Infiniti G35 Maintenance and Repair

twilightb

Ok, just got my G35 Coupe. Love the car and the looks that it gets.
Had a teenage kid yell at me across a parking lot today,saying
"Hey! You should have a car load of babes with a ride like that"
So later, as I was unloading all the babes, I noticed a an enormous amount of brake dust on the wheels.
This will not do.
Being anal as I am, I will be out every night cleaning it off.
Has anyone tried any of the dustless brakes on there G?
I have heard of using a ceramic compound brake pad that is suppose to creat less dust. I realize that it can never be completely dustless, but the ceramic compound is said to create a lighter, in color and texture, dust that does not stick to the wheel.
Anybody know anything about this.

Thanks

ryoken

I've heard good things regarding lack of visible brake dust with EBC Greenstuff, Hawk HPS Street, and Satisfied Pro Ceramics. TireRack sells all three.

I haven't tried any of them yet. I'm holding out for the 3yr/36k mile brake/rotor warranty. I'd rather have free brakes than dustless brakes for the time being. Waxing your wheels makes that stuff easier to clean off.

sjr

I'm sooo close to buying a 2004 G35 Sedan, with Sport suspension and premium package. After reading all the reviews and posts, I'm really concerned about the interior wear and tear. Specifically, the "spray painted" center console and comfort/durability of the leather seats.

Can any of you G35 owners that have driven the car in real-life circumstances for at least 1 year provide some experience around the durability of the interior (leather, plastics etc.)? Any problems with scratching & unusual wear and tear? Should I be concerned?

There is convincing evidence that the '05 models will contain some interior upgrades, although unconfirmed. I can get a great deal now (2.9 APR, 31,300 - 3000 off MSRP), but am considering waiting until more information is available. I would be disappointed if I purchased now and learned that the '05 will have upgrades to address these concerns (Infiniti is unveiling their '05 models at the NY Auto Show on April 8th).

Sorry for the long-winded post. Any thoughts?

Thanks

dfd3

I am on, believe it or not, my second G35 sedan. Current one is a 6MT ivory pearl with willow, previous was an emerald mist 5AT with graphite interior. Bought the current one in July 03, bought the original one in April 02, traded in on the 6MT. So, I have ownership experience of 15 months and 8 months respectively. I can tell you that I for the life of me do not understand negative posts regarding the durability of the interiors. My car is my daily driver and on weekends child hauler and I have had NO problems with scratching, chipping, marring, etc. Both leather colors have been fine with only minor creasing which is to be expected. Don't get too caught up in the mag reviews/negative comments regarding the interior of the G. Is it as nice as the Audi, no. But for me it is very functional given the overall performance of the car with price then calculated into the equation. Believe me, there is no better bang for the buck in the marketplace right now. Are you looking at the 5AT or the 6MT? Just make sure to drive both before deciding. One test drive of the 6MT after 15 months of 5AT ownership sold me. Another thing, check into a clear bra. As reported, the G35 bumper/hood does chip easily. I had a clear bra installed before delivery of my second car and it's made all the difference in the world.

sjr

Thanks for the information. Maybe I shouldn't worry so much.

wh9

I've had my G 1.5 years...bought it with 8k miles on it. It is pearl white sedan with willow interior. Have had no problems at all, interior or otherwise. Had the clear bra installed recently is all. I now have 43K miles on it...I do a lot of driving. The leather seats are fine. I use leather cleaner and conditioner from time to time. It looks great, handles great and has plenty of power to do what I want. Also I still have the original brakes on mine as well. This is my 3rd Infiniti.

sjr

Where do you get the clear bra? At the dealer?

dfd3

Yes, I got mine done at the dealer before I picked up the car. I'm sure that they shopped it out but I am not sure who they used. Mine was $490 back in July of last year. Don't know what current prices might be.

rooch

I bought my G35 with the full-size spare option. When I returned the car to the dealership to change out the small spare, they put 3 sheets of styrofoam around the new spare (as it extends up higher in the trunk. The tire is loose in the well (not screwed down). This is covered by a piece of cardboard which in turn is covered by a piece of thin trunk wall carpet-like material, and then they put the same trunk mat back on top. In the back of the trunk (beyond the spare), the floor is at the original lower level as it is not elevated by a piece of styrofoam. I'm so glad the interior of the car is of better quality than the trunk which seems extremely cheap. Is this the experience of everyone else who went for the full size spare or did I get short-changed on the upgrade?

wh9

I had my clear bra installed on Monday. I'm in Georgia so I had it done by SpeedFilm. www.speedfilm.net
I purchased my clear bra for less than $200. I got the LLumar instead of the 3M product. Speedfilm handles both. I also got the headlight film as well.

