Well I have to say I love the car, I always wanted a Z. But let me tell yah, ignorance is bliss.

I've had the car for about a month now and I just started to read the TSB's. And I have been searching these forums like a madman. I thought maybe it was just my car, but it it seems these babies have some issues:
1. Front tire wear, and BAD
2. Front suspension clunk when I stop short or drive over a big bump
3. Trunk won't open all the way, I have to click the button and immediately open the hatch.
4.Grease streaks on the windows
5. Window noise
6. Some unknown noise in the rear of the passenger compartment.

Now, 1-5 have TSB's, and I *think* its covered by Nissan as a factory defect?

Either way, just thought I'd make a post and say hi, and vent some frustration at the same time.

 

i just bought an '03
3. I sometimes have to press the trunk release after opening the trunk with the remote, or hit the button twice
4. the first owner fixed the grease streak on the driver's side but not the passenger so its kinda loud

I love my car so fukking much!

 

Don't panic dude. Get those things checked by the dealer and have the tsb numbers ready. Be polite but firm. The tires are an iffy situation. Get an alightment done and do a search here for what people had put for their alignment numbers.

 

Good luck man. I don't have any of those problems luckily with mine, but hopefully they will all be easy fixes.

 

yah I am waiting to hear back from Nissan NA about the tires.

Thing is I'm a bit of a shadetree mechanic, and Im used to doing all my own work. The most I ever spent on a car before my Z was 2000 bucks, and I accepted its flaws and fixed them, having no reserve to spend the money needed.

Well now I have a warranty that says don't touch the car. After dropping serious money on this Z, I'd think the dealer would try working with the customers to fix the issue, after all, the dealer gets reembursed every DIME they spend on a factory defect.

I going to bring my Z down to the dealer tomorrow with the TSB's printed out. I hope it all goes well.

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

I wouldn't sweat these problems much. Depending on your dealer, they should fix everything as long as you still have warranty. I bought my '03 Enthusiast almost a year ago, knowing about the problems. I've brought it to the dealer for warranty work many times. If they give you any **** about it, just avoid the heartache and go to a different Nissan dealer, preferably one that's out in a rural area. My problems were...

axle click
tire feathering
window motor failure
broken front cup holder
broken interior trim piece

Currently, I need to make an appointment for these problems...

fuel fill problem - stops after about $19 worth of gas
clunking noise in rear right - possibly suspension

I guess my point is to just be on the lookout for all the '03 problems, and bring them for repair ASAP. When I tell my service manager about my latest problem, he just hangs his head low, and starts writing up the repair. I always tell him that I can see his love for the '03 Z all over his face

 

Is your 36 month 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper warranty valid?

 

I think the big point is most of those issues do have solutions. If you get tired of fighting with the dealer you might have to do some on your own.

By far the worst and most costly is the tire thing. These tires aren't cheap. Find a GOOD alignment shop, ask around in your local area. They need to get camber and toe to spec, specially front TOE if you want the tire damage to go away. After 5 or 6 alignments and a few sets of tires I think mine is better these days.

The issues to watch is that by the time they reduce toe to nothing, your handling starts to go as well. So find a shop that can be precise. Many dealers just send the car out to a local tire shop, so ask them if they do their own alignment or not. As for a printed report from the alignment.

 

It ended 3 months ago, but I got the Nissan extended warrenty.

 

I haven't had any serious problems with my 03 yet, but I was wondering about TSB's. If you have the problem described by the TSB should the dealer fix it for free?

 

the tire feathering issues should have been fixed by the dealers on the first try with the new alignment spec. Mine was fixed at 7500K and now at 19K no more feathering issue with the new tires.

 

i got prob too i 've had the car a month and it made a noise from the motor threw the power steering belt and the pulley was loose. i still have the factory pulley on it was fixin to put my kjr on but gotta take it to nissan bc all it does is make a spinning noise when i try to crank it up. def not good.

 

I had a loud clunk in my front suspension on my Z. The dealer fixed it and it turned out to be a missing nut on the motor mount!

Check that out! That could be your problem.

 

I have similar issues as you and in a similar position - i'm no longer under warranty for anything but the drivetrain. Any ideas how much these things may cost to fix? especially the clunking noise in the front and back. That friggin trunk of mine is going to set me on a warpath (if its super cold I need to press the opener like 5 times and then it doesn't even stand up 100%)

 

Saw a set of 4 OEM 17s on Craigslist (Boston) for $75. The guy said he had ~10K on them and replaced them with winter tires and a new setup. If anyone is interested it may be a good buy. I have 18s!

 

have you had any tranny problems? They are common in 03's

 

I have an Automatic tiptronic, so far it works like any other auto tranny, little sluggish on the response sometimes but thats about it.

Don't get me wrong, my car RUNS GREAT, its the little things like the grease on the window and the hatch.

As for the clunk in the front that should be covered under my extended warrenty.

 

1 - You bought a used car so I don't think they'll do anything about worn tires.
2 - Sounds unique to your car. There is a rear-axle clunk issue but that's not what you have.
3 - They are supposed to fix this under warranty but every time I take my car in and they try it...it works just fine for them. Here is a quick and easy way to fix it yourself: https://my350z.com/forum/showpost.ph...9&postcount=40
4 - Leave the grease on the windows when you take the car in. They'll fix this under warranty.
5 - Does it sound like it's not a tight seal?
6 - If you can pinpoint where the sound is coming from (the hatch, the spare tire, right behind the seat, etc.) we can help.

 

That SUX !!!!!!