1985 Nissan 300ZX problems & reliability
75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1985 Nissan 300ZX. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 49 | 65% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 15 | 20% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 5% |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was told there had been a safety recall for the 1985 nissan 300zx, so I tried to look it up online without success, and then called nissan to find out if the repairs had ever been done, since I bought the vehicle used and have no repair records. They said if the vehicle was more than 11 years old, they "de-archive"…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 13, 2015
“Nissan 300zx 1985 engine wiring and component wiring interior. Wiring is brittle, becomes hot. And breaks very easy.the engine is in excellent condition running wise , the wiring to components brittle breaks easily. I feel that this could be a fire hazard. And a safety defect. *tr”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Nov 14, 2009
“Tl*the contact owns a 1985 nissan 300zx. The contact smells a strong odor of gasoline followed by a hesitation in the vehicle. He took the vehicle to a dealer and they stated that the fuel injectors and related hoses were leaking and needed to be repaired. The manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jul 25, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL INJECTOR ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE
Engineering Analysis EA94018 · opened Jun 23, 1994 · closed Nov 8, 1995 · led to recall 95I006000
- SUDDEN ACCELERATION
Engineering Analysis EA85029 · opened May 9, 1985 · closed Jul 11, 1989 · led to recall 87V098000
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1985 Nissan 300ZX.
Nissan: tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) warning light on/flashing. No models or model years listed. *pe updated on 08-11-2011. *kb
NTB-09-101 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2010
Nissan: vent control valve replacement. When replacing the evap canister vent control valve for reason: use the one listed on page 2; for vent control valve replacement procedure, refer to the appropriate section of the…
NTB-09-129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 13, 2010
Nissan: the 12 volt battery is an important part of the vehicle electrical system and is required to stay connected when the engine is running. To prevent damage to vehicle electronic components follow the…
NTB-09-030 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2009
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1985 Nissan 300ZX in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1985 Nissan 300ZX?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.