Nissan300ZX1984Overview/nissan/300zx/1984/base/

1984 Nissan 300ZX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 300ZX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1984 Nissan 300ZX is equipped with an Automatic 4-spd transmission and achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 15/20/17 mpg. Engine oil capacity is 3.9 qt with compatible viscosities including 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30, while reliability data records 83 total owner complaints and 5 recalls with the Fuel System, Gasoline as the top complaint area. Although the available model complaint history covers the 1990-1996 range, the 1984 model year sits outside this specific timeline, defined instead by its own aggregate of owner complaints and recalls.

Model year199619951994199319881987198619851984

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 20 / 17 mpg
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the 300ZX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.3–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.30 sec — 1984 Turbo Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V67.30 sec15.40 sec200 hpRWD
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V68.40 sec15.50 sec200 hpRWD
19852+2 Coupe 3.0L V69.20 sec16.80 sec160 hpRWD
1986Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V66.80 sec15.20 sec200 hpRWD
1986Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V68.90 sec16.20 sec200 hpRWD
1989Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V67.43 sec15.57 sec222 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.9 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.8 Pints
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40
Engine Oil Capacity3.9 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1984 Nissan 300ZX sits at the very start of its generation, and the federal data—while only available from 1990 onward—reveals a clear trend: complaints peak early (20 in 1990) before steadily declining to single digits by the mid-1990s, suggesting that age-related wear, rather than design flaws, drove later issues. Notably, 1984’s complaint profile is dominated by **fuel system (37) and engine cooling (13) issues**, with **24 fire-related complaints**, a pattern absent in later years where recalls and investigations are nonexistent. The lack of recalls or investigations for the 300ZX across the entire dataset implies that Nissan addressed systemic issues through TSBs (peaking at 31 in 1992) rather than formal campaigns. This places the 1984 model in a precarious position: it predates the TSB-heavy mid-cycle corrections, and its high fire and fuel-system complaints may reflect early-build teething problems or deferred maintenance. **Takeaway:** While the 1984 300ZX’s rarity and first-year status may appeal to collectors, its elevated fire risk and fuel-system complaints—compounded by the absence of later TSB support—make it a **higher-risk purchase** unless meticulously documented and restored.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
5
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
83
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 24 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 83 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline37
Engine & Engine Cooling13
Electrical System8
Vehicle Speed Control5
Power Train5
Suspension4
Exterior Lighting2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

83V125000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:LatchReported 20/11/1983

THE HOOD LATCH MAY FAIL TO HOLD THE HOOD IN POSITION DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT OF THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH. THIS CONDITION IS DUE TO A DEFORMATION OF THE HOOD DURING MANUFACTURE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW SECONDARY LATCH AT NO CHARGE.

95I006000Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection SystemReported 01/11/1995

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES OF… Remedy: NISSAN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 300ZX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1984 300ZX take?

3.9 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1984 300ZX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 300ZX get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.