KnownCarProblems2003 Infiniti I35 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 93 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Infiniti I35, most often about the engine (74% of complaints, typically around 100,500 miles). It is the most complained-about I35 model year since 2000 and has 5 recalls.
Most common 2003 Infiniti I35 problems
Engine
69 complaints · 74%Half of these problems showed up before 100,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
Recently, I have noticed sudden surge of acceleration @ low speeds...and today it stopped all of a sudden while driving. It happened twice today and the steering wheel locks itself. The first time it started immediately after coming to a halt but the second time it stopped in the middle of the road. Tried…
We were driving locally at normal speed and the car suddenly lost power as though we ran out of gas. We were able to slide somewhat to the side of the road. After a while, the car started again and we thought it was just some kind of fluke. We are senior citizens and do not drive a great deal however we thought all…
Electrical
13 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 151,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2003 Infiniti I35. The contact stated that the vehicle was having issues starting. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. After the vehicle stalled, the slip warning light, vdc off warning light, and service engine soon warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the…
The contact owns a 2003 infinity I35. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but it stalled again. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it could not be diagnosed. The failure occurred on another occasion as the slip…
Speed control
10 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 101,000 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal.
Recently, I have noticed sudden surge of acceleration @ low speeds...and today it stopped all of a sudden while driving. It happened twice today and the steering wheel locks itself. The first time it started immediately after coming to a halt but the second time it stopped in the middle of the road. Tried…
While driving the car does not respond to the gas pedal by accelerating sometimes. I have been at very low speeds while turning a corner or at very high speeds while driving on the freeway and the car will not respond to the fact that I am pressing the gas. The only way that I can get it to accelerate is by slamming…
Stability control
8 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 146,000 miles.
I bought a used 2003 Infiniti I-35 about a year ago and it was running fine until about a week ago when the engine suddenly shut off without warning while I was driving through an intersection. It really upset my girlfriend because we could have been 't-boned' on the passengers side and she could have been killed.…
The car loses power after a while and will just stop as if it ran out of gas. This has happened several times, otherwise the car is ok. The mechanic suspects it has something to do with the crank position or circuit board. There was recalls on this model in 11/2003 and 12/2003 that describe exactly what happens to my…
Air bags
8 complaints · 9%I receive a letter that my car front passenger air bag inflator has manufacture problem and may not come out in case of a accident, and Infiniti say that they will fix it and I want to know were I can go and get it fix? As soon as possible.
The contact owns a 2003 Infiniti I35. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v287000 (air bags). While driving 30 MPH, the contact stated that the engine lost power and the vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic. The contact had to make several attempts for the engine to restart. The contact…
Transmission
5 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 128,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2003 Infiniti I35. While driving between 35-40 MPH, the vehicle decelerated without warning. The contact placed the transmission into neutral, restarted the engine, and the drove away safely. An independent mechanic came to the contact's home to diagnose the vehicle, but the test could not be read.…
Driving on highway @55mph when engine stopped functioning. Lost power steering and power brakes and careened off the road almost hitting a house. When I went to start the engine it had great difficulty ( took about 30 seconds ) when it finally started the service engine soon, tcs and slip lights were on. Took car to…
Other or unspecified
5 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 158,000 miles.
Car stalled while driving down the road at a speed of 30 MPH. Diagnostic test revealed codes for camshaft/crankshaft position sensors. Vehicle not included in recall. Mechanic verified that the sensors failing were the problem. Car towed to home. Sensors have been replaced and failed again!
I understand that per campaign NHTSA # 03v455000 - crank/cam positon sensor weld, my veh was part of this recall.. Infiniti I35 2002-2003 and I was not notified. It shows that the circuit board for the cran position sensor have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress acceleraton…
Brakes
4 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: pedals and linkages.
The brake pedal and accelerator pedal are close together. With my size 12 foot, it is easy to accidentally have my shoe on both pedals. The car has enough engine power to overcome the braking system, and lead to a collision. With the ABS and tcs (traction control system) on this car, I would like to see an interaction…
I was driving at around 30- 35mph and suddently car slowed down with brake light on. I turned the emergency lights on and moved to right most lane. Swtiched off the car. Swithed on back. It worked fine. It happened twice with me. Only worry is that while travelling on freeway if car siddenly slows down, which may be…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2003 Infiniti I35 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began february 12, 2020. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 maxima, 2002-2006 sentra, 2002-2004 pathfinder, 2007-2011 versa sedan and versa hatchback, 2001-2004 infiniti i30 and i35, 2002-2003 inifiniti qx4, 2003-2008 infiniti fx35 and fx45 and 2006-2010 m35 and m45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (psan) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began december 21, 2017. All owners should receive a second notice by may 15, 2017. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 infiniti fx35 and fx45, 2003-2004 infiniti i35, 2006-2010 infiniti m35 and m45, and 2007-2011 nissan versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 infiniti fx35 and fx45, 2003-2004 infiniti i35, 2006-2008 infiniti m35 and m45, and 2007-2008 nissan versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tenn
Air bags
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on june 15, 2015. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: on december 18, 2015 nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 infiniti fx35 and fx45 vehicles.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 nissan maxima, 2002-2004 pathfinder, 2002-2006 sentra, 2002-2003 infiniti qx4 and i35, 2003 fx35 and fx45, and 2001 i30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Air bags
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerâs frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on june 16, 2015. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: this recall supersedes recall 14v-701.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 infiniti i35, 2003-2005 fx35 and fx45, and 2006 m35 and m45 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in florida, hawaii, puerto rico, the u.s. Virgin islands, saipan, guam, and american samoa, as well as alabama, mississippi, louisiana, texas, and georgia, are included. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Engine: engine and engine cooling
Risk: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Questions about the 2003 Infiniti I35
- What are the most common problems with the 2003 Infiniti I35?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (69 complaints, typically around 100,500 miles); electrical (13 complaints, typically around 151,000 miles); speed control (10 complaints, typically around 101,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2003 Infiniti I35 have?
- 5 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from January 9, 2020 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2003 a bad year for the Infiniti I35?
- It is the most complained-about I35 model year since 2000, with 93 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.