Infiniti G35 Maintenance and Repair

kevinliberti

I bought a G35 6 speed mid November and starting having trouble with the transmission. Down shifting from 4th to 3th caused a grind. Didn't matter what speed or rpm.

Took back to the dealer and found out there is a defected with the syncro ring between 4th and 3th. Received a new transmission and now there is a high pitch whine in lower gears. Taking back in a few days...I will let you know how round two goes.

Any one else experiencing this issue? Oh by the way this started about 200 miles into driving the car. I have 3,100 on it now.

berman2921

Dealer offered to replace GoodYears with Bridgestones if I don't take advantage of the first two free oil changes. Is it worth it? Will I really feel the difference? Andh how much will I pay for the oil changes?

neptungrll

I have had my G35 since August. Have about 9,000 miles on it. I just noticed the front drivers door starting the rattle. I think it is the stereo speakers. I can't get it to do it all the time, or without the stereo on. Have you gotten any more info since your post 352?

Thanks, Pat

cheerioboy26

Can't comment on the Goodyears, but each dealer sets their on service prices. For me it's about $30 for an oil change and wash, but others charge more...you'll have to call.

rdb1

ref message 362: it's possible the rattles are due to the speakers. infiniti has issued a technical service bulletin stating that the doors seem to rattle with the stereo on; however, our doors rattle whether the stereo is on or not.

lwechsler

To all G35 owners.
Need to know if Owners with leather package option have the same problems of Noises, Vibrations and rattling from door panels, a/c compressor, mirrors, etc..

lwechsler

The serious problems reported on these message board regarding noises, vibrations and a/c compressor, made me wonder if I should own one.
Any owner regrets this purchase?

berman2921

I have a 2003.5 model and don't have any problems so far.

ryoken

I have a 2003.5, with about 500mi on it, and the works (premium, sport, aero, nav, winter packages). So far, no rattles, vibrations, or odd noises. Hopefully that won't change when they swap out my radio. (CD changer jammed, it displays "CD ERR F0")

neaudi

I have the Bridgestones on my 2003.5 model with sports package. I think the ride is incredibly stiff. Just checked the tire pressure while in my cold 30 degree garage - all 4 tires are at 28 psi. I assume going to 30 psi, as recommended by the book, will make the ride even worse. Wish I didn't feel every bump in the road. Hoping I get used to it soon.

My mileage for first 2 tankfuls was 17 and 18 respectively. I am figuring the bad mileage is probably due to some long, slow rides to the office in some tough New England driving conditions.

bobp11

I have a 2003.5 too. No problems here as well. No rattles or anything. If you crank up the stereo very loud you are bound to shake up things in your car. Loose items may be making the noise. The car so far as been perfect, inside and outside.

bobp11

I guess I don't understand all the whining about the stiff ride for the G35 owners that purchansed the sport pacakage. If the ride is a little too stiff, they should have purchased a Lincoln Town Car. It really is not that bad. The great control of the road feeling should offset the little bit of stiffness that everyone seems to be complaining about.

neaudi

Not sure who is whining, I certainly am not, or didn't intend to sound like I was. I love my G35, inside and out. I purchased the sports package because:

* I thought the regular suspension had a bit of sloppy steering,
* I preferred the sports interior and wheels
* I wanted a factory installed spoiler (not available without sports)

I still have my A6 2.7T, as my lease isn't up for another month. So I have the opportunity to drive both A6 and G35 on a daily basis. IMO, the A6 is the best touring sedan out there, and coming out of the Audi after 3 years, it is a bit of an adjustment with the G35. (Note: my 2000 A6 2.7T does not have a sports suspension, as does the 2003 2.7T).

I think the winter road conditions (ie frost heaves, potholes) in New England also contribute to my sensitivity to the firm suspension.

