Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

petewat3 · March 2004

thanks.... I guess Infiniti doesn't want to come in here & answer our silly questions. Don't tell juice, ballistic, and all the other subie nuts I said so but I like SOA's approach much better.

otis123 · March 2004

Yes, Subaru has an active participant on the Edmunds boards. She (aka as Patti) "goes the extra mile" helping customers (nice and nasty) with their problems. She seems to resolve almost all of them by getting the right people involved. She does everything unofficially to appease the Subaru lawyers.

I've noticed Subaru tends to resolve their issues by meeting the customer half way...like splitting the cost of just out-of-warranty repairs, etc. Something I rarely hear of from less reliable (or more pretentious) car companies.

My 2001 LLBean H6 has been flawless for 56K miles...knock on plastic wood. I wish they made a larger AWD - I would not be looking at the FX if they did. Subaru is a diamond in the rough as far as car comapnies go.

Ralph

crikey · March 2004

If starting out the split is 75 front & 25 rear, wouldn't the front wheels tend to break loose???

I think that you may have this backwards since the front can only get 50% max. I think that the ratio is 25 front and 75 rear and that should be good. I think the 2004 model behavior is this way now, but I do not know about the 2003. I really seem to recall a 50:50 split from a standstill.

Still makes sense that locked mode (50:50) helps under those conditions.

Yes, I agree that it's better to lock AWD in icy and snowy conditions since it only really enforces the lock until 19 mph.

Good discussion...

tidester · March 2004

Don't tell juice, ballistic, and all the other subie nuts...

My lips are sealed! :-%

tidester, host

petewat3 · March 2004

I agree, but my VDC was not flawless at first - I had many visits to replace or re-program sensors. After that however it was a great vehicle. My FX45 has been much more problem free for the first 22k and 8 months.

fxfan · March 2004

If you do a google search you can find answers to your infiniti questions - there is an internet sales manager that answers many questions if asked on another Nissan/Infiniti board. You may very well be aware of that board but I thought I'd mention it anyway

petew4 · March 2004

thanks...actually I found the info on Attesa that I posted above with a google search & I'm aware of the site you reference. I just wish that Infiniti would be more forthcoming in participating on these boards as other manufacturers are & providing more technical info. The 'official' documentation is lacking and there's not good detailed info out there. Yes there is info but it is for the most part marketing speak which doesn't come close to satisfying the enthusiast. As has been pointed out here, there isn't even a manual available. I'm a tech freak & curious about the details of how my FX functions not just the generalities.
crikey- yes, I think I did misinterpret that description where it says it adds up to 25% additional torque to the front wheels. I was assuming a baseline of 50/50 at startout which is not the case when unlocked.

stever · March 2004

Maybe if enough people asked them...

Infiniti Consumer Affairs

Steve, Host

otis123 · March 2004

Well, finally test drove an fx35 touring (in the rain) yesterday. Very impressive grip and no lean. Ride was a little jittery, but understandable given the sporty ride. Seemed to be quiet enough. Didn't get a chance to listen to the radio - I'll have to go back next weekend w/ a CD or two.

Wife and daughter liked it, too. Now, how close to invoice can I get...

Ralph

petew4 · March 2004

I'm emailing them!

cmdpm · March 2004

ralph,

i sold an '03 acura MDX to get into an '03 FX45.

i have driven both in the snow and ice.
the MDX was surprisingly not as good in the snow as we are led to believe. acura designed the MDX to "defeat winter" but i believe that the michelin crossterrain tires were the MDXs weak point.
these tires are designed specifically for suvs. so i was disappointed in their performance.
my FX45 with the 20" goodyear rsas was fine in the snow/ice but not great. i did consider putting snow tires on my FX45 but as the philadelphia area does always get alot of snow, i did not want to give up performance.
if you get alot of snow/ice and want the best possible traction then dedicated snow tires are the way to go.
the acura salesman is uninformed or is misleading you...you can get either a set of 20' snows or 18" wheel and tire set for as little as 1100-1200.although this is an additional expense, their use will extend the life of the stock tires so the overall expense is not that great.
also, in my experience, the rear visibility is "reasonable" and the fact that the rear window corresponds to the rear bumper it is not too difficult to i.e. parallel park.
good luck

c3po33 · March 2004

The new "Automoblie" magazine has a one year update on the FX45. Good article and it mentions the 17" tire package they got for the snow.

ncvol · March 2004

Sorry for the extremely late response about the seats on the FX. What I did was go to an aftermarket shop that specializes in interior work, and they added some extra padding inside the middle of the seat, essentially taking the "bucket" out of the bucket seat, and lifting my hip up off the seat control housing. The dealership paid for it (about $200) after some contentious correspondence I sent to the manager (that prompted a written response from their attorney).

