FORCAR
Go Pro

Nissan 350Z VIN Check

NHTSA holds 502 owner complaints on the Nissan 350Z from 170 production runs; the worst run has 18, the typical one 3.

NHTSA complaint records · 502 complaints · 170 runs · 2003–2008 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported 350Z run is JN1AZ34D73T (2003 builds) with 18 complaints, 6× the typical run. Suspension problems make up 22% of reports; 2003 is the worst model year at 8.3 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for 350Z model years 2003–2008.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Nissan 350Z has 170 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 15% of every 350Z complaint on file.

FIG.01·Nissan 350Z — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
JN1AZ34D73T••••••200318——
JN1AZ34D63T••••••200316——
JN1AZ34D43T••••••200314——
JN1AZ34E43T••••••2003131—
JN1AZ34E53T••••••200313——
JN1AZ34E93T••••••200312——
JN1AZ34E63T••••••200312——
JN1AZ34D03T••••••200311——
JN1AZ34DX3T••••••2003101—
JN1AZ34D53T••••••200310——
JN1AZ34E83T••••••20039—1
JN1AZ34E33T••••••20039——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 158 350Z runs has 9 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 32 350Z VINs so far, most often 2006, 2005, 2004 builds; 3 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Nissan 350Z the gap between build years is 5.9×: a 2003 car draws 8.3 complaints per run, a 2008 one 1.4.

FIG.02·Nissan 350Z — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20081.41712—
20071.950271
20061.843246
2005268347
20042.1107505
20038.3217264
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2003 at 8.3 complaints per run; lightest is 2008 at 1.4.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 22% of everything Nissan 350Z owners report: Suspension, 116 of 502 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Nissan 350Z — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Suspension1161—
Power Train9113
Tires79——
Air Bags7617—
Engine And Engine Cooling65——
Engine401—
Wheels314—
Fuel System22——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 5 recall campaigns on the Nissan 350Z; the 5 below cover build years 2003 to 2008. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Nissan 350Z — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
11E024000Power Train:clutch Assembly2003–2006
06E049000Exterior Lighting2003–2005
08V521000Air Bags2007–2008
05V555000Fuel System, Gasoline2003–2004
03V455000Engine And Engine Cooling2003
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

The 350Z against its rivals

The 350Z draws 3 complaints per production run; the Cadillac XLR 2.4, the Chrysler Crossfire 4.6 and the Saturn SKY 4.6.

FIG.05·Nissan 350Z VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Nissan 350Z50217034.6%
Cadillac XLR76322.43.9%
Chrysler Crossfire6161354.61.1%
Saturn SKY4621004.62.8%
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

Of the 502 reports on the Nissan 350Z, 4.6% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Nissan 350Z — complaint severity
OutcomeNissan 350ZAll vehicles
Complaints filed5021,115,966
Involved a crash23 (4.6%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire4 (0.8%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported1758,013
Deaths reported12,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Upgrade to Pro

You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.

  • Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
  • The original window sticker and factory options
  • Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
  • Decode a whole list of VINs at once
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
See plans → Start free →
Free plan available — no credit card needed

How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Nissan 350Z share of that is 502 complaints over 170 runs, 0.04% of everything on record.

Everything on the Nissan 350Z
Recalls15 campaignsFuel economy20 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems652 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsUsed prices354 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2003–2009

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Nissan 350Z VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 502 NHTSA complaints from 170 350Z runs and 5 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which 350Z production run has the most complaints?

JN1AZ34D73T, a 2003 build, with 18 complaints. The typical 350Z run has 3.

Which 350Z years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2003 is heaviest at 8.3 complaints per run and 2008 lightest at 1.4.

Does the 350Z get more complaints than the Cadillac XLR?

Yes: 3 complaints per production run for the 350Z against 2.4 for the Cadillac XLR.

How many 350Z complaints involve a crash?

4.6% of 502 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 4 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →