Which Nissan 370Z years should you avoid?

2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Nissan 370Z model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Nissan 370Z?

2012 is the best-scoring Nissan 370Z model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Nissan 370Z have?

1 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Nissan 370Z model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Nissan 370Z years to avoid

Across 4 scored model years, the 2010 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Nissan 370Z Full report

Grade 2010–2013

2010 vs model median 1.9×

Model median3× median

Steering 20

Drivetrain 8

Electrical 4

Avoid

2010

Best

2012 · 2013

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Nissan 370Z
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2010	1.93×	37	D
2011	1.28×	27	C
2012	0.45×	10	A
2013	0.72×	13	B

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2010 D 37 reports · median 34,000 mi

Steering 20

Nissan listen up ------------------------------ this is a known issue with the nissan steering lock mechanism as others have reported. My car was stranded in the middle of nowhere. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Drivetrain 8

There is a recurring issues with this vehicle where if driving long distances suddenly the clutch would go to the floor and eventually lose all resistance and make the car undrivable. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 4

Known issue on some 370zs,nissan gtrs and altimas. When steering lock fails car will not not start, without lock release push button start is rendered useless. Nissan is aware of the issue but chose not to correct it. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2011 C 27 reports · median 32,500 mi

Steering 8

Brakes and steering wheel stuck due to steering lock failure. Known problem for 2009 to early 2011 nissan 370z. Total value $1029.85. Consumers should not have to pay for a factory fault. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Drivetrain 8

Base model. Manual transmission. Stock - no aftermarket enhancements. On freeway attempting to decelerate (shifting down from 5th to 4th) clutch pedal "disappears" into the floor board. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 4

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… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

The best year for the 370Z

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2012 is the best-scoring 370Z model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2012	0.45×	10	A
2013	0.72×	13	B
2011	1.28×	27	C

Recalls

1 campaign on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
11V538000	VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS	2011	1,788

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2010 were reported at a median of 34,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Nissan 370Z years should you avoid?: 2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Nissan 370Z model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Nissan 370Z?: 2012 is the best-scoring Nissan 370Z model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Nissan 370Z have?: 1 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Nissan 370Z model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2010 370Z

Complaints in window: 37
Severity-weighted: 43
Model median (weighted): 22
vs model median: 1.93×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 0
Open investigations: 1

Score 48.3 D