2001 Infiniti I30

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI I30. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SLIGHT SHIMMY AND AN UNUSUAL KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE ADVISED THERE WAS A RECALL ON HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V146000: SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER ARM) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 118,000.

I OWN A 2001 INFINITI I30 WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2000 FROM LYNNES INFINITI IN NEW JERSEY. EXCEPT FOR THE PROBLEM DISCUSSED BELOW, I HAVE BEEN QUITE PLEASED WITH THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SOUND SEEMED TO BE MORE PRONOUNCED AT HIGH SPEEDS, ABOVE 50 MPH. CURSORY INVESTIGATION REVEALED EXCESSIVE RUSTING AT AND AROUND THE MOUNTING AREA FOR THE BRACKET THAT SECURES THE BASE OF THE RADIATOR. ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER THAT SERVES AS THE MOUNTING AREA FOR SECURING THE RADIATOR'S BASE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH (SEE ACCOMPANY PHOTOGRAPHS). CONSEQUENTLY A FAIRLY LARGE HOLE DEVELOPED AT AND AROUND THE MOUNTING AREA COMPLETELY NEGATING THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER. THE LACK OF SUPPORT AT THE BASE OF THE RADIATOR TRANSLATED INTO EXCESSIVE UP/DOWN MOVEMENT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT'S HOOD. THE HOOK'S MOVEMENT IS NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS BUT BECOMES VERY PRONOUNCED AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH, THE HOOD'S VIBRATION CAN BE VISIBLY OBSERVED. ASIDE FROM THE RUST-THROUGH OF THE RESPECTIVE STRUCTURAL MEMBER, THE REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE IS PRACTICALLY RUST FREE. AS SUCH, IT QUITE APPARENT THAT THE RUST-THROUGH OF THE RESPECTIVE STRUCTURAL MEMBER MIGHT BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO DEFICIENCIES IN THE RUST INHIBITING TREATMENT APPLIED OR A LACK THEREOF. *TR

RESEARCH OF NHTSA RECORDS SHOW 3 OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE. I FIRST REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO NISSAN ON FEB-12-08. THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. DIAGNOSIS BY MY MECHANIC, LATER CONFIRMED BY THE INFINITI DEALER, WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE MOOG REAR SUSPENSION MOUNT. MY MESSAGE TO NISSAN AT THE TIME READ AS FOLLOWS: "I AM UNPLEASANTLY SURPRISED THAT A BUSHING IN THE REAR SUSPENSION OF MY I30 NEEDS REPLACEMENT, AND THAT THE COMPLETE REAR END MUST BE REPLACED. IT IS GOING TO COST ME $800 TO REPLACE A $40 BUSHING THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER FAILED IN A CAR DRIVEN OVER EXCELLENT ROADS FOR ONLY 87,000 MILES." NISSAN/INFINITI DID NOT AGREE THAT IT WAS UNREASONABLE TO CHARGE CLOSE TO $1,000 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF A $40 BUSHING AND REFUSED TO OFFER ANY ACCOMMODATION. THE CAR NOW HAS 107,000 AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR

2001 INFINITI I30. ELECTRONIC MOTOR MOUNTS FAIL, CAUSING CASCADING FAILURE OF IDLE AIR CONTROL AND DESTROYING ECU. ALTERNATELY, THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE FAILS AND DESTROYS THE ECU WHICH IN TURN DESTROYS THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR MOUNT CIRCUIT WHICH RESIDES ADJACENT TO THE IACV CIRCUIT ON THE ECU MAIN BOARD. THE RESULTING SHORT CIRCUIT IN EITHER CASE CAUSES ACRID SMOKE TO ENTER THE PASSENGER CABIN OF THE CAR AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO REV WILDLY WHICH, IF NOT, ACCOUNTED FOR, COULD CAUSE AND AN UNSAFE SURGE FORWARD IF STOPPED. BY EMPIRICAL INTERNET RESEARCH AND MORE IMPORTANTLY - FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIAN, THIS IS A PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY SEVERAL DRIVERS/OWNERS OF THE 2001 INFINITI I30, AND 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA WHICH ARE "SISTER" CARS. THIS REPAIR IS VERY COSTLY REQUIRING A NEW ECU, IACV AND ELECTRONIC ENGINE MOUNTS PLUS THE COST OF REPROGRAMMING THE CARS IDLE LEARNING CURVE - TYPICALLY RANGING BETWEEN $2000 AND $3500. THE MFR KNOWS OF THIS ISSUE BY THEIR DEMONSTRATED "PROCEDURE" FOR REPLACING THESE PARTS. *TR

