Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
While driving my 2014 Nissan 370Z with only around 43,000 miles, the car suddenly made a loud bang in the rear area and then would not shift normally in automatic mode while I was on the highway with my child in the car. When I inspected the underside afterward, there were no fluids leaking and I had not hit anything that could have caused the noise or malfunction of the output sensor. Shortly after, the vehicle went into limp mode and would not shift past 2nd or possibly 3rd gear. Manual mode also stopped working. This limited the car to around 25 mph, creating a dangerous situation in traffic since it could not accelerate normally. The check engine light came on, and a scan revealed a P0720 Speed Sensor Circuit failure. The dealer advised replacing the valve body assembly at a cost of nearly $5,000. …
My clutch would not come off the floorboard. I could not shift into any gear. This happen 3 different times after I would make long freeway trips without shifting. I had 3 different, well established mechanics look at my and do a diagnostic test. As I waited for a tow truck. I found a lawsuit against Nissan for a faulty (concentric) clutch slave cylinder! On 2 of the occasions I would let my car cool down for an hour or so and it would be fine. On this occasion, I let my sit over night. The next day my clutch was still on the floor. I fulled the clutch off the floor with my foot. I turned the car on. The car lunged forward almost going into the hotel building. I pulled the e-break and turned the car off. The car was towed to the Nissan dealership in renton wa. I had to explain to the dealer about the lawsuit on the clutch slave cylinder. He had not heard of it. …
***Nissan 2013 370z (mt) clutch slave cylinder *** purchase brand new. In March of 2013, just 2K miles the slave cylinder failed. Replaced under warranty. On 6/17/2016, I was driving on the freeway, my clutch failed during traffic hours on the 60 east fwy. I could not shift the gear to get to lower or higher gear. Thank god I was able to get on the shoulder lane to stop safely. This happened at 3,100 miles. Yes, just after my factory warranty had just expired. Csc is not covered under powertrain warranty but Nissan has agreed to fully pay for the second replacement. This is clearly a safety issue and can cause bodily harm when driving and clutch fails. Also I belong to a Nissan social community forums and there are many have had the same issue. This should be a recall. Be safe out there.
Clutch slave cylinder: I was stopped for a traffic light in the center lane on a heavily traveled road. When the signal changed, I depressed the clutch to put my car in gear, I was unable to put in gear - the clutch petal stuck to the floor and would not return to the resting position - fluid was leaking on the road. Unable to move my vehicle to a safe location, I turned on emergency flashers and called for help. The 911 operator said get out of the car and stand on the side of the road they dispatched an officer and tow truck. The officer pushed my car to the right lane, blocked traffic with his vehicle to prevent an accident and waited until my car was on the tow truck.
At only 10,000 mi. The clutch pedal suddenly would not return to rest. It caused a dangerous loss of control in freeway traffic while in motion. I was able to toe the pedal up, pump wildly to get some degree of actuation back, and then exit the freeway. Nissan USA would only authorize new fluid in the clutch lines as the fix. Within a couple of days of the inadequate "repair" and only 50 mi. The same problem occurred again resulting in another dangerous loss of control of the car, again in motion on the freeway. Nissan replaced the concentric slave cylinder (csc) but the part hasn't been improved so I am concerned it will likely happen again and potentially lead to injury, property damage, or death. …
Concentric slave cylinder leaked all of the clutch fluid while parked overnight. Clutch pedal went to the floor when we tried to start the car in the morning. While looking for cause of problen, I found hundreds of similar complaints on line for very similar problem, going back as far as at least 2009 and up to the cunnrent model year. To make matters worse, Nissan wont cover it under their power train warranty, saying it is a clutch issue. It is located inside the transmission bell housing. My warranty book does not exclude this item, Nissan customer care calls it part of the clutch item and claims its not covered. So repair has been denied by dealership and Nissan customer care. I have a case number if you would like it. …
Takata recall. I first occurred a problem with the z on my wedding day. My clutch dropped to the floor and we couldn't get the car in gear. We were put in the middle of the mountains with no way to call a tow truck so we did our best to make it to the closest Nissan dealer. On the way we came to a four way red light and couldn't shift to a low enough gear to get to car to slow down, a semi was traveling about 60 MPH right at us, we swerved into the emergency on and the truck to barely missed us. After that my husband found out from a mechanic that he should bleed the clutch so he did and the clutch was normal again. Besides that the car has had only one other occurrence with the clutch. I am petrified to drive my car after that situation but I have no choice considering I spend most of my paycheck just to pay for the one thing that will probably send me to my grave. …
When I entered my car to leave in the morning my clutch pedal had next to no pressure when depressed. The clutch would only disengage with approximately half an inch before reaching the floor. I immediately shut my car off and called the Nissan service center. I was advised to bring my car in. After waiting for traffic to subside I nervously drove my car to the service center without incident. While driving, I noted that the pressure in my clutch pedal was getting worse. Had this started while driving I could have been severely injured, or worse. The Nissan service center determined that the faulty part was the clutch concentric slave cylinder. This part is somehow not covered in my vehicle's power train warranty, even through it is an internal part of the transmission. I am fortunate that this did not happen while I was driving my car, as things could have been much worse. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan 370Z years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2009 (26), 2010 (26), 2011 (14), 2012 (12) and 2013 (11) model years. Transmission complaints make up 17% of all complaints for the 2009.
Is there a recall for Nissan 370Z transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for any Nissan 370Z model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Nissan 370Z transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles; 79% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the manual transmission (2 mentions), followed by the clutch assembly (2).
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.