CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Nissan 370Z powertrain problems
moderate 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 11 powertrain complaints filed for the 2013 Nissan 370Z, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
How fast does it fail?
Cumulative share of the 11 mileage-bearing powertrain complaints filed against the 2013 Nissan 370Z by each odometer reading. Median failure: 28,000 mi.
10% have failed by4,137 mi
Half the fleet by28,000 mi
90% have failed by58,000 mi
Curve based on owner-reported odometer mileage at the time of complaint. Reflects when owners filed, not when symptoms first appeared. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve.
What stands out
Reported failure mileage clusters in the 0-25,000 mi band — 5 of 11 complaints with an odometer reading on file land there.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗IF YOU CONFIRM: Customers concern of a "clicking" noise coming from either left or right front/rear CV-type axles during take-off/acceleration. ACTION: Apply Molykote M77 grease (P/N 44003-7S000) to the hub bearing surfaces. NOTE: * Do not remove the axle from the hub or transmission for this bulletin * Refer to the Electronic Service Manual (ESM) for model specific torque specifications. - For 2007-2013 Versa and 2013 LEAF vehicles, see the Service Procedure torque specifications on page 4. See this bulletin for further detail.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SERVICE INFORMATION If a customer describes lack of power or poor acceleration, perform the following checks before attempting any repair: * Check for stored DTCs. * Check if the driver is resting their left foot on the brake pedal while accelerating. Advise the customer not to rest their foot on the brake while accelerating. * Use CONSULT-III plus in Engine Data Monitor to check operation of the brake lamp circuit signal. Monitor the brake switch during the incident; it should be "OFF". Please see this bulletn for further details.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 370Z manual transmission has two interconnected clutch system failures that leave owners stranded without warning.
Clutch slave cylinder collapse is the dominant complaint. Owners report the plastic slave cylinder mounted inside the transmission bell housing fails repeatedly, causing the clutch pedal to stick hard to the floor or refuse to return to rest position. Shifts become impossible. These failures happen as early as 2,000 miles, often right after factory warranty expires around 3,100 miles. One owner replaced the slave cylinder, and the same failure recurred within a year. Multiple owners cite this as a known defect on 370Z forums and state Nissan has known about the plastic design flaw since 2009 without recalling it or extending warranty coverage.
Hydraulic fluid overheating causes secondary failures during normal driving. The factory-installed hydraulic fluid boils and loses pressure, making the clutch pedal go soft and collapsing completely. One owner smelled burning clutch after just 5 miles at city speeds. Nissan acknowledges this rare issue in Service Bulletin NTB13-026A and fixes it by flushing the system and using higher-temperature GTR fluid—but does not replace fluid preventively at the factory or during ownership.
Both failures can occur suddenly on expressways or at intersections, leaving you unable to shift and creating collision hazards. Nissan does not cover the slave cylinder under powertrain warranty.
Same Nissan 370Z powertrain reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Clutch Slave Cylinder (CSC) Failure
Plastic clutch slave cylinder mounted in the transmission bell housing fails, causing loss of hydraulic pressure and complete clutch pedal collapse to the floor. Owners report the pedal sticks to the floor or fails to return to resting position, leaving the vehicle unable to shift gears. Multiple owners cite this as a known design defect with the plastic construction and mounting location.
When: 2K miles to 17,751 miles; failures occur both at low mileage and after warranty expiration (3,100 miles reported post-warranty)
Symptoms owners cite: Clutch pedal stuck to floor; Clutch pedal does not return to resting position; Loss of clutch pressure and function; Unable to shift gears; Clutch feels light with reduced resistance on half-stroke; Problem worsens when car is hot; Hydraulic fluid leaking
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership flushes hydraulic system and replaces slave cylinder. Nissan warranty does not cover CSC replacement. One owner reported clutch and flywheel replacement, then same failure recurred within one year.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan has not issued a recall. CSC is not covered under powertrain warranty. Nissan service bulletin NTB13-026A addresses hydraulic fluid overheating issue (referenced in narrative #2). One owner reports Nissan agreed to cover second replacement out-of-warranty as goodwill.
