Total Complaints
24 filings
NISSAN 300ZX · model year
1990 NISSAN 300ZX
24 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990NISSAN300ZX carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 3 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 1990 300ZX is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:injectors with 4 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2). 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 1990 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.
24
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20091221ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IN DECEMBER 2008 I BOUGHT A WATER PUMP FOR MY 1990 NISSAN 300ZX FROM ADVANCE AUTO PARTS IN MAULDIN, SC. IT FAILED WITHIN FOUR WEEKS, CAUSING MY ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. I HANDED THE DEFECTIVE PUMP BACK TO THE STORE PERSONNEL. A WEEP HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE PUMP WAS SPURTING OUT WATER, AND THE SPINNING PART WAS CHEWED UP. THE STORE PERSONNEL TOLD ME THE PUMP WAS VISIBLE DEFECTIVE. THE STORE GAVE ME A RECEIPT FOR A REPLACEMENT PUMP, WHICH I PICKED UP FROM AN ADVANCE AUTO STORE/PARTS WAREHOUSE IN SPARTANBURG, SC. WITHIN THREE WEEKS THAT PART FAILED, MY ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND WAS DESTROYED. INCREDIBLY, THE STORE AND THE REGIONAL MANAGER TOLD ME THEIR SYSTEM HAD LOST THE FIRST PUMP, WHICH THEY HAD SENT BACK TO A REGIONAL PARTS RETURN WAREHOUSE IN GEORGIA. THEY WANTED THE SECOND PUMP, BUT COULD NOT GIVE ME A NAME, POSITION, OR DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE PUMP, OR A TRACKING NUMBER OR METHOD. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE PUMP FAILURES HAD NOT PUT ME IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUAT
20050501ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
AT 63000 MILES VEH DEVELOPED UNEXPLAINED OIL LEAKS RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE. LESS THAN 15000 MILES LATER WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD, TRANSMISSION FAILED TO CHANGE FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK
Mileage: 63,000
20050501POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AT 63000 MILES VEH DEVELOPED UNEXPLAINED OIL LEAKS RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE. LESS THAN 15000 MILES LATER WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD, TRANSMISSION FAILED TO CHANGE FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK
Mileage: 63,000
20040407FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
VEHICLE RAN ROUGH AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 10 MPH. THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THERE WA FUEL INJECTION RECALL 95I006000, BUT IT ONLY INCLUDED EARLIER MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. *AK
Mileage: 98,000
20000920STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WHATSOEVER. PERSON ON PASSENGER SIDE COULD BE TRAPPED IN CAR, UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRONIC LOCK ALSO FAILED COMPLETELY.
20000203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT CONSUMER COULD START THE ENGINE FOR A FEW MINUTES. THEN, IT WILL SHUT OFF. BUT, WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD ENGINE WILL START UP FINE. *AK
19990908POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION--SHIFTS FRON 1ST TO 2ND SLOWLY, LEAKS. TIMING BELT REPLACED TWICE (3,894 MILES IN BETWEEN). BATTERY CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN CAR. AIR CONDITIONING AND STEREO PROBLEMS. OWNER WANTS TO KNOW IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE COVERED IN A SECRET WARRANTY OR RECALL.
19990908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TRANSMISSION--SHIFTS FRON 1ST TO 2ND SLOWLY, LEAKS. TIMING BELT REPLACED TWICE (3,894 MILES IN BETWEEN). BATTERY CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN CAR. AIR CONDITIONING AND STEREO PROBLEMS. OWNER WANTS TO KNOW IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE COVERED IN A SECRET WARRANTY OR RECALL.
19990908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
TRANSMISSION--SHIFTS FRON 1ST TO 2ND SLOWLY, LEAKS. TIMING BELT REPLACED TWICE (3,894 MILES IN BETWEEN). BATTERY CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN CAR. AIR CONDITIONING AND STEREO PROBLEMS. OWNER WANTS TO KNOW IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE COVERED IN A SECRET WARRANTY OR RECALL.
19990407CrashFireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. FAILURE MORE THAN LIKELY DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR DEFECT, SPRAYING GAS OVER ENGINE. RESULT WAS INTENSE FIRE DESTROYING CAR. NOTHING SALVAGABLE. RECALL OF 90'S NISSAN 300ZX IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. *AK
19990214SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
EXCESSIVE SHAKE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHILE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HAVE TURNED ROTORS TWICE AND REPLACED BRAKE PADS. PROBLEM WILL DISAPPEAR FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH THEN WILL START AGAIN.
19981020LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
REAR HATCH LATCH FAILURE, EJECTION, ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER.
19980924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
PLASTIC COOLIING FAN CRACKS AT HUB. DANGER THAT FAN BLADES MAY FLY OFF AND CAUSE DAMAGE OR INJURE SOMEONE.
19980825CrashSTEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING HE VEHICLE TO COLLIDE . MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
19980522SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER
ALUMINUM CALIPERS OVERHEAT AND WARP CAUSING OTHER COMPONENTS TO FAIL AS WELL AS VIBRATION, ALUMINUM WHEELS REPLACED W/STEEL WHEELS.
19980407ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DEFECTIVE ENGINE VALVES. NISSAN PUT OUT A BULLETIN ON 08/07/93, STATING THAT SOME OF THE 300ZX MODELS HAD DEFECTIVE VALVES. *AK
19980323FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS FAILED.
19960923POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED REPEATED PLANETARY FAILURE DUE TO DESIGN OF COOLER.
19960923POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED REPEATED PLANETARY FAILURE DUE TO DESIGN OF COOLER.
19960327FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS KEEP GOING OUT; TOLD BY DEALER, COMMON PROBLEM; CAUSES EXCESS FUEL TO GO INTO CYLINDER; POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *AK
Compare 1990NISSAN300ZX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 5 Open
PE25005Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
PE24020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inner Tie Rod Failures
PE24017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
PE24007Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
PE23020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 NISSAN 300ZX have?▼
The 1990 NISSAN 300ZX has 24 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 NISSAN 300ZX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 NISSAN 300ZX is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1990 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.