IllustrationBrembo aluminum calipers were used with steel bolts causing the breaks to get himot & seize the steel bolt in the calipers. 1 out of 2 brake jobs end up costing thousands & hours of work to get the seized bolts out, I have had a caliper fall off going 65 & got caught in between my tire & rear wheel arc.
2003 Nissan 350Z
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 350Z years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Nissan 350Z are substantially higher than the model-year median of 73.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 350Z years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
1310–25K
2925–50K
1650–75K
1875–100K
15100–150K
5150K+
214 reports with mileage · 61 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Wheels complaints
5 reportsI OWN A 2003 NISSAN 350Z WITH STOCK 7 SPOKE WHEELS AND HAVE FOUND THAT MY RIGHT FRONT WHEEL(RIM) HAS A CRACK IN ONE SPOKE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAS 2 SPOKES THAT HAVE CRACKS THAT ARE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SPOKES. *TR
I RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL FROM NISSAN IN THE SPRING OF 2004 CONCERNING A TOE OUT CONDITION THAT COULD CAUSE IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR ON THE INNER EDGE OF THE FRONT TIRES. I TOOK MY CAR IN ON 7/29/04 TO THE NISSAN DEALER & ASKED IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE Z & WAS TOLD,"NO, ONCE IT IS ADJUSTED, IT WILL RE…
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I RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL FROM NISSAN IN THE SPRING OF 2004 CONCERNING A TOE OUT CONDITION THAT COULD CAUSE IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR ON THE INNER EDGE OF THE FRONT TIRES. I TOOK MY CAR IN ON 7/29/04 TO THE NISSAN DEALER & ASKED IF THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE Z & WAS TOLD,"NO, ONCE IT IS ADJUSTED, IT WILL REPAIR THE PROBLEM". SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, WITH NEW FRONT TIRES AND 1 YEAR LATER, I RETURNED TO NISSAN WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR SERVICE & WAS TOLD "I PROBABLY HIT A POT HOLE AND THAT I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT,WHICH I WAS CHARGED FOR, BUT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIRE FEATHERING WERE IGNORED. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THE "03 Z WAS MANUFACTURED WITH THIS FACTORY DEFECT WHICH THE NEWER MODELS DON'T HAVE. THIS TELLS ME THAT THIS IS FIXABLE. BEING A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE, THE FACTORY SETTING OF THE TOE ADJUSTMENTWHICH CAUSES FEATHERING ON THE INSIDE FRONT TIRES & THEIR YEARLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT IS CLEARLY THE LIABILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER, NOT THE CONSUMER! WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? *JB
DRIVER SIDE WHEEL CHASSIS BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE AT 3 MPH. THERE WAS NO STEERING, AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO STRIKE A FENCE. VEHICLE IS STILL NOT DRIVABLE, AND THE MANUFACTURER OFFERS NO ASSISTANCE.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DEFECTIVE MATERIAL REACTION TO AN ALTERED ROAD SURFACE IN FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM. A SET OF RAISED SUBWAY TRACKS RAN PARALLEL WITH THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON. AS THE ROAD FORKED, I WAS FORCED TO TRAVERSE THE TRACKS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE ROAD. AS SOON AS THE INSIDE EDGE OF FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE …
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VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DEFECTIVE MATERIAL REACTION TO AN ALTERED ROAD SURFACE IN FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM. A SET OF RAISED SUBWAY TRACKS RAN PARALLEL WITH THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON. AS THE ROAD FORKED, I WAS FORCED TO TRAVERSE THE TRACKS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE ROAD. AS SOON AS THE INSIDE EDGE OF FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE RIM CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE SUBWAY RAIL, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY "BOTTOMED OUT". AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I INVESTIGATED THE TIRE AND RIM AND FOUND NO APPARENT DAMAGE. AFTER COMPLETELY REMOVING THE RIM FROM THE VEHICLE IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE RIM HAD CAVED IN. THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RIM WAS UNDAMAGED, AS WAS THE TIRE ITSELF, BUT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE RIM SEEMED TO HAVE COLLAPSED IN ON ITSELF. THE IMPACT OF THE VEHICLE BOTTOMING OUT MUST HAVE DAMAGED THE ROTOR AND WHEEL STUDS BECAUSE WITHIN 500 FEET OF INSTALLING THE SPARE TIRE THE STUDS THEMSELVES BROKE FORCING ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FLATBEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE AS UNDER WARRANTEE CLAIMING DRIVER ERROR. THE LACK OF TIRE DAMAGE AND SIGNS OF DIRECT IMPACT DAMAGE TO OUTER RIM, SEEMS TO INDICATE A WEAKENED INNER EDGE TO THE RIM STEMMING FROM MATERIAL DEFECT FAILURE/
Official recalls
205V555000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Dec 13, 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FUEL FILLER HOSE MAY CRACK AND RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE HOSE WHILE REFUELING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER HOSE. RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 27, 2006, FOR NISSAN OWNERS, AND ON MARCH 13, 2006, FOR INFINITI OWNERS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
03V455000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Nov 17, 2003
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.