Problems · by component

2010 Nissan 3 Series electrical system problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Nissan 3 Series cite electrical system, 27% of all 110 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
27% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON ON THE DASH. CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD, BUT ONLY HAS 24073 MILES ON IT. NISSAN DEALER IDENTIFIED ERROR CODE B1018. OCCUPANT SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FAILED. NISSAN QUOTED $4767 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT BASE ASSEMBLY. STATED SENSOR WAS INTEGRATED INTO THE SEAT AND COULD NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE SEAT CUSHION. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT NISSAN HAD A "VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN" FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON THE 2007-2008 NISSAN 350Z. NISSAN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 08-095D IS GERMANE. THE PROBLEM IS DESCRIBED AS A FAILED OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM VARISTOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION. THIS IS A SENSOR THAT LETS THE CAR KNOW WHETHER OR NOT AN AIRBAG SHOULD FIRE, DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THAT SEAT. DID NISSAN EVER CORRECT THIS SAFETY ISSUE? I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, (CASE 42872979), BUT THEY WERE NO ASSISTANCE (ONLY STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY). THIS IS A SAFETY ITEM THAT, IN MY OPINION, NISSAN SHOULD WARRANTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, OR AT A MINIMUM ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SAME COMPONENT ON THE PRIOR MODEL (350Z).…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2021Electrical system, Air bags, SeatsODI 11399469
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2010 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ATTEMPTED. THE INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GRAINGER NISSAN OF ANDERSON LOCATED AT (3510 CLEMSON BLVD, ANDERSON, SC 29621) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2020Electrical systemODI 11311364
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS WERE NOT WORKING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START FROM A COLD START. STERLING MCCALL NISSAN (12230 SOUTHWEST FWY, STAFFORD, TX 77477) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THE CONTACT REFUSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2019Electrical systemODI 11287930
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE ENGINE BUTTON WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO RAY BRANDT NISSAN (4000 LAPALCO BOULEVARD, HARVEY, LA 70058, (504) 367-1666) WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED PER THE NISSAN WARRANTY REGARDING THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 34390382. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,800.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 12, 2019Steering, Electrical systemODI 11176456
“STEERING LOCK UNIT FAILED. HAD A KEY EMBLEM THE NIGHT BEFORE, THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE A FOB BATTERY ISSUE. NEXT MORNING VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR GO INTO ACCESSORY POSITION. RESEARCHED AND FOUND THE COMMON STEERING LOCK UNIT ISSUE. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND SURE ENOUGH THE UNIT HAD FAILED. REPLACED PART OUT OF POCKET, AS THE ISSUE WAS COVERED FOR 2009 AND FIRST HALF 2010 CARS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. MINE IS A SECOND HALF 2010 SO NO COVERAGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2018Electrical systemODI 11072154
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE KEY WAS USED. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF AND FAILED TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MODERN NISSAN OF LAKE NORMAN (18615 STATESVILLE RD, CORNELIUS, NC 28031) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-647-7261 AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. CASE NUMBER: 29498996 WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,300.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 22, 2018Steering, Electrical systemODI 11064105

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2010 3 Series problem areas