Infiniti G35 Maintenance and Repair

envoydrives · April 2003

I notice a small jiggle while the car in is drive and while my lights are pointed at a wall, but it's never irksome. Many reports have recently been published about the sharp "cut off" line that exists with Xenon headlamps, visit consumer reports to read their take on it and their article might help to explain why it appears that they are shaking so much on a bumpy road. I've slipped quality color-matched adhesive-backed felt strips between the interior door plastic and the metal body of the door on nearly every new vehicle i have bought, I never suffer irritating rattles or "cracklings" or any other of those weird noises you describe. Although i know exactly what you are talking about, i hate them and thats why i apply the felt so i dont have to worry about them. You;d be surprised at how much quieter your car will be throughout its life with $5 in felt and a few hours of work.

sidat · April 2003

First, thanks all for your input.

Envoydrives,

Could you please elaborate on exactly where you mean when you say "between the interior door plastic and the metal body of the door". Does this mean that you remove the interior door molding or is this something that is visible inside the car? If so, does the molding just pop out/screws/pins? It has been a long time since I messed around with car interiors etc.

What you describe makes sense...I just want to make sure I do it right.

Thanks

maxima4 · April 2003

I was coming home from a trip from Boston yesterday and noticed as I was exiting the highway that I couldn't hear the relay clicking like you normally would when you turn your blinker on. I stopped at the store and turned the car off and before I could take the key out of the ignition a high pitched squeal emitted from the steering column area.

I took the key out and it still was going off. My first thought was the turn signal relay has blown. I restarted the car, put the turn signal on everything worked normally Go figure! Has anyone else experienced this oddity?

cheerioboy26 · April 2003

it has happened to me once and at least one other person on freshalloy.

froze · April 2003

Help! Help!
I finally got around to checking out the jack and tool kit to make sure I knew how everything worked. Operation of the jack is conventional, BUT, in the tool kit I found a couple tools I couldn't figure out what they were used for. One is about 6 inches long, has an eye-bolt on one end and is threaded on the other end. Also, there was a small 10 mm wrench with a slot in the middle. I can't find anything in the owners manual about the use for either of these. Also, I was never able to wedge the jack back into the space against the fender well. Didn't want to force it for fear of denting the fender from the inside. Finally ended up wrapping a towell around it and sticking it in the cargo net.

ryoken · April 2003

The eye bolt is for towing. On the sedan, if you remove the front license plate (or plate cover) you should see where it screws in. I'm not sure where it screws in on the coupe.

For the jack, make sure it's fully compressed, then slide it into the well (with the turnscrew part still pointing at you), then turn the end of it to open it back up just a little to wedge it in place.

The 10mm wrench will nicely handle your battery cables and battery tie down, as well as many, many other bolts under the hood. Not sure what the eyelet in the middle is for.. possible some adjustment somewhere.

froze · April 2003

Thanks Ryoken for the info. The first time I took the jack out I was able to fiddle around with it and eventually got it back in the fender well, but have so far been unsucessful on subsequent tries. Sure seems like they ought to have thought up a better place for it to go.

ryoken · April 2003

It does seem like a strange place, but with a little practice I think I got it down. (I tend to like to figure out how the jack and spare works *before* I need them.)

The Owner's Manual is sorely lacking in important details.

chinee · April 2003

Check out this discussion thread.... there's even a pic of the tool.

http://g35driver.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=1&Num- ber=28102&page=&view=&sb=&vc=1

ryoken · April 2003

Yeah, it's useless for that. The little plastic protective cap on the shiftlock is a pain to remove w/o scratching the console, and once you do get it out, the ignition key should be just as handy as that tool for releasing the shiftlock. What you need there is a small flathead screwdriver and some patience. Of course, the toolkit in the trunk doesn't have either.

atlg35 · April 2003

I hear it in my car, too. I've had it happen several times. At first, I thought it was my cell phone going dead but realized it wasn't. I have heard it when the car is running and when it has been completely shut off, with the keys out of the ignition.

maxima4 · April 2003

Thanks to ATLG35 and Cheerioboy26 for the feedback. I'll just have to keep an eye it. Hopefully it's doesn't become a problem. So far everything else has been good except for the crappy paint job.

atlg35 · April 2003

The next time I go in for an oil change I will ask my service manager about it. I thought it was just me for a while since the sound is so faint!