After a couple of weeks and several 100 mile + drives, the seat is definitely better, and doesn't produce actual pain after sitting in it for an hour. It's still not what I'd call "comfortable," but it is at least tolerable. I don't feel like I'm going to be risking nerve damage by driving it for the next 6-8 years, which was what really concerned me.

Hope this helps.

infinitimaven · March 2004

I'm an Infiniti Sales Rep, and I feel a need to correct some misunderstandings as far as the AWD operation goes.
On startup, torque is evenly distributed 50/50 front to rear until you reach a speed of 18 MPH -- then it reverts to Rwd. If the computer detects wheel-slippage, all four wheels are engaged. The computer will brake and cut power to a slipping wheel to prevent loss of control. If there is just one wheel with traction, that wheel gets 25% of the available power. This is done with the assistance of the drive-by-wire system.
With 'snow-mode' engaged, the system reduces power to the wheels. This will need to be turned off when you get on a highway, or the road clears, as your speed will be greatly reduced.
Traction with the 18" wheels is best, there really is no need for the Sport Package if you will be driving in snow (the 17" wheels would make a really impressive difference because the fat tires give you awesome grip)
I'd be happy to answer any more questions.

infinitimaven · March 2004

The 2003 model had one difference ~~ the 'snow mode' was an addition for '04 ~~ the '03 'locked' mode locked the AWD and created a sort of Virtual Axle where all four wheels moved together at reduced power. this was changed for '04.

petewat3 · March 2004

THANK YOU!!!!....that is the best description I've heard and clears up my confusion. The imprecise descriptions I've found online have left doubt as to what really happens (maybe I'm just dense but some descriptions contradict others). For example, that's the first time that I've heard that locked mode reduces speed. Please join us more often.
Do you happen to know if Infiniti intends to produce a manual at some point?

crikey · March 2004

On startup, torque is evenly distributed 50/50 front to rear until you reach a speed of 18 MPH -- then it reverts to Rwd.

How is this different from engaging the AWD lock button? Is it just the reduction of power?

infinitimaven · March 2004

Pretty much, yeah.

2963 · March 2004

Just got my latest issue of Road & Track, and was amused with BMW's big two page add inside the cover for their upgraded X5 4.8is: 355 hp, 369 lb-ft. of torque, 0 - 60 in 5.9 sec, "massive wheels"...

Obviously, the FX45 ruffled a few Bavarian feathers, and now it's BMW's turn to up the ante.

Hmmm - wonder what effect (or "FX", ;-}) this will have over at the R&D / Engineering Departments at Infiniti? Think the new 5.6L DOHC V8 (used in the QX56 / Armada / Titan) can shoehorn its way into the FX engine bay?

This could get interesting...

93fsu1 · March 2004

The FX35's sold to Enterprise were all 2004's when they first came out. They were not dumping inventory.

The FX45's have been slow to move - because most people see the 35 as a better value.

The FX is beating projections and is the second best seller in the Infiniti lineup.

I just wanted to clear up that misconception.

otis123 · March 2004

Not in the nyc area...they are as rare on the road as a robin in early march. Lots of new i35s though. And more g35s than fxs.

petew4 · March 2004

the QX56 5.6 engine only produces 315 hp, the same as the FX45 4.5. Infiniti would need to re-engineer for more efficiency to make that a viable upgrade for the FX. But one thing the FX has all over the new X5 is weight to power efficiency - the X5 is heavier so it needs more power & Infiniti is unlikely to put a lot more metal under the hood nullifying that advantage. Also the 4.5L has some really cool weight savings like titanium valves. More likely IMO would be some upgrades to the 4.5 like a turbocharger. Stillen in CA is working on an aftermarket supercharger and chip for the 45 but there's no word on when it will be available or the increased HPs.

otis123- I find that the FX45 is rare in the DC/Balt also. Almost all of the FXs I've seen have been 35's. But that makes sense given that Infiniti made 44,000 FXs in 03 and only 11,000 were 45's. And the number of X5's on the market, for example, is significantly higher (I forget the number). I like that...more exclusive.

beanboy · March 2004

I'm telling!

stanny1 · March 2004

Also saw the new double-page ad in all my car mags for the new X5.
At $72,000, we will probably see these as often as the Cayenne TT.
So I'm not too worried that I'll be doing a stop light match race with my 45 every day.
The people I see driving X5's are mostly ladies over 40, especially the 4.4 and 4.6's.
BMW says 5.9 0-60, but I'll wait until R@T tests one on California's 91 octane that yields less energy (we get lower mpg's from our special gas).
While the 5.6 has the same HP rating, it does have alot more torque, and I bet it would make the FX fly. We only need to go .4 seconds faster and that's not a huge difference.
I bet the 4.8 can't match the Fx's cornering power.
The Automobile article was great. Peak acceleration was .50g. Peak braking was 1.14g.
Cornering was .88g left and .85 right.
Quote: "Work of Art;Thrilling Performance".
Of course, they slammed the cramped rear seat, the ride and the adaptive cruise control, but what's new?

