2012 Infiniti G37

I purchased this vehicle, 2012 Infiniti G 37XS in September 2023. The vehicle was basically brand new with less than 2200 miles on it and I have driven it very little up to that point, October 2024, as it is not my primary vehicle. Around [XXX], I believe it was around 8100 miles and change on the vehicle, a warning light came on my dash regarding my passenger airbag. Since that date, I have worked with Plaza Infiniti in Creve Coeur, who has looked at the vehicle a few times and identified that there is no part replacement other than OEM that can fix this issue. However, the part has been discontinued. Today, I reached out to Infiniti directly, and with a sad heart, they refuse to even listen to me. Now, I have a vehicle that has a safety issue and no way to fix it. The part number 87300–1NL6A, is the lower seat assembly for the passenger side of my 2012 Infiniti G 37XS. This part also has the occupant sensor which is directly affecting the airbag. The sensor is not replaceable separately of the lower seat assembly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I’ve owned this 2012 g37 for a few years and had no issues whatsoever. However within the last couple of months, my air bag light came on and has been flashing since. I’ve taken it to get inspected and had the system checked and was told my passenger seat occupant sensor malfunctioned and is throwing the code on. The sensor itself, very easily replaced, is unable to be bought by itself. Repairs by the dealership is well over 5,000 for the seat and labor. The sensor is being sold as a component part of the bottom build of the seat, and cannot be sold otherwise. The issue with the sensor not being active, prevents the activation of the passenger airbag regardless of the seat being occupied or not. My concerns are that I won’t be able to safely commute with passengers on the road and also being able to pass state inspection, as needed per law per state. Without this sensor, driving is an everyday peril, a safety concern a driver has no control over with other vehicles on the road. There has not been any prior incidents that have occurred that could cause this electronic issue.

There is a leak on the driver side down the front A-pillar. Water runs over the electrical components, fuse box, BCM. I’ve researched on the internet and this is an extremely common problem. If this component gets wet, the car could shut off while driving. Maybe there is a danger with being electrocuted as well. This is a design flaw and potential safety issue in the 2012 Infiniti G37, and it’s happening fairly often as seen with similar issues from other owners. Do I have to worry about this with my two kids in the car? Why hasn’t this been addressed by the manufacturer with the commonality of the problem? I had a similar issue on the passenger side. However, I was not worried about safety as the electrical components are not on that side. There is not the same risk for electrocution or car stoppage while driving. Nonetheless, it is still an extremely common problem and failure of engineering on the manufacturers part. Now I am dealing with the same issue on the drivers side where the electrical components come into play.

INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE YEAR 2012, WITH 11,400 MILES (SECONDARY CAR VERY LOW MILES) DISPLAYED PASSENGER AIRBAG ERROR/WILL NOT DEPLOY AIRBAG IN A CRASH. THE CAR WAS STARTED AND THE DISPLAY LIGHT NEVER WENT OFF AND HAS STAY ON EVERY SINCE WHILE DRIVING. TOOK THE CAR TO WESTHOUSTON INFINITI SERVICE ONE WEEK LATER AND WAS TOLD A SENSOR WAS BAD AND THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF 6K (MY SEAT IS ALMOST BRAND NEW). I QUESTIONED WHY I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR WHAT IS SURLY A DESIGN FLAW AND THE PRICE IS OUTRAGEOUS. I DECLINE AS THAT PRICE WAS NOT DOABLE AND CONTACTED INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS WHO LISTEN TO STATE ISSUE AND SENT AN EMAIL THAT NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GIVEN DUE TO WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE SEAT FOR A SENSOR. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS I KNOW OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. MY FIRM POSITION IS NO CAR COMPANY SHOULD BE ALLOW TO REQUIRE CONSUMERS TO BARE THE BURDEN OF POOR ENGINEERING.

MY PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING GOING ON AND OFF AT VARIOUS TIMES INTO THE DRIVE AND VARIOUS WEIGHTED PASSENGERS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON MY 2012 G37 SPORT AND THE SEAT (SENSOR CANNOT BE CHANGED OUT SO HAVE TO BUY THE WHOLE SEAT) RANGES BETWEEN $5000 AND $8000. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE, WHAT WERE TO HAPPEN IF ANY ONE OF US HAVING THIS ISSUE WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH A PASSENGER? FROM WHAT IVE READ THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NOT GO OFF WITH THIS LIGHT ON SO THEREFORE MY PASSENGERS SAFETY IS AT RISK BECAUSE OF A VERY COMMON ISSUE FROM INFINITY. LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF EVEN SITTING STATIONARY.

I BROUGHT IN MY 2012 FOR MAINTENANCE AT AN INFINITI SERVICE DEALER. I RECEIVED A "NEW" BATTERY AS I WAS TOLD THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACEMENT SOON. COME TO FIND OUT, THE "NEW" BATTERY WAS ACTUALLY A FAULTY COMPONENT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. I TOLD THEM THAT IT MUST BE THE BATTERY SINCE I NEVER HAD THAT ISSUE BEFORE. THE BATTERY ISSUE CONTINUED AND I WOULD HAVE TO JUMP MY CAR OFF. THE DAY I HAD TO BRING IT BACK TO INFINITI, I HAD TO JUMP OFF THE CAR AND RIGHT AFTER I DID, THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND CODES INDICATED A FAULTY DIAGNOSIS SENSOR UNIT FOR THE AIRBAG. THEY THEN DID THEIR DIAGNOSTICS AGAIN AND DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY ITSELF WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE CAR-STARTING ISSUE, YET THE INFINITI BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO BLINK. THE DEALER SAID THE COST WOULD BE $1600 TO REPLACE THE SENSOR/CONTROL UNIT. THE AIRBAG HAS NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED AND I NEVER HAD ISSUES UNTIL THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT WITH A FAULTY BATTERY AND THUS CREATING THE NEED TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER A JUMP START. I NEVER SAW THE LIGHT BEFORE THAT.

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SEAT BOTTOM NEEDS REPLACING AS IT IS AN OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILURE. COST FOR PART IS $6500.00. COST TO INSTALL AND RESET IS $500. THAT REPAIR IS HALF THE VALUE OF WHAT IT IS WORTH. I CALLED INFINITY'NOT UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MULTIPLE OWNERS OF THESE MODELS ARE HAVING SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 INFINITI G37. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT START WITHOUT CHARGING THE BATTERY. ON JANUARY 30, 2014, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,430. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER THE BATTERY WAS CHARGED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,900. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE DOOR, A BEEPING NOISE SOUNDED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES AND ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATED THE RADIATOR AND THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS, WHICH INCLUDED FLUSHING THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,940.