Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan 370Z, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 13 | 33% |
| Power train | 12 | 30% |
| Steering | 4 | 10% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Power train | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Steering lock module failure. Same issue as in 2016 (NHTSA tracking number 10929922). Car would not start. In city park and waited 4 hours for tow truck. By myself - 74 year old female. Getting dark and dealership cl
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TL* THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2011 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING THE START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER COGGINS NISSAN(10600 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKS
NHTSA complaint: Steering
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
NHTSA complaint: Steering
WHEN MY CAR HAD 22,000 MILES IT WOULDN'T START BECAUSE MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I WAS HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. HAD TO TOW IT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. IT JUST HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN AT 55,000 MILES. I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE
NHTSA complaint: Steering
CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WENT OUT AT AROUND 40K MILES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER 370 Z'S. I AM NOW WORRIED THAT I WILL NEED A THIRD CSC.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK UNIT STATING THAT IT WAS "BAD". THE SAME THING IS NOTED ON A RECALL ISSUED FOR 2009 AND 2010 NISSA
NHTSA complaint: Steering
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 NIS
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
PARKED CAR IN MORNING. CAR WOULD NOT START AT NIGHT. YELLOW INDICATOR ON DASH. PROBLEM WAS KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING LOCK ANTI-THEFT DEVICE. PRIOR MODEL YEARS RECALLED, ONLY 2011 WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. CAR HAD
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2011 Nissan 370Z. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 AND 2012 INFINITI G37 COUPE VEHICLES AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 NISSAN 370Z VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2, 2011, THROUGH AUGUST 29, 2011. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH CONTROLLER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WAS MANUFACTURED OUT OF S
Risk: THE THRESHOLD FOR AUTO REVERSE ACTIVATION IS HIGHER THAN THE NISSAN SPECIFICATION. SHOULD A BODY PART BECOME TRAPPED BY A CLOSING WINDOW, A PINCH INJURY MAY RESULT.
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER WINDOW SWITCHES WITH NEW ONES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 5, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1800-647-7261 OR
| Reliability raw | 75 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 81 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 87 | excellent |
| Performance | 64 | average |
| Efficiency | 39 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other sports & two-seaters in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 13 of them (33%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 75/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.