Scary - should I be concerned?

[dbrs0821]

Again, I totally dig this site. Have learned a ton of info since getting my 370 back in December. A little background, first:

370z touring 6MT, 2800 miles. Leased it two months ago with 490 miles on the odometer- wanted a new one, but it was the last '09 and I got a sweet deal.

Came from an '09 Maxima so I realize this car is a different animal...literally

When I first got the Z, I noticed that the shifts were really rough between 1st and 2nd, but no other gears...something I've read about in a few other posts here on the site. Having said that, I think a combination of time/break-in and just learning better synchronization of the clutch/gas has helped it get better. I also experience clutch clatter...again, was told it was normal. For both of these issues, I took it to the dealership (twice) and finally had a "master mechanic" ride with me and also drive the car. He said that noises and shifting harshness were both related to the design of the car and that I had no reason to worry. In other words, "they all do it", according to him.

So, for about the last month I've been problem and concern free. Until last night... I got into the car after it sat at work all day (about 10 hours). As I was backing up, I smelled a distinct odor of electricity coming from the vents. This wasn't coolant, oil, etc....it was electrical. After about 45 secs, the smell went away. I had turned the car off and began walking around, checking under the hood, the fuse box, etc. NOTHING. No sign of anything weird at all. I sat in the car for a few mins and then started it up and there was no smell so I began to drive home.

After doing some googling, I came across a post in an Infiniti forum where a guy had the exact same problem with an EX35. Electrical smell coming from the vents.

I got up this morning and ran some errands all over town with no smells, etc. Also, went ahead and took it to the dealer and got the first oil change ('cuz it was free) and they said not to worry about it.

At first, I thought I was being a little bit paranoid but with the smell of electricity, I feel like I should be concerned. As we all know, I'm at the mercy of it doing it again and it doing it for the Nissan mechanics. ARGH.

I knew the car had been used for test drives, etc. If the price hadn't have been so attractive, I would have passed for a model with no miles. I also just learned that it was on the lot for like 9 months. Again, wouldn't have bought it if I had known that up front.

I'm in Dallas, so I've ruled out the possibility of it being road salt burning against my catalytic converter, etc., as I have read about being the cause in some of the other forums. But, was ice/sleet here several weeks ago and many of the roads still have some traces of the sand, etc. But, I know this was electrical. Period.

Has anyone else experienced this smell? Is it possible that this could've been a "normal" (which I have a hard time believing), one-time occurrance?

I only ask because you guys know a lot more about these cars since I'm a fairly new, first time Z owner.

Thanks for reading the long post. Look forward to hearing your thoughts...

For the 1-2nd gear thing...it is common among Z's

[Forrest]

every nissan i ever owned produces weird smells from the vent. I woudlnt call it a electrical smell but more like a "crap" smell.

I also wonder what electrical smells like. I dont want to be rude but i think you might be a little hypocondriacish.

[spearfish25]

Just give it time and see what happens in the future. You have plenty of warranty time to get things fixed if you truly have an issue. I know that since I like my car more than just about any car I've previously owned, I'm a bit overly concerned with everything it does. Just let it be a car and make its smells. When a tiny thing becomes more overt, the dealer is your next step. I figure that if I can't reproduce it fairly readily, it's not a big enough deal yet. As my wife says, "it's just a car."

[dbrs0821]

Thanks, but I think there are probably some folks out there who know an "electrical" smell. Not a hypochondriac since that would deal witha health issue. Perhaps a bit OCD, yes. LOL

[feelzpwr91]

Originally Posted by dbrs0821

Again, I totally dig this site. Have learned a ton of info since getting my 370 back in December. A little background, first:

370z touring 6MT, 2800 miles. Leased it two months ago with 490 miles on the odometer- wanted a new one, but it was the last '09 and I got a sweet deal.

Came from an '09 Maxima so I realize this car is a different animal...literally

When I first got the Z, I noticed that the shifts were really rough between 1st and 2nd, but no other gears...something I've read about in a few other posts here on the site. Having said that, I think a combination of time/break-in and just learning better synchronization of the clutch/gas has helped it get better. I also experience clutch clatter...again, was told it was normal. For both of these issues, I took it to the dealership (twice) and finally had a "master mechanic" ride with me and also drive the car. He said that noises and shifting harshness were both related to the design of the car and that I had no reason to worry. In other words, "they all do it", according to him.

So, for about the last month I've been problem and concern free. Until last night... I got into the car after it sat at work all day (about 10 hours). As I was backing up, I smelled a distinct odor of electricity coming from the vents. This wasn't coolant, oil, etc....it was electrical. After about 45 secs, the smell went away. I had turned the car off and began walking around, checking under the hood, the fuse box, etc. NOTHING. No sign of anything weird at all. I sat in the car for a few mins and then started it up and there was no smell so I began to drive home.

