Nissan 350 Z common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Nissan 350 Z, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 15,124 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.
Pick the year
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
What usually goes wrong with a Nissan 350 Z?
We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Nissan 350 Z in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.
Common Nissan 350 Z MOT failures to check
Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.
Exhaust emissions (catalyst)
up to 3.5× usualStands out on cars registered in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for engine or DPF warning lights.
Rust around sub-frame mountings
up to 4.1× usualStands out on cars registered in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimateAt the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Airbag warning light
up to 2.3× usualStands out on cars registered in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Rough price £10–£80 our estimateAt the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.
Nissan 350 Z MOT pass rate by year
Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2009 Nissan 350 Z did best (79% passed first time, 20 points above all 2009 cars) and the 2005 did worst (70%, 13 points above all 2005 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
| Year | Pass first time | All cars that year | MOT tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 86% | 83% +3 | 173 (small sample) |
| 2017 | 88% | 80% +8 | 196 (small sample) |
| 2016 | 90% | 77% +13 | 258 (small sample) |
| 2015 | 90% | 74% +16 | 254 (small sample) |
| 2014 | 91% | 70% +21 | 140 (small sample) |
| 2013 | 91% | 67% +24 | 154 (small sample) |
| 2009 | 79% | 59% +20 | 507 |
| 2008 | 73% | 57% +16 | 1,179 |
| 2007 | 74% | 57% +17 | 1,893 |
| 2006 | 70% | 56% +14 | 2,472 |
| 2005 | 70% | 57% +13 | 3,559 |
| 2004 | 70% | 57% +13 | 3,359 |
| 2003 | 70% | 57% +13 | 980 |
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Nissan 350 Z
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the exhaust emissions (catalyst)? (Flagged at MOT 3.5× as often on the Nissan 350 Z as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the rust around sub-frame mountings? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the Nissan 350 Z as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 2.3× as often on the Nissan 350 Z as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Nissan 350 Z?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score