2006 Nissan 350Z

ALL OF THE WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS IDENTIFIED IN EA07-005 HAVE INVOLVED WHEELS SUBJECTED TO AFTERMARKET CHROMING IN CALIFORNIA.METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF AFTERMARKET CHROMED WHEELS OBTAINED FROM INCIDENT VEHICLES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN MATERIAL PROPERTIES THAT CAN INCREASE THE CHANCE OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE.NISSAN HAS ISSUED SEVERAL COMMUNICATIONS TO DEALERS, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ODI'S INVESTIGATION BEGAN WITH PE06-050, WARNING AGAINST THE PRACTICE OF CHROMING WHEELS.NISSAN HAS ADVISED ODI THAT IT WILL BE SENDING ANOTHER COMMUNICATION THIS YEAR THAT REPEATS THE WARNINGS AGAINST AFTERMARKET CHROMING. NO DEFECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS.THERE HAVE BEEN NO WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS INVOLVING THOSE WHEELS AND THEY PASSED THE SAE RADIAL FATIGUE, CORNERING AND SIDE IMPACT TESTS CONDUCTED BY VRTC.WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW COMPLAINTS, WARRANTY CLAIMS AND SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATING CRACKS IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHEELS, THEY ARE FEW IN NUMBER, OFTEN EXHIBIT EVIDENCE OF IMPACT DAMAGE AND MAY SOMETIMES INVOLVE CRACKS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS OF THE WHEEL.AT THIS TIME, IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED INCIDENCE OF THE CRACKS AND THE FACT THAT THE CRACKS DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PROGRESSED, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE WHEELS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLOSING RESUME.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PE06-050 BASED ON TWO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE.ONE OF THE INCIDENTS RESULTED IN A CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY WHEN THE SEPARATED WHEEL STRUCK A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER ON A MOTORCYCLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. DURING PE06-050, ODI DETERMINED THAT BOTH INCIDENTS OF WHEEL SEPARATION INVOLVED NISSAN WHEELS THAT WERE SUBJECTED TO AN AFTERMARKET RE-CHROMING PROCESS.BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NISSAN SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH RE-CHROMED WHEELS WERE CONCENTRATED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN CALIFORNIA.NISSAN HAS ISSUED DEALER BULLETINS, MOST RECENTLY IN AUGUST 2006, WARNING AGAINST RE-CHROMING WHEELS BECAUSE THE PROCESS MAY DAMAGE WHEELS.NISSAN ALSO SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING CRACKED SPOKES IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN ALLOY WHEELS.THESE CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS WERE NOT CONCENTRATED IN ANY PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC REGION, BUT WERE FEW IN NUMBER.ACCORDING TO NISSAN, MOST OE ALLOY WHEELS WITH CRACKED SPOKES CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-005) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE CAUSES OF SPOKE CRACKING IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT NISSAN WHEELS AND IN WHEELS SUBJECTED TO RE-CHROMING AND TO ASSESS THE RISK OF ADDITIONAL WHEEL SEPARATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan 350Z. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH the vehicle became hot, started smoking and it stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was steered to the side of the road where the hood was lifted. The contact stated that she then observed condensation under the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the head gasket and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID

11578686

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

72,000 mi

Tire size 265/35ZR19 driving down highway at 55 mph when tire blew out. I was able to lucklily get the shoulder and it looked like my tire was cut open with a can opener on the sidewall. The tpms sensor was working fine and they were never plugged and had plenty of tread. I sent pictures of the damage to continental that just replies they’re not warranted. If you google continental blow outs you will see tires and even recalls that look just like mine. I definitely could of been killed or killed someone else if the blowout occurred on a busy highway because I lost control

NHTSA ID

11549900

Incident

Sep 26, 2023

MY 2006 350Z IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT IS STATED BELOW FROM YOUR WEBSITE. I PURCHASE MY CAR IN 2012 AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM AS I HAD BEEN DRIVING AUTOMATICS. June 24, 2011 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11E024000 SERVICE EQUIPMENT/CLUTCH KIT ASSEMBLIES AN OVERSIZED CLUTCH DISC COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY ON THE INITIAL START-UP, IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FAILS TO USE THE SERVICE BRAKES WHILE THE HAND BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED. UNINTENTIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE COULD RESULT IN A CRASH OR POSSIBLE INJURY TO PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11460244

Incident

Apr 9, 2012

The airbag sensor failed and the light is flashing. The tire pressure sensor failed and the light is on.

NHTSA ID

11443627

Incident

Dec 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan 350Z. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the accelerator and brake pedals became unresponsive while depressed. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle and the vehicle regained functionality. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

NHTSA ID

11438578

Incident

Feb 9, 2021

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN 350Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE PEARSON NISSAN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE AIR BAG MODULES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS REPAIRED TWICE A YEAR FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,532.

NHTSA ID

10993152

Incident

Jan 23, 2009

Mileage

45,532 mi

AIRBAG IS FLASHING ON WHEN CAR IS RUN

NHTSA ID

10978728

Incident

Mar 21, 2017

Mileage

41,000 mi

ISSUE WITH CAM SHAFT SENSOR FAILURE. REPLACED BANK 2 AND NOW BANK 1. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING. THIS WAS PART OF A RECALL FOR 2003 MODELS, BUT NOT FOR 2006 MODELS. CAR HAS 121,000 MILES AND RUNS SMOOTH, EXCEPT FOR THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR FAILURES. IT IS BECOMING DANGEROUS, BECAUSE IT IS KILLING THE ENGINE WHEN IT TRIPS AND HAVING THAT HAPPEN AT 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE IS A CONCERN FOR INJURY.

NHTSA ID

10905783

Incident

Sep 10, 2016

Mileage

121,000 mi

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. · The “VIN Plate/Label” (metal plate or vinyl label) is attached to the instrument panel or body on the driver side at the base of the windshield (see Figure 1). · The “Certification Label” (vinyl adhesive label) is located on the lower area of the driver side B-Pillar (see Figure 1).

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. · The “VIN Plate/Label” (metal plate or vinyl label) is attached to the instrument panel or body on the driver side at the base of the windshield (see Figure 1). · The “Certification Label” (vinyl adhesive label) is located on the lower area of the driver side B-Pillar (see Figure 1).

CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.