35coupe · April 2003

I just refused my g35 coupe because it was deliveried with 3 dents on it and the dealer actually wanted me to have it repaired i asked for him to take money off since I paid full price and only wanted to take off 500.00 so I refused now they want a 5000.00 deposit on a new car do not use infiniti of baton rouge or lafayette
it is a joke how they treat their customers also
I ordered black it still had tape stuck on the hood and was full of scratches the dealer told me that black does that Well i have looked at BMW and several other and last time i checked new cars don't have dents or scratches and at full retail it seem like dealers could do better than that. also the salesperson was a joke

maxima4 · April 2003

Atlg35: The sound that came from my car was pretty loud. I had no idea what it was at first. I spoke to the local dealer here and they are going to address that and the quality of the paint. They said they have received numerous complaints about the paint and are working on the problems on a "case by case" basis. IMO I think they are trying to keep things as quiet as possible and really trying to make things right.

35coupe: I would shoot off a letter to Infiniti Consumers Affairs and tell them the way you were treated. That kind of treatment should NOT be tolerated!

don725 · April 2003

Did your dealer tell you how they were going to address your "soft" paint?

I have had absolutely no problems with my G35 in 6500 miles, but I have noticed that the paint is very easy to scratch. A clean soft 100% cotton towel will leave marks.

Don

ihaberman · April 2003

I noticed at a dealer in CT the paint problem on a silver car being driven by the sales manager. I informed the salesperson that this was a MAJOR problem being discussed on the Edmunds boards. My question though is...has anyone seen this problem on any other Infiniti model? Or is this exclusive to the G35?

wallyg35 · April 2003

I HAVE A FEW SMALL RUNS ON MY REAR DOOR AND HAD BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF DEALER WHERE I
PURCHASED, AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD IT WASN'T A
RUN FROM FACTORY AND THAT I MUST HAVE HAD SOMETHING MELT THE PAINT (LIKE ACID). BUT NOW
THAT I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AT A DIFFERENT DEALER,
AND WITHOUT A WORD FORM ME ABOUT PAINT PROBLEM
THEY HAD A INFINITI REP. COME OUT AND INSPECT THE
DOOR AND CONFIRMED IT WAS UNDER THE CLEARCOAT
AND THEY HAVE KEPT THE CAR AND SENT TO BODY SHOP
FOR THE DOOR TO BE REPAINTED. I ALSO AM ONE OF THE
LUCKY OWNERS WHO HAD CIRCUIT BOARD REPLACED AND
AM NOW WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT STEREO BECAUSE
OF IMPROPER CIRCUIT BOARD INSTALLATION.

g35nj · April 2003

In response to previous messages,your G35 brake problems are REAL!!. I have the early version of the 2003G which I bought in April 2002.I already have 19,000 miles on it.During the 15k check-up the service dept. found that the front/rear brakes pads were gone with damaged to the front rotors.I was informed that Infiniti is very aware of this problem(they have seen the problem even at 11k)apparently on the early version only. I got new pads and rotors FREE of charge.So far my dealer have been EXCELLENT ( Ray Catena-NJ). Good Luck!!!

ryoken · April 2003

Is there a TSB # to address this issue, or some other official reference from Infiniti? I've heard of some people having this problem fixed at no cost, and other people having the dealership say "well, it's a performance vehicle and you're driving it aggressively, pay up." I'm only at 3500 mi, and while I wouldn't mind replacing the pads at 15k, I'd hope the rotors hold out longer.

richope · April 2003

The headlamps have nothing to do with being Xenon, other than Infiniti failed to properly mount them.

Go to your vehicle at night with the headlamps aimed at the garage door, or something similar. Using the palm of your hand bump the lens and watch the light show. Keep in mind while it may not be apparent to you while driving, that is what all the other drivers see in front of you everytime you hit a bump. Better yet, have someone drive your car on a bumpy highway (bouncy road from trucks) and you drive another vehicle in front of them. Could be a very dangerous situation for oncoming traffic!!

