Infiniti M35/M45 Maintenance and Repair

ewl88

I think ray catena provides better service. I purchased from Ray Catena. They were more open to giving real estimates. Circle at that time 5/05 couldn't meet Ray Catena's price and suggested that the latter's prices were bogus. I went out of my way (I live in wall) to purchase from ray catena.
I think they do have some good people at circle also but some unhelpful people also. (when my car got wrecked I had to deal with circle who ordered the parts for the local autobody place) I would say ray catena is bigger and more professional.

hac2

I'd like to know which dealer and in which state threatened to void your warranty before it expired. If you never changed the oil and then had an engine problem I can understand it, without that it is just a threat. No way is anyone obligated to have to pay for service such as checking the radiater level, hydraulic fluid level, belt condition, air in the tires etc and that's the type of service you pay for at their stated intervals. I have not bought the m35x as yet and may never own an infiniti auto if I continue hearing the many problems that are coming accross these writings. 50 plus K $ upfront is nothing to sneeze at for the purchase of a car. I hope you will answer. I just want to say that I've owned three new lexus cars and have never had one of the services you've mentioned and they still provided exellent warranty servce here in N.J. hac2

hac2

Thanks for your reply. Presently circle has given me the best price over infiniti in edison, but that has come from the management, since the sales manager did not want to deal very much. I think that they are not selling too many m's and are deciding to lower the msrp. Nevertheless I'm very skeptical of their ability to offer sincere service. Although this is only a hunch. Also with all the problems I'm reading about with the car and with tech support not willing to back alot of fixes for problems encountered by owners, I'm having second thoughts of leaving lexus for infiniti. hac2

bw45sport

Also with all the problems I'm reading about with the car and with tech support not willing to back alot of fixes for problems encountered by owners, I'm having second thoughts of leaving lexus for infiniti.

All the problems? I think it speaks volumes seeing how FEW problems have been reported.

The only common problems reported have been some rattles, low beam light projection, and lack of passenger seat adjustments.

I've driven Benz, BMW, Infiniti, and have test driven Lexus and have found only one that didn't have some rattles or squeaks. That was my almost 20 year old Benz. My M45 has one tiny rattle. I can live with this "problem".

The projection Xenons on the M45 are as good as any car I've driven.

While the passenger seat lacks 53 way adjustment, I'd hardly consider it uncomfortable.

If these "problems" are too much to deal with than perhaps Infiniti isn't the maker for you.

carnaught

Also with all the problems I'm reading about with the car and with tech support not willing to back alot of fixes for problems encountered by owners, I'm having second thoughts of leaving lexus for infiniti. hac2

Well, obviously you have to do what you feel most comfortable with. My M34 sport is my second Infiniti. After owning six Lexus', I can say that the M compares very favorably. Now after one year and over 10,000 mi. ownership, I can say I've had no problems and the car remains rock solid and more fun to drive than any of my Lexus'. I too do not like the lack of seat adjustments on the front passenger seat and am not thrilled with the mediocre gas mileage but these are not major issues to me.

networth

I've not noticed anything new on the status of the XM truncation issue. Has there been any progress on this particular problem. I've got an '04 G35 coupe that has the same issue as well as poor signal reception. My portable XM To go works much better than the one in my G. I'm looking to trade for a M45 with XM but didn't know if they were still having issues with reception and displa.

carnaught

I'm looking to trade for a M45 with XM but didn't know if they were still having issues with reception and displa.

The XM reception and all radio reception is perfect in my M.

networth

So you don't have any problems with the signal dropping or the display limited to 10 characters or so instead of a scrolling display that gives more detailed information of artist and song?

I've got this problem now on my G35 with XM and there have been multiple posts on this site about the same issue with the M.

Thanks.

tac147

I agree with docnukem. The cigarette lighter should draw a lot more current than a phone charger. It is possible that there's an intermittent problem in the charger that's causing a short and blowing the fuse.

bw45sport

So you don't have any problems with the signal dropping or the display limited to 10 characters or so instead of a scrolling display that gives more detailed information of artist and song?