wibble

The cars come from the factory with either a space saver or a full size spare. What does the official factory sticker say? The space saver premium package is $3050 and the full size $3200. This sounds like this was a dealer cludge.

wibble

The interior of the G35 (Coupe and Sedan) are going to be totally redesigned. I personally would hold off on a 2004 at the moment.

rooch

The sticker describes a space saver spare. I guess I got the styrofoam quality upgrade. I did get the Goodyear Eagle GS D tire, though. I believe it retails for about $230 US.

ryoken

It's odd that they'd raise the trunk up to the spare. My space-saver spare has a piece of styrofoam above the spare to bring it up to the level of the rest of the trunk.

chrisboth

Ya but I thought the higher trunk level was for better underbody airflow...or I am giving nissan a lot of credit!

ryoken

The interior of the trunk wouldn't affect the underbody airflow at all. I seriously doubt they have two different sets of trunk sheet metal for regular and compact spares.

There are plastic diffusers that bolt on underneath the car near the trunk that help with airflow. They're much lower than the bottom of the trunk, so I don't see how the trunk would affect airflow.

chrisboth

So why shouldn't we all get full size spares - weight?

jayivy

Where can I find information on the interior design of the '05 Coupe. I'm close to leasing a coupe within the next month, but would love to see what the differences will be in the '05 compared to the '04. Can anyone help? Thx

cheerioboy26

There are no official, confirmed changes given, although one of the things that was floated around was moving the seat controls. No pics either. There was a rumor it might be shown at the NYAS on 4/8, but the Infiniti website doesn't give any indication of that.

wibble

There's less space in the trunk with the full size spare. Also some folks would rather save $150!

chrisboth

o no wonder people complain - i think theres ample room for 3 big bags

ryoken

Last year you couldn't get a full-sized spare with the sport package on the sedan. I don't know if it's still true, but I heard it was because Infiniti didn't have enough of the 5-spoke wheels to meet demand at that time.

jayivy

Hey everyone,

I just test drove a G35 Coupe yesterday (which is wonderful), but I noticed the gas pedal was kinda stiff. Has anyone else experienced this with the car. Is it just a new car thing and will fix itself after miles are put on the car. I don't want to have to put it to the floor all the time to get a good push from it.

Thanks

dfd3

Go test drive another G35. I have driven numerous sedans and one coupe and have never noticed a stiff gas pedal. The G35 has a drive by wire throttle - no linkage to the engine - so the pedal should not be stiff. Could have been a fluke with the particular car you drove.

jayivy

Thanks for the info. I'll go test another one!

anhn

I purchased my G35 with the Navigation option. In general it works fine; however lately with the Bid Dig project in Boston MA, I noticed that the new roads are not indicated on the display. When I go through the tunnel on I93, the display indicates that I'm traveling through water and going across the old routes. Will the system update itself, or do I need to get a new DVD with the latest map on it? Please let me know if you have any information on this.

Thanks

wibble

All of the information regarding roads, point od interest, etc. are all held on the DVD. All the GPS part does is track your position. You're going to need a new DVD. What date is on yours? The latest release was October 2003 as far as I recall. You could also contact Zenrin or go to their website. They are the company that provides the data and DVDs for Infiniti.

will38

I bought a G35 coupe a couple of weeks ago. I hear a buzzing or metal rattling against metal sound coming from the rear end. I happens after I shift into reverse or drive and let off the brake. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I probably won't go in and have it looked at until I change the oil at 1,200 miles unless it requires immediate attention. Any advice would be apprecaiated.

anhn

Thanks for the info wibble! My DVD was the 6.1 version. They want $185 for the 6.2 version, which I though was a bit pricey. Anyone have an extra copy they're willing to sell me?

norbert44

If it happens within about 30 seconds after you have just started your car, it is the ABS system after-test sound. It is normal.

kitei4

I have a G35x which his3 months old. Perfect so far. Not a single problem. Today when I started the car I noticed that the door open signal was on. I checked all doors and all were closed. Also, the temp gauge was all the way down, and there dash signal showing I was in drive was off. I drove a short distance and then turned off the car. When I restarted all was back to normal. Anyone have an idea.

thanks

chrisboth

That is the abs system apparently

will38

Thanks for your input. When I backed out of the garage this morning and shifted into drive, it sounded like it was the exhaust rattling. When I go in for my first oil change, I'll have them look at it.

2963

Just had the wife's '03 G35 sedan in for it's 7500 mile service, and asked that they look at the rear brakes as well during the tire rotation (they were squealing, just like the TSB said they would). All four brake pads were replaced at Infiniti's expense, and I could immediately notice a different feel in the vehicle's stopping ability.

