2011 Nissan 370Z Electrical Problems

FOR YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN WIDESPREAD DEFECTS IN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) THAT DISABLED THE PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION IN A WIDE RANGE OF NISSAN AND INFINITI VEHICLES. THE ESCL'S PRIMARY JOB IS TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UNTIL YOU BRING YOUR KEY FOB IN RANGE OF THE VEHICLE. IT'S MEANT TO PREVENT THEFT. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ESCL MALFUNCTIONS (EVEN WITH THE FOB PRESENT AND WORKING) THE ESCL WON'T DETECT IT AND, THEREFORE, WON'T RELEASE THE WHEEL. WHEN YOU PRESS THE START/STOP BUTTON TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENS. HOWEVER, THE "INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT" SYMBOL COMES ON, INDICATING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FO YEARS AND HAS ISSUED A VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR VARIOUS MODELS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO FOR THE 370Z, EVEN THOUGH THIS MODEL IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEM AS THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GENERAL "WEAR & TEAR". THIS MALFUNCTION IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART AND POOR ENGINEERING. I AM ASKING NHTSA TO ENCOURAGE NISSAN TO CONDUCT A VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY RECALL TO ADDRESS AND CORRECT THIS ISSUE AT NO COST TO VEHICLE OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

11205346

Incident

Apr 24, 2019

Mileage

51,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL LOCK SENSOR BROKE, FAILED IN LOCK POSITION, HAPPENS TO MOST EVERY NISSAN FOB KEY SYSTEM AT 1 TIME OR ANOTHER. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $1100.00 TO FIX AND IT TOOK THEM LESS THAN 2 HOURS. THIS IS A SCAM BY NISSAN AND THE INTERNET IS FULL OF PEOPLE COMPALINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT LEFT ME STRANDED AND I HAD TO BE TOWED. PLEASE MAKE NISSAN START A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE STEERING LOCK FAILS IT WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START.

NHTSA ID

10970940

Incident

Mar 5, 2017

Mileage

81,000 mi

I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER MY SECURITY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM LOCKED THE CAR AND WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO TURN ON OR EVEN TO ACC MODE. SINCE THE CAR LOCKED UP, I HAVE TWO LIGHTS ON MY DASH THAT WILL NOT TURN OFF. I WAS STRANDED FOR HOURS AND COULD NOT GET AN AVAILABLE TOW TRUCK TO PICK MY CAR UP. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, I WAS ABLE TO GET A FAMILY MEMBER TO DRIVE A LONG WAYS TO COME GET ME. MY CAR IS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT AND WAITING TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP! ONLY ISSUE WITH THE TOW, MY CAR WON'T EVEN ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO MOVE INTO NEUTRAL! THE TOW COMPANY SAID THEY CAN'T PROMISE THE CAR CAN EVEN BE TOWED IF THEY CAN'T SAFELY STEER IT ONTO THE FLAT BAD TRUCK!

NHTSA ID

10948137

Incident

Jan 28, 2017

Mileage

56,500 mi

HAD TO GO GET EMERGENCY COUGH MEDICATION FOR SPOUSE AT 2:30AM. AFTER LEAVING WALGREEN, WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR. THE KEY FOB HAS ENOUGH BATTERY POWER BUT THE ENGINE IGNITION STAYED ON "LOCK" AND COULD NOT DETECT KEY FOB. AFTER TRYING TO AN HOUR TO "GOOGLE" AND "YOUTUBE" AND TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD FIND TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT WITH NO LUCK. HAD TO CONTACT SPOUSE TO PICK ME UP AT 3:00AM. TOWED TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE AFTER CONTACTING 3 DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERS AND CALLING THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, LEARNED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS CASE. HOWEVER, BEEN READING PLENTY OF FORUM ON THE SAME THING FOR OTHER NISSAN 370ZS ON THIS VERY SAME INCIDENT. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE STEERING MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND REPLACED THE UNIT AFTER $1,431.46. + $28 TOWING FEE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. BUT I FEEL THAT THIS STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION IS TOO COMMON TO NISSAN DEALERS AND THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO NOT LOOK IN TO. MILEAGE ON VEHICLE IS 33,387.

NHTSA ID

10862320

Incident

Apr 12, 2016

Mileage

33,387 mi

STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE - VEHICLE STARTED IN THE MORNING AND WAS FINE DRIVING TO WORK, AFTER I GOT OFF MY VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE MY KEY. TOWED IT TO NISSAN AND WAS INFORMED MY STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER IT. NISSAN NEEDS TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF EXTENSION FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. MILEAGE IS AT 33,548.

NHTSA ID

10825237

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

33,548 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN 370Z. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,906.

NHTSA ID

10820426

Incident

Jan 3, 2016

Mileage

50,906 mi

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. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED! NOW TO MENTION THIS MORNING... I WOKE UP TO GO TO WORK AND WENT TO START MY CAR WHEN MY CAR WOULDN'T START DUE TO A STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION AND WILL PROBABLY END UP HAVING TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP IF MY RESEARCH DOESN'T WORK OUT AS PLANNED. THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN I PUSH THE CLUTCH... THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR LONG PERIODS. THIS CAR IS GOING TO HURT SOMEONE BAD! WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE DRINKING AND DRIVING? YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE DRIVING A NISSAN 370Z !!!! SO FRUSTRATED!

