TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN 370Z. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL BEING LOCKED.THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LOCK STEERING MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE VIN WAS N…
2011 Nissan 370Z steering problems
moderate 22 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MADE 2 PHONE CALLS TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS (ONE IN PORTLAND OR AND ONE IN VANCOUVER, WA) BOTH DEALERSHIPS CLAIMED THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT I SHOULD BRING IT IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH RAN AROUND $118 JUST TO LOOK AT. SINCE NOTHING APPEARED WRONG WITH MY CAR I WAITED BECAUSE THE "KEY" LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. IT CAME B…
CAR WOULD NOT START. FAULTY STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY. HAD TO BE TOWED.
TAKATA RECALL. I FIRST OCCURRED A PROBLEM WITH THE Z ON MY WEDDING DAY. MY CLUTCH DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND WE COULDN'T GET THE CAR IN GEAR. WE WERE PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH NO WAY TO CALL A TOW TRUCK SO WE DID OUR BEST TO MAKE IT TO THE CLOSEST NISSAN DEALER. ON THE WAY WE CAME TO A FOUR WAY RED LIGHT AND COULDN'T SHIFT TO A LOW ENOUGH GEAR TO GET TO CAR TO SLOW DOWN, A SEMI WAS TR…
THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK UNIT STATING THAT IT WAS "BAD". THE SAME THING IS NOTED ON A RECALL ISSUED FOR 2009 AND 2010 NISSAN 370 Z, BUT NO RECALL FOR THE 2011 EVEN THOUGH T IS THE SAME PART.
FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT AROUND 37,000 MILES, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE PUSH BUTTON LIGHTS UP THE LOCK LIGHT BUT SECONDS LATER STARTED WORKING. ON JUNE 3RD 2015, AFTER DRIVING TO MY JOB TO PICK UP TOOLS TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT I PARK THE CAR, CAME BACK TO A CAR THAT WOULD NOT START, THE CAR RECOGNIZES THE KEY BUT LOCKS ME OUT FROM STARTING THE CAR. THE CAR HAD RANDOM WON'T START, I BROUGH…
FOR YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN WIDESPREAD DEFECTS IN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) THAT DISABLED THE PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION IN A WIDE RANGE OF NISSAN AND INFINITI VEHICLES. THE ESCL'S PRIMARY JOB IS TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UNTIL YOU BRING YOUR KEY FOB IN RANGE OF THE VEHICLE. IT'S MEANT TO PREVENT THEFT. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ESCL MALFUNCTIONS (EVEN WITH THE FOB PRESENT AND WOR…
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2011 Nissan 370Z?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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