2011 Nissan 370Z

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM TEXAS MY CLUTCH STARTED TO WEAKEN AND EVENTUALLY STUCK TO THE FLOOR WHILE I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. UNDERSTANDING THAT MY CAR HAD A PROBLEM THAT WAS LIKELY TO LEAVE ME STRANDED, I CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AT 70 TO 75 MPH FROM JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI TO BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA WITHOUT STOPPING. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE END OF THE OFF RAMP, I COULD NOT GET THE CAR INTO 1ST GEAR SO I COULD CONTINUE ON HOME. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, I EVENTUALLY GOT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAD TO DRIVE FROM THE EXIT TO MY HOME IN FIRST GEAR. WHEN I GOT TO MY HOUSE I HAD TO USE THE STARTER TO GET MY CAR INTO THE GARAGE. THE TRIP FROM JACKSON TO BIRMINGHAM WAS EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS AND THERE WAS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR A TRAGEDY FOR EXAMPLE: (1) NOT BEING ABLE TO REACT PROPERLY IN TRAFFIC, (2) NOT BEING ABLE TO REACT PROPERLY TO CONSTRUCTION ZONES, (3) NOT BEING ABLE TO REACT PROPERLY TO CITY SPEED ZONES, ET CETERA. GIVEN THAT THIS ISSUE CAME ON QUICKLY, A DANGEROUS SITUATION PRESENTED ITSELF IN HEAVY FAST MOVING TRAFFIC WHEN I COULD NOT PROPERLY CHANGE GEARS WHEN DOWN-SHIFTING. DUE TO MY DELAYED RESPONSE TRYING TO GET MY CAR INTO GEAR, I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND WHICH CAUSED OTHER NEARBY CARS TO HAVE TO REACT TO THE SITUATION AS WELL. FORTUNATELY EVERYONE AROUND ME AT THE TIME OF FINAL FAILURE WAS PAYING ATTENTION. TAKING A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS ISSUE, IT SEEMS TO HAVE CARRIED FROM THE 350Z TO THE 370Z WHICH STARTS IN 2002 AND CONTINUES YEAR TO DATE. BASED ON RESEARCH IN FORUMS, THIS FAILURE TAKES PLACE AT AN AVERAGE OF 25,000 MILES AND CONTINUES TO REOCCUR AFTER REPLACEMENT AT THE SAME INTERVAL. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS FAILURE CAUSES A DEATH, BUT THEN AGAIN, IF SOMEONE DIES THEY WILL HARDLY BE ABLE TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND CONSIDER BOTH THE 350Z AND THE 370Z--WHICH HAS INHERITED THE ISSUE.

WHEN I ENTERED MY CAR TO LEAVE IN THE MORNING MY CLUTCH PEDAL HAD NEXT TO NO PRESSURE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE CLUTCH WOULD ONLY DISENGAGE WITH APPROXIMATELY HALF AN INCH BEFORE REACHING THE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT MY CAR OFF AND CALLED THE NISSAN SERVICE CENTER. I WAS ADVISED TO BRING MY CAR IN. AFTER WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO SUBSIDE I NERVOUSLY DROVE MY CAR TO THE SERVICE CENTER WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING, I NOTED THAT THE PRESSURE IN MY CLUTCH PEDAL WAS GETTING WORSE. HAD THIS STARTED WHILE DRIVING I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED, OR WORSE. THE NISSAN SERVICE CENTER DETERMINED THAT THE FAULTY PART WAS THE CLUTCH CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER. THIS PART IS SOMEHOW NOT COVERED IN MY VEHICLE'S POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, EVEN THROUGH IT IS AN INTERNAL PART OF THE TRANSMISSION. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AS THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. NISSAN HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FAILURE, WHICH IS EASILY DISCOVERED WHEN DOING INVESTIGATION ONLINE.

I WENT TO START MY CAR AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS LOW. ONCE I WENT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE, THE PEDAL ALMOST FELL TO THE BOTTOM. SINCE I COULD NOT PUT IT IN THE NEXT GEAR, I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED IT BACK INTO MY GARAGE. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER. HE ALSO SAID THERE WAS A LOT OF BREAK FLUID IN THE TRANSMISSION COMING FROM THE CSC. I WENT ON 370Z PAGES AND THIS COMPLAINT IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FORUMS TO THIS ISSUE. LUCKILY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR I COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IF THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME TO HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CARS FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN FIXED? BILL WAS AROUND $1000.00. HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUES SINCE REPLACING THE CSC BUT ONLY HAVE PUT ABOUT 4 THOUSAND MILES ON IT SINCE.

