FaultScore

FaultScore report

2012 Nissan 370Z problems

Owners have filed 18 complaints about the 2012 Nissan 370Z with NHTSA between 2012 and 2020. The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 6 worst.

A

FaultScore 23/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Nissan 370Z.

How this is worked out

The numbers

18

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

31,832 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

50%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 11 vs 50 Severity 0 vs 50 Early failure 85 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 11
Against the median year of the Nissan 370Z. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 85
50% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2012 compares with every other Nissan 370Z

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2012 Nissan 370Z

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Median failure at 36,392 miles

Airbags 3 16.7%

Median failure at 36,525 miles

Engine & Cooling 2 11.1%

Median failure at 20,332 miles

Other & Unspecified 1 5.6%

Median failure at 13,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

1,000 – 9,999 miles 1 5.6%
10,000 – 24,999 miles 6 33.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 9 50.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 2 11.1%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 2012 peak 3 Mar 2020

NHTSA investigations into the 2012 Nissan 370Z

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

1 investigation is still open.

EA21002 Opened 17 Sep 2021 Still open AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C...

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 27,000 miles Savannah, GA

AIR BAGS

THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. MY AIRBAGS NEED TO BE REPLACED THEY TOLD ME. ARE NOT WORKING. MY CAR WAS TESTED AT DEALER ALSO.

NHTSA complaint #11315565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Clarksville, TN

AIR BAGS

SRS LIGHT REMAINS ON ALL THE TIME. LOCAL DEALER SAYS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WILL FIX IT FOR 2500.00 DOLLARS. WILL AIR BAGS WORK? I DON'T KNOW.

NHTSA complaint #11084531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,000 miles Bakersfield, CA

POWER TRAIN

PROBLEM STARTED WITH AN IGNITION ISSUE WHERE THE CAR WOULD TURN ON AND WOULD GO THROUGH THE NORMAL START AND INSTEAD OF HAVING THE ENGINE TURN ON IT WOULD CRANK BUT THEN SHUT OFF. CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE NOT IN ANY KIND OF WEATHER THAT COULD CAUSE ISSUES. MY BATTERY ENDED UP DYING AT SOME POINT AS WELL. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND COVERED. SOME HEAT BUT NOTHING TOO HOT. AND RECENTLY, THERE WAS A LOSS IN POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING TO CAR TO BE UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. IT WOULD RESTART AFTER BEING SHUT OFF BUT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO REPLICATED THE ENGINE NOT IGNITING ON FULLY BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #11081398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 27,665 miles Waldorf, MD

ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY CLUTCH PEDDLE SLOWLY KEPT GETTING GOING DOWN AND NOT COMING UP. THEN I WAS A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY HOUSE AND IT WAS COMPLETELY STUCK AND I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR.

NHTSA complaint #11016105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,784 miles Vancouver, WA

POWER TRAIN

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK ON JUNE 27TH OF 2017, DRIVING FROM VANCOUVER,WA TO PORTLAND, OR. AS I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY INTO THE EXIT TO MY WORK THERE WAS A STOP LIGHT. I PUT MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND AS SOON AS THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUT MY CAR INTO CAR AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND WASN'T ABLE TO PUT IT INTO GEAR. I WAS STUCK ON THE LIGHT AND HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO CALL INTO WORK AND CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME HOME. I WAS VERY UPSET AND ANGRY.

NHTSA complaint #11002420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,500 miles Linwood, NJ

