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Model-year record

2012 Nissan 370Z
Image: Wikimedia Commons contributor · See source file

2012 Nissan 370Z

See the complaints, recalls, crash rating, and fuel economy in the public record. Then check the mileage and history of the car you found.

This page shows records, not a buy or avoid call.

The same model year can include a well-kept car and a neglected one. Use these records to plan what to check. Use the specific-car check when you know the mileage.

Complaints filed

16

Reports to NHTSA, 2012

Safety recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

21.5

EPA estimate

Known issues

Power Train issues lead owner complaints (75% of 16 reports), followed by air bags (19%).

Power Train75% · 12 reports
Air Bags19% · 3 reports
Engine6% · 1 report

Share of all 16 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11081398, ODI 11002420, ODI 10972373, ODI 10960231, ODI 10864276.

Individual complaint reports(16)

Showing the 16 most recent reports
Air BagsMar 2020 · ODI 11315565Details +

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

Reported
Mar 2020
Incident date
Dec 2019
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11315565 at NHTSA →
Air BagsApr 2018 · ODI 11084531Details +

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.

Reported
Apr 2018
Incident date
Oct 2016
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11084531 at NHTSA →
Power TrainMar 2018 · ODI 11081398Details +

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.

Reported
Mar 2018
Incident date
Mar 2018
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11081398 at NHTSA →
EngineAug 2017 · ODI 11016105Details +

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.

Reported
Aug 2017
Incident date
Aug 2017
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11016105 at NHTSA →
Power TrainJun 2017 · ODI 11002420Details +

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.

Reported
Jun 2017
Incident date
Jun 2017
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11002420 at NHTSA →
Power TrainApr 2017 · ODI 10972373Details +

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

Reported
Apr 2017
Incident date
Mar 2017
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10972373 at NHTSA →
Air BagsApr 2017 · ODI 10978584Details +

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.

Reported
Apr 2017
Incident date
Apr 2017
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10978584 at NHTSA →
Power TrainMar 2017 · ODI 10960231Details +

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

Reported
Mar 2017
Incident date
Mar 2017
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10960231 at NHTSA →
Power TrainMay 2016 · ODI 10864276Details +

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).

Reported
May 2016
Incident date
May 2016
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10864276 at NHTSA →
Power TrainJan 2016 · ODI 10822499Details +

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!!!!

Reported
Jan 2016
Incident date
Jan 2016
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10822499 at NHTSA →
Power TrainDec 2015 · ODI 10811921Details +

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.

Reported
Dec 2015
Incident date
Dec 2015
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10811921 at NHTSA →
Power TrainOct 2015 · ODI 10782516Details +

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!

Reported
Oct 2015
Incident date
Feb 2015
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10782516 at NHTSA →
Power TrainJul 2015 · ODI 10735076Details +

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.

Reported
Jul 2015
Incident date
Jul 2015
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10735076 at NHTSA →
Power TrainJun 2015 · ODI 10730385Details +

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.

Reported
Jun 2015
Incident date
Oct 2012
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10730385 at NHTSA →
Power TrainAug 2014 · ODI 10621431Details +

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.

Reported
Aug 2014
Incident date
Aug 2014
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10621431 at NHTSA →
Power TrainApr 2012 · ODI 10454765Details +

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.

Reported
Apr 2012
Incident date
Jan 2012
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 10454765 at NHTSA →

Recalls

No recalls are listed for this model year as of Jul 2026. Recall records can change when NHTSA publishes new information.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

1 NHTSA investigation on record

Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.

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.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Crash-test ratings

2012 Nissan 370Z 2 DR RWD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
370Z3.7L 6-cylRear-Wheel Drive192622
370Z3.7L 6-cylRear-Wheel Drive182621

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

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Compare the year-by-year record

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2012 Nissan 370Z: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2012 Nissan 370Z?

Owners filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the 2012 Nissan 370Z. This is raw owner-reported complaint volume with no production or exposure normalization, so it is not a reliability score or a best/worst-year ranking.

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Nissan 370Z?

The most-reported problem areas are Power Train (75% of complaints) and air bags (19%).

How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan 370Z have?

No safety recalls are on record for the 2012 Nissan 370Z as of Jul 2026.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan 370Z get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Nissan 370Z between 21 and 22 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.