Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Nissan 3 Series problems
Owners filed 144 complaints about the 2004 Nissan 3 Series with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Mar 2025. The most-cited component is tires (37).
Complaints
144
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Tires37
- Suspension32
- Fuel system, gasoline18
- Air bags18
- Power train16
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Structure8
- Wheels4
- Electrical system4
- Engine3
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Visibility3
- Steering3
- Seat belts3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
22
47
15
4
10
4
7
12
4
3
4
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 47 |
| 2006 | 15 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Tires
37 reports1 crash
“I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES FOR MY 2004 NISSAN 350Z, THEY ARE THE FALKEN PRO G5 SPORT A/S TIRES P225/45R18 ON THE FRONT. 245/45/R18 ON THE REAR ON 2/06/19 THE MILEAGE IN WAS 16,292. ON 1/15/20 I TOOK THE CAR OUT AND THE CAR WAS BOUNCING ALL OVER THE ROAD, I TOOK IT BACK TO DISCOUNT TIRES IN LAS VEGAS NEVADA ON THAT SAME DAY AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE BALANCE OF THE TIRES. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN TRIED TO BALANCE THE TIRES HE SAID THEY ARE OFF BY OVER 1 OUNCE. ANOTHER TECH CAME AND TRIED TO BALANCE THE TIRES AND FOUND A BULGE ON ALL 4 TIRES AND OPTED TO REPLACE THEM ALL,I ONLY HAD 69 MILES ON THE TIRES! I HAVE TO SAY IN ALL MY YEARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN TIRES DEVELOP BULGES LIKE THESE AND ALL 4 NEEDING REPLACEMENT WITH ONLY 69 MILES ON THEM! I AM VERY NERVOUS WITH THESE TIRES BEING THAT THEY ARE INSTALLED ON A NISSAN 350Z WITH THE POWER THE VEHICLE HAS.”
Suspension
32 reports
“WHILE MAKING A NORMAL LEFT TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION MY CAR BEGAN TO SPIN. AFTER A COMPLETE 360 DEGREE SPIN AND SMACK INTO A CURB, THERE WAS SLIGHT DAMAGE TO LEFT REAR EXTERIOR WHEEL WELL. THIS ALIGNMENT ISSUE AND PREMATURE TIRE WEAR PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED. SOMEONE HAS TO DO SOMETHING. UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS TO DO A COMPLETE 360 SPIN OUT IS RIDICULOUS. I AM LUCKY NO ONE SMACKED INTO ME AFTER I STOPPED. I HAVE HAD MY TIRES REPLACED TWICE ON THE RIGHT REAR AND ONCE ON THE LEFT REAR BECAUSE OF THE INNER TIRE WEAR. I HAVE HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE ALSO. ALL THIS WAS PRIOR TO MY SPIN OUT. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THIS CAR. ANY ANSWERS, SOLUTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS? I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING. ARE YOU EVEN DOING ANYTHING WITH THESE COMPLAINTS? FROM WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS WRITTEN, NO ONE HAS DONE A THING. THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR ANYTHING FOR THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE WINDS UP GETTING HURT FROM THIS. OBVIOUSLY THE DEALERSHIP WONT DO A THING IT WILL BE WAY TOO COSTLY FOR THEM. BUT FOR MINE AND THE REST OF THE DRIVERS ON THE ROADS SAFETY, MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.…”
Fuel system, gasoline
18 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2004 Nissan 350Z. The contact stated while refueling the vehicle, after stepping away from the vehicle, the contact was alerted by his passenger that there was a fuel leak underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the passenger was alerted by the odor of gasoline. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump filler neck needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.”
Air bags
18 reports3 crashes
“The airbag light came on for no reason, has never come on before. No accidents, fender bender, no bumps. Shop read an error code of B1129. Checked right passenger SRS seat connections as code suggests and reset the light. Light came back on in two days. Shop says airbag may not deploy and can not determine the exact cause. could easily cost over a $1000 to fix depending on issue. Airbags should not have issues like this. Nissan already has a service campaign for the same issue on later model 350Z. Please encourage Nissan to include the 2004 model as well. From all my research into resolving this issue, I can see there are a lot of other 350Z owners affected as well. Please help us. Thank you, [XXX]”
Power train
16 reports1 related recall
“HAPPENED IN THE DRIVEWAY, FORTUNATELY. WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT STAYED DOWN, AND IN GEAR. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FORCE THE CAR OUT OF GEAR. I WAS THEN ABLE TO MANUALLY LIFT THE PEDAL, AND PUMP IT SOFTLY TO MAKE IT STAY UP. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. IT IS A HYDRAULIC CLUTCH' NO LEAKS, AND CLUTCH REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED WITH ONLY 55K MILES ON IT. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND VERY UNSAFE IF YOU ARE DRIVING AND CAN'T GET IT OUT OF GEAR.”
Engine and engine cooling
9 reports
“MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IN ORLANDO WHEN HER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE SLIP CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND STALLED. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN ORLANDO NISSAN DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS AND WE HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED AT A COST OF $815.65. I RECENTLY CONTACTED NISSAN ABOUT THIS AS I SAW THERE WAS A NISSAN RECALL (NO. R2022) ON THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. HOWEVER, NISSAN INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS THE RECALL WAS FOR 2003 VEHICLES. THEY STATED THE RECALL WAS VIN SPECIFIC. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE SYMPTOM SPECIFIC AS THE SYMPTOMS OF THE VEHICLE IN THIS INCIDENT WERE EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.