I WENT OUT TO START MY CAR FOR A DRIVE ON 06/21/15. AS I WAS REACHING FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH MY FOOT TO START THE ENGINE, I FOUND THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD ALREADY SUNK HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE MY FOOT CAME IN CONTACT WITH IT. I HAD TO REACH IN FURTHER ALMOST COMPLETELY EXTENDING MY LEG IN ORDER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PEDAL. UPON CHECKING THE CLUTCH FLUID I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND SOME OF MY FLUID LEVEL WAS HALF EMPTY HAD AND LOOKED VERY DARK. THERE WAS BLACK DEBRIS SITTING UNDER THE FLUID RESERVOIR. MY FLUID LEVEL WAS AT THE MAX WHEN I LAST CHECKED IT TWO WEEKS PRIOR, SO BETWEEN THAT TIME SOME FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT. I FILLED UP WITH SOME BRAKE FLUID AND PUMPED THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, WHICH HELPED REGAINS SOME PRESSURE IN MY CLUTCH PEDAL BUT NOT COMPLETELY, THERE IS STILL SOME SLACK IN THE PEDAL TRAVEL. I IMMEDIATELY WENT ONLINE TO RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. I RAN ACROSS COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER Z OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR FACTORY CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER (CSC) & MASTER SLAVE CYLINDER. MANY REPORTED THEIR CLUTCH PEDAL "DIVING" AND WOULD NOT RETURN DURING DRIVING. UNLIKE ME, MOST OF THEM WERE LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADS DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO OPERATE THE CLUTCH AFTER THE PEDAL LOSS PRESSURE AND DIVES TO THE FLOOR. FURTHERMORE, PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THEIR FACTORY CSC FAILURES SINCE THE NISSAN 350Z WERE STILL IN PRODUCTION (2002-2009). NISSAN NORTH AMERICA IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS DEFECTS IN THEIR CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. IN 2008, NISSAN ISSUED A RECALL TO 350Z OWNERS TO REPLACE THEIR DEFECTIVE CSC. I AM APPALLED THAT THEY (NISSAN) CONTINUED TO RELY ON THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS ON THEIR NISSAN 370Z. CURRENTLY, NISSAN HAS NOT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR 370Z MODEL, NOR ARE THEY HONORING ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A REAL CONCERN AS IT POSSES A SERIOUS SAFETY THREATS TO ALL Z'S EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. UPDATED 09/01/2015*LJ

I PURCHASED THE 2011 NISSAN 370Z NISMO WITH 30,000 MILES FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 2500 MILES OF DRIVING I HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THE CLUTCH. I WAS DRIVING AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. AFTER PULLING OVER I CHECKED AND SAW THAT THE CLUTCH FLUID RESERVOIR WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. I KNOW THE FLUID WAS FULL AND CLEAN WHEN I GOT THE CAR BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE FLUIDS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. I RAN TO A GAS STATION TO GET SOME BRAKE FLUID TO FILL IT UP AND DROVE HOME. I DID NOT TOUCH THE CAR UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT WEEKEND. THE DEALERSHIP TECHS WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY KIND OF LEAK IN THE CLUTCH LINE, SLAVE CYLINDER, OR MASTER CYLINDER AND RECOMMENDED I HAVE THEM FLUSH THE FLUID WITH NEW "GTR BRAKE FLUID". AS OF RIGHT NOW THAT HAS BEEN DONE (NOT COVERED BY MY DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY), BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW NEW FLUID WILL STOP A LEAK. I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR AS MUCH AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE FLUIDS.

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.

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

THE NISSAN STEERING LOCK UNIT (SLU) FAILED. ONCE THE UNIT FAILS, IT WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY AND THE CAR CANNOT BE STARTED. THIS UNIT (48700JFOOD) WAS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF FAILURE IN THE 2009 AND 2010 370Z WHICH HAD THEIR WARRANTY EXTENDED (PART NUMBER 48700JFOOA; 48700JFOOB; 48700JFOOC). NISSAN WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS UNIT FOR ME. *TR