POWER TRAIN

CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKED ALL OF THE CLUTCH FLUID WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN WE TRIED TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. WHILE LOOKING FOR CAUSE OF PROBLEN, I FOUND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON LINE FOR VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM, GOING BACK AS FAR AS AT LEAST 2009 AND UP TO THE CUNNRENT MODEL YEAR. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, NISSAN WONT COVER IT UNDER THEIR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, SAYING IT IS A CLUTCH ISSUE. IT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BELL HOUSING. MY WARRANTY BOOK DOES NOT EXCLUDE THIS ITEM, NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE CALLS IT PART OF THE CLUTCH ITEM AND CLAIMS ITS NOT COVERED. SO REPAIR HAS BEEN DENIED BY DEALERSHIP AND NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT. THE CONSENSUS IS THAT THIS CYLINDER IS FAILING AND NOT ROBUST BECAUSE IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND IS LOSING ITS ROUND SHAPE WHEN HOT, THEREFORE CAUSING THE SEAL TO FAIL AND THE CLUTCH FLUID TO DRAIN. BY BILL TO REPAIR LOCALLY WAS 1012, WHICH INCLUDED DROPPING THE TRANSMISSION AND INSTALLING A ROBUST (METAL) AFTERMARKET CSC. THIS NISSAN CSC IS A DOCUMENTED FAILING PART AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT, WITH OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED BEING REIMBURSED FOR THEIR EXPENSES. I TALKED TO JENNIFER AT NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE, AND MY CASE NUMBER WAS 25999561

NHTSA complaint #10972373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,525 miles Albuquerque, NM

AIR BAGS

SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. DEALER TROUBLESHOT AND DETERMINED THAT OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT FAILED. ANY ONE OF 3 THINGS COULD BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. EACH HAD TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER WITH NO GUARANTEE AND NO REFUND IF REPLACEMENT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT FOR $1,442.17, WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NEXT DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE OCCUPANT SENSOR UNIT (SEAT CUSHION) FOR $4,107.00. IF THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, THEN REPLACE WIRING HARNESS. AFTER SPENDING $1,442.32, I WAS UNWILLING TO ADD ANOTHER $4K WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE FIXED. NISSAN DOES NOT APPEAR CAPABLE OF IDENTIFYING WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, NOR CAN THEY FIX IT WITHOUT NUMEROUS COSTLY ATTEMPTS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH SHOTS IN THE DARK. I NOW HAVE A VEHICLE WITH UNKNOWN AIR BAG CAPABILITIES.

NHTSA complaint #10978584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 41,218 miles Granite Falls, NC

POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED CLUTCH PEDAL NOT RETURNING TO NORMAL POSITION. EVENTUALLY THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE CAUSING A SITUATION WHERE IT WAS NOT EASY TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFELY. THIS CAUSED A HAZARD TO OTHER TRAFFIC AND ME. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND ONLINE RESEARCH ITS CONCLUDED THAT THIS WAS A CSC FAILURE LEAKING CLUTCH FLUID INTERNALLY. MY RESEARCH HAS CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS DUE TO USING AN INFERIOR PRODUCT OR MATERIALS. HOPING FOR A RECALL DUE TO ALL THE DOCUMENTED FAILURES. THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #10960231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,000 miles LA Puente, CA

POWER TRAIN

JUST DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND PRESS THE CLUTCH IN TO SHIFT GEARS AND MY CLUTCH DID NOT COME BACK OUT. THE CLUTCH STAYED FLAT TO THE FLOOR. THE FLUID WERE ALL GONE. I FILL IT UP BUT CLUTCH STILL STAY FLAT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD TO REPLACE THE CSC (CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER).

NHTSA complaint #10864276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,000 miles Broomfield, CO

POWER TRAIN

CLUTCH STICKING AND FAILING LIKELY CSC FAILURE. VERY COMMON WHEN I LOOK IT UP ON A BLOG FOR NISSAN 370Z. CAR DRIVEN VERY GENTLY AND ONLY HAS 19,000 MILES!!!!