For the door noise problem, my dealer (Montclair, CA) knew exactly what the problem was, they take the door panel of and wrap foam around the door lock cable. Apparently that is what is bumping against the inside of the door panel. Or at least what I was told.

sidat · April 2003

Richope,

Thanks for the information. Your Montclair, CA dealer did not by chance identify a Technical Bulletin # or something in regards to the door noice issue did they? My dealer does not seem quite as helpful, so I can use all the information I can get before taking it in to them.

Thanks

effinponderous · April 2003

I picked up my G a couple of weeks ago. Upon return to the dealer for a ding, they told me that Infiniti just had a recall on the head light assemblies. you may want to call your dealer.

gwbacon · April 2003

Last June I bought one of the first G35's in the Boston area. My front and rear brakes recently had to be replaced at 18,000 miles. All rotors had to be machined. Cost $660. I heard from the dealer they have not yet seen a pattern to brak wear, but at least one G35 owner had to replace brakes at 8,000 miles. I discussed this with Customer Service and they claim its the first they have heard of premature break pad failure. I think Infiniti has changed the brake pads from the original since the new brakes do not grab compared to the original pads. I love my G35, but I hope this is not going to be typical of the brake replacement schedule in the future.

2963 · April 2003

Re: G35 sedan (two months old), has anyone experienced a brief (one - two second) "growling" sound coming from the right-rear trunk area upon start-up of a cold engine?

I'm assuming it might be the fuel pump priming, but am not sure.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

lama1 · April 2003

I bought one of the early G35's. I've enjoyed the car. However, after 13,000 miles, it looks like my brakes are shot - the ABS, slip & VDC OFF lights are permanently on. I'm taking it in to the dealer tomorrow.
In any event, this appears to be a common problem and Infiniti ought to warn people about it.

jglewis16 · April 2003

Is anyone else having an issue with LOUD brake noise from their Brembo upgrade?? At times it sounds like I'm stopping a bus....especially at low speeds with constant start/stop. Infiniti tells me this is "par for the course" with racing brakes. Can anyone verify that I should be OK with this??

rdb1 · April 2003

I was the one who originally wrote about the brake issue about a month ago. My G35 only had 9700 miles on it when I learned that I had no front brakes. The brake light, VDC light, and slip light kept lighting up on my dash. The dealership "goodwilled" the repairs after some complaining on my part. The rotors also had to be resurfaced. They placed the blame on me- stating it was my driving style, or the type of traffic I drive in- like lots of stop and go traffic. I wish I were an agressive driver like they claim I am. I also don't commute in stop and go traffic. I notified NHTSA because I felt that brakes should not go out on a car with only 9700 miles on it; I think it's a safety issue. Perhaps, as more customers have the same problem, Infiniti will issue a TSB or recall on the brakes.

gabman · May 2003

I have had my G35 since March 2002. In Sept/02 I posted that with 9500 miles my front brakes were 80% worn. At around 10,000 miles the dealer replaced front pads, rotors were good so all they did was change the pads. They charged me for front pads around CAD $ 200.00. Of course I was pissed and complained. They told me that they would speak with Infiniti and see what they could do. Truthfully I didn't expect much. Anyways a few months went by and in January they called me to find out why I haven't brought the car in for scheduled maintenance,I told them that they never called me back re: Brake problem. They asked me to bring the car in so they can check the brakes again. They landed up changing the front pads again plus they installed new rotors in the front at no cost. I now have 22,000 miles on the car with much better brakes than the original ones. Back brakes have been fine, was recently told that there is only 50% wear after 21,000 miles.

My opinion is that Infiniti knows that they have a problem with front pads and the rotors and for those that scream the loudest, they will replace at no charges.

nnylec · May 2003

I also had the CD ERR F0. I had all other control of my radio. They ordered a new radio and just before I got it replaced, all of the center console controls died. The whole thing failed. I could not control the Heat/AC/Radio from the center console. I still had radio controls on the steering wheel. It was an annoyance until it rained and then I did not have any control over the defroster. Get them to replace this circuit board before this happens to you!