I've had no reception problems other than those one would expect with satellite based broadcast. The truncation issue, however, still remains. While I haven't heard any updates, it seems that it is more than Infiniti's problem as the same issue with XM occurs in other makes of automobiles.

buster6

:sick: I had to have my lighter fuse changed as well (7 month old M45 with 15k miles). My service advisor said it is a common problem on all makes (although I never had this problem before on any car including my previous FX). They changed it for free, but did say that it is not a warranty item and if I need it changed again that there would be a fee. They did not tell my what the fee is, but with $65.00 oil changes, I am sure it is not cheap!!

ewl88

I posted this a while ago but I felt my M's steering became significantly looser over time. (It's stabilized but I don't like the feel as much) My brother brought an M35x also and his steering is much tighter than mine. The steering radius is the same but the resistance to turning the steering wheel particularly at low speeds is lower in my car. Does anyone remember this happening in their M35x during the break in period? I got my car in 5/05 and he got his 2 weeks ago. I asked my dealer 4 months ago but they said it "felt fine". Of course it was a saturday and they didn't have their usual service techs. So it may be a case of making up an answer. Since I'm not a gearhead, can this be adjusted easily?

docnukem

My steering feel has not changed. I got my M35x in mid March, 2005. I wouldn't know how to adjust it.

lexking

"After owning six Lexus'"

If non of them were LS LEXUS'S you really have owned no Lexus's.

carnaught

If non of them were LS LEXUS'S you really have owned no Lexus's.

Well, not that I owe you an answer to the condescending tone of your post, but two were LS's and two were SC coupes and all six bought new. So.....I guess I've "owned" Lexus's.

hac2

Thanks for your reply and I'm glad to hear that you're happy with your M45. Believe me when I say that I also very much like the M35 and 45, but concentrated on the 35 because of AWD. My concern is that infiniti is not willing to corect problems that break down under the warranty, as you will see if you read the following pages:
Page 14 #271, page 15 #285, page16 #296, just to mention a few, but read on and you'll find many unhappy owners who are not geting satisfaction from infiniti. Maybe it will only be a matter of time before you will have the opportunity to test infiniti customer service. Hopefully not. To answer the last line in your reply; I can deal with the problems if any discrepancies will be repaired. Only time will tell if I do go ahead and own this car, which has beauty, performance, and almost fighter aircraft technology. hac2

ewl88

One caveat to my post: Ray Catena doesn't have many service techs on saturdays. They seem to prefer to do routine stuff like oil on saturday. Since I am 40 miles away from Ray Catena, it's a hassle to get to ray catena on the weekdays even with a loaner. I really hope they change that policy. I may need to use circle
(5 miles from me) if I want more important stuff checked on weekdays. I need my alignment checked on my m35x. After my crash, the body shop had an alignment shop which tried to adjust things but according to them Infiniti didn't publish the specs so they made their "best guess." Which doesn't feel quite right.

bw45sport

I really didn't mean to minimize the problems that you've had with your car. Believe me, I can sympathize with bad auto experiences. I have a lemon Benz that I've not been able to resolve satisfactorily.

I know that there have been instances of problems with this car but they really have been quite rare. Other than the QX56, Infiniti has done a terrific job of producing reliable vehicles.

I have had the opportunity to deal with Infiniti Customer Service regarding a purchase I made of a G35 Coupe. I was really amazed at the doggedness that they demonstrated in resolving what was really pretty much a non-issue for me. Both dealers I was dealing with were obviously reprimanded by Infiniti's corporate offices and bent over backward to make amends. When I mentioned this to the owner of the local dealership he explained that Infiniti will not close a report until all parties indicated that they were satisfied or that misunderstandings were cleared up. I'm really sorry to hear that you haven't enjoyed a similar positive experience.

While I've never been a huge fan of Lexus it is difficult to argue that they make tremendously reliable, feature-laden vehicles and back them with the best dealership network in the country. To date, I've had the same experience with Infiniti. I hope they can resolve your issues.

hac2

I believe you had better go back and read my post to you. I DO NOT as yet own the M35x. I would like to own one only if infiniti will resolve problems that occur during the warranty period. Go back and read the pages that I've noted and you'll see for yourself that this is not always happening. You really have to believe the reports we're reading that customer service is not standing behind their warranty. If you'll read every page you will have to agree that there are many not just a few, that you indicate, are haveing serious problems, such as safety items, which are totally unacceptable. Hopefully the posts put on this forum will educate potential buyers in taking precautions as to which vehicle they will buy because some of the big auto makers do not have a lot of empathy for their customers. I will say that Ray Catena Lexus Service Manager, of Oakhurst, N.J. does provide the best service for lexus owners. At this point lexus does not have an M35x equivalent to suit my needs. hav2

