO A CAR THAT WOULD NOT START, THE CAR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

2 complaints

• ON OCTOBER 19, 2012, WHILE DRIVING AND BEGINNING TO STOP, MY BRAKE LIGHT AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. MY BRAKE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF; HOWEVER, THE ABS/TRACTION LIGHT REMAINED ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ON OCTOBER 20, 2012 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING
• BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL STUCK DUE TO STEERING LOCK FAILURE. KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2009 TO EARLY 2011 NISSAN 370Z. TOTAL VALUE $1029.85. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY FAULT. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ON OCTOBER 19, 2012, WHILE DRIVING AND BEGINNING TO STOP, MY BRAKE LIGHT AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. MY BRAKE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF; HOWEVER, THE ABS/TRACTION LIGHT REMAINED ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ON OCTOBER 20, 2012 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 59 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL STUCK DUE TO STEERING LOCK FAILURE. KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2009 TO EARLY 2011 NISSAN 370Z. TOTAL VALUE $1029.85. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY FAULT. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: BASE MODEL. MANUAL TRANSMISSION. STOCK - NO AFTERMARKET ENHANCEMENTS. ON FREEWAY ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE (SHIFTING DOWN FROM 5TH TO 4TH) CLUTCH PEDAL "DISAPPEARS" INTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAVING A MIND OF IT'S OWN. TRANSMISSION HARD TO SHIF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR OR THE FUEL LEVEL SENDER MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK CLEARLY ALMOST TO THE TOP, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MISINFORMATION WHICH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)