Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

fx35awd · March 2005

Thank you for your time and input. When I get a chance I will definitely bring it in to the dealer to adjust the timing for me.

stever · March 2005

I thought timing stuff was all controlled by the engine computer(s) these days. What do they do - tweak the software?

Steve, Host

dante · March 2005

I have posted in the past that although I love the AWD 2004 FX35 (with the 20s) that I own, the ride on the bad Chicago roads can at times be jarring... well, I lowered the PSI to 30 and the ride is just fine now (recommended is 32). I am sure that there will be greater tire wear but for me, it is worth the trade off since the Wife was not too happy before... I keep a close eye via the tire pressure monitors to make sure it does not dip below 30. Anyone else tried this? Any other draw backs I should be aware of? Thanks, Jon.

fx35awd · March 2005

I have tried this on with my 18" wheels and it does help, but i found out that my hand held pressure gage and the car pressure monitoring system are not registering the same psi. My hand held gage registered at 30 psi, meanwhile, the tire monitoring system registered at 26 psi and a warning light of low tire pressure went on so I am forced to pump more air into the tires, now my tire is at 40 psi base on the hand held pressure gage, but on the screen in the car it only registered at 32 psi. I don't know which one is reliable, but I would guess that my hand held one would be. Any suggestions?

clpurnell · March 2005

Yes they hook your car up to the diagnostic machine and can the advance or retard the timing. anyone can get it done it usually takes 15 minutes but you are charged 1 hr labor if it is not done for a warranty reason such as bad gas mileage.

dante · March 2005

Interesting. For me, it works the other way around. The handheld shows a lower PSI than the tire pressure monitor on the car... I am going with the car's tire pressure monitor since I like the ride!

Jon.

fx35awd · March 2005

Clpurnell,

Oh, I forgot to ask you and the others, how do you guys do your mpg reading? Did you just read it off the monitor/screen inside the car or actually take the total mileage driven divide into the amount of gas (gallon) pumped into the car? Sorry I don't want to belabor the gas mileage issue, but I just want to make sure I am not doing anything wrong here. Thanks in advance.

ffb13 · March 2005

i do my mpg both ways.
by the computer and when i gas up .i take the mileage and the gallons.divide.

this car is heavy. the trick is to go light on acceleration.
once the car is moving ,there is not that much mass to get rolling and all is better for good mpg.
but ,a study done by bmw many light years ago showed that it is better for mpg to accelerate hard to get to your cruise rpm or cruise speed.this will return the best mpg.

by the way ,around a suburban circle i get 16.8 mpg average. but inside a city it drops to 14 mpg average.

returning to fla. in 3 weeks and will re do the mpg test.

nljohn · March 2005

Anybody know of a good bike rack that I can 'hang' from the trunk lid? I can't use the roof rack..

Thx John

clpurnell · March 2005

I do it both ways but I tend to trust the computer as it was usually off by less than .3 mpg. However I must mention my FX is RWD which will yield better mpg than AWD will.

yakbuddah · March 2005

I have also had the worst experience with Jim Coleman. I really love my FX, and I was even thinking of getting the 05 FX45, just because....nuts right....But anyway with this tyoe of service I am even thinking of switching to get the Audi Q7 when it comes out. TIs a shame that Infinit does nothing about these complaints. These guys are total jerks from the team leaders al the way up to the idiot Service Manager, whom I am sure was it not for the facat that he works at the dealership would not be able to afford an infiniti. They really suck.

tidester · March 2005

whom I am sure was it not for the facat that he works at the dealership would not be able to afford an infiniti.

Competence or lack thereof transcends class. :-)

tidester, host

fx35awd · March 2005

Just the past weekend I went down to San Diego and I got 22.98 mpg so I think my car is okay. What a relief!!!

ltmarks · March 2005

I'm glad someone read and agreed with my thoughts. My philosophy is that if I take even one sale away from them, it will cost them thousands and I will be happy.

I have never been back after my purchase, so I can't comment on the service department.

On the bright side, this certainly is an amazing vehicle and I hope to have it for many years.

picscasting · March 2005

Does anyone know how to remove the roof rails/rack from the car?? I have seen online photos of the FX without the roof rails and would like to remove mine.

rollbar · April 2005

I began to notice, at about 26,000 miles, that the brake pedal was getting spongy. Sitting at a light one day I put a little more pressure on the pedal and it went all the way down to the mechanical stops. In the "old days" that could have been caused by air in the lines or a master cylinder that was bypassing, (allowing brake fluid to pass around the plunger and escape back into the reservoir).

To make a long story short, I took the FX (2004 FX35 29,000 miles) back several times, each time the dealer saying they could find nothing wrong. Eventually, they replaced the master cylinder likely more from trying to satisfy me than because they believed something was wrong with it.

