Nissan300ZX1994Overview/nissan/300zx/1994/base/

1994 Nissan 300ZX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 300ZX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Nissan 300ZX features a 4-speed automatic transmission and delivers an EPA fuel economy rating of 16/22/18 mpg. Maintenance for the vehicle requires 3.6 quarts of oil in 10W-30, 20W-40, or 20W-50 API SM viscosities. This model year demonstrates strong relative reliability with zero recalls and only four owner complaints—specifically regarding air bags—positioning it well below the 20-complaint peak seen in 1990 within the 1990-1996 model history.

Model year199619951994199319881987198619851984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SMOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 1520855Y0A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520855Y0A
Engine air filter1654630P00 alt 1485830P00
Fuel filter16400Q0805
Spark plug2240140P65 alt 224011P116
Front wiper blades2889030P15 alt B889061U65
Serpentine beltA172067A0M alt A192MF65SAVW
Thermostat2120042L0A alt 2120042L01

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length169.7 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height49.6 in
Wheelbase96.5 in
Curb weight3446 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 60.2 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium 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.

5.0–7.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.00 sec — 1991 Turbo Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1993Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.60 sec14.20 sec300 hpRWD
1995Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.50 sec13.90 sec300 hpRWD
1996Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.40 sec13.90 sec300 hpRWD
1996Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.40 sec13.80 sec300 hpRWD
1991Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.00 sec13.70 sec300 hpRWD
1990Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.50 sec14.10 sec300 hpRWD
1990Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.70 sec14.40 sec300 hpRWD
1990Turbo Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.90 sec14.50 sec300 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.6 qt of 10W-30 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API SM engine oil, 75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.1 Pints
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.8 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.6 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 105,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

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 1994 Nissan 300ZX sits at the low end of the federal complaint curve for this generation, with just 4 NHTSA complaints, zero recalls, zero investigations, and 22 TSBs. That marks a clear drop from 1993's 12 complaints and aligns with the continued low-complaint environment of 1995-1996, while TSB volume also fell from the 30-per-year peak seen in 1991-1993. Across the entire 1990-1996 run, recalls remained at zero and investigations were limited to a single 1991 case, giving the generation a clean federal safety record overall. For 1994 specifically, the top complaint areas were evenly split at one report each for Air Bags, Structure, Power Train, and Engine & Engine Cooling, with one crash-related and one fire-related complaint, though the data does not specify root causes or whether any are connected. The absence of recalls and the simultaneous decline in complaints and TSBs suggest 1994 was a comparatively mature, stable year in this generation's lifecycle. For a used-car buyer, the 1994 model appears to be one of the better years to own, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms the condition of the individual car.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
22
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
4
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 4 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Air Bags1
Structure1
Power Train1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 22 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB08-097L2023-09-21SteeringDIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been…
NTB23-0492023-06-16Electrical System12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service…
NTB23-0532023-06-16Electrical SystemSILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION…
NTB13-107F2023-04-27Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB16-003C2023-04-17Electrical SystemINTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended…

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 1994 300ZX take?

3.6 qt of 10W-30, 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1994 300ZX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 300ZX get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.