2011 Nissan 370Z problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
40 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
35,850 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 36 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 22 of 40 complaints (55.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 24 | 60.0% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 17.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 12.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 7.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 22 |
| Power Train | 14 |
| Electrical System | 12 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 |
Steering: 22; Power Train: 14; Electrical System: 12; Engine: 5; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2012: 2; 2014: 7; 2015: 13; 2016: 8; 2017: 5; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10558307 · 2014-01-03 (January 3, 2014)
BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL STUCK DUE TO STEERING LOCK FAILURE. KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2009 TO EARLY 2011 NISSAN 370Z. TOTAL VALUE $1029.85. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A FACTORY FAULT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10558307 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10562886 · 2014-02-04 (February 4, 2014)
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NISSAN HAS HAD MANY ISSUES OF THE STEERING LOCK FEATURE THAT FAILS IN THE NISSAN 370Z. IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SO WIDE SPREAD THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FORK OVER 1200$ FOR AN ISSUE THAT'S SO WELL KNOWN. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO PISS OFF ALOT OF NISSAN BUYERS FOR A CONDITION THAT'S SO WIDESPREAD. I THINK THE FACT THAT THE PART IS SO BACK ORDERED SHOULD INDICATE TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE A BIG PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 37,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10562886 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10482535 · 2012-10-29 (October 29, 2012)
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 AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE PART AND THEY WOULD FIX IT, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD GET THE PART AND AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2012, I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE PART. I AM VERY WORRIED AS I WAS READING ABOUT THE PA…
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482535 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10565907 · 2014-02-26 (February 26, 2014)
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 SHIFT 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. BARELY MADE IT INTO DEALERSHIP NEXT MORNING. DEALERSHIP ONLY HAS A TSB TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. FLUID CHANGED, DROVE AWAY. PROBLEM RETURNED 2/7/14 AND CONTINUED TO GET WORSE FOR NEXT FEW DAYS. RETURNED VEHICLE TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 7,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10565907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10730187 · 2015-06-24 (June 24, 2015)
I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR FOR A DRIVE ON 06/21/15. AS I WAS REACHING FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH MY FOOT TO START THE ENGINE, I FOUND THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD ALREADY SUNK HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE MY FOOT CAME IN CONTACT WITH IT. I HAD TO REACH IN FURTHER ALMOST COMPLETELY EXTENDING MY LEG IN ORDER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PEDAL. UPON CHECKING THE CLUTCH FLUID I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND SOME OF MY FLUID LEVEL WAS HALF EMPTY HAD AND LOOKED VERY DARK. THERE WAS BLACK DEBRIS SITTING UNDER THE FLUID RESERVOIR. MY FLUID LEVEL WAS AT THE MAX WHEN I …
Owner-reported narrative. 24,498 miles reported. Look up ODI 10730187 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10577395 · 2014-04-04 (April 4, 2014)
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 START IT UP WITH THE PUSH START BUTTON, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. SINCE THE KEY INDICATOR LIGHT HAD GONE OFF PREVIOUSLY, I THOUGH THE BATTERY ON MY KEY WAS RUNNING OUT, SO I INSERTED IT IN THE KEY PORT, WHICH INDICATED THE KEY STILL HAD POWER TO IN. I TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577395 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10704295 · 2015-04-07 (April 7, 2015)
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 KEY WAS ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS TO THE CAR, HOWEVER WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PER USUAL FOLLOWED BY THE START BUTTON, NOTHING TOOK PLACE. THE INDICATOR REMAINED ON THE 'LOCK' POSITION AND FAILED TO MOVE OVER TO THE 'ON' POSITION …
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10704295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10820426 · 2016-01-15 (January 15, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN 370Z. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,906.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,906 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820426 at NHTSA ↗