Bottom line, given the chance to do it all over again, looking at the total value proposition, I would choose the G35 again. If I wanted to spend another $12k, I would have gone right back into another 2.7T.

froze

I have the Bridgestone tires, with the regular suspension and I too find the ride to be too stiff for my tastes. Yesterday I drove a loaner from the dealer that had the Goodyears on it, and the ride was smoother, but also noisier on some road surfaces. But my biggest complaint, by far, is the uncomfortable driver's seat, caused by the placement of the power seat controls.

slummyj

I thought I wanted to buy a G35. After reading about the problems here, I may be no better than I am with my Passat. My current car has dash rattles and door rattles. The dealer can't seem to fix them. It sounds like I could be getting into the same situation again. It also seems strange that a car at this level would only have 2 color choices for the interior. Too bad, I love the G35, but don't want to make another mistake.

getgo2468

How is this car in the snow. I live in NJ and we have had snow a couple of times already...

phillycheesehd

I live in SE PA, and I picked up my G35 Sedan in November. I have driven on snow (less then 6"), ice, sleet, etc...and couldn't be happier. It's certainly not able to go like my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4X4, but I've been very impressed. With the TCS on, it's been virtually impossible for me to make the car fishtail. The accelerator does cut out, so you can't go very fast while slipping, but I've always felt in control in these conditions. I'm sure as the tires wear in they won't hold so well in the snow, but so far this winter, I've been fine.

BTW, regarding noises, vibrations, & general unreliability, I've got over 3k miles and I'm still amazed by how good this car is. The car has more power and hugs the road better then I ever even hoped for and I haven't had a single quality related reason to question my investment (knock on wood).

htbomb

My 03.5 has Goodyears. No complaints. Ride is firm but not hard (mine's a non-sport). Rattles are not an issue. Any regrets? The seat cushion is VERY uncomfortable on all but the shortest drives because of the location of the controls. Why would anyone put hard plastic where your leg goes?!

bobp11

I have a black G35 which I ran through the car was just the other day for the first time. Unfortunately in Indiana this time of year the roads are sandy and salty. I noticed later that the so called soft brushes left streaks in the clear coat which are noticeable via close examination. I presume the wash brushes had reminants of sand and salt in them to cause the streaking. Is anyone aware of a good product to apply to remove the steaks and to help prevent them in the future? They are not that bad, but I am kind of picky about stuff like this. Thanks.

ryoken

Check "Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)" over in Maintanence & Repair. There are many suggestions over there on how to remove swirls, fix scratches, get the best shine, etc. There are other, similar discussions in that area, too.

halveb

I would suggest polishing your car after a proper cleaning. You are probably right that the streaks are the result of accumulated sand and dirt in the brushes or depending on what the brushes were made of they could have caused the swirls.

Griots garage has good (although pricey) stuff and they also have a guide to paint care on their website that is very useful. Whenever you wash your car unless you use the proper tools you will end up get scratches and swirls when washing and waxing.

The trick is getting all the debris off before using any sort of cloth to buff wax on or wipe your car. A good mild polish should remove the streaks that the car wash has put in the clear coat. I suggest a little reading on www.griotsgarage.com then you can decide what products to use (theirs or someone elses) but the process is what's important.

neaudi

Have had my G35 w/ sports suspension for about a month, and must admit I am still not used to the ride. I know I will feel more of the bumps with this suspension, but it seems very bouncy.

During the test ride, I recall feeling the stiff suspension, but not being bounced around like I am now.

Can this be attributed at all to the tires (Bridgestone) or tire pressure, or is it all a function of the sports suspension?

Anyone else feel like they are being bounced around?

Otherwise, car is simply AWESOME.

cls73

What recourse do we have as consumers if Inifiti cannot solve these Rattling problems? They've looked at this for over 3 months and nothing has been corrected. I've seen posts about the BBB and State Lemon Laws. To be honest, I like my car and don't want to get rid of it, but I also want Infiniti to come clean about these rattles. Are we entitled to compensation??? Let me know.

fotodad

I'm aghast at all the problems G35 owners are having! Isn't the Infiniti line suppose to be second only to Lexus in quality? Air conditioner problems, rattles, CD changer error messages and jams, seat belt problems, the list seems to go on and on! Only briefly have I read a message from a happy G35 owner. I've been struggling between the purchase of a G35 coupe and a Nissan 350Z. After hearing all these problems, I'm not sure I want any Nissan product! I'm going to check the 350Z message board to see those owners are experiencing the same number of problems. The nearest Infiniti dealership is 90 miles away from me. So everytime I have an issue, it's a day spent just getting there and back. Looks like I'll have to stick with Toyota. Bummer, I really liked the features and looks of the G35. Certainly I don't expect every car to be perfect, but this message board bears testiment to a poorly constucted Infiniti G35 sport coupe. I wonder what all these car magazines will say about their "Car of the Year" after they do their follow-up tests. They should definitely look to this discussion board for a valuable insight into the quality (or obvious lack of) of this vehicle. When I first started reading the postings, I thought I was on a Chevy or Ford discussion board. Yikes!

coolpop36

One thing that I've noticed is that only the G owners who have any sort of problem are posting over here and at FA. It seems as though the majority of G owners are very satisfied with their cars.

