AI Damage2004 Nissan 350Z: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Nissan 350Z filed 144 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 144
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 22% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 22% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 6% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- Suspension: 32 complaints (22% of all).
- Tires: 32 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 20 complaints (14% of all).
- Air bags: 18 complaints (13% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 16 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 5 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 144 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I had to crawl out passenger window . Upon inspection of vehicle this is what was found.
Two car accident on 5/29/10 at 5:12 p.m. On interstate I-40 westbound at sara road, candian county, oklahoma. During highly congested traffic, I rear-ended a 2007 buick enclave with my 2004 nissan 350 z at approximately 45 mph. The passenger airbag deployed, but the drivers airbag did not deploy.
The air bags didn't deploy, the leg and feet compartment for the driver area caused one foot I had on the brake, to break the sessamoid bone; the rt knee was thrown into the steering column and I broke my patella and tore my meniscus. Both required surgery, both on opposite legs.
Passenger side a/b deployed and seatbelt tensioner is taught and appears to have worked. Driver side a/b did not deploy and seatbelt tensioner is not taught and appears to have failed. Mva involved a head on accident to the left front side of the 350 z convertible. Impact was at 40mph.
In addition, I purchased an extended warranty. On the below date a vacaville nissan mechanic was test driving my vehicle when the right front wheel cracked around the lug nuts and fell off in their parking lot causing damage to my vehicle and unrepairable damage to the rim.
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.
A couple weeks ago, while driving car hesitated, then resumed but check engine light tcs off light and slip lights on, and remained on. This week while driving 40mph without warning the car hesitated but actually stalled. I was able to somewhat safely pull to right side of road.
Service engine warning light is on. Car turns of without warning while operating. Cam shaft sensor warning. Car is currently parked outside home.
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 2,726 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 350Z has 94 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 144, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Nissan 350Z?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, tires, fuel system. Total complaints: 144. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (6%), fuel system, fuel smell (6%), warning lights, check engine (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Nissan 350Z?
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 2004 Nissan 350Z 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 2004 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.