IllustrationDRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK WON'T UNLOCK. IF YOU LOCK IT THEN TRY TO UNLOCK IT, THE LOCK WON'T ENGAGE.
2005 Nissan 350Z
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan 350Z do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 73.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 350Z years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
270–25K
1725–50K
1150–75K
775–100K
3100–150K
0150K+
65 reports with mileage · 18 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Structure complaints
4 reportsI HAVE A 2005 NISSAN 350Z, THE STRUTS HOLDING THE HEAVY REAR HATCH HAVE FAILED TO KEEP THE HATCH OPEN GRADUALLY DETERIORATING AND HAD HIT BOTH MY WIFE AND I IN THE HEAD VERY BADLY CAUSING BLOODY GASHES IN OUR HEADS. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY FIRST SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FREE, THEN CHANGED THEIR MIND. IT STARTED AS AN INTERM…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN 350Z, THE STRUTS HOLDING THE HEAVY REAR HATCH HAVE FAILED TO KEEP THE HATCH OPEN GRADUALLY DETERIORATING AND HAD HIT BOTH MY WIFE AND I IN THE HEAD VERY BADLY CAUSING BLOODY GASHES IN OUR HEADS. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY FIRST SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FREE, THEN CHANGED THEIR MIND. IT STARTED AS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT LEAD UP TO A TOTAL FAILURE. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO NISSAN, I SHOWED THE SERVICE ADVISOR MY BLOODY GASH AND THE REASON PLUS THE LOOSE MECHANISM FOR MANUAL RELEASE. HE SENT THE CAR TO THE SHOP, A TECH THERE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS HOLDING THE HATCHBACK AND THE LOOSE ASSEMBLY WOULD BE A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO TIGHTEN. THIS IS IN SPITE OF THE HATCH NOT OPENING BECAUSE THE STRUTS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO PULL UP THE TRUNK (HATCH) AND THE ENTIRE MANUAL MECHANISM IS LOOSE WHICH IS ABOVE THE REAR PLATE MOUNT AND LIGHT. I HAVE SPOKE TO OTHER 350Z OWNERS AS WELL AS THE PARTS STORES AND NISSAN PARTS DEPARTMENT. I ASKED ABOUT THE FAILURE RATE, THE RESPONSE WAS "INEVITABLE, INCLUDING THE WINDOW MOTORS." THE PROBLEM BEGAN AT 34,500 MILES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND PROGRESSED. THIS GRADUAL DEGRADATION FOOLED ME INTO BELIEVING THE NISSAN DEALER. I NOW KNOW THAT IF NISSAN FIXED MY STRUTS FREE AND ADMITTED THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECALL ALL OF THEM, COSTING NISSAN MILLIONS. I FINALLY BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN JAN. OF 2010 WHEN THE CAR WAS AGAIN BROUGHT TO NISSAN AND I WAS USING A VISE-GRIP TO HOLD THE HATCH OPEN. *TR
OUTSIDE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE (PAINT OR COVER) BUBBLING UP. *TR
MY 2005 350Z ROADSTER GET TOO MANY PAINT CHIPS ON THE CAR. THIS IS ON THE HOOD AND SIDE PANELS. THE PAIN ALSO HAS ORANGE PEEL TEXTURE. FOR A NEW CAR TO SHIP THIS WAY SO EARLY ONLY TWO MONTHS THIS IS A DEFECT. CAR COMPANY HAS STATED THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE OF ROCKS FROM ROADWAY. UNACCEPTIBLE PAINT AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. MY CA…
Read full complaint
MY 2005 350Z ROADSTER GET TOO MANY PAINT CHIPS ON THE CAR. THIS IS ON THE HOOD AND SIDE PANELS. THE PAIN ALSO HAS ORANGE PEEL TEXTURE. FOR A NEW CAR TO SHIP THIS WAY SO EARLY ONLY TWO MONTHS THIS IS A DEFECT. CAR COMPANY HAS STATED THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE OF ROCKS FROM ROADWAY. UNACCEPTIBLE PAINT AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. MY CAR COLOR IS NEW. ULTRA YELLOW. THANKS. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA07005 · Wheel Separation Due To Spoke Fracture
Opened Apr 3, 2007 · Closed Aug 4, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels; Wheels:rim
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.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Wheels
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.
Wheels:rim
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.