I have a touring model vin#3775. First it was the Bose and now it's making frontend/tire noise at only 3700 miles. The car is at the dealer now but they claim they don't have the equipment to rotate the tires and will have to take it to a speciality shop. Does rotating the tires and adjusting the toe in fix the problem? I sure hope so or this car is gonna be trade bait.
I have not experienced the rough ride yet but I'm sure it's coming.
I have owned seven Z's since 1977 and have never had problems like these. I like this car and would consider trading it in for a new one if all of the problems get worked out.

 

Fly-

Get your alignment, but don't expect it to fix anything.

My dealer put 2 new tires on and did an alignment. The numbers were all over the place: one front was toe-in, the other was toe-out.

I have roughly 3000 miles on these tires, 10.5k total, and the fronts are beginning to feather again.

If there are others like me that have been through the experiment, Nissan should now have enough data that an alignment is not going to fix it.

Add on top of the feather, that I think my second tranny is beginning to go...horrendous gear whine, not the almost cool supercharger like sound from the first tranny. The throw out bearing is making noises. Just not enjoying the car nearly as much as I once did.

Oh and I have the bouncing/porpoising issue as well. I actually have had a couple of passengers ask me if something was wrong with the car.

 

I have 9700 miles on my Z, with the alignment and front tires cross-swapped at 8800 miles. The sound is just flat annoying and reminds me of this issue everytime I drive the car. This is my third Z (94 NA, 95 TT) and as many have mentioned could be my last and I really would hate to reach that point in this. I'm not ready to throw in the towl yet, and I'm not assuming anyone else is, we just want our cars fixed! I'm tired of driving a sports car that sounds like a truck. Interestingly enough my car is pulling to the right, after they did the alignment. I'm in for whatever it takes to get this fixed and fixed right. I think my dealer and my customer service rep from Nissan is probably getting tired of my calling them....well guess what so am I so fix it and fix it right...anything else is UNACCEPTABLE!

Scott

 

I'm extremely disappointed that Nissan fails to address a crucial design error in the 350Z. I looked at my front tires today (7200 miles) and I'm within 1000 miles of hitting the treadbar, and the fronts are wearing 3x faster than the rear. This is unacceptable, and a simply align & swap of the front tires isn't going to cut it. I expect a fix, and a new set of front tires. End of story.

 

I'm on second set of tires with around three thousand miles and cupping is again started. NNA basically told me to pound sand as all they would do is rotate the tires. Car will wear out a set of front tires every 9-10,000 miles. I can't live with that. They need to come up with a fix now. I'm ready for a class action if NNA can't get their act together. As a preorder customer I expect much more from them. NNA closed my account on the tire issue so the dealer can not be reimbursed for looking into the issue for the near term. Great polocy, ignore the problem and wait for the customer to go away!

 

Moderators, we still have more than one thread going on the FIX, Bounce and Tires. Is it possible to integrate this thread with droid's explosive one where I have been taking my lumps, deservedly so, but I'm better now and combined threads will help to bring cohesive action, hopefully. Thanks for your effort. Boomer

 

I don't like that idea at all. I started this thread with the inflammatory subject line to specifically call out the NNA Consumer Relations crew in a public forum. I called on Tuesday, March 18th and I have yet to hear a word.

I'm sick and f**king tired of being nice to NNA. I have NEVER raised my voice, nor have I ever been an ******* when dealing with them. I have so many files open that it takes the rep close to five minutes to read through them before they can log my new complaint. As a pre-order customer who ordered their car on JANUARY 19th, 2002, I deserve Nissan's UNDIVIDED ATTENTION. Bobby Knight has NOTHING on me when I decide to unleash.

I find it incredibly ridiculous that I cannot get a call back from NNA when their strategic partners will return my calls within 20-30 minutes. Nissan's competition and partners are reading this forum, I can GUARANTEE you of that. I'll bet they get a good laugh out of Nissan's complete lack of regard for it's MOST IMPORTANT customer base.

 

For that matter, just a question : Would My350Z.com write a well crafted letter to Autoweek, Car&Driver and some other media specifying the nature of the problem and the number of "members" having it?

The magazine is likely to contact NNA to ask for a "position". Press preasure might be what makes the issue move forward.

Just an idea.

I would be willing to put my name on the list...

