2009-2021 Nissan 370z Brake Fluid Type and Flush Interval

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Nissan's 2018 370Z owner's manual calls for Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or an equivalent DOT 3 on every 370Z except the NISMO, which uses Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II. The normal-service schedule replaces the brake fluid every 20,000 miles or 24 months, and the severe-service schedule shortens that to every 10,000 miles or 12 months. Manual-transmission cars also have a separate clutch reservoir that takes R35 Special II or an equivalent DOT 4.

Which Brake Fluid the 370Z Uses

The 370Z is not a one-fluid car. The fluid depends on the trim, and the clutch side on manual cars has its own spec. This is what the 2018 owner's manual lists in its capacities and recommended fluids table:

For the NISMO, the manual carries a specific warning: R35 Special II is the factory fill, and the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) unit and related parts were designed around it. Nissan warns that using a non-equivalent fluid may cause improper brake operation. If you own a NISMO, do not top it up with generic DOT 3 from a parts store shelf. Nissan's 2020 press kit confirms the NISMO package includes R35 Special II fluid along with high-rigidity brake hoses.

The manual also says never to mix different types of fluid. If you are not sure what is currently in the car, the cleanest answer is a full flush with the correct fluid rather than a top-off.

These fluid calls come from the 2018 manual. The 370Z ran from 2009 through 2020 in the US with the same basic brake layout, but always confirm against the owner's manual for your model year and the marking on the reservoir cap before you buy fluid.

DOT 3 vs DOT 4: What the Numbers Mean

DOT ratings come from the federal brake fluid standard, FMVSS No. 116. The rating sets minimum boiling points for fresh (dry) fluid and for fluid that has absorbed a set amount of water (wet). Glycol-based fluids like DOT 3 and DOT 4 absorb moisture from the air over time, which is why the boiling point drops as the fluid ages.

Two practical takeaways for a 370Z owner:

• Never use DOT 5 silicone. Nissan lists glycol-based fluid for both the brake and clutch systems. Silicone fluid does not mix with glycol fluid and is not what the system was built for.
• Look at the wet numbers. The gap between dry and wet boiling points is the reason the fluid has a replacement interval at all. Old fluid that has soaked up water boils sooner under hard braking, and boiled fluid means a soft or sinking pedal.

Nissan allows an "equivalent" DOT 3 on non-NISMO cars. A DOT 4 fluid meets higher minimums than DOT 3, but the manual's instruction not to mix types still applies, so if you switch grades, do it with a complete flush, not a top-off.

370Z Brake Fluid Flush Interval

The 2018 owner's manual chassis and body maintenance table marks brake fluid for replacement at 20,000 miles (24 months), 40,000 miles (48 months), 60,000 miles (72 months), and on through 80,000, 100,000 and 120,000 miles, whichever of miles or months comes first. That works out to every 20,000 miles or 24 months under normal use.

Brake fluid is also flagged as a severe-service item. Nissan lists these as severe driving conditions:

• Repeated short trips of less than 5 miles
• Repeated short trips of less than 10 miles with outside temperatures below freezing
• Hot-weather stop-and-go rush hour traffic
• Extensive idling or long low-speed driving
• Dusty conditions, or rough, muddy or salted roads
• Using a car-top carrier

Under those conditions, the manual moves brake fluid replacement to every 10,000 miles or 12 months and brake pad and rotor inspection to every 5,000 miles or 6 months. The normal schedule inspects pads and rotors every 10,000 miles or 12 months.

A 370Z that sees autocross or track days is working the fluid far harder than any commuter schedule assumes. Heat from repeated hard stops is exactly what exposes worn-out fluid, so treat the severe schedule as the minimum for a car that is driven hard, and bleed before and after track events.

Signs the Fluid Needs Attention

The 370Z's brake warning light does double duty. With the ignition on, it lights when the parking brake is applied, and it also warns of a low brake fluid level. The manual's instructions if it comes on while driving with the parking brake released:

1. Stop and check the brake fluid level, adding fluid as needed.
2. If the level is correct, have the warning system checked.

Nissan also warns that if the level is below the MIN mark, the car should not be driven until the brake system has been checked. If the brake warning light and the ABS warning light come on together with the parking brake released and fluid level correct, the manual says it may indicate an ABS problem.