NHTSA ID

10806788

Incident

Jul 3, 2015

Mileage

56,000 mi

KEY LIGHT WENT ON AT 34000 MILES AND CAR WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. NO RADIO NO WINDOW CONTROL DEAD IN PARK POSITION HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO DEALER.IN PARKED CONDITION

NHTSA ID

10794777

Incident

Nov 16, 2015

FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT AROUND 37,000 MILES, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE PUSH BUTTON LIGHTS UP THE LOCK LIGHT BUT SECONDS LATER STARTED WORKING. ON JUNE 3RD 2015, AFTER DRIVING TO MY JOB TO PICK UP TOOLS TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT I PARK THE CAR, CAME BACK TO A CAR THAT WOULD NOT START, THE CAR RECOGNIZES THE KEY BUT LOCKS ME OUT FROM STARTING THE CAR. THE CAR HAD RANDOM WON'T START, I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE NISSAN DEALERS ABOUT ONGOING ISSUES WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME CAR. NOW MY CAR DOES NOT START AND I AM HEARING THAT THIS IS A GOING ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK/INTELLIGENT KEY. I AM UNABLE TO MOVE THE CAR AND WILL HAVE TO TOW IT TO THE DEALER THAT DENIED ISSUES WITH THE INELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM LOCKING OWNERS FROM STARTING THEIR CARS. I WANT TO BRING THIS UP SO THAT WAY WE SPEAK OUT SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES BUT NOT ENOUGH POST IT SO THAT A RECALL CAN BE MADE FOR NISSAN TO FIX THIS FOR OWNERS AFFECTED.

NHTSA ID

10723714

Incident

Jun 3, 2015

Mileage

58,000 mi

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AFTER LEAVING WORK TO MY CAR WITHIN THE PARKING LOT, MY VEHICLE DID NOT START. I ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO A LOW BATTERY WITHIN THE INTELLIGENT KEY FOR THE PUSH TO START IGNITION, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AT A LOCAL WAL-MART. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE KEY WAS ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS TO THE CAR, HOWEVER WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PER USUAL FOLLOWED BY THE START BUTTON, NOTHING TOOK PLACE. THE INDICATOR REMAINED ON THE 'LOCK' POSITION AND FAILED TO MOVE OVER TO THE 'ON' POSITION TO START THE CAR. NO SOUNDS TOOK PLACE AT ALL AS IF IT WAS EVEN TRYING TO START. AS A RESULT, I LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY INFORMED ME A FEW HOURS LATER THAT MY STEERING LOCK UNIT HAD 'FAILED'. I MENTIONED THAT I HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM REPORTED ON NUMEROUS CAR BLOGS (NHTSA #10051829), HOWEVER THEY MENTIONED SINCE I WAS BEYOND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ROUGHLY $1,250.00 FOR THE PART AND LABOR. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED, HOWEVER I WANTED THIS INCIDENT LOGGED AS I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF 370Z OWNERS RECOMMEND THIS ROUTE. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN'S COVERAGE AND HANDLING OF THIS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704295

Incident

Apr 6, 2015

Mileage

60,000 mi

KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK AT. SINCE NOTHING APPEARED WRONG WITH MY CAR I WAITED BECAUSE THE "KEY" LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. IT CAME BACK ON THE DAY I HAD THE INCIDENT AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON MY LUNCH HOUR WITH NO POWER TO START MY CAR. I AGAIN CALLED NISSAN AND THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHICH RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. I THEN RECEIVED A PHONE CALL THAT AFTERNOON TO SAY IT WAS MY STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY AND THE PART WAS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. I WAS TOLD THE LABOR WOULD NOT BE MUCH SINCE IT WAS AN EASY FIX. SO THIS PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO THE A $1,200 FIX. I DECIDED TO GO ONLINE TO SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS PART ANY CHEAPER. I THEN RAN ACROSS MANY WEBSITES AND BLOGS WITH NISSAN OWNERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH CAR FROM 2009 TO 2011. APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NISSAN WAS UNAWARE OF. THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID SHE HAS SEEN OTHER 370Z'S WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND JUST HAD ONE TOWED TO THE SERVICE CENTER 2 WEEKS AGO. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WITH THIS MAY CASES BEING REPORTED AND BLOGGED ABOUT ONLINE WHY NISSAN IS NOT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THIS CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF LEFT STRANDED IN A CAR THAT WILL NOT START. WHEN YOU TRY TO BE PROACTIVE NISSAN SERVICE CENTERS CLAIM THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE ISSUE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND QUICKLY. THIS WILL BE THE LAST NISSAN EVER PURCHASED IF NOT RESOLVED AND REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663497

Incident

Dec 9, 2014

Mileage

23,000 mi

THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR OR THE FUEL LEVEL SENDER MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK CLEARLY ALMOST TO THE TOP, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MISINFORMATION WHICH THE TANK WAS NOT FULL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10476001

Incident

Aug 20, 2012

Mileage

20,000 mi