Whereas the original brake pads would quickly & rather aggressively "bite" upon application, the new pads are much smoother. At this point, it seems the G's total stopping distance remains the same, and the new pads help give the brakes a more linear feel during application.

Anyone else had a similar experience with the factory replacement of their pads? Do the new pads shed less brake dust?

Thanks in advance...

difod

I have 1300 miles on my G35x. Zero problems, love the car! Does anyone think I should change the oil before 3750 miles? Are synthetics the best choice?

Thanks in advance...

airwolfe04

Does anyone have any pics of the Clear bra? Also is this applied to the bumper and hood? I recently purchased a Twilight Blue and know it will be tougher to maintain but I still would like to keep it aesthetically appealing on the 6MT coupe.

wibble

It is applied to the front half of the hood, the front bumper and the backs of the door mirrors. There ain't much to see because it's clear

wh9

I have been using full synthetic since I got the car. I have 46k on it and change the oil every 7,500.

bach47

You may want to go to "http://www.speedfilm.net". They have pictures there of the clear bra installation on various vehicles. Great product and well worth the investment to protect your investment!

memphisslim1

The area surrounding the little center circle (w/Infiniti logo) on the two WHEELS on the passenger side of my 2003 G-35 are cracking (fraying around the circle with the metal chipping). This is the circle w/Infiniti logo in the exact middle of the wheels (surrounded by the lug nuts). Has anyone else had this problem? Is it serious (e.g., cosmetic or structual)?

I have 29,000 miles, and hope it will be covered by the warranty. I plan to contact the Infiniti dealership, but thought I would first post the question to determine if anyone else has experienced the same problem. Thanks.

jackson

My fuel gauge does not always read full even when it appears the tank is full. Does anyone have this problem?

wibble

Are you sure the tank is actually full? I remember some people had a problem where the fuel nozzle would cut off even though the gas tank wasn't actually full. I'd have your dealer have a look at it next time the car is in for service.

wh9

I've had this problem since Ive had the car. Talked to serrvice about it and basically they said there was nothing they could do. So what I do is continue to fill up the tank very slowly. After that the gauge reads full.

norbert44

I do have this problem about 10% of the time: At some gas stations, the fill system will cut off when the tank is half full. It then refuses to continue filling (ie, I squeeze the nozzle for more gas and it cuts off immediately).

Next fillup, though, everything is back to normal.

I tried the slow filling but was not successful (maybe my hand is too heavy). It's no big deal, but it would be nice if anyone had a solution to this nuisance.

ronin

Don't ever buy a newly introduced Infiniti or Nissan. Wait at least six months until production problems have been solved.
Since 1978 I have owned 2 Honda Accords, one Prelude, a Ford Mustang, a 1990 300ZX, 3 4-Runners, a Ford Explorer and an I30. All were brand new and only the Explorer was recalled for a problem with the rear door.
I bought my 2003 G35 in March 2002. It was one of the first to be manufactured and the worst. My G35 had the fuel line recall, AC/radio circuit board replaced, head lamp screws recall, brake switch recall, crank position recall and the brakes replaced. The AC heater still make a vibrating noise which the technician calls normal (which I can not hear in the loaner cars). My rockin' and rollin' driver seat has been repaired four times.
I learned alot from the messages posted on this site. If you have any problems search the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for complaints and recalls regarding your car.
Check your warranty for your state. If your problem is serious do not go to arbitration with the Car Company's BBB, hire a lemon law attorney. When the President of Nissan makes you pay MSRP for the newly designed G35, Nissan has to pay when it is a lemon.

glocksig

I was seriously considering a G35 coupe until I found out that you can't option the NAV system without the performance package. I really do want the nav but the performance wheels in NJ is just going to cause me aggravation, especially with the lack of options for winter use. I plan on leasing so I have no desire to drop an extra 2k for rims and tires.

Does anyone know if they will install the NAV without the package?

Thanks.

carnaught

Also bought one of the early G's. I'm not sure I call it a "lemon" but my car has been in for at least seven recalls and some of the problems have also been fixed more than once. For now things are copacetic.

wibble

Who told you that? One of my friends has a Carribean Blue coupe with premium and NAV only.

jackson

Does the oil in the K&N air filter void my vehicle's warranty if it enters the pollution control devices or does oil enter it at all?

Have anyone installed it experiencing any issues?
Thanks for your help.

caballero1

Well 7 months and all has been pretty good with my coupe, but last night while driving home I noticed 2 things. First while coasting to a stop I noticed that there is a squeaking sound coming from the brakes and also when starting off in first gear I noticed some slight clatter coming from beneath the car. It also is noticeable when going to 2nd gear, anyone here observe these same problems. Thanks