2003 Nissan 350Z

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."I HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. THE TIRES WORE OUT WITHIN 7 MONTHS. I TOOK TO THE DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. I ENDED UP REPLACING TWO TIRES. THAT WAS IN JUNE. SEPTEMBER I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. LESS THAN A YEAR, MY CAR HAS HAD 5 ALIGNMENTS AND TWO SETS OF TIRES. I CONTACTED THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR SPECIALIST, NO ONE WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE CAR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE A MANUFACTURED DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL CAR HAS BEEN REPORTED. I CAN NOT DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE I AM SCARED THE TIRES MIGHT BLOW UP. *JB

EXPERIENCING AN UNRESOLVED TIRE WEAR PROBLEM WITH 2003 350Z THAT I PURCHASE NEW IN FEBRUARY 2003. THE FRONT TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT PERFORMED TWICE ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE TIRES ARE EXAMINED, THEY HAVE AN IRREGULAR WEAR PATTERN ON THE OUTSIDE EDGES OF THE TREAD. ALTHOUGH NISSAN HAS ISSUED TSB NTB04-043 ON 4/12/2004 AND EXTENDED THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY TO TWO YEAR / 30K MILES, I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS A LONG TERM SOLUTION THAT WILL RESULT IN FRONT TIRES LASTING SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER THAN THE CURRENT UNACCEPTABLE 10K TO 12K MILES. I VIEW THIS ISSUE AS REDUCING THE SERVICEABILITY / RELIABILITY OF MY 350Z AND IT MAY ALSO POSE A SAFETY CONCERN IF THE PROBLEM REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *JB *SC

2003 NISSAN 350Z BROUGHT IN TO SHOWCASE NISSAN IN BOURNE, MA WITH OIL LIGHT ON AND NO OIL PRESSURE. TECHNICIAN PUT CAR ON LIFT AND DRAINED "LESS THAN A PINT OF OIL" FROM VEHICAL. INSIDE OF TAIL PIPES WERE OILY AND BLACK. MILAGE AT THE TIME WAS 14,100. NISSAN'S SOLUTION WAS TO DO CONSUMPTION TESTS AT 500 MILE INTERVALS WHICH RESULTED IN OIL USAGE OF 1/4 TO 1/2 QUART PER 500 MILES WHICH NISSAN CLAIMS IS "NORMAL".*AK

NISSAN 350Z. LOST CONTROL OF CAR JUST CHANGING LANES AT 45 MPH. CAR SPUN SIDEWAY AND WHEN I TRIED TO RECOVER, STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AS TIRES SEEMED TO BE JUST GLIDING WHEREVER THEY WANTED TO GO. I AM JUST NOW CONNECTING THIS INCIDENT TO THE JUST BECAME AWARE OF TIRE AND FRONT END PROBLEM THAT NISSAN SEEMS TO BE HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. I ONLY WISH SOMEBODY HAD TOLD ME MY FRONT END WAS NOT ALIGNED AND TRACKING CORRECTLY AND THAT MY TIRES WERE WORN AWAY ON THE INNER EDGES. THE FAILURE TO NOTIFY ME PLACED ME IN A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT ALLOWED ME TO THINK THE VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING WAS SAFE AND WOULD RESPOND WHEN I NEEDED IT TO. MY INITIAL THINKING OF A SLICK ROAD, WHICH REALLY WASN'T PRESENT, IS NOW APPARENT TO ME TO BE A FRONT END WHICH CAN WANDER AND CAUSE ABRUPT ALTERATIONS IN TRACKING DUE TO TIRE WEAR AND IMPROPER ALIGNMENT. FORTUNATELY, THE ONLY BRUISED ITEM WAS THE CAR. I HOPE IT DOESN'T LEAD TO A HUMAN. *AK *NM THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE FAILED THE MASSACHUSETTS SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE OF BAD TIRES. *TC

THE TIRES BEGAN TO FEATHER AND WEAR UNEVENLY WITHIN THE FIRST 5000 MILES OF OWNING THE CAR. THE TIRES BEGAN TO CUP. THE CAR NOW HAS EXTREMELY LOUD ROAD NOISE. IT IS LOADER THAN ANY NORMAL SPORTS CAR SHOULD BE AND IS HORRIBLE TO DRIVE. IT IS VERY NERVE RACKING. THE TIRE WEAR COULD BE DANGEROUS AND RESULT IN A FLAT OR BLOW OUT. THE TIRE WEAR IS PROBABLY DUE TO A SUSPENSION ISSUE WITH THE CAR. NISSAN HAS SERVICE RECORDS ISSUED. NISSAN TOLD THE DEALER TO SWAP MY TWO FRONT WHEELS, BUT THIS DID NOTHING.*AK

AT 8,000 MILES MY FONT TIRES ARE WORN DUE TO THE FACTORY SETTING THE TOE-IN TO AGGRESSIVELY. NISSAN DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE THE CAR IS JUST OVER 12 MONTHS OLD. SO NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW TIRES AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT 8,000 MILES UNTIL I HAVE TO BUY NEW TIRES AGAIN. I LOVE THE Z BUT NISSAN SHOULD KNOW THEY JUST LOST A CUSTOMER HERE. *AK