Mercurochrome and N3 dyes are employed to be the sensitizers in the ZnO-nanowire ͑NW͒ dye-sensitized solar cells ͑DSSCs͒. A lower fill factor is obtained in the N3-sensitized cell which results in comparable efficiencies in both ZnO-NW DSSCs although the N3 molecules possess a wider absorptive range for light harvesting. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and open-circuit photovoltage decay measurements are employed to investigate the electron transport properties in both ZnO-NW DSSCs. The results indicate that more abundant electron interfacial recombination occurs in the N3-sensitized ZnO-NW DSSC due to the higher surface trap density in the ZnO-NW photoanode after N3 dye adsorption.