Selling a damaged or dead Nissan GT-R
A GT-R with a blown engine, a failed gearbox or crash damage can be sold the same way as any other car that won't run: whole, without repairs. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. NHTSA's file on the car is short: 33 complaints and four recalls in 16 model years.
- US model years
- 2009-2024, all R35
- Engine
- 3.8 twin-turbo V6 (VR38DETT), hand-assembled
- Drivetrain
- 6-speed dual-clutch transaxle at the rear, all-wheel drive
- Complaints filed with NHTSA
- 33, of them 19 on the 2009
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Built at
- Tochigi plant, Japan
One generation, 16 model years
Every GT-R sold new in the US is an R35. Nissan built it from December 2007 to August 2025 at its Tochigi plant in Japan, about 48,000 in all, and sold it here for the 2009 through 2024 model years.
The engine is a hand-built 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6, the VR38DETT. In 2009 Nissan rated it at 480 horsepower. By 2024 the Premium and T-spec made 565 horsepower and the NISMO 600. Power goes through a six-speed dual-clutch transaxle mounted at the rear and the ATTESA ET-S all-wheel-drive system. Nissan closed out the car in North America in 2024 with special editions of fewer than 200 cars.
Recalls, campaigns and complaints
NHTSA lists four recall campaigns:
- 15V054, 2009: the steering column can develop extra play, or steering can be lost.
- 15V795, 2015-2016: cars built for Puerto Rico have a certification label without the weight ratings.
- 19V654, 2019: one of many Nissans whose back-up camera may not show an image.
- 21V402, 2021: a front steering knuckle or rear axle housing may lack strength because of how it was heat-treated.
The 2009 also had two service campaigns that are not recalls. Campaign P8258 reprogrammed the transmission control module, and P0309 covered the steering lock unit. Nissan's bulletins mark both inactive since 2021.
Of the 33 complaints, 30 are on the 2009 and 2010. The electrical system comes up most, in 9.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | What the recall covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 19 | 1 | Steering column |
| 2010 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 1 | Puerto Rico label |
| 2016 | 0 | 1 | Puerto Rico label |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 0 | 1 | Back-up camera |
| 2021 | 0 | 1 | Knuckle or axle housing |
NHTSA's files, downloaded October 10, 2026, show no complaints and no recalls for the 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 or 2022-2024 GT-R.
Fix it or sell it?
We have no sourced repair figures for this car, and none for its engine or transmission. A shop that knows the GT-R can write up an estimate; hold that next to the car's value once fixed. A crash that bent the structure or set off the air bags may also have changed the title; selling a car with a salvage title explains what that brand means. Already totaled by the insurer? Read selling a wrecked or totaled car.
Selling it
Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. Give the year and trim, the miles, and exactly what is broken or damaged. Leave the wheels, the exhaust and the interior on it, and tell us about any aftermarket parts or anything removed. Say where it is and whether it can be rolled. Have the title ready for the pickup.
Questions people ask
- How many complaints has NHTSA received about the GT-R?
- Thirty-three across all US model years, as of October 10, 2026. Nineteen are on the 2009 and 11 on the 2010. No complaint is on file for any year after 2017.
- Is there a recall for GT-R transmission or engine failures?
- We found none. The four GT-R recalls cover a 2009 steering column, a label on 2015-2016 cars sold in Puerto Rico, a 2019 back-up camera and 2021 suspension parts. Nissan's 2009 transmission control module campaign was a customer satisfaction initiative, and it is no longer active.
- Can I sell a GT-R with a salvage title or crash damage?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars. Say what was hit, whether air bags went off and what the title says; pickup is free anywhere in the US.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 10, 2026.
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 static.nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recalls flat file, 2010 and later (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 static.nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 15V054: steering column, 2009 GT-R nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V402: steering knuckle and rear axle housing, 2021 GT-R nhtsa.gov
- Nissan bulletin: 2009 GT-R transmission control module reprogram, campaign P8258 (on NHTSA) static.nhtsa.gov
- Nissan bulletin: 2009 GT-R steering lock unit, campaign P0309 (on NHTSA) static.nhtsa.gov
- Nissan: 2009 GT-R press kit usa.nissannews.com
- Nissan: 2024 GT-R press kit usa.nissannews.com
- Nissan: R35 GT-R closing editions and exit from North America (June 14, 2024) usa.nissannews.com
- Wikipedia: Nissan GT-R (R35 production, plant, output by year) en.wikipedia.org