zidecar

Priced my M35x with Ray Catena & Circle. Got a better price & more willingness to deal from Circle. I'm also geographically closer to Circle & purchased my M from them. Since picking it up in August '05, have had it in for only one "problem", creaking noise in the headliner behind the moon roof. Infiniti has a Service Bulletin on this. It took 2 visits to correct the problem, however. On the first, I mentioned the tech bulletin to the service advisor (Erik). He seemed a bit defensive about it, remarking that it is not necessarily applicable or the source of the problem. When I picked up the car, the creaking noise was still present. It seemed like nothing was done to correct it. I was annoyed at the waste of my time. I called the service manager and he gave me a second appointment 2 days later. This time, I was assisted by a different service manager, who went with me for a ride and identified 2 additional creaking/rattling sounds besides the one I was concerned about. Needless to say, when I picked up the car there were no more creaking sounds and it continues to be tight and quiet. Circle provided me with a loaner & washed my M for both service visits - now a fairly standard luxury car dealer service (my BMW dealer has been doing it for years). When I bring the car in for service again, I intend to avoid Erik. I suitably dunned Circle in the mail survey that I received for the first service.

bw45sport

If you'll read every page you will have to agree that there are many not just a few, that you indicate, are haveing(sic) serious problems, such as safety items, which are totally unacceptable.

I hadn't reread the posts you'd mentioned because I have followed this board closely. While we can agree to disagree, I will stand behind my assertion that there are few posters who have described numerous problems. Those who have certainly deserve to have them fixed promptly.

Please allow me to address one that you had mentioned though, post #285. It contains such serious problems as:

1. Issue with speaker static. Had to be replaced and sounds as if it was.
2. Moonroof rattle - probably the most often reported issue here. Great, fix the problem in production as soon as possible. Do you expect Infiniti to buy back a car because of a rattle though?
3. Exhaust pinging when car is shut off. Not a major issue to me, you?
4. Moonroof motor and rails. I don't recall any other posters mentioning that the moonroof didn't work but post didn't indicate that it wasn't fixed.
5. Loose driver's seat - right up there with moonroof rattle as most often reported. Dealer's have a TSB and have been fixing for those with this problem.
6. Headlights aimed low. That's in the opinion of some of the drivers. I've driven my car, an M35x, and an M45 premium and found all to be aimed the same and it seemed to me, properly. Aiming Xenons too high can cause problems for oncoming drivers. However, if you feel the need to adjust, it's an easy fix.
7. Door seal wears out early. It's absolutely true. A problem they have experienced and will replace if it occurs no questions asked. Major problem?
8. XM Truncation. Please buy my car back because it only displays the first 10 characters of the artist and song title? XM is having similar problems with other automobile manufacturers.
9. Bose sound issues(head unit cheap). I'd prefer they not use Clarion as the supplier of their head units but I have not heard a stock sound system better than the one in this car. This belief is a common one in anybody reviewing this car.
10. Rear seat armrest rattle. Most often caused by armrest not being reseated properly by passenger. Again though, a rattle.
11. Inadequate seat cooling.One of the only manufacturer's to actually distribute cold air through seats. Not just air moved by fans as MB and BMW do. How would you propose the dealer address this "problem"?
12. Bluetooth issues with link and sound quality.Did the poster use a phone among the list Infiniti has tested and suggested? My phone links immediately and I've never received complaints about quality other than typical handsfree sound quality. Should Infiniti buy this car back if the sound quality doesn't meet the customer's standard?
13. Part availability issues.I would agree that Infiniti should have parts available and provide them to dealers for repair even if it means a slowdown in production.
14. Steering wheel click.A couple of people report that the steering wheel clicked. Hmm, I hope they fix this soon.
15. Poor gas mileage.I'm sure that it is the worst in class. It will be especially bad if you drive mostly in city and make trips of short duration with time to let the car cool between trips. Under normal driving conditions, and mostly city driving however, I've achieved numbers above EPA estimates.

Now, I did read the posts that related ABS, traction control issues. If these problems cannot be resolved then Infiniti truly should buy back these cars. If they fail to do so they deserve to lose sales.

However, the post that I just addressed lists the most common complaints about this car. Some clicks, rattles, pings and connectivity issues with products which they don't control. None of which indicate serious issues with this car.

