2004 Infiniti QX56

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 2004 INFINITI QX56. WE HAVE RECEIVED ERROR CODE B1177 WHICH IS FOR THE PRETENSIONER IN SEATBELTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING. WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING REPLACED AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BAG ON SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO SCANNED THE CODE. HE ADVISED US OF THE ERROR CODE AND WHAT IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS THAT AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF OWNERS OF THE INFINITI QX56 AS WELL AS THE NISSAN ARMADA (SISTER VEHICLE) HAVE THIS EXACT ISSUE. WE ARE UNSURE AS TO WHETHER THE AIRBAGS WILL FAIL IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR IF THE SAFETY BELTS WILL ALSO NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE HAS A 10 YEAR SEATBELT WARRANTY BUT THE DEALERS ARE STATING THAT THIS ITEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS OBVIOUS NEGLECT AND DEFECT ON THE MANUFACTURER'S PART AND PUTS THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES AT SERIOUS RISK. WE ARE A FAMILY OF 5 WITH 3 SMALL CHILDREN. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE OR TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY RELATED ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

VEHICLES AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY AS IF IT WENT OFF. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE AIRBAG WILL FUNCTION DURING A CRASH. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH WILL RETURN NUMEROUS SITES WITH THOUSANDS OF USERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. PEOPLE HAVE COME UP WITH A RESET PROCEDURE FOR THIS WARNING LIGHT, BUT IT SEEMS TO REOCCUR FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. AIRBAGS MAY NOT FUNCTION DURING HEAD ON CRASH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITY QX56. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000. THE CONSUMER AT HIS OWN EXPENSE, HE HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT CONTROL LOWER ARMS. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED IN MAY 2010. HOWEVER, HE WAS INFORMED THAT FOR HIS MODEL THE PARTS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE, AND THEREFORE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. ALSO, ALL FOUR BELT PRE-TENSIONS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON BOTH SIDE. THE CONSUMER STATED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE PRE-TENSIONS FAILED. EACH TIME THEY FAILED, IT RENDERED THE AIR BAGS NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $8000 DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A $10 SWITCH INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REVERSE COMPONENT. THE WIPER FLUID MOTOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS BEING INOPERABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD A HOSE HAD COME OFF AND RE-ATTACHED IT FREE OF CHARGE THE ENTIRE BRAKE ASSEMBLY, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR, LIFT GATE MOTOR, TACHOMETER, DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK, HVAC CONTROL, BLOWER RESISTOR AND EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. . UPDATED 04/27/12

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER STATES THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER WIRING. OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IF THIS LIGHT COMES ON, IT MOST LIKELY MEANS THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS ARE KEY SAFETY MEASURES. TO HAVE THEM BE NOT FUNCTIONING IS A MAJOR CONCERN. IF YOU PUT IN A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING INFINITI QX56" YOU WILL FIND HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS FROM PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. *TR

PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG.*MR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEACTIVATION INDICATOR LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH INTERMITTENTLY. THE REAR LIFT GATE SENSOR WOULD BEEP WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT OFFER AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WASHER SPRAYER DID NOT FUNCTION. THE LIQUID BEING SPRAYED OUT OF THE SPRAYER WAS ALCOHOL WHICH DISCOLORED THE PAINT ON THE HOOD COWLING. THE DVD ENTERTAINMENT UNIT BROKE. WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE CABIN PRESSURE AND EMITTED A LOW FREQUENCY BOOMING SOUND. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR THAT PROBLEM. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLES ENGINE MADE A PINGING NOISE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR AN ANSWER FROM THE TECH LINE. *NM