Also, the radio had another problem after it was replaced. The radio controls and display just up and died. Again, I still had controls at the steering wheel, but not from the console. Then all of a sudden, 30 minutes later, it came back to life! It went back and forth a couple of times and never permanently failed. The dealer replaced it again a second time. It takes about 3-5 days to get a new radio in. Be sure they order it before you go in so you don't have to go back a second time.

norbert444 · May 2003

I bought my G35 two months ago but has only driven it twice until this week when I started using it around town. I have just over 200 miles on it now.

I have noticed, though, that there is a lot of black brake dust on the front wheels (and a little of it on the back wheels.

At this rate, I suspect the pads will not last long. Is this normal? Could it be that the disks were too rusty due to long periods of inactivity, and are eating up the pads? (The disks are not rusty now.)

cheerioboy26 · May 2003

lots of brake dust is expected, especially when new. it does become less, but even at 12.5K it's still there fairly significantly.

The general consensus at freshalloy.com is that the pads are soft, therefore they will wear fast. The benefit to us is excellent stopping distances. People have replaced their pads from 15-20K.

snagiel · May 2003

As cheerioboy26 said, it's normal. Performance brake pads use softer and more resilient pads that offer better stopping distances and less fade, but consequently pollute the wheels with lots of brake dust. Since the front brakes typically do 80% of the braking work, most of the dust appears there.

It's a pain to keep them clean, but after my BMW 530i (with much tighter spoked wheels), these are a good bit easier to clean and the sheer volume of dust is less.

norbert444 · May 2003

Thanks, fellas! I do brake very gently and infrequently and have never had to replace pads before 50K miles on any of my previous cars. Therefore this is unpleasant news for me. And the wheels look ugly with that black dust. Oh well...

eticketride · May 2003

Took my car in yesterday at 10,600 miles for an oil changed and asked about my squeaky brakes. When I got my car back, the dealer said that the front brakes are fine (They did not give me a measurement). But there is a bulletin on the rear brakes. They are going to replace my back brake pads for free, but they are on backorder.

As far as seat comfort is concerned, I was told that it is a design issue and that I should call Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200 to put in a complaint. I think someone else also posted this information.....

msgreen · May 2003

I am very much interested in buying a new G35, however, am somewhat putoff by reading about the problems (especially brakes, paint and rattles). No doubt, Infiniti reads this board and hopefully is working on all these problems, but has anyone heard from an authoritative source (not a dealer) that there are indeed remedies in the works for these problems for the '04 models? Every car has some issues, but these seem to be widespread enough that they should/ought to be corrected across the entire line, not one by one at the dealer. Anyone know for sure that they are being fixed? Too much competition to ignore in my opinion....

cheerioboy26 · May 2003

IMO, the issue with brakes is not a problem (defect). The pads wear fast. You car stops fast too (the test results show it). I don't necessarily want to replace my brake pads frequently, but it's not a defect. There are probably aftermarket pads that are harder and may last longer with less dust.

There is absolutely no official information on 04 changes, other than one dealer on freshalloy who says AWD is coming in December for the sedan only.

snagiel · May 2003

Reading these boards can be counterproductive, since the most vocal and frequent contributors will be those either with legitimate problems or are otherwise obsessed with their cars and perfectionists to the extent that they're essentially automotive hypochondriacs.

Either way, they amplify what is really a small number of problems, and this happens with most inspiring models on these boards (i.e. not Toyota Camrys).

As cheerioboy26 said, these cars have performance pads and offer better braking performance at the expense of shorter pad life. The paint may be "soft" on these cars, but they're soft on virtually all cars today due to the strict environmental regulations that have been in place in the past decade. Invest in a clear bra, wash the car by hand, and you'll be fine. And my car doesn't rattle.

don725 · May 2003

ditto! I love my car, brake dust and all. I have had it since Feb. 7th and enjoyed 8900 trouble free miles.