If, however, you perceive these problems as serious,most posters who have reported these problems have also reported that their problems were resolved. No business will keep all of their customers happy but my experience with their products and service has been exemplary. Most product quality surveys support this as Infiniti has become, other than the QX56, built here in the good ole USA, one of the most reliable brands out there.

As you said, people can read the information and decide. There are more than enough cars to choose from.

nissan_fan1

I hear rattling too from the rear passenger side. I have no idea what it is but I haven't really had much time to go to the dealership to see what is wrong. I probably go this weekend to the dealership to see what's wrong.

ewl88

My "loose steering" feel and the driving experience in general is MUCH better after the realignment. Circle Infiniti was nice enough not to charge me after the hassles I've had with my headlights, and waiting for parts for the repair in the last few months. I'm amazed what a difference a realignment can do but then again the first nondealer alignment shop just guessed. Maybe they used g35 alignment specs for my m35? But I'm much happier with the feel now!

majcnismo

The reason there isn't a forum for the E350 is that there is not enough memory space to contain the complaints on a super computer. Why is it that the April 2006 edition of Consumer Reports lists Mecerdes on the BOTTOM of the reliability list? The same magazine does not even recommend the purchase of a Mercedes E Class. Wow, the EClass did make the "Used cars to avoid" list. Just what I want to do ... spend up to $82,600 for a car that is unreliable and urged to avoid. It sounds as though you work for Mercedes and are trying to undermine your compitition. :lemon:

rpm35x

I just bought a M35X and have been digging through forums for a nav fix. Did you ever find a fix for the navigation while moving?

networth

My understanding on this is that this is a safety feature from Infiniti and there is no "fix" since it isn't broken. There is an aftermarket process that can be put in place where a switch is hard wired in under/behind the dash to allow this to happen but could very well void any warranty. I've been watching this as well since I'm looking to get a M45 sport. How does the voice activiated process effect the in route use of the nav?

zidecar

My understanding on this is that this is a safety feature from Infiniti and there is no "fix" since it isn't broken...... How does the voice activated process effect the in route use of the nav?

I, too, was annoyed at the fact that you could not enter a new destination while the vehicle is underway. I have since come to really like the voice command approach, i.e., "destination street address". The system prompts you for the state, city, street and house number, accepts your inputs verbally and computes the route from your current location, all while under way! As far as I'm concerned, this is the only way to enter destinations, whether stationary or moving! I love not having to do the funky entering of letters & digits via the controller buttons :shades: !

tom2006

Does anyone know how to turn off or disable the braking mode while using the cruise control? It is not usable unless I am the ONLY car on the road!

docnukem

It's in your manual. From what I recall, when you turn the cruise control on, you hold the button until the ICC symbol turns off (about two seconds).

ldj

Hopefully, this is the right forum to pose my question.

Just bought a M35 Sport yesterday with Nav and Journey packages. Love the car (so far)

One question - Does anyone know how to link my phone book from my RAZR phone w/ the system in the car. I really not happy with just transfering numbers from the phone to the car's Phone Book.

Any help would be appreciated.

LDJ :shades:

docnukem

If you are using any company (i.e. Verizon) that does not enable the OBEX bluetooth profile in your phone, you are out of luck. The object transfer is necessary to move numbers (pictures, tunes, etc.) from one device to another. Verizon enables the handsfree profile which allows you to use Verizon phones in the M, but the numbers have to be entered manually.

ldj

My service provider is T-Mobile, so, not really sure about the OBEX bluetooth profile. Anyone out there familar w/ the T-Mobile offering?

Also, is there anyway to activate Voice Dialing on the phone the the Infiniti system similar to my Bluetooth Headset?

Once again, thanks to all for the help!

LDJ

aaficionado

The M is not a perfect car ... but the quality is very high! Although I have never owned a Lexus, from what I have observed, their quality (Lexus LS) is also extremely high. Quality issues are not a reason to prefer one of these cars over the other ... they are both top notch. You'd be better served by focusing on other criteria.

carnaught

I don't think the M can link your RAZR's phone book with the car, at least my M won't. You have to enter each no. individually.

ldj

Thanks, guys, for your input. I think I have come across the one (and possibly only) advantage the BMW 5 Series has on our M's. The Bluetooth feature on the BMW's recognize my RAZR's phone book.

LDJ

carnaught

The Bluetooth feature on the BMW's recognize my RAZR's phone book

Yup, you're right. my '06 3-series' Bluetooth recognizes all my numbers in phonebook and even automatically updates them when I do on my phone. I too wish my M35 had that capability.

daemonizer

I am trying to figure out what bluetooth phone to buy for my new M35x.

