Nissan300ZX1985Overview/nissan/300zx/1985/base/

1985 Nissan 300ZX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 300ZX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1985 Nissan 300ZX arrives with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an engine that takes 3.9 quarts of oil across a broad viscosity range from 5W-30 to 20W-50, returning EPA figures of 15 city, 18 highway and 16 combined mpg. Its reliability record shows 85 total owner complaints with the fuel system as the leading concern and two recalls issued, while the broader model complaint history tracked from 1990 to 1996 peaks at 20 reports in 1990 before falling to just two by 1996. That trajectory suggests the 1985 model year precedes the documented complaint peak and sits outside the lowest-complaint era, placing it in a transitional period whose long-term patterns are only partially captured by the available data.

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 economy15/18/16 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 18 / 16 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
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.

9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.20 sec — 1985 2+2 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
19852+2 Coupe 3.0L V69.20 sec16.80 sec160 hpRWD
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V67.30 sec15.40 sec200 hpRWD
1984Turbo Coupe 3.0L Turbo V68.40 sec15.50 sec200 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

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 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 5,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Seat Belt System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Oxygen Sensor (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)

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 1985 Nissan 300ZX exhibits a concerning volume of critical issues, most notably 60 fire complaints and 47 complaints regarding the gasoline fuel system. When compared to the 1990–1996 federal record, where annual complaints peaked at 20 and trended downward to just 2 by 1996, the 1985 model appears significantly more problematic. Additional 1985 reports include 14 complaints for engine and engine cooling, 6 for vehicle speed control, and 3 crash complaints. The provided data does not specify the root cause for these fuel and fire incidents. Given the disproportionate number of fire and fuel system complaints relative to the stability seen in later years, this is not a good year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
85
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 60 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 85 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline47
Engine & Engine Cooling14
Vehicle Speed Control6
Power Train4
Electrical System4
Steering2
Unknown Or Other1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

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.

87V098000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor ShiftReported 06/07/1987

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.

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 1985 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 1985 300ZX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 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 / 18 highway / 16 combined mpg.