Don

pcoates · May 2003

double ditto!! I've had my G since April last year and still love it as much as the day I got it. The 12K+ miles on it have been the most fun I've had behind the wheel in years. Yes, the wheel dust is a pain and I hope that when the time comes to replace the pads that the new one produce less. Actually I have come to consider the wheel cleaning ritual a form of stretching exercise. I can now squat longer than anyone in the family.

tominfi · May 2003

My 03 G35 sedan started to have knocking noise in the driver door after 3.5K. Delivered in 9/02, it was build after Infiniti corrected the earlier production before 4/10/02 with Service Bulletin ITB02-021a. Noises come from the upper half and from the front areas of driver door, near the hinges. Infiniti service could not correct the problem in 2 attempts (of course, "couldn't reproduce the noise" was their first excuse). Could the noise due to the foam and felt pads fell off since it wasn't there when new? Or the dealer didn't look behind the door panel?
Anyone have this problem recently and got it fixed? I'd appreciate someone who could give me a copy of the illustration on removal and installation of door panel so I can take a good look inside the door and fix it myself for once. I've checked around and found out that a CD of Shop Service Manual for this model costs $210 plus shipping.
Despite all the great greetings and new g35 loaner cars, I'm getting tired of making more trips to the dealership for this same problem again! Thanks!

norbert444 · May 2003

Brakes: After some hesitation, I disagree that it is OK for the brake pads to be gone early. See message 491.

I will check the lug torque. It might have been overdone when the dealership put in the wheel locks at the prep stage. It has been reported before by some at the Maxima board that it could lead to rotor distortion which would really destroy the pads quickly.

I do not have a door noise (sorry, tominfi) but have noticed the lower glove compartment door to rattle when the car hits the bump. Does anyone have an easy solution to this?

wallyg35 · May 2003

I had problems with glove compartment door also, but I took into dealer and they ordered new doors
and replaced. I was told that the latches weren't
latching correctly and causing a loose fit.

odesskiy · May 2003

Hi folks,

I just got home in my brand new Infiniti G35 Sedan and as soon as I parked, I noticed that there is a rather large amount of what seems to be water leaking from the right front side of the car. I am really hoping that it is a/c condensate and not something else. Anyone else noticed anything similar? Please tell me I have nothing to worry about - I owned the car for 2 hours

Thanks

clpurnell · May 2003

I would guess it is just A/C condensation. If it as hot where you are as here in houston I would gurantee that is what it is. No part of the car carries just water (radiator is a mix of water/antifreeze) so I doubt it has sprung a leak.

odesskiy · May 2003

Thanks for the response. It was indeed pretty hot and humid here in LA today, so I am hoping that that's indeed what it was - just A/C condensation. However, at the dealership they had to swap out the battery (the one that came with the car was dead) and I was wondering if they could somehow crack the battery. Battery uses distilled water, doesn't it?

Thanks.

clpurnell · May 2003

you are right batteries do use water but not a great deal and nowadays all batteries are maintenance free meaning they are sealed. If your battery cracked water would be the least of your concern :-) I seriously doubt that was it. Just a/c after product. Enjoy your new G and try to wipe that grin off your face :-)

norbert444 · May 2003

Thanks for the response, Wally. However, I would think that if it is a latch, it ought to be adjustable. Replacing the door sounds like a canon shot to kill a fly. Anyway, I'll try to see if I can adjust the latch. If not, I'll try my dealer's shop. Anyone else with door latch experience out there?

norbert444 · May 2003

I finally got around to checking the torque on my lugs (the car has 330 miles on it now). The dealer has put wheel locks on it and they were torqued correctly. But most of the other lugs were WAY overtorqued. I will wash my G today and watch if I retorquing of all lugs to about 80 ft-lbs will have had any effect on the brake dust formation.

swimminglady · May 2003

Is there anything at all I can do about poor gas mileage? I use the highest premium gas and I do drive agressive occasionally, but I'm only getting 15 mpg in city driving and I used 3/4 of a tank that was highway driving and I still only got 20 mpg from that tank. I'm not really happy about this. If I could get at least 18 mpg I would be happy. Of course my dealership claims that there isn't anything that can be done but surely, there has to be some way to boost it.

Also, I had to have the circuit board replaced twice to have my speedometer fixed. After the first time they replced it, my tach and gas guages didn't work. I find it pretty pitiful that the replacements are defective too!

Infiniti G35 Maintenance and Repair

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