NHTSA complaint #10822499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10,000 miles Sacramento, CA

POWER TRAIN

AT ONLY 10,000 MI. THE CLUTCH PEDAL SUDDENLY WOULD NOT RETURN TO REST. IT CAUSED A DANGEROUS LOSS OF CONTROL IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC WHILE IN MOTION. I WAS ABLE TO TOE THE PEDAL UP, PUMP WILDLY TO GET SOME DEGREE OF ACTUATION BACK, AND THEN EXIT THE FREEWAY. NISSAN USA WOULD ONLY AUTHORIZE NEW FLUID IN THE CLUTCH LINES AS THE FIX. WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS OF THE INADEQUATE "REPAIR" AND ONLY 50 MI. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN RESULTING IN ANOTHER DANGEROUS LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR, AGAIN IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY. NISSAN REPLACED THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER (CSC) BUT THE PART HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED SO I AM CONCERNED IT WILL LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INJURY, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR DEATH. MANY OTHERS WITH THE EXACT PROBLEM HAVE ALSO NEEDED THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, AND YET NISSAN ONLY ALLOWS DEALERS TO DRAIN THE CLUTCH FLUID AND REPLACE IT WITH FLUID WITH A HIGHER TEMP RATING (FROM THE NISSAN GTR). THIS INADEQUATE AND UNSAFE "FIX" NEARLY LED TO AN ACCIDENT IN MY CASE. THIS INITIAL REPAIR WAS DONE AFTER I EXPLICITLY REQUESTED THE CSC BE REPLACED, BUT THE DEALER SAID NISSANUSA REFUSED TO ALLOW THE NECESSARY REPAIR. NISSAN'S FAILURE TO REDESIGN/IMPROVE THE CSC WILL LEAD TO MORE INCIDENTS OF STRANDING OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #10811921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 56,000 miles Charlotte, NC

POWER TRAIN

AS SOON AS I PICKED THIS CAR UP WITH ONLY 56,000 MILES ON IT AND I WAS DRIVING IT BACK HOME ON THE HIGHWAY MY CLUTCH PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE. THREE TIMES AS I WAS DOWN SHIFTING ON EXIT RAMPS! THEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME LAST WEEK! I WAS FURIOUS, I LIMPED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS MY CLUTCH GOING OUT ON ME AND WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT MY CAR! WITH 56K MILES ON THE CLOCK AND MY CLUTCH WAS GOING OUT?! THEN THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO FIX! I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE 350Z AND THE 370Z HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND NISSAN IS JUST IGNORING IT ON THEIR MOST POPULAR SPORTS CAR!

NHTSA complaint #10782516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,000 miles Morrow, GA

POWER TRAIN

HI IT IS A 370Z CLUTCH PRESSURE (CSC) FAILURES. PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ALL OVER THE PLACE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED ESPECIALLY ON NEW VEHICLES. THERE'S A POST HERE ABOUT A BRAND NEW 2016 370Z HAD A CSC FAILURE AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/370Z/COMMENTS/3CFV0S/BAD_SLAVE_CLUTCH_CYLINDER_ON_2016_370Z/ THERE IS ALSO 70 PAGES FULL OF THE PROBLEM HERE. HTTP://WWW.THE370Z.COM/NISSAN-370Z-GENERAL-DISCUSSIONS/25007-STICKY-OFFICIAL-370Z-CLUTCH-PRESSURE-CSC-FAILURES.HTML IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGE, RECALL, AND THEN A FIX. THIS WAS AN ISSUE IN 350Z AND NOW THEY DECIDED TO DO THE SAME WITH THE NEWER MODELS. I AM BUYING A 2012 370Z SOON (SIGNING PAPERS TODAY) WITH ONLY 12K MILES ON IT. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME, I WOULD BE VERY SAD AND DEPRESSED ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT NISSAN KNOWS THIS AND IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT TO SAVE SOME MONEY.

