Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Nissan 350Z, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension110
- Tires71
- Engine and engine cooling34
- Power train34
- Engine27
- Electrical system11
- Visibility9
- Air bags7
- Unknown or other6
- Seats6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 24 2003 350Z vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 16 people died inside them, and 5 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2003 Nissan 350Z failed the safety check 1.55% of the time — 27% less often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 101,000 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
113 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 58% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €49,270.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde35
- Band onvoldoende profiel20
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect18
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld14
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm14
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen13
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm13
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af11
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 332 of these cars first registered in 2003 took their annual MOT test. 70% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2003 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 0.3% | 16.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
22 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 138,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
140 2003 cars are on the New Zealand register; 14% arrived as used imports, 79% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.7–12.4 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 269–285 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 350Z · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 13.4 | 9.7 | 11.7 |
| 350Z · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 14.4 | 10.1 | 12.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2003 Nissan 350Z.
| 2005376 29 Nov 2005 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the fuel filler hose may crack from exposure to ozone. This could cause fuel leakage from the hose while refuelling and the Malfunction In… |
| 2003267 5 Nov 2003 | Engine On certain vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor may have an improper solder joint. This could cause the Service Engine Soon warning light … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FUEL FILLER HOSE MAY CRACK AND RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE HOSE WHILE REFUELING.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Nissan told its dealers about the 2003 Nissan 350Z: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635809 | INFORMATION ON VEHICLES EXHBITING WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SEEPING FROM UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT AREA ESPECIALLY AFTER REFILLING THE WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR. *TT |
| 635808 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AREA WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. *TT |
| 633689 | SUBJECT REGARDING BATTERY SERVICE PRECAUTIONS. *JG |
| 633687 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOW TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM. *JG |
| 633683 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE NOT STARTING OR NVIS/NATS SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND KEY REGISTRATION. *JG |
| 633681 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPECIAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID REQUIREMENTS. *JG |
| 633679 | SUBJECT REGARDING ESSENTIAL TOOL: TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM INITIALIZATION TOOL. *JG |
| 11004962 | VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001201 | WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001194 | REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001191 | WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10243708 | DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10239062 | SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components. |
| 10239060 | 12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect Test with DCA and Replace results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. |
| 10235710 | INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10235707 | VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10232658 | REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10232657 | WHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10232656 | WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10232652 | DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10206391 | STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10192821 | SERVICE INFORMATION Replacement 5-speed rear wheel drive Automatic Transmission (A/T) assemblies and replacement control valves (valve bodies) now come with blank Transmission Control Modules (TCMs). Blank TCMs come without software and must be programmed (not reprogrammed) and then configured after they are installed. When ordering a replacement A/T or control valve, use the Nissan electronic parts information systems to obtain the correct software program part number See this bulletin for further detail. |
| 10192801 | SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate / Label" may be needed. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. See this bulletin for further detail. |
| 10192677 | SERVICE INFORMATION Windshield "foreign material" that is on the surface of the glass in some cases can be cleaned off with a very particular type and grade of steel wool. * Most any foreign material on the surface of the Windshield can be cleaned off by using #0000 super fine steel wool. >The #0000 grade super fine steel wool can be found in most hardware stores. Please see this bulletin for further details. |
| 10192570 | SERVICE INFORMATION The Body Control Module (BCM) for the Applied Vehicles in this bulletin is now shipped as a blank unit. As with previous BCM replacements, when a blank unit is installed, the configuration process must be performed. See this bulletin for further detail. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)