2008 Nissan 350Z Transmission Problems

THE VEHICLE IS A 2008 350Z ROADSTER WITH 15,000 MILES, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT AROUND 7500 MILES (UNDER WARRANTY) DUE TO BEARINGS THAT WERE BROKEN. WHEN THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO MID-HIGH REVS IN 1ST/2ND GEAR, THE CLUTCH WILL DISENGAGE AND FALL TO THE FLOOR. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY STRONG BURNING SMELL (CHARACTERISTIC CLUTCH BURNING SMELL) AND IS EXTREMELY DAMAGING TO THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION. THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS TO BE PULLED UP MANUALLY AND IS NOTICEABLY SOFTER AFTER THIS HAPPENS. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED IN 2007 350Z'S AND HAS CONTINUED INTO THE 2008 350Z'S. THE 350Z MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 10/07. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332579

Incident

May 22, 2008

Mileage

14,500 mi

DRIVING ON FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH, WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO CLUTCH PEDAL I REALIZE THERE IS LITTLE TO NO CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSURE AND CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS TO THE FLOOR AND HAS TO BE PULLED BACK WITH MY FOOT. FELT SLIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE AT THE END OF PEDAL TRAVEL AND DISENGAGED AND CHANGED GEARS INTO NEUTRAL. PUMPED CLUTCH WHILE IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSURE COULD RETURN TO NORMAL WITH NO SUCCESS. CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT REMAINED THE SAME AT THE VERY END OF TRAVEL AND WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO GEAR. CONTINUED PUMPING CLUTCH PEDAL AND WAS LUCKY TO GET BACK INTO SIXTH GEAR WITH A GRIND INTO GEAR TO CONTINUE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT SPEED. STILL PEDAL CONTINUED TO STICK HALFWAY OR MORE DOWN AND HAD TO BE RETURNED BACK TO STATIC POSITION MANUALLY. DROVE TO LOCAL DEALER SINCE WAS ON THE WAY TO INTENDED DESTINATION WHERE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED AND EACH GEAR ENGAGEMENT BEING IRREGULAR TO NORMAL. LEFT CAR AT DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR OVERNIGHT DELIVERY SINCE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. CLUTCH PEDAL IS STILL HALFWAY DEPRESSED AS LEFT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10303461

Incident

Jan 31, 2010

Mileage

24,597 mi

2008 NISSAN 350Z NISMO / CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS,WHEN THE GEAR ENGAGES IT`S VERY BOUNCY?. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293739

Incident

Oct 22, 2009

Mileage

13,000 mi

WHEN RPMS ARE HIGH IN FIRST GEAR, THE CLUTCH DISENGAGES TO THE HALFWAY POINT AND YOU LOSE ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS. THIS IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A BURNING CLUTCH SMELL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NISSAN RECALLED THE 2007 350Z FOR THE SAME ISSUE (CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER), BUT IT'S APPARENT THAT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES WITH THE 2008 MODEL AND I'M ASKING THAT THE NHTSA INSTRUCT NISSAN TO EXTEND THE FIX TO 2008 MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292825

Incident

Nov 17, 2009

Mileage

5,500 mi

CLUTCH THROWOUT BEARING NOISE & HARD SHIFTING FROM FACTORY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10266379

Incident

Feb 15, 2009

Mileage

1,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN 350Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS INTO SECOND GEAR WHEN THE CLUTCH IS FULLY DISENGAGED. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND IS LESS LIKELY TO GRIND IN SECOND GEAR IN WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. WHEN SHIFTING FROM 3,500 RPMS TO 4,500 RPMS FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRIND MORE. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THEM WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500 UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ WHEN THE CONSUMER SHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR FROM FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GRIND AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. UPDATED 02/26/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10256026

Incident

Jan 8, 2009

Mileage

4,500 mi

HELLO I HAVE A 2008 NISSAN 350Z 6 SPEED MANUAL BASE MODEL, THAT I HAD BROUGHT IN DEC 12 OF 2007 BRAND NEW. SINCE THEN THE CLUTCH ON THE CAR HAS GOTTEN STUCK THREE TIMES. ALL THREE TIMES ARE RANDOM. TWICE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND ONCE WHILE DOING A U TURN. THE CAUSE OF THIS IS BURNING UP MY CLUTCH AND THE NISSAN DEALERSHIPS HERE IN THE ORLANDO AREA ARE GIVING ME THE CLASSIC DEALERSHIP RUN AROUND. I CALL NISSAN ON THERE 1-800-NISSAN-1 NUMBER AND SAID THEY CANT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DEALER LOOKS AT IT, WITH A POSSIBLE CHARGE OF $600.00 FOR LOOKING IT AT. MY CAR IS AT 22,000 TODAY ON DEC 3 2008. NISSAN POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS UNTIL 3 YEARS 36,000 MILES, BUT TO CHECK THE CAR IS AT MY COST. NISSAN HAS REPORTED ON THE SLAVER CYLINDER RECALL, BUT THEY SAY THAT'S WHAT MIGHT NOT BE WRONG WITH IT.*TR

NHTSA ID

10250642

Incident

Dec 12, 2007

Mileage

19 mi

CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. DEALER SAYS THE FLYWHEEL IS BROKEN AND CAR NEEDS A NEW CLUTCH. THE CAR HAS 3700 MILES ON IT AND NISSAN WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR HAD 400 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248526

Incident

Jul 9, 2008

Mileage

400 mi

CLUTCH GETS VERY LOOSE AFTER DRIVING A LITTLE BIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240940

Incident

Aug 28, 2008

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLAM FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230472

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

SLAVE CYLINDER IS NOT CREATING ENOUGH PRESSURE AND CAUSING CLUTCH TO SLIP AND BURN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10226595

Incident

Apr 2, 2008

RECENTLY, I HAVE BOUGHT A NEW 2008 NISSAN 350Z. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON SATURDAY, DEC 29. 2007. ON DEC 31 2007, 3 DAYS LATER, THE SLAVE CYLINDER FOR THE CLUTCH WENT OUT. I CAN STILL SHIFT BUT THE CLUTCH PEDAL FEELS VERY VERY WEAK NOW. AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT IS NOW ON. I HAVE NOT BROUGHT IT IN YET, DUE TO IT BEING NEW YEARS DAY, BUT WILL BRING IT IN ON JAN 2 TO GET IT LOOKED AT AND REPLACED.*CN

NHTSA ID

10213335

Incident

Dec 31, 2007