1998 Infiniti I30

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INFINITY I30. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HE SMELLED RUBBER BURNING AND THE FOLLOWING DAY HE HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR CAUSED THE BURNING SMELL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT A PART OF RECALL 02V171000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALTERNATOR/ GENERATOR/ REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 108,000.

IN JUNE 2009, I TOOK MY 1998 INFINITI I30T INTO A DEALERSHIP FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE FRAME HAD ROTTED UNDER THE ENGINE & HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT CONTINUED OPERATION COULD RESULT IN THE FRAME COMPLETELY SPLITTING APART CAUSING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD THEN TRIGGER A SERIOUS M/V ACCIDENT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS THE YEARLY STATE INSPECTION. I ADVISED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT PART OR WAY TO WELD THE PIECES TOGETHER. I WENT TO KELLY INFINITI AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO ADVISED ME THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR FRAMES IN THESE VEHICLES. HE WENT ON TO STATE THAT HE HAS HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM IN SIMILAR VEHICLES AND BELIEVED THE KELLY COLLISION CENTER COULD POSSIBLY REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN ASKED HOW AN AVERAGE CONSUMER WOULD IDENTIFY AND KNOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, HE ADVISED THAT THE FRAME IS CHECKED ON A VEHICLE'S YEARLY INSPECTION. MY VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN INSPECTED IN OCTOBER 2008 AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FRAME. HAD I NOT GONE IN FOR SERVICE IN JUNE, MY NEXT INSPECTION WAS IN OCTOBER 2009, A FULL FOUR MONTHS LATER. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD MY 17 YEAR OLD SON HIT A POT HOLE ON A HIGHWAY GOING 55 OR 65 MPH AND THE VEHICLE SPLIT APART AND/OR THE ENGINE FELL OUT? A FATALITY IS CLEARLY A POSSIBILITY. I WENT TO KELLY COLLISION CENTER IN BEVERLY AND MET WITH MANAGER SKIP GIRARD, WHO ADVISED ME HE COULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AS HE HAD DONE WITH SEVERAL OTHER 96 AND 97 I30'S. HE STATED THAT MY I30 WAS THE FIRST 1998 THAT HE HAD SEEN WITH THIS FRAME ROT. HE ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DESIGN CAUSES WATER FROM THE ROAD OR RAIN TO CONTINUOUSLY SATURATE THE FRAME IN THIS AREA, WHICH CAUSES CORROSION. THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF MY FRAME WAS REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INFINITI I30. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF OVER $1,000. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 64, 726. UPDATED 07/14/09 *BF UPDATED 07/15/09.*JB

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES, THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITH MANY 1998 INFINITI I30'S AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET. NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. LIGHT SUGGESTS THAT THE AIRBAG IS FAULTY HOWEVER NISSAN SAYS THIS IS NOT THE CASE. FAULTY OR NOT THE FLASHING LIGHT SUGGESTS SAFETY ISSUE AND THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT NISSAN HAS TAPPED THE CONSUMER FOR AT ANYWHERE FROM 500-1000 PER OCCURRENCE. *TR

CHECK OUT THIS SITE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH I30 HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_71712.HTML AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES. THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THE AIRBAG IS MALFUNCTIONING OR THE SYSTEM LIGHT, BUT IN EITHER CASE WE KNOW NOT WHICH. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING SITUATION WHICH INFINITI WILL NOT ADDRESS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *AK