1986 Nissan 300ZX problems & reliability
59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1986 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.
4 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 32 | 54% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 14% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 7% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 5% |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% |
| Tires | 1 | 2% |
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
“Tl* the contact owns a 1986 nissan 300zx (na) equipped with landsail tires (na), size 205/65/r15. The contact stated that during inclement weather and driving at low speeds, he was unable to control the vehicle and it spun out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. After diagnosis, they advised him that…”
Tires · filed Mar 28, 2013
“I received a recall notification on april 9,2010. Nhtsa campaign # 95i006000. This was and is the only recall that I have received since owning the vehicle that was bought from gies nissan of cortlandt manor, ny back in 1989. The vehicle was originally sold from newburgh nissan of newburg ny. The vehicle is doing…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jan 22, 2011
“Car runs hot even though I have replaced fan clutch, water pump,thermostat, changed hoses, gaskets. Still car get hot after running only for 20 min. Radiator empties but overflow is full. No leaks from under car. It needs to be fixed by nissan. Also slips out of 2nd gear without warning. *tr”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed May 1, 2009
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
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE94018 · opened Feb 22, 1994 · closed Jun 23, 1994
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1986 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 1986 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 1986 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.