 

Hey, droid, go get them. I've wasted enough of my time shitstorming that I want a FIX, not a fight. If my mild, reasonable and logical course of action works, I'll be happy. I'm going to try it, but I support your right to slam them as much as you want, especially since they won't give you the courtesy of a return call. I will be right with you if Nissan can't do the right thing for its customers and I believe I've suggested a reasonable request to be honored by Nissan, we will see.

 

I am up for anything also...i have had mine replaced already by my dealership after alignment...but if the problem persists then whats the point...a permanent fix is the only answer and by whatever means necessary

 

Brad,

Count me in. My name is Jim OSgood and my VIN is 1324.

Per my service record on 2/21/03:

"Customer states tires are feathering on inside edge front

Cause: Improper alignment

Completed front end alignment tires feathering and getting chopped up on the inside edges of the tires realigned front end"

That was at 8696 miles. I now have 10,500 miles and it is worse then ever.

I have an open file on this issue with NNA as of yesterday. No return call yet. I have a call into Bankston Nissan Dallas as of today and no call back. I will give them both a few days and then unleash the Irish fury my wife loves to see. The horror...The horror...

 

Okay I called my Nissan dealer and got the spring part numbers and dates they were used on production vehicles. My next venture is get Nissan to tell me what the differences are....

Front Springs
June 2002 - December 2002 = 54010-CD002
Decemeber 2002 - Present = 54010-CD003

Rear Springs
June 2002 - May 2003 = 55020-CD010
As of May 2003 = 55020-AM810

So Nissan changed something in the front spring in December
and the rear spring is changing in May. What the hell.

I will hound Nissan for this information about what the difference are.

 

After reading my response, it sounded like a 12 step program.

Hi, my name is Jim and my vin is 1324. I have tire feathering.

Hi Jim. Welcome. We are all here in the same boat.

My question is, Droid, will you sponsor me?

 

Quoted from my earlier message:
"Okay I called my Nissan dealer and got the spring part numbers and dates they were used on production vehicles. My next venture is get Nissan to tell me what the differences are....

Front Springs
June 2002 - December 2002 = 54010-CD002
Decemeber 2002 - Present = 54010-CD003

Rear Springs
June 2002 - May 2003 = 55020-CD010
As of May 2003 = 55020-AM810

So Nissan changed something in the front spring in December
and the rear spring is changing in May. What the hell.

I will hound Nissan for this information about what the difference are."
******************************


OK so just found out that Nissan changed the part number for the front springs again:

Correct current part # for front springs : 54010-CD001

old part # 1 54010-CD002
old part # 2 54010-CD003

Right now I have request in to Nissan, and 2 dealers for information on the springs.

jason

 

So what do you think the "CD" in the parts number stands for?

1. Change Discreetly
2. Conceal Deceive
3. Correct Damnit
4. sCrew Droid
5. Chinese Defective

I give up.

Any other guesses?

 

Got my car back from the dealer today. Had the front tires rotated and the toe in adjusted. The service manager told me that I may have to come back and do it again. There is something inherently wrong, at least with the lower vin # units. This is totally unacceptable. I've decided to cut my losses and trade this pig in immediately. Damn, I liked this car.

 

I feel stupid but what exactly is FEATHERING?

 

Just an update...

Steven called back from NNA today. I gave him as much ammunition as I could in addition to some of my own theories as to why this is happening. Hopefully he can get the engineers to figure this thing out. I DO NOT want to get rid of my car. I want it fixed so that I may continue to enjoy it for years to come. Besides, the depreciation is so great at this point that if I did trade it in, I'd expect Nissan to subsidize my losses via a rebate.

 

droidekaus,

My calls have been to Steven as well. Bet he is getting tired of my350z.com people......My chief complaint is the bounce. I only have 1200 miles so the feathering hasn't become an issue yet. I don't see how NNA can get around w/o issuing adjustable front control arm updates to everyone (something like Dwnshifts crew has developed for racing). I still wonder if the spring updates fix the bounce problem. Still waiting to see pics of the later springs vs. first springs.

 

Just talked to Steven and there is no current TSB to update springs. I strongly suggested one!!!!! He also could not give a list of TSB's for my car. This is pissing me off. It was funny he answered the phone and thought I was one of the complaining about the seat creaking....... He did say that all the case notes get passed onto the engineering group. People speak up or quit bitching! Has anyone driven a newer Z compared to the early Z's (preorders)? Is the bounce there still?