AI Damage2008 Nissan 350Z: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Nissan 350Z filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 88% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 4% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 21 complaints (88% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine: 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.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 6 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 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.
Sensor on dashboard lite won't go out, showing airbag disabled due child in seat.
While driving at speed pressed clutch pedal and it stayed on the floor accompanied by a very characteristic and strong burning smell, unable to change gears, car rendered inoperable. Safety hazard, stuck in gear at highway speeds.
The contact stated that the air bag light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was waiting on the results. The contact was also informed of a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 08v521000 (air bags) and contacted the manufacturer, who stated that the vin was not included.
This is accompanied by a very strong burning smell (characteristic clutch burning smell) and is extremely damaging to the clutch and transmission. The clutch pedal has to be pulled up manually and is noticeably softer after this happens. This problem has happened 2-3 times in the past year.
Continued pumping clutch pedal and was lucky to get back into sixth gear with a grind into gear to continue driving on freeway at speed. Still pedal continued to stick halfway or more down and had to be returned back to static position manually.
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 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 350Z has 94 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan 350Z?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), airbag warning light (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.