For a couple of weeks the pedal was higher and firmer but then same thing; at a light the pedal started to feel spongy and sure enough, when pressed, went clear to the floor, (stops).

While the car was in for service I asked them to look again. I was on my way home from dropping the car off and while in a loaner G35 noticed the brake pedal went to the floor just like the my FX.

The dealer insists its a characteristic of the Infinity line and there is nothing they can do about it. I believe they are correct, having found exactly the same problem with the G35.
The service mgr also added that others have complained about this, something they had not disclosed previously.

The brakes operate fine when the car is moving though the pedal does not engage as high up as I would like. And at times, the pedal is very high and firm, which I suspect it the laser system loading the brake lines when it detects an object in the cars path.

Anyone else found a spongy pedal while sitting at a stop? Experiences? Thoughts?

Roll

kd270 · April 2005

hello every1,
Iam doing some research before I make the move on the new fx35 awd and was wondering if Any1 of You guys had any suggestions on which package to get along with that I know i do not want the Tech package but Iam not sure about the Sport package which has the larger rims now I have read in a few places that with the bigger rims the ride is rougher bumpy. So Please if any1 got any suggestions I Would appreciate it. O and another thing The price Iam in Ny and I dont mind traveling to jersey to get a good deal since i know that they tend to give better deals than here in ny. If any1 knows any good reputable dealer dont hesitate to post. lastly Since Iam only looking to get a 2 year lease on that Would any1 know approximately what i would pay or what i should pay with no money down again that the fx35awd with just the touring pack if any1 got that recently please post. i wouldnt mind getting prices on 3 year lease as well although i dont think i would do a 3 year. thanks every1.

crikey · April 2005

Our FX has spongy brakes as well. Recently, though, I had this TSB performed on the brakes and they seem to be a lot less spongy. I just had it done about a month or so ago and it hasn't been as spongy as before. But the spongy brakes do not mean that the brakes are not responsive because our FX stops on a dime. They are actually very good brakes in my opinion.

rollbar · April 2005

Thanks crikey, I didn't know there was a TSB on the brakes. I agree, the brakes are fine on the road and in quick stop situations.....but that spongy pedal is annoying.

Roll

dante · April 2005

Well, I installed the Stillen strut bar and I truly believe that I feel a difference in the ride. Not sure it makes the ride "softer" but the car feels tighter when I hit the uneven Chicago city roads. All in all, I am happy I installed it and it took about 15 minutes to do. Jon B.

Gischpel · April 2005

Glad to hear that things went well with the STB. I agree on not riding softer, but tighter. I also think it steps over bumps better. The bumps don't rattle the whole car.

rollbar · April 2005

Over a period of 6 years I drove two of the LS400 series Lexus'. With the large door panels I was in constant fear of door dings yet when I sold the cars they had not a single dent. The Lexus service manager told me he rarely saw dings in their doors but didn't offer any explanation about why or what Lexus might have done to protect the doors.

Now after a mere 20 months, I had two significant dings in the drivers door of my 2004 FX 35. I had them removed for $100 but wonder how long it will be until I have a new ding. I actively seek remote parking spots and park defensively every chance I get. I try to protect the car but there are idiots out there who just don't care and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

Anyone else finding these doors seem to dent easily?

Roll

texasfx35 · April 2005

My 04 FX35 is 15 months old. I, too, try to park in remote areas. I have experienced minor door dings, but to me the paint seems to be more chip-prone. I have numerous chips in the door and a few in the front grill area. The windshield also seems to chip more than any car I have owned. May be just luck of the draw, but overall more surface damage than any car I have owned.

crikey · April 2005

Ah, yes, door dings. We don't have any significant dings on our FX, maybe 3 really minute ones. But, I've been a defensive parker for a long time now, so I minimized door dings. A short walk is not all that bad, anyway.

But yes, there will always be people who just fling their doors open. I've seen a few kids open their doors by kicking it and those are gonna be the ding makers. Consequently, the parents of these kids seem to be the same folks who would wait 10 minutes for a spot that is only closer by 30 feet to the door of their destination. I scratch my head everytime I see this.

$100 for ding removal, that sounds like a good price. Who did you use, Roll?

fx35awd · April 2005

I am convinced, I will have to get a strut bar for my car later because it is on back order now. So you guys think it is worth every penny?

dante · April 2005

As you saw from my post, I just installed it and as I only drive on weekends, I have not extensively tested it. However, over the weekend I purposefully went on lousy roads, e.g., Sheridan Road (Chicago) and the car felt tighter when it drove over the mamoth pot holes we have here. Softer? No, but a better ride for me. Jon B.

rollbar · April 2005

If that's a strut tower brace you installed, it's intended to reduce body flex at the strut tower and should stiffen the vehicle. Since flex would absorb some of the road shock I can't imagine it would do anything but make the ride more ridged.

