Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 280ZX.
The 1981 Nissan 280ZX is the subject of this reference overview, a model year whose reliability record is shaped by a small, well-defined set of documented issues. With just two owner complaints on file and a single recall, the 1981 example shows a comparatively restrained problem history, though Vehicle Speed Control stands out as the top complaint area. That low complaint volume means the 1981 280ZX sits as a relatively quiet entry in the model's reliability timeline, with the one recall and the speed-control reports representing the primary points of scrutiny for researchers.
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1981 Nissan 280ZX dominate in one area — the vehicle speed control, 1 of 2 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the vehicle speed control, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the vehicle speed control pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION MAY OCCUR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SHIFTING FROM THE PARK POSITION. Remedy: INSTALL A SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM WHICH PREVENTS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER FROM BEING MOVED FROM THE PARK POSITION UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTB-09-101 | 2010-09-30 | Tires | NISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR… |
| NTB-09-129 | 2010-09-13 | Equipment | NISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL… |
| NTB-09-030 | 2009-04-06 | Electrical System | NISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
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Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.