2004 Nissan 350Z Transmission Problems

THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE CLUTCH SYSTEM THAT IS CAUSING THE CLUTCH AND OTHER PARTS TO BURN FAST AND EARLIER THAN USUAL. THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF MY 2004 NISSAN 350Z HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 2 NEW CLUTCHES AT $2,500 EACH BY THE TIME IT HIT 35,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THE CAR NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY BURNED OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY I WAS NOT IN THE FAST LANE LIKE I USUALLY AM AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PAID $2,500 TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH PARTS AGAIN. IT IS NOW LESS THAN 3 YEARS LATER AND IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. NISSAN DEALER CLAIMS THIS MUST BE USER ERROR AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM YET AGREES THAT IS VERY HARD TO BURN A CLUTCH THAT FAST AS AN EXPERIENCED MANUAL TRANSMISSION DRIVER. I'VE FOUND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NO RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319654

Incident

Jun 15, 2007

Mileage

35,000 mi

CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO FLOOR WHEN TAKING OFF AT A GREEN LIGHT - HALF A SECOND LATER, IT POPS OUT. CLUTCH, SLAVE CYLINDER, AND FLYWHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. CLUTCH WORN OUT PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190803

Incident

Mar 15, 2007

Mileage

28,000 mi

2004 350Z CLUTCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY. THE FLYWHEEL ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE.

NHTSA ID

10151950

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

2004 NISSAN 350Z CLUTCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FLYWHEEL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10148710

Incident

Nov 13, 2005

I PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN 350Z ROADSTER. THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED A CLANKING NOISE WHEN TURNING OFF ENGINE. I TOOK TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. THAT WAS AT 6500 MILES. AT THE 15000 MILE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE I REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. SAME RESPONSE NORMAL. THERE IS NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT IT. I AM WORRIED THAT WHEN THE WARRANTY IS UP IT WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN NOT BE NORMAL AND I WILL BE STUCK WITH THE COST. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH NO NISSAN RESPONSE. NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS AND ASSISTANCE. I WILL BE TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALER NOW AT 27000 AND LETTING THEM HEAR HOW WORSE IT HAS GOTTEN ALSO TO HAVE THEM REPAIR THE SOFT TOP THAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR CORNER IS JUST COMING LOOSE AT THE SEEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10140280

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

Mileage

6,500 mi

CAR BEGAN SHIFTING FUNNY, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL WERE BAD. CAR ONLY HAS 10000 MILES ON IT AND OWNED LESS THAN A YEAR. CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE, AFTER MANY ARGUMENTS WITH NISSAN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10133032

Incident

Jul 23, 2005

Mileage

10,400 mi

2004 NISSAN 350Z DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR TWO INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION EXPERTS STATED IT WAS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT A BURNED CLUTCH AND GROOVED FLYWHEEL WAS DUE TO OWNER ABUSE AS THE DEALER HAD STATED. WHEN THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK IT HAD A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FEEL, THE CLUTCH WAS MUCH EASIER TO PUSH THAN BEFORE AND THE CLUTCH ENGAGED MORE QUICKLY. THE OWNER OF THE TRANSMISSION SHOP DROVE THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE BEFORE AND AFTER, AND HE ALSO STATED THE CHANGE WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE ADJUSTMENT OR REPLACEMENT OF THE HYDRAULIC MECHANISM ON THE CLUTCH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133449

Incident

Jul 1, 2005

Mileage

1,672 mi

I HAVE BEEN HEARING THIS RATTLE FOR A WHILE ALREADY AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY IS NORMAL I DON'T THINK THIS IS TRUE. I HAVE A 350Z NISSAN I FIRST BOUGHT IT, IT DIDN'T DO THIS NOISE. THE THING THAT WORRIES ME ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT IS A LOT LOUDER. I FIND THAT WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF YOU CAN HEAR THE RATTLE LOUDER AND CLEARER. IT LOOK TO ME THAT IS THE THROW-OUT BEARING BUT I DONT THINK THEY EANT TO DO THE JOB AND THE CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I ALREADY CALL NISSAN BUT THEY DONT DO ANYTHING.

NHTSA ID

10128726

Incident

Apr 5, 2005

Mileage

16,000 mi

SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR WILL USUALLY GRIND UNLESS THE CLUTCH IS HELD DOWN EXTRA LONG. ALL OTHER GEARS ARE FINE. CAR HAS 4000 MILES AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING WITH TIME. NISSAN IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS BAD SYNCRONIZER AND THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. I AM NOW FINDING MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE ARE REPORTS OF THE PROBLEM RECURRING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102216

Incident

Dec 6, 2004

LARGE THUUMP NOISE DEVELOPED AROUND 8000 MILES ON AUTOMATIC TRANMISSION OF MY 2004 350Z. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO 2 DEALERS. BOTH SAY IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL. WE TEST DROVE 4 OTHER 350Z'S AND NONE OF THEM TO WHAT MY CAR DOES. THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX IT AND NISSAN CORP. SAYS THEY WILL HELP, BUT CONTINUE TO IGNORE MY CALLS AND HANG UP ON ME.

NHTSA ID

10086564

Incident

Jun 13, 2004

Mileage

8,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN 350Z ON 3/31/04. SINCE THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, GONE INTO WHAT THE MANUFACTURER CALLS "FAIL SAFE" MODE, WHICH MEANS THAT IF IT DETECTS A PROBLEM IT WILL IMMEIATELY AND WITHOUT WARNING SLAM DOWN FROM WHATEVER GEAR YOU ARE IN TO FIRST GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US ON A HIGHWAY TWICE, AND THE CAR CAME TO A SREECHING HALT, NEARLY CASUING AN ACCIDANT. THE CAR WENT FROM 5TH GEAR TO 1ST WITHOUT WARNING TO US OR TO THOSE BEHIND US, AND IT DID THIS SUDDENLY, BRINGING THE CAR TO A VIRTUAL HALT AS IF THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE, AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A DELIBERATE DESIGN IN THE TRANSMISSION AND CANNOT BE CHANGED, AND IT KICKS IN EVEN IF THE "ERROR" IT DETECTS IS FALSE. THIS DANGEROUS DESIGN IS IN ALL OF THESE CARS(AUTOMATICS) AND IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AS IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THERE IS NO WARNING TO US OR THE CAR BEHIND US.*AK

NHTSA ID

10079029

Incident

Jun 9, 2004

Mileage

1,700 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *LA

NHTSA ID

10074426

Incident

May 28, 2004

I HAVE A 2004 350Z COUPE I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN SEPT.2003 ASSORTMENT OF PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIX: 1. LOUD CLUTCH CHATTER WHILE CAR IS IDLING AND ALSO WHEN ACCELERATING & DECELERATING IN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. 2. TRANSMISSION CLANK WHEN SHIFTING GEARS FEELS LIKE THE TYRANNY IS LOOSE. 3. WHEN CAR IS IDLING THE ENGINE APPEARS TO BE MISFIRING AND ENGINE IS KNOCKING. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND 6000 MILES LATER STILL NOT FIXED. *CB

NHTSA ID

10054242

Incident

Sep 20, 2003