Is your RAZR the "RAZR V3c"? Does anyone know if any of the LG "The V" phone works in the Infiniti? Not a single one of the phones on their compatibility list is actually available from Verizon Wireless- disappointing!

Thanks

nycdude

I have a Motorola E815 from Verizon. It is on the Infiniti list and it works quite well with the car's Bluetooth system.

ewl88

I have the same phone but I don't see it sharing the same contact list automatically. Neither does the treo 650 or 700. (as far as I know) (unless I'm missing something obvious)

james27

From my limited experience, with my Motorola phone (v540), I have to select the desired item to upload to the car on a one-by-one basis...it does not synchronize the entries between them.

carnaught

I have the same phone but I don't see it sharing the same contact list automatically. Neither does the treo 650 or 700. (as far as I know) (unless I'm missing something obvious)

The Infiniti's Bluetooth system is not capable of automatically downloading one's contact list or phonebook. As previously pointed out, items must be entered one at a time.

tom2006

My 2006 M35 steering is so sensitive it can only be driven on smooth, very flat pavement! (25 to 55 mph is real bad)
The dealer tells me the alignment is correct. ( I don't think he checked it) How should the alignment be set?
I rotated and balanced the tires and it did help (minor).
If I can not correct the steering problem I will need to sell it! I was told to drive it more and it would change, 3500 miles and no change?
I find myself driving a old truck to work and avoid the M-35 as mush as possible. ( it is a very scary car to drive)

docnukem

I would have the dealer drive it. I would also drive other M35s on the lot to see if they are the same. My 35x steering is fabulous. It reacts very quickly, but very proportionately (to speed and steering wheel angle). There is no drift on flat pavement with my hands off the wheel (obviously checked under very safe conditions).

What cars are you used to driving? The steering on this car compares to a previous BMW 3, but it is not nearly as mushy as some prior domestics.

carnaught

My 2006 M35 steering is so sensitive it can only be driven on smooth, very flat pavement! (25 to 55 mph is real bad)
The dealer tells me the alignment is correct. ( I don't think he checked it)

Try a different dealer. My M35 Sport does not experience the same problem.

ewl88

I would have the alignment checked out. After my m35x was rebuilt after a crash, my steering was very loose and sloppy. Having the alignment corrected made the car feel appropriately tight. Sounds like you have the opposite problem.

tom2006

I drove 1,000's of miles in my SL-500,BMW X5,Lotus Elise and nothing has an uncomanded lane change like the M35.

docnukem

Then it is definitely your car. Have your dealer drive it to prove it to him/her. If they continue to give you the run-around, take it to another dealer and/or contact Infiniti directly to complain.

I can take my hands off the wheel while braking on typical roads (i.e. with the usual cant for rainwater) and notice zero or very minimal drift.

mrshermanoaks

My M35 Sport, with about 1500 miles on it, is very sensitive to uneven pavement. On some surface roads, I feel the wheel being wrenched out of my hands. It's not uncontrollable and it only seems to be an issue at slow speeds. But it's a little annoying sometimes that I really have to grab the wheel. In stop and go traffic it can really be a problem.

Anyone have the same kind of issue?

mwg

When my new M arrived, I was able to program the Homelink to open only one of the garage doors. The second door didn't respond. I recognized that the problem was with the garage door opener, not with the car. Nevertheless, it was a problem,albeit a minor one. I phoned Infiniti and they suggested that I call Homelink ar 800 355 3515.

The Homelink rep spent 30 minutes with me carefully advising me how to take the garage door opener apart and link it to the car. In this voice mail era, I was truly impressed with this type of service. As an aside, after he was finished, I asked to speak to his supervisor. I told her how helpful her rep was. She thanked me and stated that the the company had an incentive program and that this rep would be rewarded. It's a pleasure dealing with a customer oriented business.

Emgee

tom2006

I got the car from a dealer while in Phoenix but I live in Florida. The ONLY dealer in my area is Mobile Alabama!(2 hour drive) Do you know how to contact Infiniti? I think it is a problem with the front end set up. (ie alignment set too straight/no toe , I would like the aliment specs)And yes it is a low to mid range speed problem, 60 mph+ it is much better. It is too new for the local shops to know much about it! Does the computer have any control of the steering?