Most common 2003 Nissan 350Z problems
Share of the 275 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan 350Z complaints by model year
Best 350Z years: 2009, 2008, 2006. Years to avoid: 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2003 Nissan 350Z recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the fuel filler hose May crack and result in fuel leakage from the hose while refueling.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel filler hose. Recall began on February 27, 2006, for Nissan owners, and on March 13, 2006, for Infiniti owners. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor May have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s).
What 2003 Nissan 350Z owners say
Suspension all 110 →
Brembo aluminum calipers were used with steel bolts causing the breaks to get himot & seize the steel bolt in the calipers. 1 out of 2 brake jobs end up costing thousands & hours of work to get the seized bolts out, I have had a caliper fall off going 65 & got caught in between my tire & rear wheel arc.
Nissan 350z 2003 front suspension issue - tires are feathering because of bad setup in front suspension. This problem surfaced after about 5000 miles on the car in the form of a low rumbling noise when slowing down. This noise slowly got worse until I took the car in and niacin said the tires were defective. I was given a new set of tires that were not feathered and the problem went away until I reached another 5000 miles, at which point, the noise resurfaced. I once again, took it into niacin, who was very good about recognizing that there was a problem, and brought up the fact that the original issue was most likely not defective tires but a poor setup of some kind that was causing the feathering. They agreed and said a bulletin had been sent out about this issue. …
Wheels & tires all 76 →
Brembo aluminum calipers were used with steel bolts causing the breaks to get himot & seize the steel bolt in the calipers. 1 out of 2 brake jobs end up costing thousands & hours of work to get the seized bolts out, I have had a caliper fall off going 65 & got caught in between my tire & rear wheel arc.
Driver side wheel chassis broke while backing out of the drive at 3 MPH. There was no steering, and the vehicle proceeded to strike a fence. Vehicle is still not drivable, and the manufacturer offers no assistance.
Engine & cooling all 60 →
Vehicle shut off automatically going down interstate coming home from Mississippi. The car stoped running and would not crank back. Radiator fluid spuing all over the ground running hot but did not show overheating temp on dash never showed no over heating temp on gauges or nothing. Motor cranked up days later and was knocking due to knocking. Did not know it had a recall bought it the same year it broke down ran good until then but took over a year to get it tore apart and someone to rebuild the crankshaft because it casused the motor to knock and it caused it to mess it up and need a rebuild the motor and I bought parts and all and cost a good bit for someone to rebuild it for me CASUE I know nothing. Of motors. Or cars parts just basics. …
My 2003 Nissan 350z was exhibiting the exact symptoms of a nhsta recall number 03V455000 ( Nissan number r2202) recall. I contacted Nissan dealers and Nissan consumer affairs with my VIN and was told it didn't fall under the recall. I then took my vehicle to the Nissan dealer service department to have it diagnosed and the dealer concluded that both (2) cam position sensors and the crank position sensor, were failing and needed to be replaced at a cost to me of 378.86 which I paid and have had the vehicle back only a few days (<100 miles) but so far seems to have resolved the issue. I again contacted Nissan consumer affairs and was told there was nothing they would do. I further explained my belief that the recall was more widespread than initially thought by nhsta and Nissan to no avail. …
2003 Nissan 350Z engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Sports car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Nissan 350Z a good car?
Based on 275 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 350Z rates avoid: 4.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the 350Z at the same age. It is one of the 350Z years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Nissan 350Z?
The suspension — 110 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the wheels & tires (76) and engine & cooling (60).
How many recalls does the 2003 Nissan 350Z have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2003 Nissan 350Z, the most recent from December 13, 2005 (fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan 350Z?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2008 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003 and 2004. See the full Nissan 350Z years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Nissan 350Z problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 12,000 miles; 75% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.