Other things that point to the fluid or the hydraulics:

• Level keeps dropping. The level falls slowly as pads wear because the caliper pistons move outward. A drop between top-offs with no pad wear, or wet spots at a wheel, means a leak. Nissan says frequent top-offs mean the system should be checked.
• Soft or long pedal after hard driving. Classic sign of fluid that has absorbed water and boiled, or air in the lines.
• Dark fluid. Fresh DOT 3 and DOT 4 are colorless to amber. Fluid that has gone dark brown is old and overdue.
• Clutch pedal feels different on a manual. The clutch reservoir is separate. Check it too.

How to Flush the Brake Fluid on a 370Z

A flush is a bleed that keeps going until clean fluid comes out of every bleeder. The general process:

1. Buy enough fluid of the correct type, in sealed containers. Nissan's manual does not publish a fill quantity for the brake system; it says to fill to the proper level on the reservoir. Buy extra so you never run the reservoir dry.
2. Clean the reservoir cap before opening it, as the manual instructs, so dirt does not fall in.
3. Remove as much old fluid from the reservoir as you can and refill with fresh fluid to the MAX line.
4. Bleed each wheel, starting with the one farthest from the master cylinder, until clear fresh fluid comes out with no bubbles. Keep the reservoir above MIN the whole time.
5. Follow the bleeding sequence and procedure in the factory service manual, including any ABS actuator bleed steps. The 370Z has ABS with EBD and VDC on every trim.
6. Tighten bleeders to the factory service manual value, top off to MAX, and confirm a firm pedal before driving.

Cars with the Sport or NISMO brake package have 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers, so each caliper may have more than one bleeder. Bleed every one.

Handling cautions from Nissan: use only new fluid from a sealed container, keep brake fluid off paint (rinse any spill with water right away), and store it out of reach of children because it is poisonous.

What to Replace at the Same Time

A fluid flush is the right moment to look at the rest of the system, since the wheels are already off.

• Rotors. Base 370Z cars use 12.6-inch rotors front and rear. Sport, Sport Touring and NISMO cars use Nissan Sport Brakes with 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors. For Sport-brake cars we carry the DBA 5000 Series T3 slotted 2-piece front rotor for the 370Z Sport and the DBA Street Series T2 slotted rear rotor for Sport-brake 370Z models. Other options are in our brake rotors collection.
• Pads. If the pads are near the end, replace them now and bleed once. See our brake pads collection.
• Hoses. Rubber hoses that are cracked or swollen should be replaced. Nissan's NISMO package uses high-rigidity hoses for a firmer pedal; braided lines are the common upgrade on other trims. Browse brake lines and brake hoses.

Before ordering rotors, confirm which brake package your car has. Sport brakes have red-finish aluminum calipers, and the rotor sizes are not interchangeable with the base brakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use DOT 4 in a non-NISMO 370Z?

Nissan's manual lists Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or an equivalent DOT 3. DOT 4 exceeds the DOT 3 minimum boiling points in FMVSS 116, but Nissan also says never to mix fluid types, so if you change grades, flush the whole system rather than topping off.

How often should I flush the brake fluid on my 370Z?

Every 20,000 miles or 24 months under Nissan's normal schedule, and every 10,000 miles or 12 months under severe conditions such as short trips, hot stop-and-go traffic, or salted and dusty roads. Track use calls for more frequent bleeding.

What brake fluid does the 370Z NISMO use?

Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II, which is the factory fill. Nissan warns that the VDC unit and related parts were designed for it and that a non-equivalent fluid may cause improper brake operation.

Does the clutch use the same fluid as the brakes?

On manual-transmission 370Z models the clutch has its own reservoir, and Nissan specifies Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II or an equivalent DOT 4 for it. That is a different spec from the DOT 3 brake fluid on non-NISMO cars.

Why is my brake warning light on?

The same light shows the parking brake is applied and warns of low brake fluid. Release the parking brake and check the reservoir. If the fluid is below MIN, Nissan says not to drive until the brake system has been checked.

How much brake fluid does a 370Z need?

Nissan's owner's manual does not list a brake fluid capacity; it says to fill to the proper level on the reservoir. For a full flush, buy more fluid than you think you need so the reservoir never runs dry during bleeding.

Sources

1. Nissan 2018 370Z Owner's Manual - fluid specs by trim, clutch fluid, normal and severe replacement intervals, warning light behavior, handling cautions
2. Nissan 2020 370Z Coupe Press Kit - base and Sport brake rotor sizes, caliper piston counts, NISMO R35 Special II fluid and high-rigidity hoses, ABS/EBD/VDC
3. 49 CFR 571.116, FMVSS No. 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids - DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5 dry and wet boiling points and color requirements