NHTSA complaint #10735076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,000 miles Morrow, GA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

HI IT IS A 370Z CLUTCH PRESSURE (CSC) FAILURES. PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ALL OVER THE PLACE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED ESPECIALLY ON NEW VEHICLES. THERE'S A POST HERE ABOUT A BRAND NEW 2016 370Z HAD A CSC FAILURE AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/370Z/COMMENTS/3CFV0S/BAD_SLAVE_CLUTCH_CYLINDER_ON_2016_370Z/ THERE IS ALSO 70 PAGES FULL OF THE PROBLEM HERE. HTTP://WWW.THE370Z.COM/NISSAN-370Z-GENERAL-DISCUSSIONS/25007-STICKY-OFFICIAL-370Z-CLUTCH-PRESSURE-CSC-FAILURES.HTML IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGE, RECALL, AND THEN A FIX. THIS WAS AN ISSUE IN 350Z AND NOW THEY DECIDED TO DO THE SAME WITH THE NEWER MODELS. I AM BUYING A 2012 370Z SOON (SIGNING PAPERS TODAY) WITH ONLY 12K MILES ON IT. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME, I WOULD BE VERY SAD AND DEPRESSED ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT NISSAN KNOWS THIS AND IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT TO SAVE SOME MONEY.

NHTSA complaint #10735076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,000 miles Morrow, GA

ENGINE

HI IT IS A 370Z CLUTCH PRESSURE (CSC) FAILURES. PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ALL OVER THE PLACE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED ESPECIALLY ON NEW VEHICLES. THERE'S A POST HERE ABOUT A BRAND NEW 2016 370Z HAD A CSC FAILURE AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED. HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/370Z/COMMENTS/3CFV0S/BAD_SLAVE_CLUTCH_CYLINDER_ON_2016_370Z/ THERE IS ALSO 70 PAGES FULL OF THE PROBLEM HERE. HTTP://WWW.THE370Z.COM/NISSAN-370Z-GENERAL-DISCUSSIONS/25007-STICKY-OFFICIAL-370Z-CLUTCH-PRESSURE-CSC-FAILURES.HTML IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGE, RECALL, AND THEN A FIX. THIS WAS AN ISSUE IN 350Z AND NOW THEY DECIDED TO DO THE SAME WITH THE NEWER MODELS. I AM BUYING A 2012 370Z SOON (SIGNING PAPERS TODAY) WITH ONLY 12K MILES ON IT. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME, I WOULD BE VERY SAD AND DEPRESSED ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT NISSAN KNOWS THIS AND IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT TO SAVE SOME MONEY.

NHTSA complaint #10735076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,500 miles Orlando, FL

POWER TRAIN

FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ISSUE, I WOULD EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT JUDDERING WHEN STARTING OFF IN 1ST GEAR. EVENTUALLY I LOST CLUTCH PRESSURE AND HAD TO TAKE MY CAR IN TO NISSAN. AFTER THEY READ THERE WAS A TSB FOR CLUTCH PRESSURE, THEY REPLACED MY CLUTCH FLUID WITH A DOT4 FLUID. AFTER 2 DAYS OF REPLACING THE FLUID, I LOST CLUTCH PRESSURE YET AGAIN AND HAD TO GET BOTH THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER REPLACED. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS UNTIL I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE JUDDERING AGAIN, AND AM WAITING TO LOSE FULL CLUTCH PRESSURE YET AGAIN TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, AND MY DEALERSHIP EVEN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE, BUT NISSAN HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THE PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10730385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 38,000 miles Vine Grove, KY

POWER TRAIN

DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM LOUISVILLE, KY TO HAZELWOOD, MO THE LAST FEW MILES OF THE TRIP THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. TRYING TO PUMP THE PEDAL IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR IN GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR TO THE HOUSE. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 4-5 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS (ABOUT 38000 MILES OF DRIVING). THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER (CSC) IS A COMPLETE FAILURE AND SHOULD BE TAGGED FOR A RECALL. THERE IS AN AFTERMARKET SOLUTION WHICH COMPLETELY REMOVES SAID PART AND REPLACES WITH A FORK/ACTUATOR MECHANISM. COST IS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS ANY WARRANTY WORK THAT WOULD COVER JUST REPLACING FAULTY PART WITH ANOTHER FAULTY PART.

NHTSA complaint #10621431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,000 miles Atlanta, GA

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A RATTLING SOUND WHENEVER IT WAS SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,000.

NHTSA complaint #10454765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.