2009 Nissan 370Z: key fob or push-button start problems

Filed Aug 15, 2017 · 69,004 miles · OK

My push button start does not start the car. It goes to aac and the ignition but the car just sites there. It will not turn the engine. I was stranded one time and had to get towed home.

Filed Oct 25, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 50,000 miles · MO

Attempted to start my 370z this morning, key light would come on, and the lock light came on the push button start. But no response. After some research, it appears that the steering wheel lock mechanism is stuck halfway so the steering wheel turns but nothing is indicating to the ecu that it is unlocked. Nissan had issued a recall for the same part on 2009 gt-r's (ntb10-025 p0309) but not on 370z's. It became such an issue that in 2011/2012 nissan stopped installing the device on the 370z model. More and more 370z owners are becoming stranded because of this defect and it should be recalled and replaced.

Filed Mar 4, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 33,000 miles · WA

My 2009 nissan 370z failed to start on feb 21st without any warning. The intelligent key light was on while trying to start the car by pushing the 'start' button. Tried inserting the key fob into the fob slot but the car still failed to start. After reading numerous threads related to this problem on www.the370z.com, I discovered that this is a common problem to the 370z. I was able to start the car one more time by hitting the steering lock unit. I immediately drove to the dealership where they confirmed that my steering lock unit had to be replaced. The cost was $1335.70 total for parts and labor.

Filed Feb 2, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 21,002 miles · DE

I had the infamous "steering lock failure." it has yet to become a recall and recognized as a fault by nissan, yet the fix is $700+. I got in my car and attempted to turn my car on only to get 0 response, whatsoever. After running through the manual and seeing there were only two options if the "key light" stayed on, I changed the battery in the key fob. That wasn't the issue, which then meant the only option was the steering lock failure. I now have to get my car towed and cough up $700+ at random (since it chooses when it's going to die). This is absolutely ridiculous. Mind you, I was under the mileage warranty (21k, not 35) but I get screwed because the year. This will be the last nissan I ever buy.

Filed Jan 25, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 29,000 miles · LA

After I drove car for 5 minutes, I parked the car for 40 minutes. When I tried to start the car, nothing happened. The car has a push button start and when I pressed it, nothing happened. No sound, no starter noise. Nothing. I tried putting the key in the dash. Still nothing. I got the car towed to the nissan dealer and was told the locking system had failed. $1300 to fix it. I was told that when the system fails, the car will not start. This is an extremely dangerous car. It will leave your stranded anywhere and at any time. Many 350z & 370z owners have complained about this safety issue but nothing has been done to fix it. A recall should be forced on nissan!

Filed Jan 25, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 45,100 miles · PA

Parked car while getting lunch, tried to restart car afterwards and ignition wouldn't cycle (wont go to acc or on, stays at lock). Indicator light implied keyfob needed to be inserted into the slot. After doing so, still would not start. Replaced keyfob battery, jumped the car; none worked. Eventually had to be towed to local dealer. Steering lock unit was determined to have failed. Unlike most reported failures, this one failed with the steering wheel unlocked (mechanism never engaged), however it would still not start. Parts came in at $719 and labor at $259. Had I been made aware of these costs before the work was done, as I requested in a voicemail left for the dealer, I would never have agreed and would have done it myself. Although this event may not occur while the vehicle is in motion, posing an immediate and apparent safety issue, it did result in being stranded in 10degree winter weather. Fortunately, this occurred in the middle of the day with people in the vicinity to help and a cell phone charged. Had it happened 12hrs later and with a dead cellphone, it would pose a considerable safety issue in sub10 degree weather. This is a well known issue, known by nissan, and seems to have been addressed for the gt-r's under ntb10-025 issued 3/18/10. Yet, for some reason, it has not yet been corrected for the 370z. According to service department at dealership where this work was performed, there were too many instances of this occurrence in their system to begin counting them all when I requested that information for reporting purposes. For others information, exact part number on the sticker of the replaced unit is as follows: 48700 9n00a-b1-01 t 4601101c e08 m01 31.03.09.

Filed Nov 7, 2012 · Electrical · 23,000 miles · DE

I went to start my car with push button start and nothing happened. There was a light on the dashboard with a key symbol. I called the nissan dealer, they said I would have to have my car towed. They called me later that day and said it had a bad steering wheel lock mechanism. I know nissan is having problems with the 2009 370z wheel lock mechanisms. There is no recall at the moment.

Filed Oct 31, 2012 · Electrical, Steering · 50,000 miles · FL

After work, tried starting my 370z and it would not start, leaving me stranded. Tried other key fob, same issue. Had car towed to the nissan dealer who identified the issue as steering lock failure: $750 part +$50 overnight + $100 labor + tax = $960 total cost. Nissan has replaced the part on the 2009 gt-r but apparently is doing nothing for the z owners with same issue. Nissan will not cover the part since I am 18000 miles over warranty, yet many owners have had same failure/repair as evidenced by the forums online. I contacted nissan consumer affairs at 1800nissan1 and have started a "case" but do not expect resolution. They agreed to reimburse for a rental car up to 2 days $70 max. Meanwhile they will send a rep to review my car's diagnosis prior to instructing the dealer to complete repairs within the next 2 days. I find it interesting perusing all the other reported incidents on your site, there are quite a few reported in the month of october, 2012. There needs to be an official recall of this faulty expensive part in the 370z.

Filed Oct 24, 2012 · Steering · 53,800 miles · TN

I arrived to work around 7 am. When I left work to go home around 4:30 pm, I unlocked my car. I pushed the button to start the car like normal (though I did notice a light on the dash that said "key") and the car wouldn't start. I thought maybe my key fob battery was dead so I put it in the slot that enables one to start the car with a dead fob. The car still didn't start after pushing the button. I had my wife bring me the spare fob to find that it too would not start the car either way. I called nissan and they told me it would have to be towed so they could look at it. The next day the car was towed and once nissan looked at it they said it was the "steering lock actuator". The part cost was 700-something dollars and by time the labor was put in and the actuator was installed, the total cost (part plus labor) was $1173. This is clearly a problem for others as well. Search "nissan steering lock actuator" in google or go to the370z.com and do the same search. I think it's ridiculous nissan hasn't come up with a different or more reliable device for the theft protection that this device offers, and it is ridiculous that there is not a recall on it.

Filed Jan 28, 2012 · Steering · 14,000 miles · NE

Steering wheel lock mechanism failure. Prevents car from reading key fobs and thus from starting. Part is backordered a month. Side note: nissan USA is not being responsive to complaints.

Filed Dec 12, 2011 · Electrical · 28,000 miles · GA

Yellow key light illuminated when car was started, even though had key fob in pocket. Went to dinner and upon returning to car, it would not start. Would not do anything, no response to depressing start button. Stranded with wife in 22 degree cold. Had to have it towed to dealer the next day. Ipdm had to be replaced. This is a very common problem with this car. If you google the problem, there are tons of folks out there that have had the same problem. This is common in many of the nissan models that use the intellikey system. My take on it is the steering pin is not disengaging releasing it from the locked position causing a burn out of the ipdm. Probably due to stress placed on the steering wheel when entering and exiting the car.