2963 · March 2004

Was visiting my local Infiniti dealership the other day (two more lease payments due on my I30t, then it's time to upgrade to an FX45 with the premium & technology packages, along with XM), and I saw an FX on the dealership floor with a wood dash kit; very nice. That is, until I looked at their window sticker, and noticed an $850 hit to the pocket book! OUCH.

Played around on the Internet, and found several companies that offered 12 to 21 piece wood kits that ranged from $150 to $460 (some real wood, others simulated). Has anyone had much luck with the installation and durability of these aftermarket kits?

One vendor in particular had a few disclaimers associated with their kits, such as not being responsible for any damage to the OEM dash parts if one decides to attempt removal of the wood applique(s). This particular vendor also warned about exposing the dash pieces to direct sunlight.

Any positive or negatives experiences would be greatly appreciated...

gazelle2 · March 2004

I've been away from this forum for some time, and haven't check to see whether this topic has come up. Is anyone else finding that reception on the FX is weak? We have trouble getting stations which have always come in strong on any of the other radios on cars, past and present. Our Mazda3 hatch gets much better reception, for example. Can't figure if it's the short stubby antenna or a defect of some sort, but would love to hear if anyone else has the same problem.

petewat3 · March 2004

I've noticed that as well but I listen to CDs most of the time so I haven't pursued a solution.

ncvol · March 2004

I haven't listened to an FM music station in my car since getting XM, but my AM reception seems to be improved. The XM reception has been fantastic, virtually indistinguishable from CD's to my ear.

clpurnell · March 2004

I have had pretty good FM reception about the same as my other cars. I never listen to AM so cannot comment on that.

For wood its many FX'ers have installed Joshoua Tree (sp?) wood kits. he participates and sells them on another well known forum. lots of threads and pics there.

The new 4.8 is a beast but I was very disappointed by the the new 4.4i it is still no quicker really than an FX35 at a substantial hit and the skidpad is pretty low at .77g The big do 4.8 will beat a 45 in a straight line but I will be interested in skidpad numbers for it. I really hope Infinti releases a "R" or Nismo version of the FX's with factory installed SC's I would pay 5-7k more for that then there wouldn't be much with awd that could touch our FX's

petewat3 · March 2004

"then there wouldn't be much with awd that could touch our FX's"

possibly not even the Cay TT - would be close.

petew4 · March 2004

"On startup, torque is evenly distributed 50/50 front to rear until you reach a speed of 18 MPH -- then it reverts to Rwd.".... "With 'snow-mode' engaged, the system reduces power to the wheels. This will need to be turned off when you get on a highway, or the road clears, as your speed will be greatly reduced."- Infinitimaven

"How is this different from engaging the AWD lock button? Is it just the reduction of power?"
- crikey

"Pretty much, yeah" - Infinitimaven

hmmm..... for those of you that missed this conversation - I emailed Infiniti customer relations (at tidester's suggestion) & asked them to participate on this board to clear up some technical questions that the available literature is lacking in. Specifically, how intelligent awd works. Infiniti returned the email with an auto msg that I would have a response in 24 hrs. I got no response but Infinitimaven, an infiniti sales mgr., showed up within 24 hrs and provided an excellent description of intelligent awd.. Anyway, to make a long story short. Infinitimaven - it sounds like from your response to crikey that "snow mode" in the 04's is nothing more than "AWD Lock" in the 03's renamed - is that correct????

wibble · March 2004

"Anyway, to make a long story short. Infinitimaven - it sounds like from your response to crikey that "snow mode" in the 04's is nothing more than "AWD Lock" in the 03's renamed - is that correct???? "

The Snow Mode on the '04s does the same as the AWD lock on the '03s but also remaps the throttle sensitivity to enable finer throttle control in snow and ice.

petewat3 · March 2004

thx. wibble. Where did you find your info?

infinitimaven · March 2004

Thanks for the assist, wibble.
The snow mode also reduces power, so, you do have to remember to turn it off when conditions improve.