I bought the 18s because I thought the 20s were just too stiff for me. I still think its a rough ride at times, especially when I'm trying to drink a cup of coffee. My dealer pumps the tires up to 38 lbs....I don't know why. I take them down to 30 (cold) to soften the ride a bit.

I am still on the original Goodrich tires with 29,000 miles. I checked them last weekend and they all show 6/32 and are worn evenly. I did rotate them every 8000 miles which I think contributes to long wear. As for driving habits, I accelerate hard and push it in corners at least 50% of the time.

Roll

dante · April 2005

Yes, if I were to do it again I would skip the Sport Package. Although I love the look and the grip on good roads. I have lowered the pressure to 30/31 and that makes it acceptable except for in the worst conditions. I am going to buy a set of 18s and snow tires for the winter so the ride should be better at least half of the year. I still love the car, it totally rocks, especially in manumatic and the gas mileage be damned... ;-)

Gischpel · April 2005

I think the STB is worth every penny. My FX35 AWD is my daily driver -- I cover 50 mostly highway miles round-trip in Ohio -- pot hole central.

The car might be more rigid as someone said, but it rides better. It feels tighter and the bumps that used to make me feel like the car was coming apart are now just undulations in the road.

I haven't driven my FX with the 20s and STB on yet, as I had the winter tires and wheels on when I added the STB. It will be interesting as I never found the ride to be that harsh, so it should only be better with the STB.

fx35awd · April 2005

Thank you all for you input. I think I am going to get myself the STB.

brando148 · April 2005

I was also debating the sport package, so I drove both...twice. There was only a marginal difference in the ride quality. I did notice a little more road noise with the larger tires, but again, not enough to make a big difference. The sport package is well worth the price. The wheels look great, and so does the aluminum roof rails, and taillight accents new for 05 with sport. I LOVE my FX!!!! Only complaint is gas mileage. My average is 13.7 city. Hopefully that will improve once it's broken in.

dante · April 2005

Don't complain, the way I drive, I am only getting about 8 in the city (my wife gets 18 so that should tell you who has a lead foot...). Yes, the FX35 is awesome. When I walk up to the car I cannot stop admiring the lines, design, etc... Should be at the MOMO Museum of Art. Jon.

kd270 · April 2005

Iam looking to lease the new fx35 with the tour package and was just wanting to know when is the best time to do so wait alittle longer since the summer is coming or take advantage now. also most ppl were complaining about the sport pack bec of the wheels and that its a rougher ride does anyone have any comments on that. other than that if any1 got a good deal in Brooklyn please let me kno where from. lastly I want to get a 2 year lease i noticed that theres a big price difference and was wondering why.. what should my residual value be if i go with the 2year. here is the quote i got for the 2 year $ 520 including tax per month 12000 miles/yr . Zero dwn payment and just have to pay 1st month and the bank fee. the 3year was $485. any comments? any feedback about the car or anything else please post here or email me at selldaworldhotmail.com thanks

steven123 · April 2005

Hi i was wonder any information regarding to Infinity FX35 for 2006. I have not seen any info regarding to this, but heard rumors about higher class interior, inculded navigation and little tweak in design. Any information would be greatful. Thank you
-steven

fx35_houston · April 2005

No more remote parking. Logon to Grubbs Infiniti in Dallas and purchase the FX35 moldings.

If you don't like theirs, do what I did (before Grubbs offered any). Purchase the G35 Coupe moldings and cut them to fit. You will need to purchase 3 sets since you will need 3 long pieces - 2 for the front doors and cut the 3rd for the rear doors.

rollbar · April 2005

$100 for ding removal, that sounds like a good price. Who did you use, Roll?

I'm in central Ohio, (Columbus). I let the Dealer take care of it, (needed the loaner and had other work done). They used The Dent Wizard I believe. Two dings, one medium and one small, for the C note.

Roll

duffer7 · April 2005

I just had a serious problem with my ignition switch. The key went in OK, but I could not turn it -- or withdraw it ! I did all the obvious things like put my foot on the brake and juggle the shift into park, attempt to turn the steering wheel, lock & unlock the doors with the keyfob --- to no avail.
After several minutes of panic ( I was in the real boonies of North Carolina when it occurred ) suddenly the key turned and everything has been fine since.

I seem to remember a message several months ago about other FX owners having this problem also. Can anyone tell me what to do when this happens again ? AND IT WILL --- at the worst possible time.
This could be quite dangerous under certain circumstances.

rollbar · April 2005

I have the tech pkg and so don't use a key but I also had a similar difficulty due to a different problem.

I discovered you can lock the vehicle with the transmitter lying on the back seat but you can't unlock the vehicle, which does not make sense to me. If the transmitter is close enough to activate the locking system why wouldn't it also unlock the door.