I have had my G35 sedan for 5 weeks now and am extrememly satisfied with it. No sqeaks, no rattles, no AC problems, no CD problems, no seat belt problems. I love it. It's a blast to drive and definitely the most-fun car I've ever owned. Of course, now that I've posted about this, I'm sure that I've jinxed myself.

Any first-year production model is going to have some glitches to resolve, but again, at these forums you're probably only hearing from the minority who have problems, not the majority who don't.

fotodad

It's good to hear all is well with your G35. I've owned a 2000 Toyota Solara, which I bought used, for a couple years now. The car is as sound and tight as the day it came off the assemply line. Like most owners of automobiles who take pride in their vehicle, I detest rattles and squeeks. Since the Toyota has been so quite, I certainly expect the same and even much better quality from a brand like Infiniti. You can imagine my disappointment when I read all these negative testimonials. You're probably thinking, "Why get rid of the Solara if you like it so much?" Good question. I want something with more flash and performance. But I WILL NOT sacrifice exceptional quality to get it. I wish Lexus made a competitive model to the G35 coupe. You make a good point: the point of this discussion board is to discuss problems not how satisfied you are. I wish you all the best with your G35 coupe. I hope I've sent positive vibes back, so you needn't worry about being "jinxed."

pkalagara

I agree with Coolpop36. I have a G35 Sedan. I have about 7700 miles on my car. I have no regrets whatsoever. No rattles here. I visit this Problems & Solutions forum once every 3 months. So may be most happy owners don't read this forum that often. I hope those who are having problems will have them fixed.

coolpop36

Let me just reiterate how much I love my car, and I'd had 4Runners for 7 years. Never thought I'd go back to a car, but I am obsessed with this one.

By the way, I'm getting the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires in 235/50/17 next week. This should top off an already great car and make it perfect.

I'll let all know how good the tires are after a few weeks.

Get the car, you won't look back.

neaudi

I have a 5 week old 35G A/T with 1600 miles and I have been experiencing a delay in shifting from R to D. It seems as though when I shift from R to D it takes several seconds, perhaps up to 4 or 5, for the transmission to actually go into drive. Then all of a sudden you can feel it get into gear.

Anyone else experience this?

Wonder if it is worth having it looked at???

coolpop36

I haven't experienced this, nor have I heard of this. Take it to your dealer and have it checked out.

deano67218

NEAudi,

  Are you still moving, even slightly, when you move it out of R into D?

Chris

neaudi

I probably am moving slightly, but can't say for sure. I will have to pay more attention to this. I do know that on one particular instance, after shifting from R to D, I sat at a complete standstill, and actually revved the engine, thinking I was in drive, but it hadn't kicked in yet. Took about an additional 2 or 3 seconds to get into gear. Now whether or not I shifted while I was still rolling, I am not sure.

ryoken

I have noticed a couple of times, if I was rolling backwards slightly when shifting from R to D, it didn't go into D until I stopped the car. Try keeping your foot planted on the brake when you shift from R to D. It might be some undocumented safety feature.

neptungrll

I have had my G35 Sedan since Summer. I have about 9,500 miles on it and I am still loving it! I also do not have the problems that others are dealing with. My AC is great, CD changer great, etc, etc. I only read the boards to see what others are doing and for care/maintenance/tips. Hope this helps you. I am out of town and just saw a G35 Coupe go down the road. It still makes my heart go pitter patter when I see one on the road!

cooldude13

I would like to know if u guys that opt for the sport package really feel a difference than the premium package

deano67218

NEAudi,

  I think that there are two things at work. Firstly, in an automatic transmission car, you need to be stopped completely before changing gears -- it isn't designed to change from R to D whilst moving. Secondly, if you have been doing this over time, there may already be damage to the transmission. I don't mean to sound alarmist, but in my short experience with the G35, I haven't heard of this complaint at all. Good luck!

deano67218

I have driven both, and on the streets, there isn't much of a difference unless you are taking the car beyond normal city driving. If you take the car to a track, I am certain you will notice a difference, but I don't think that the average driver will really notice or appreciate the $600 option ($1150 if you add the aero package). Have you driven both? What are your experiences?

ryoken

I test drove the regular, then bought a sport G35. I have noticed that it does feel a little firmer, mainly at slow speeds. In parking lots, you feel rough pavement, and speed bumps get to you unless you go very slow, or kick it up to at least 15mph. Once you get up to traffic speeds, the suspension does a great job at absorbing the bumps. As for the track, I plan on starting SCCA SOLO2 this spring; no experience yet, and I doubt I'll get a chance to drive a non-sport that way, since I can only afford one car.

