OK,

Last week (4/11/06) I have owned my 2003 350Z Track model exactly three years - I have 35,000 miles. It was one of the first built.. The dealer has replaced my front tires three times, and yip (you guessed it) the front tires are again growling and feathered.

The dealer says Nissan is pushing back on replacing under warranty (I called for my app't on 4/11 - car was brought in on 4/14).

Any suggestions?

BOWESZ

 

I'm not sure what the cause of the feathering is. Alignment, vibration and oscilation in the stock suspension, etc.

All I can tell you is my experience. At about 8k miles, I had feathering on my stock bridgestones. I lowered the car on eibachs and re-alligned, I also switched to G35 wheels and michelin tires. I now have about 45k miles and no more feathering, not on the michelins, not on the Yoko IceGuard winters and not on the Kumhos I have on them now.

I believe others have had success getting rid of the feathering by changing suspension and/or different tires.

Hope this helps.

 

Got my car back. They did not do the flapper valve fix but they did replace the fuel sending unit as well as the TSB on the hoses.

My fuel gauge does read "FULL" so we will see what happens next time I fill up.

 

Odd. Maybe it was your sending unit... It's better this way anyways since to reach the fuel release valve or whatever it is called, they need to access the tank. To do that, they need to remove some interior stuff and reach it through the rear storage compartment, odds are, you will get lots of broken clips and scratched interrior stuff like I have.

Happy time.

 

First, the 350zs tires even when aligned 100% will feather on one side. It's the nature of the agressive camber for peformance handling. Many performance oriented cars have this. It's like having only two seats and crappy gas mileage--just the way it is.

Now due to some bugs in the setup some cars were wearing VERY early. As low as 4000 miles even. A lot in the 12,000 range. But anything past 12,000 miles with the agressive camber these cars use is just the way it is. The tire choice had a lot to do with that too. Are they replacing the tires with those same RE40s?

Your car seems like it might be right where it should be. 35,000 miles, three sets of tires. That's nearly 12,000 miles per set. Unless you drive like "grandma" I don't see getting much more life out of your tires.

Switch to a longer tread life tire and sacrafice some handling. But even if you find a dealer that does the best 4-wheel alignment in the country, don't expect much more life from your tires than your getting.

 

There is a difference between feathering or cupping and regular tire wear. Feathering or cupping is abnormal wear of the tire, this is why you have the grinding and low frequency noise.

The stock setup for the earlier Zs does feather, some slight mods and it doesn't do it anymore...

 

Took My Z to Performance Nissan about 2 weeks ago for the recall they told me My VIN was not included. I seen the recall letter and from the looks of it My VIN is included. I told them this and they responded that they had checked the Nissan database and My Z was fine. Do you guys think it depends what plant the car was built or are they full of s**t? I can’t believe that they would lie, They are a great dealer.

 

You are probably okay then. As long as Nissan still has your current address you will get a TSB in the mail if it's needed.

If you are unsure or think Perf Nissan is BS'in you (highly doubt it) call Nissan USA and ask them. They'll check your VIN for you.

 

i am getting sick of all these recalls and crap just not working. I have taken mine in twice for alignment recalls and once for the cd player not playing (which is doing it again). now this! this is getting old.

 

The alignment issues were NOT recalls. There's a big difference between them extending the alignment warranty which was NOT a safety issue [Nissan didn't have to do it, but was forced to due to many pissed off owners and bad press] and a safety recall mandated by federal law.

 

lets keep on track here...there is a whole nother thread for tire issues

 

I stopped by my dealer today.....roseville michigan......and inquired about the hose recall.....the guy told me they did about 40 of them...only one cracked hose was found.....he sed that the west coast has the problems....or cars from there......i have a black 2003 with chromed g35sc wheels ...borla and g kit...replaced the clutch at 12k milles with a JWT....the dealer told me no warranty on clutches.....im to old to scream...im 70....lol....window motor recently replaced....otherwise....no tire problems and everything runs great....drive only on sunny summer days.....oh ya.....front bumper full of chips....maybe thats from me goin over 50 mph eh......snort

 

Called dealership in Houston,TX about recall on my 03Z. Made appt. for next day and got the hose fixed within a few hrs.

 

Tell me about it ive been to the damn shop so many times with problems im thinking bout trading it in.

 

What year is your Z? I see you joined in 2006. I have a 2006 and have not been to the dealership for a recall.

 

I took my roadster in for this recall and I was told that it was not covered. After checking the VIN number, I agree that it isn't. Is the reason that the roadsters are built in a different factory? Does this mean that I still have the problem but they wont admit it?

 

hey guys i just got my intake, pipes, and exhuast what should be my next mod?

 

do the recall...it adds 5 hp

 

You are probably okay then. As long as Nissan still has your current address you will get a TSB in the mail if it's needed.

If you are unsure or think Perf Nissan is BS'in you (highly doubt it) call Nissan USA and ask them. They'll check your VIN for you.

Interesting - I have always rec'd TSB and recall data for my Altima but not even once for the 350Z, I had to take the PDF, print it out, take it to the dealer, and show them my VIN was included - and they clearly have my current address.

Never got one TSB other than ones already knew about, and those at the dealer by bringing it in complaining of a problem then seeing how honest they would be about owning up to the TSB. 90% of the time they were honest and said, yes, there is a TSB.

Where they utterly failed and ultimately caused me to trade the car in was trying to hide the side to side tire swap under a compression rod or some such front suspension piece replacement, claiming that was cause of tire feathering. When the tires became badly cupped again in 5k miles, I wasn't so thrilled with the dealer any longer. The said "oh, you need an alignment", which did nothing to address the fact the tires we very prematurely shot on one side of each tire.

 

There was a TSB for the tires, just like for the rock and roll driver's seat, the windows streaked with grease, the front suspension piece replacement, clicking from the rear axle, the list goes on.

As for safety, I was completely unaware the tire wear was so bad until when braking sharply on a steep incline the front of the car started to shudder badly as the ABS kicked in because the tires were losing traction - I thought the ABS had gone nuts, but it was the skipping of the tire on the pavement.

If I had not noticed that, those tires would have worn to well past the wear bar indicators inside, out of sight, well before the part you see even was halfway through the tread wear.

Not a safety issue? Should have been a recall. VERY unsafe IMHO...or does someone have to crash the car like the Firestone/Explorer debacle before it becomes a "safety issues?"

Still I stand by the fact it was a GREAT car to drive, and mine being a 2002 September build was probably not in its favor, I picked it Nov 2002 as a 2003 model. Version 1.0 isn't usually the cleanest build in the series...

I just find it weird no recalls for things like that but ten years into a $15k 1995 Nissan Altima I am original owner of, I get letters for the passenger airbag may deploy too harshly (no kidding, duh, it was a gen 1 airbag!). And, I have never had a significant defect or problem with the car...and very few with the G Coupe - the stereo amp died and was replaced with a new head unit under warranty.