jccssc · March 2004

thanks for all the info here for the last few months, I finally took the plunge and got the FX35 Sat. It was a difficult decision since I like the FX more than RX but my wife is just the opposite. I have to admit the RX is really comfy and feels like what a luxury car should feel. But I LOVE the sporty look and performance of the FX. I got the FX35 RWD (in S. Cal - no need for AWD) Diamond graphite with touring and sports pkg. LOVE the car. Already put 200 miles this past weekend. Wife has not driven it yet.... : )
I would definitely suggest going for the sports pkg with 20" tire, alum. pedals and rack - totally changed the look!
Again, thanks for all of your inputs to help me make that decision!!

clpurnell · March 2004

Congrats!!

petew4 · March 2004

thanks.....

petew4 · March 2004

I finally got an email response from Infiniti consumer relations re: a source for additional technical info.. They chose not to respond to my request that they maintain a presence on these boards but they did clear up one misconception. Previous posts here have mistakenly claimed that there is no manual available and there is. There is a 5 volume 4728 page service manual available for $315.00 or on CD for $210.00. They instructed me that if detailed technical info. on the FX is important to me then buy the manual. I haven't decided if it's worth it to me or not but if you're interested in ordering one the web site is:
http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/infiniti/
If you order one please let us know if you think it's worth the investment...I will if I order it - would be nice to get a look at it to see if it addresses the kind of questions the enthusiast might want answers to as opposed to just those the mechanic that services the FX might need answers to. Either way, it's probably interesting reading for those of us that are curious about all this cool tech on the FX & can't find answers.

crikey · March 2004

A few FX owners signed up for that $20 one day subscription and were able to download the whole service manual.

petewat3 · March 2004

thanks...missed that option when I checked out the url.

jmg35 · March 2004

My wife and I have owned one since January and we absolutely love everything about it. My wife would not even consider the RX, she feels the styling is bland.

jccssc · March 2004

Thanks, clpurnell/jmg35. Really love the car. It is everything that I expected and more. All my co-workers love the look and I noticed a lot of headturners while driving. : )
jccssc

gauntlett1 · March 2004

AWD Lock mode reduces power. YES, it also increases fuel consumption, per the FX45 owners manual. The clutch is engaged, power is now distributed, and power needs to be reduced to avoid clutch slippage (and wear and tear). That is not mentioned, but using a clutch to lock all four wheels to the transmission is an additional load. Inifinit was clever to use a clutch arrangement for the the FX (and their other car models).

As I said stated before I tested the limits of the FX45tech 03 in a lot for a few hours to determine how I would recommend to my wife when to engage AWD lock. I found it was best to engage AWD lock when driving in deep snow or on ice.

Thanks for additional information. I stated 20mph, but it is actually 18mph, small detail, but clearing it up helps the rest of the owners understand the operations of the FX.

I understand and can live within FX boundaries of operation. It is so thrilling to drive. When I get that chance from my wife

.

bigtex1 · March 2004

I'm looking to put DVD monitors in my FX35 headrests - has anyone did this yet? What size screen were you able to but in the existing headrest? Who did your work and how much did you pay? What brand of DVD system/screens did you buy? Recently I was told that a 7" screen is too big for the current headrests.

Hoping some has some insight before I take the plunge...

wibble · March 2004

I've seen an FX35 with the DVD lile that. The screens were 5 inch and it looked like that was as large as you could go. The DVD player was positioned in the same place as the factory one.

billyperks · March 2004

Am I missing something here?

I thought the FX came with an optional DVD entertainment feature with flip down screens.

If so, why spend the extra cash for screens to be in the headrest.

Not that I care- its your dough.

wibble · March 2004

You can only get the factory DVD system if you have the tech and sports packages. Also, FX's with factory installed DVD's are a bit thin on the ground at the moment.

petewat3 · March 2004

.... do you mean that they are in short supply? The factory-installed unit (I have one) is a 9 1/2 in. screen I believe. Much better than 2 5 inchers if you can pay for the tech or sport pkgs.

wibble · March 2004

Yep! Exactly what I meant. At my local dealer there are around 20 FX35s with tech and sport but only 1 has the DVD player. Seems pretty much par for the course over southern Cal.

infinitimaven · March 2004

Before you go installing electronics into the headrests, remember that the car has 'active' headrests ~ meaning that they respond rather dramatically in the event of a collision, snapping forward and extending to protect the front-seat passengers from whiplash. Make sure you discuss this with the installers of your DVD equipment. Improperly installed equipment can cause serious problems, and possibly void portions of your warrantee.

Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

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