Hydraulic Fluid Overheating and Failure
Factory-installed hydraulic clutch fluid overheats and fails during normal driving, causing sudden loss of clutch function. Owners describe the fluid reaching its boiling point and losing pressure. One dealership replaced standard hydraulic fluid with higher temperature fluid from a GTR per service bulletin.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; one failure at 45 mph during downshifting, another after short 5-mile drive
Symptoms owners cite: Clutch pedal goes soft mid-drive; Clutch pedal rises less with each shift; Complete loss of clutch function; Burning smell from clutch area; Clutch pedal collapses to floor
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership flushed the hydraulic system and replaced factory fluid with higher temperature hydraulic fluid from GTR specification.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan Service Bulletin NTB13-026A addresses the rare issue of factory hydraulic fluid boiling point being inadequate. No recall issued; Nissan has not voluntarily replaced fluid as preventive measure at factory or during ownership.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
The clutch slave cylinder failed on our 370z as the vehicle was driving on the highway and county roads. The clutch pedal would not return all the way back up thus causing the transmission to be stuck in the gear it was in, and be less in control of the vehicle. After doing more research since, this is a known problem with the Nissan 370z due to the poor design of using a plastic constructed…
This is my husbands car so I do not drive it regularly and I do not drive it like a race car. The car was in our garage all day until I left so nothing was overheated. I had driven about 5 miles at less than 50 MPH along an access road, stopping for 3 red lights. I thought it was clutching oddly, but since I hadn't driven it much, I thought it was me. At the 4th red light the clutch went soft…
Car has 17,751 miles on it. Bought 30 days ago from Acura dealer in fort worth. Went to pull out of garage, and the clutch pedal is stuck to the floor. Getting it diagnosed at Nissan dealer, but it's believed to be a slave cylinder that is a known malfunction by Nissan, and they will not recall it or cover it under power-train warranty.
Clutch slave cylinder: I was stopped for a traffic light in the center lane on a heavily traveled road. When the signal changed, I depressed the clutch to put my car in gear, I was unable to put in gear - the clutch petal stuck to the floor and would not return to the resting position - fluid was leaking on the road. Unable to move my vehicle to a safe location, I turned on emergency…
Was driving down the highway when I went to shift into another gear. The pedal felt "light", meaning it had less resistance in the first half of the stroke. In the remaining half of the stroke the clutch disengaged enough to shift gears. When releasing the clutch pedal, it remained stuck to the floor and I had to flip it to its released position with my foot. This behavior continued until I had…
Hi, I've been having issues with my 2013 370z clutch, I am assuming it is the clutch slave cylinder. When the car is hot the clutch pedal will stick to the floor or not have any return pressure when pushing the clutch in. I feel this is going to become and issue and could be a safety concern on a road at speeds.
***Nissan 2013 370z (mt) clutch slave cylinder *** purchase brand new. In march of 2013, just 2k miles the slave cylinder failed. Replaced under warranty. On 6/17/2016, I was driving on the freeway, my clutch failed during traffic hours on the 60 east fwy. I could not shift the gear to get to lower or higher gear. Thank god I was able to get on the shoulder lane to stop safely. This happened…
Had no pressure in clutch about a year ago while driving on the highway and kept getting stuck after releasing it. Had the clutch and flywheel replaced, problem went away for a while. But it's been less than a year, and I am having the same problem again. I was driving on the freeway in stop and go traffic, and the clutch suddenly had no pressure halfway again. Now the problem might be the clutch…
I have a 2013 370z with a manual transmission. On 4-9-2014 I was traveling 45 MPH on expressway. I began slowing for light and downshifting from 6th gear to 5th and 4th. When I shifted into 4th gear the clutch pedal did not return to it's normal position and stayed about 1/2 way down towards the floor of the vehicle. I then shifted into 3rd gear and the clutch pedal went completely to the…
Clutch pedal to the floorboard no pressure can't drive car csc failure inside transmission
Had powertrain trouble with your 2013 Nissan 370Z?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2013 Nissan 370Z?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 16,580 and 41,481 miles, with the median around 28,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,580; a quarter make it past 41,481. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Nissan/370Z.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.