Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

1 reports

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110,202 miles · Jun 15, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesSteering

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BOUGHT 2003 Q 45 IN SPRING 2007, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. JUNE 2009 AT 79,000 MILES THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY). 6/30/09, 80,081 MILES CAR PROBLEM WITH NO ACCELERATION AND SERVICE ENGINE AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT COMING ON. PROBLEM DIDN'T REOCCUR UNTIL JUNE 2012 WHEN ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. WOULD RESTART IN NEUTRAL BUT IN A WEEK OR SO IT DID IT AGAIN ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 55. FORTUNATELY WAS IN RIGHT LANE AND COULD GET TO EMERGENCY LANE BEFORE SOMEONE RAN INTO ME. CAR RESTARTED. CONTINUED LIKE THIS UNTIL 6/29/12 WHEN REPAIRED, ONLY IT CONTINUED TO STOP AND THE CRUISE CONTROL/TRACTION LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND CAR WOULD SUDDENLY STOP AND THEN SURGE FORWARD. 8/11/12 SERVICED FOR SAME PROBLEM. 8/14/12 SAME THING, CAR STOPPED THEN SURGED, THEN THE ENGINE CUT OFF AND LOST STEERING/BRAKES. INFINITI SERVICE AGAIN, THIS TIME INSTALLING NEW ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE ($ 1600). THE DEALER KEPT THIS CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND A MECHANIC DROVE IT UNTIL IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MECHANIC OR SOMEONE AT INFINITI DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A "DEATH TRAP" AND IT IS. A FEW WEEKS LATER GOING AROUND A ROUNDABOUT, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND LOST STEERING. PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, ENGINE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2013 I PULLED ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY, DROVE A MILE AND ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. BEFORE I COULD GET IN NEUTRAL TO RESTART, A DUMP TRUCK NEARLY REAR-ENDED ME. GOT IT RESTARTED, THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, CAR STOPPED AGAIN AND THEN SURGED FORWARD. I HAVE CONTACTED INFINITI AND INTERNET SEARCHED. THERE WERE MANY INFINITIS WITH THIS PROBLEM IN THE YEARS 2002-2003, THOUGH ROSWELL INFINITI SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON ANY INFINITI YESTERDAY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND INFINITI ACTS LIKE THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10519942

Official recalls

12V079000 · Air Bags:side/window

Feb 28, 2012

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 INFINITI Q45 VEHICLES. A WIRING CONNECTOR FOR THE SEAT MOUNTED AIRBAG MAY EXPERIENCE INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE, RESULTING IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAGS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NON-DEPLOYMENT OF SIDE AIR BAGS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE WIRING CONNECTOR, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 19, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA09005 · Non-deployment Of Side Thorax Air Bags

Opened Apr 1, 2009 · Closed Apr 3, 2012

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

The subject vehicles are equipped with seat-mounted, side thorax air bags for the driver and front passenger.This investigation revealed that faulty side air bag module electrical connectors located under the driver and front passenger seats can cause an interruption in the electrical circuit that will drop the input voltage below the specified range.As a result, the air bag warning lamp illuminates on the instrument panel and the affected side air bag becomes deactivated.In June 2009, Nissan conducted a service campaign to repair the defective air bag electrical connectors in the subject vehicles (both Infiniti Q45 and M45 models).In June 2010, Nissan sent a second notification concerning the 2009 campaign to owners of vehicles that have not been remedied.Nissan is now conducting a safety recall of the Q45 vehicles not remedied under the service campaign (approximately 1,349 vehicles; see NHTSA Safety Recall No. 12V-079 for further details).The M45 vehicles are not included in the recall; however, Nissan is re-notifying owners of M45 vehicles that were not remedied under the previous service campaign.See attached report for more information.A safety-related defect trend has not been identified in the Infiniti M45 vehicles at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.The agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take future action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10327196 and 10402282

PE08067 · Side Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Dec 2, 2008 · Closed Apr 1, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH SEAT-MOUNTED, SIDE TORSO AIR BAGS FOR THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT FAULTY SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CONNECTORS LOCATED UNDER THE FRONT SEATS CAN CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION IN THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT WILL DROP THE INPUT VOLTAGE BELOW THE SPECIFIED RANGE.AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES AND THE AFFECTED SIDE AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED.THE RATES OF COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT ISSUE ARE VERY HIGH.FOR EXAMPLE, NISSAN SUBMITTED 4,853 WARRANTY CLAIMS ON 3,551 DISTINCT SUBJECT VEHICLES OUT OF 13,836 TOTAL SUBJECT VEHICLES.ALSO, ANALYSES OF WARRANTY CLAIMS INDICATE AN INCREASING FAILURE TREND OVER TIME.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA09-005) TO FURTHER STUDY THE ISSUE.