The Lemon Index
Nissan's 3.8 L twin-turbo 60° V6 in the GT-R, model years 2010–2024. YouTube likes the 2017 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 50/100, #72 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 14 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2010–2024, about any part of the car. Supercars sell in small numbers, so we show YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes instead.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2017 (55) and least about the 2010 (45); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | GT-R | 11 | 45 (133 videos) | 0 |
| 2011 | GT-R | 1 | 50 (132 videos) | 0 |
| 2012 | GT-R | 0 | 54 (135 videos) | 0 |
| 2013 | GT-R | 1 | 51 (134 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | GT-R | 0 | 52 (133 videos) | 0 |
| 2015 | GT-R | 0 | 48 (131 videos) | 1 |
| 2016 | GT-R | 0 | 50 (131 videos) | 1 |
| 2017 | GT-R | 1 | 55 (143 videos) | 0 |
| 2018 | GT-R | 0 | 48 (133 videos) | 0 |
| 2019 | GT-R | 0 | 49 (130 videos) | 1 |
| 2020 | GT-R | 0 | 49 (132 videos) | 0 |
| 2021 | GT-R | 0 | 48 (132 videos) | 1 |
| 2023 | GT-R | 0 | 51 (133 videos) | 0 |
| 2024 | GT-R | 0 | 54 (134 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 3
None of them is about the engine itself.
21V402000 Suspension · Nissan GT-R 2021
The front steering knuckle or rear axle housing may have insufficient strength due to improper heat-treatment.
19V654000 Back Over Prevention · Nissan GT-R 2019
15V795000 Equipment · Nissan GT-R 2015–16
The affected vehicles have a Certification Label that is missing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and Gross Axle Weight Ratin.
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Nissan told dealers about
Nissan sent dealers 32 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Certain vehicles would display, in the instrument cluster, a warning light illumination of a loose fuel cap…
- Vent control valve replacement
- Affecting all nissan with abs or abs/vdc
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Nissan GT-R GT-R | 2010–24 |
Engine code: VR38DETT. Hand-built by Takumi craftsmen at Nissan's Yokohama plant. Power: 478–592 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Nissan VR engine · Nissan GT-R.
Quick answers
What cars have the Nissan VR38DETT engine?
In the US: the Nissan GT-R, model years 2010–2024. See the version table for each one.
Is the Nissan VR38DETT reliable?
Mostly. YouTube owner tone 50/100, #72 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: supercars sell in small numbers. Its cars had 3 recalls (0 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Nissan VR38DETT make?
478–592 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.