AI Damage1987 Nissan 300ZX: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Nissan 300ZX filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 28
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 64% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 18 complaints (64% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (4% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (4% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 28 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The skidding of the vehicle resulted to a rear end accident and the front end caught fire. The consumer noticed no abs or brake warning lights indicating a malfunction. The dealer was informed. Please provide more information. Ts
While driving vehicle caught on fire underneath the hood.
Make: nissan model: 300zx turbo year: 1987 recall number: 95i006000 after recently purchasing this vehicle, I learned about a major safety recall by nissan in which all 84-89 nissan 300zx's had a problem with the fuel injection system, which results in the cars catching fire.
Transmission went out on the beltway coming home from work. I was about a mile from my home when my car wouldn't pull up the hill. No matter how hard I tried it just didn't have any pull.
After filling gas tank, vehicle experienced noise when shifting from 1rst to 2nd gear which caused a loud explosion in engine resulting in fire.
2 months later it caught fire. Then I heard that the car had been recalled due to bad injectors. I have spoke with 4 different people at nissan and got different stories by all 4. I have been without a car for almost 3 months.
Kisco nissan fixed recall, a month later vehicle hesitated not getting fuel which then resulted in a fire that started in garage. Please describe details.
Fuel injection recall; coles chrysler, nissan woodbridge va., has no parts and has had his vehicle for over (50) days 95i006000. Please describe.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 300ZX has 20 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 28, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Nissan 300ZX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 28. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (75%), fuel system, fuel smell (11%), hesitation when accelerating (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Nissan 300ZX?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Nissan 300ZX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.