NISSAN 300ZX · model year

1989 NISSAN 300ZX

11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1989NISSAN300ZX carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 300ZX is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system with 4 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:injectors (2) and vehicle speed control (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 54 investigation files overlapping the 1989 300ZX, and 5 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

11
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM4
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
ENGINE1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1
EQUIPMENT1

Recent Complaints

20211227EQUIPMENT

The contact owns a Pittsburgh automotive jack stand set, Model Number: 91760, Model Type: 3 Ton aluminum racing, Serial Number: 352351424. The contact stated that his 1989 Nissan 300ZX was lifted onto the jack stands and after sliding from under the vehicle grabbing the frame of the vehicle to lift up both the jack stands positioned on the front driver’s side and front passenger’s side suddenly failed to cause the vehicle to crash to the ground nearly landing on top to the contact. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The contact indicated that the car jack stands were purchased at Harbor Freight but were not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20E046000 (Equipment).

20170413ENGINE

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1989 300ZX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 2013. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000 MILES ON IT. APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO, I NOTICED A FUEL ODOR AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH DETERMINED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE IN 1996 FOR DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTORS. THAT RECALL IS ATTACHED, I ALSO HAVE COPIES OF THE TSBS (10 DOCUMENTS TOTAL). A FEW DAYS AFTER NOTICING THE FUEL SMELL (WHICH I COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE) THE CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A FUEL RICH CONDITION AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE POORLY. FOR BACKGROUND, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND AFTER LEAVING A RESTAURANT, THE ISSUE APPEARED SUDDENLY. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THE RECALL OR ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER (DICK SMITH IN COLUMBIA SC) AND THEY TELL ME THE SAME. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT MY RACK AND PINION ARE LEAKING. I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THEIR DIAGNOSIS, BUT I DOUBT IT IS LEAKING FUEL. BASED ON THEIR TSB, IT APPEARS THAT THE REPAIR WORK WAS NEVER PERFOR

Mileage: 160,000

20170413FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1989 300ZX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 2013. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000 MILES ON IT. APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO, I NOTICED A FUEL ODOR AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH DETERMINED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE IN 1996 FOR DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTORS. THAT RECALL IS ATTACHED, I ALSO HAVE COPIES OF THE TSBS (10 DOCUMENTS TOTAL). A FEW DAYS AFTER NOTICING THE FUEL SMELL (WHICH I COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE) THE CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A FUEL RICH CONDITION AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE POORLY. FOR BACKGROUND, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND AFTER LEAVING A RESTAURANT, THE ISSUE APPEARED SUDDENLY. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THE RECALL OR ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER (DICK SMITH IN COLUMBIA SC) AND THEY TELL ME THE SAME. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT MY RACK AND PINION ARE LEAKING. I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THEIR DIAGNOSIS, BUT I DOUBT IT IS LEAKING FUEL. BASED ON THEIR TSB, IT APPEARS THAT THE REPAIR WORK WAS NEVER PERFOR

Mileage: 160,000

20170413POWER TRAIN

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1989 300ZX THAT I PURCHASED USED IN 2013. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000 MILES ON IT. APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO, I NOTICED A FUEL ODOR AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH DETERMINED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE IN 1996 FOR DEFECTIVE FUEL INJECTORS. THAT RECALL IS ATTACHED, I ALSO HAVE COPIES OF THE TSBS (10 DOCUMENTS TOTAL). A FEW DAYS AFTER NOTICING THE FUEL SMELL (WHICH I COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE) THE CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A FUEL RICH CONDITION AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE POORLY. FOR BACKGROUND, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND AFTER LEAVING A RESTAURANT, THE ISSUE APPEARED SUDDENLY. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF THE RECALL OR ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER (DICK SMITH IN COLUMBIA SC) AND THEY TELL ME THE SAME. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT MY RACK AND PINION ARE LEAKING. I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THEIR DIAGNOSIS, BUT I DOUBT IT IS LEAKING FUEL. BASED ON THEIR TSB, IT APPEARS THAT THE REPAIR WORK WAS NEVER PERFOR

Mileage: 160,000

20080312FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 NISSAN 300ZX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL HOSES WERE LEAKING ALONG WITH OTHER FUEL COMPONENTS. THE CONTACT SMELLED GASOLINE BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 95I006000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 202,262 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000.

Mileage: 202,000

20001103FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS ON RECALL FOR PARTS OF THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED, BUT DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

20000717FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

CONSUMER WAS SMELLING GASOLINE. FUEL INJECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER HAS BEEN SMELLING THIS ORDOR FOR TWO YEARS.*AK

20000706FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR, CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVED NOTICE OF RECALL ON FAULTY UNIT, HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *MJS

20000630FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

I EXPERIENCED A FIRE CAUSED BY THE LEAKAGE OF A FUEL INJECTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE IN MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN AND HAVE RECEIVED VERY POOR TO PUT IT MILDLY RESPONSE FROM THEM. THEY HAVE USED A CLAUSE IN THE WARRANTY BOOK REQUIRING ME TO MAINTAIN MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE LIFE OF MY CAR. I HAVE NO REASON TO MAINTAIN 11 YEARS OF RECORDS OF OIL CHANGES, AND THIS FIRE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A WARRANTED PART BUT DUE TO A "SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN" BY NISSAN. THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT UNLESS THE CAR IS DRIVEABLE INTO THEIR DEALERSHIP THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REPLACE, REPAIR OR CORRECT THEIR FAULTY PARTS. I CANNOT GET REPLACEMENT PARTS FROM THEIR DISTRIBUTORSHIPS TO EFFECT THIS REPAIR AS ALL OF THESE PARTS ARE HELD BY DEALERSHIPS FOR THIS "CAMPAIGN." I BELIEVE IT IS TIME FOR THE NHTSA TO REVIEW THIS MATTER. THERE ARE DOCUMENTED IN YOUR FILES FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS GENERATED THE SAME AS MINE. WHO HAS TO DIE BEFORE YOU BECOME INTERESTED? CHECK YOUR ODI NUMBERS 953919,947955

19990909VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE CHANGING GEARS THE ENGINE TOOK OFF AT 40 TO 45MPH WITHOUT APPLICATION OF ACCELERATOR. DLR HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE *AK

19960830FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

OWNER HAS CALLED NISSAN MANUFACTURER AND THEY FAILED TO IDENTIFY IF CAR INVOLVED IN RECALL FOR FUEL INJECTION. *AK

Compare 1989NISSAN300ZX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 5 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1989 NISSAN 300ZX have?
The 1989 NISSAN 300ZX has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 NISSAN 300ZX?
The most-complained component for the 1989 NISSAN 300ZX is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1989 NISSAN 300ZX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.