2001 INFINITI I30T MY MECHANIC HAD THE INFINITI ON A LIFT TO INVESTIGATE A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHILE THERE HE NOTICED THAT A SECTION OF THE FRAME JUST BELOW THE RADIATOR THAT SUPPORTS IT AND THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS EXTREMELY CORRODED. WHAT ALARMED HIM IS THAT ONE, HE'S SEEN THIS WITH GREATER FREQUENCY ON THE FEW INFINITI I30S HE'S WORKED ON AS WELL AS ITS SISTER VEHICLE OF THAT GENERATION, THE NISSAN MAXIMA. TWO, THE CORROSION IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE CONCERNED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK THROUGH AND EITHER DROP OUT OF THE CAR ALTOGETHER OR AT THE VERY LEAST DROP LOW ENOUGH SUCH THAT IF WHILE TRAVELING THE CAR PASSED OVER SOMETHING RAISED AND FIXED ON THE ROAD, IT WOULD CATCH THE OBJECT SOMERSAULTING THE CAR AND OCCUPANTS. HE FEELS THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFICIENCY IN DESIGN AND A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN. VINS FROM THE OTHER CARS HE'S SEEN THIS ON TO FOLLOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI I30. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION AT THE RADIATOR AND ENGINE SUPPORT OF HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CORROSION COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT. SINCE THERE WAS NO WARRANTY, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE IS COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2001 INFINITI I30. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN HIT OR OTHERWISE DAMAGED. IT'S A FULLY STOCK VEHICLE. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL BY ITSELF HALF WAY AND THE RPMS AND SPEED ROSE. I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT THE ACCELERATION OVERCAME THE BRAKING AND WOULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE. I PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS WERE AT MAX. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER SO I HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO GEAR TO GET TO THE NEXT EXIT. ONCE I PUT IT INTO GEAR THE VEHICLE SPED UP UNCONTROLLABLY AGAIN. SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP. I OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE ON THE THROTTLE WAS KEEPING THE THROTTLE FLOORED. IT WOULD NOT LET UP. I UNHOOKED THE CRUISE CONTROL FROM THE THROTTLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AGAIN. THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IN THIS VEHICLE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS IS ALL ORIGINAL. NO ALTERATIONS/MODIFICATIONS. IT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD I NOT BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT 10PM BUT RATHER ON THE STREETS OF MANHATTAN, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED 10 MINS BEFORE IT DID SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I AM IRATE BUT RELIEVED AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

WHEN COLD OUTSIDE, MY 2001 INFINITI I30 RECENTLY STARTED LOOSING POWER BRAKE BOOST AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TWO TIMES. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS NISSAN/INFINITI MODELS. THE PROBLEM, WHICH I VERIFIED THIS MORNING IS A CHECK VALVE IN THE VACUUM LINE COMING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. I STARTED THE CAR, DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TWICE TO RELIEVE THE VACUUM RESERVE IN THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE PEDAL STIFFENED UP WITH NO VACUUM ASSIST. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE VACUUM LINE FROM THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THERE WAS NO VACUUM AT THE BOOSTER WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING AND THUS NO VACUUM ASSIST. AFTER FLEXING AND TAPPING THE LINE IN THE CHECK VALVE AREA, THE CHECKBALL RELEASED WITH A CLICK AND VACUUM WAS RESTORED. THIS IS A VERY VERY SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT IS OCCURRING ON MANY NISSAN/INFINITI CAR AT THIS VERY MOMENT, JUST DO AN INTERNET SEARCH ON "NISSAN BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN COLD". THIS PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT OCCURS ON START-UP AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES(THE VACUUM RESERVE IS DEPLETED). THIS CONDITION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AFTER MOVING INTO TRAFFIC. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO WORK WITHOUT ASSIST, THE FORCE REQUIRED TO OVERCOME THE NO VACUUM ASSIST IS MORE THAN MANY FEMALE, OLDER OR TEENAGE DRIVERS CAN APPLY. THE CONDITION FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO BRAKES EVEN THOUGH THE PEDAL DOES NOT GO TO THE FLOOR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE (RECALL) IMMEDIATELY! I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE PART(RUBBER VACUUM HOSE WITH INTEGRAL CHECK VALVE) YET, BECAUSE I KNOW TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AT STARTUP SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I MOVE THE CAR. I DO HAVE THE PART AND WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO VIDEO TAPE THE FAILURE ON THE NEXT COLD MORNING(BELOW32 DEGREES APPROX) OR I WILL SEND THE HOSE TO YOU FOR TESTING. IF I WERE THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD CONSIDER THIS DISTURBING, BUT NOT A DESIGN PROBLEM. I ONLY FIGURED OUT WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS(CHECKVALVE) ON THE INTERNET. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI I30. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONED ABNORMALLY AS WELL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A MECHANIC THREE TIMES. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V146000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 02/15/08. *LJ