My wife had to come rescue me for which I will pay dearly for about 14 days on a regular basis and then about 2 years periodically as she needs.

slummyj · April 2005

I had a similar problem (I have the tech package) when I had a valet park the car using the key. I could not get the key to turn or unlock, but the seat and steering wheel did adjust. I finally had to call Infiniti and they towed the car in. The tow truck driver called us on my cell phone while we were taking a cab home. He got it to start using the technique described in his owner's manual for a Chevy. It had something to do with putting the key in the door lock and turning it a certain number of times, and someother things I don't remember. When I mentioned this to the dealer and also emailed Infiniti, no one knew what I was talking about and had no idea what he did. It was interesting that when we were at the restaurant, the valet said sometimes Infinitis were hard to start. The next time we went to that restaurant, we parked the car ourselves in their ramp. Again it was hard starting but it did eventually start and run okay. I wonder if they have a security system or something that interferes with the security codes on the keys. I have not taken the car back to that restaurant since the second episode.

lugnutz · April 2005

No offense, but what were you guys smoking? Anyone who studied thermodynamics will tell you that you imagined this extra power. Gasoline has the same heat energy, no matter what octane rating it is. The hydrocarbon formulation to get 87, 89, 91, is used to prevent premature detonation. Knocking. This of course occurs in high compression engines. Putting premium 91 octane in your FX will NOT give you more horsepower, nor torque, nor gas mileage.

Now, the caveat. The FX35 has 10.3:1 compression ratio. That's "high compression". What you MIGHT have experienced is this. The FXs that were running on 87 octane were running a little less power, about 10HP if I had to put a number on it. This is purely because the engine has a knock sensor that retared the spark timing. So the combustion was actually occurring on the piston downstroke. The ECU smartly prevented the knocking. And it was producing less power.

Bottom line, it was engine management. The high octane fuel itself does NOT make more power.

tidester · April 2005

Anyone who studied thermodynamics will tell you that you imagined this extra power. Gasoline has the same heat energy, no matter what octane rating it is.

I don't think it's quite that simple. Gasolines with the same octane rating can have different energy content. The octane rating depends on the specific combination of aromatics (toluene, benzene, xylene, etc.) and energy content will vary with the blend. What matters in terms of "performance" is the tuning of the engine. It's best to go by the manufacturer's recommendations since most engines are optimized for a particular range of octane values. Nevetheless, your conclusion is correct that changing the octane rating of the fuel you put into your vehicle does not have much or any bearing on useful power output.

tidester, host

kd270 · April 2005

is this price good 500 a month no dwn payment on a 2 year lease for the Fx35 all wheel with touring packge what should the risidual value be? thanks

suvindc · April 2005

I'm torn between the nicer look of the sport package or the smoother, better in snow touring package. I live in DC so managing between the months of December through February is very important.

Anyone care to help me decide?

dante · April 2005

I have the Sport. Get the Touring. If you want a cushier ride. Jon.

fx35awd · April 2005

I would go with the touring package, I think the 18" looks nice enough already. I couldn't give up comfort. I heard or actually have read the past on comments on this forum that the 18" handles better on the snow than the 20". So I would think this is a safety issue as well so I would go with the smaller size rim. I have 18" on mine now and I do get compliment regarding how aggressive they look. Anyways, good luck.

Peter

rollbar · April 2005

I agree with the post above. I got the 18s and have not regreted it. Snow handling has been just fine, even when we got dumped on, (Central Ohio). I considered winter tires but I don't think you need them.

I run 29 pounds cold to help soften the ride a bit and still have trouble with a full cup of coffee. The 20s would be worse. I tested the 20s over a weekend and found them just a little to harsh for me on a rough road. They all run smooth on nice new pavement of course so if you test a set of 20s or 18s make sure you have a cup of coffee in the cupholder and look for some bumpy roads.

Roll

rollbar · April 2005

One more thing. If you like the pedals and roof rack that come with the sport package but don't want the 20 in wheels, you can add the pedals for about $60 yourself. You can add the roof rack too but I don't know the price of the rack.

Roll

suvindc · April 2005

Thanks for the input. I've decided to go with the touring over the sport but I do want (no...need) the navigation system. Trouble is it's nearly impossible to find it in black on black in the DC/VA/Md area and I know if I get black on willow (the only combo left) I will regret it for the remainder of my ownership.

fx35awd · April 2005

Well...look on the bright side, in the summer months it will not be as hot when you sit on the willow leather as oppose to black leather. Also, it might save you some money on the use of the AC.

ltmarks · April 2005

I have black on willow and think it looks very nice. Navigation is actually a let down compared to other manufacturers, you're better off getting one off the shelf if you need it.

One final piece of advice- stay away from Jim Coleman Infiniti in Bethesda.

Infiniti FX45 Infiniti FX35

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