AI Damage2012 Nissan 370Z: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Nissan 370Z filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 75% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 19% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (75% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 7-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 6 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
The warning light came on. My airbags need to be replaced they told me. Are not working. My car was tested at dealer also.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 370Z has 30 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 16, 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 2012 Nissan 370Z?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (13%), warning lights, check engine (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Nissan 370Z?
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 2012 Nissan 370Z 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 2012 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.