After doing some googling, I came across a post in an Infiniti forum where a guy had the exact same problem with an EX35. Electrical smell coming from the vents.

I got up this morning and ran some errands all over town with no smells, etc. Also, went ahead and took it to the dealer and got the first oil change ('cuz it was free) and they said not to worry about it.

At first, I thought I was being a little bit paranoid but with the smell of electricity, I feel like I should be concerned. As we all know, I'm at the mercy of it doing it again and it doing it for the Nissan mechanics. ARGH.

I knew the car had been used for test drives, etc. If the price hadn't have been so attractive, I would have passed for a model with no miles. I also just learned that it was on the lot for like 9 months. Again, wouldn't have bought it if I had known that up front.

I'm in Dallas, so I've ruled out the possibility of it being road salt burning against my catalytic converter, etc., as I have read about being the cause in some of the other forums. But, was ice/sleet here several weeks ago and many of the roads still have some traces of the sand, etc. But, I know this was electrical. Period.

Has anyone else experienced this smell? Is it possible that this could've been a "normal" (which I have a hard time believing), one-time occurrance?

I only ask because you guys know a lot more about these cars since I'm a fairly new, first time Z owner.

Thanks for reading the long post. Look forward to hearing your thoughts...

every ones told you its ok, these problems listed happens to all z's, do less worrying and more driving

[PapoZalsa]

Leased?

I read somewhere that somebody said they could not leased a 370Z.

Anyway I leased my old lady's RAV4 and WILL NEVER do a lease again.

Enjoy the car!

[AK370Z]

Every now and then I still get the electrical smell (currently at 14,170 miles). It's VERY light though and goes away quickly as you mentioned.

As for the gears, it's been the same since 350Z. You'll get vibration on shifter and hear thump from 1-2. I DO notice a bit more clutch chatter when SRM is on. I will say that the clutch on 370Z is slightly more noisier than 350Z.

[MeetJoeAsian]

any kind of problem that you are suspicious, make sure when you take it to the dealership and make sure they make note of that into Nissan's computer system, so in case if it becomes a real problem later on when you're out of warranty or whatever, you can always say that you made a claim prior, and now the real problem is found....then, they will have to service that problem under warranty...

then again, this applies to pretty much all warranties of all car manufacturers

[BrianMSmith]

NO, shifts 1-2nd should be smooth and no different than any other gear.

[j.arnaldo]

Has anyone ever heard of the "electrical" whiff on the 350Z? Mine's 6 years old and, so far, so good. Hope you solve that, dbrs!

[radio5boro]

its normal, nothing to worry about, ive gotten some weird brief smells from my g35coupe and my 370z, its just nissan. don't worry so much, just drive it. and for the guy saying that he doesn't know what an electrical smell is like.. you've never smelt some sort of circuitboard or something heating up and giving off smoke?

[Blown32]

I really like the car but my first nissan and my last!To many little issues in this day and age and apparently nissan R&D department is lost.After hearing about the stupid little issues of the 350's and never resolved and then passed along to this new 370 it just tells me nissan is not a best buy!
I always believed that Toyota,Honda and Nissan were the top three foreign made cars?Thats basically why when seeing the new 370 I went for it right away.Should have found this site earlier and would have been aware!
Having owned Toyota's and Honda's there is no comparrison at all with the Nissan product?Nissan is of poor refined quality and there dealers and warranty reputation sucks!
Its a shame to because the car could be so much better and up to date.Trans shifting from 1 to 2nd?Was a problem in the 350"s also?DAH!
Clutch noise?Was a problem in the 350?DAH?Paint sucks terribly?
So nissan doesn't care about its customers only sales?Nissan is of poor quality and not a sound financial purchase in my opinion!

[j.arnaldo]

Check out the latest news on a h-u-g-e Toyota recall due to a faulty gas pedal (Corollas, RAV4s, Tundras, etc.) Thousands of Toyos, dude! BTW, Toyota, Honda and Nissan ARE the best three from Japan, per CR stats. One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole batch, when you have such a good history of reliability. Take my 2004 Touring Coupe, for example: NO problemo.

[Blown32]

I understand one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch.Its the problems that have been aound with these z cars for a long time and are still there?
As I said I like my Z but very disappointed with the quality and problems Ilisted that are still around after all these years.
As for the recalls by other manufactures that is understandable!At least they recognize faulty issues.Nissan has looked the other way for years with this z car?