Total Complaints
17 filings
NISSAN 300ZX · model year
1991 NISSAN 300ZX
17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991NISSAN300ZX carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 1991 300ZX is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by power train:clutch assembly (2) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (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 1991 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.
17
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150708SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 (NA) NISSAN 300ZX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKES SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP TO SPECIFICATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
Mileage: 124,000
20010910FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
THERE WAS A CONSTANT FUEL SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE, DEALER SAID FUEL INJECTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
20010709POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED, U-JOINTS ON DRIVESHAFT WORN OUT. *YH
20010709POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED, U-JOINTS ON DRIVESHAFT WORN OUT. *YH
19991012FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS LEAK FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT'S AN ON GOING PROBLEM. DEALER FIXED VEHICLE AT 40 THOUSAND MILES UNDER WARRANTY. BUT AT 80 THOUSAND MILES IT IS HAPPENED AGAIN. *AK
19981223POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS CARS ARE FREQUENTLY BREAKING WHICH MAY CREATE SUDDEN LOCK OF REAR WHEELS WHICH MAY CAUSE SPIN OR SLIDE OF CAR AND CREATE ACCSIDDENT. SAME TRANSMISSION ON NISSAN TRUCKS, 240SX, MAZDA MPV, INFINIY J30, I30. THIS PROBLES HAPPENS IN ABOUT 10TH TO 15TH CAR. SOME PEOPLE HAD THIS PROBLEM MORE THAN 4 TIMES.
19970930FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
THE FUEL INJECTOR'S LEAK AND SPRAY GAS OVER THE ENGINE. COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19970314CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
19961219POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *AK
19960325SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS WARP CONTINUOUSLY. HAD CHANGED FIVE TIMES. *AK
19960222SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF FLUID. *SD
19960222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
EXHAUST RETURN VALVE FAILED. *SD
19960222POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
REAR AXLE SEAL FAILED. *SD
19950216POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH FAILED 4 TIMES. *AK
19950216POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
19950216ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION TRANSISTOR FAILED PRIOR TO MANUFACTURER'S RECALL.
19950216POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FAILED TWICE, EMITTING BURNING ODOR. *SKD
Compare 1991NISSAN300ZX 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 1991 NISSAN 300ZX have?▼
The 1991 NISSAN 300ZX has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 NISSAN 300ZX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 NISSAN 300ZX is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1991 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.