What do you mean by "feel a difference than the premium package?" The premium package has nothing to do with the suspension. In fact, I have both packages on my G35.

neaudi

I have garnet fire / sports / premium. I test drove regular suspension first then the sports. I thought the regular suspension was good, but a little too much play in the steering wheel. I thought the sports model gave me better control in the steering wheel, even more than what I was used to with my A6 2.7T.

In addition to the steering, I chose the sports model because 1) I like the sport wheels better 2) I liked the titanium interior better than the regular suspension interior, and 3) I wanted a factory installed rear spoiler (because I lease I could residualize factory installed options, and was not interested in aftermarket wheels/ spoiler). All 3 of these items were only available w/ sport, and I positively wanted the spoiler.

I absolutely love the handling in the sports model. Although, as I have said in other posts, I am still getting used to a firmer ride.

My dealer told me to go off and test drive each for a 30 minutes or so to really compare. I'd recommend the same. Take them both on back roads, turn, highway etc...

Good luck.

gburger1

My G also has a lag when I shift from R to D, I am not stoping the car all the way sometimes, but other times it just revs up when I am at a stand still for 2-4 seconds.
Someone said Infiniti will have a fix next month.

deano67218

That is very interesting! Thanks for the info.

cottdav

Some models of G35 have factory defect in headlight assembly install. Mine were sent back to Japan and new assemblies installed. Dealer originally thought this was as designed.. oh yeah they are supposed to shake ... Now there is also a dealer H/L rubber damper to be installed.
Also my w/s washer jets stopped working I tried to clean them out but no luck..I'll see what dealer has to say.

opimax

My g doesn't like going into 5th, has a whine in 2nd and 4th, anybody else, 4200 miles? I also feel a surge at on-off point on the accelerator, pulls to the right and has too much vibration.

Mark

coolpop36

No, I (thankfully) don't have any of those problems that you mention.

As far as the pull and vibration are concerned, it is likely that one of the tires is defective. A defective tire can give a radial pull along with some vibration.

My advice is to take it to a shop that has a Hunter 9700 force-variation balancer. That awesome machine can detect all sorts of tire/vibration problems.

Good luck.

opimax

I have read on G35driver.com about an updated front end part for cars that pull to the right. Looking for more info, my car is at the dealer as we speak waiting for an Infiniti rep to drive it.

Love the G , not too sure about mine, sale rep said they talked about buying mine back , i am all for it, make me an offer!!!

Mark

gidyup

On www.freshalloy.com someone had similar issues with their tranny, would not go into a certain gear and it would grind. A new tranny had to be ordered and his was sent back to Japan for evaluation.

ryoken

Anyone else waiting for their Bose stereo to be replaced? Mine jammed on Jan 8, and they still haven't received a replacement. It's apparently on backorder. Am I the only one waiting?

dtlin

I am absolutely surprised that no one has a posting regarding Brake Noise. My G35 has had squeaking brakes for almost 8 months and every owner that I've spoken to has told me that they have the same brake squeal problem. This usually happens with light braking pressure. It's usually worst in the rear brakes. I've brought my car into the dealership and they have tried to fix the problem, including resurfacing the rotors, but to no avail. They said it's the metal in the pads that cause the squealing. I'm so annoyed with this noise that I may try and use the AZ lemon law to turn my car in. ANYONE with the same problem or better yet, fix for this, please respond.

bobp11

Check out G35driver.com. There are forums that address brake squeal. My 03.5 does it from time to time, but never a major issue. I have had other vehicles with semi-metallic pads that do it too. Personally, unless it is so bad to cause braking performance problems, I don't worry about it. Keeping the wheels clean and free from dirt and brake dust helps the problem. I also would not resurface the rotors for this. You only get one or two grinds on them before you have to get new ones.

kporter5

Purchased a G35 sedan approx. 3 wks ago. However, my fuel efficiency is terrible. The car has approx. 775 miles and I'm getting 14 mpg in the city.

Any suggestions or anyone else having this experience?