2003 INFINITI M45 Electrical System Problems

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, IT HAD SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I LOST ALL POWER. IT STARTED BACK UP LIKE NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND I'M AFRAID THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY. I SEE THERE WAS A RECALL INVOLVING THIS BUT NOT FOR MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME JUST RECENTLY.

Mileage: 117,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

Mileage: 190,000

MY BOYFRIEND RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A DEALER THAT GAVE HIM A STANDARD WARRANTY AND WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS NOW AND AFTER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THE CAR HAS FUEL GAUGE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING STEERED IS FEELS AS IF THE CAR WILL SLIP. THE CAR MAKES A FEW NOISES WHEN YOU TURN OR STOP AS WELL. IT ALMOST FEELS AS IF THE TIRES WILL FALL OFF. I HAVE MENTIONED IT TO HIM BUT I LET HIM HANDLE THE CAR BUSINESS. THE FACT IS I DRIVE THE CAR TO TRANSPORT OUR CHILD AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. I ALSO HAVE FOUND THAT THE CAR HAS HAD A RECALL ON IT FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY NOTED. I AM NOT SURE IF I CAN REPORT THIS OR WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS CAR. *TR

HELLO, WHILE DRIVING OUR 2003 INFINITY M45 ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. I WAS DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AND THIS SUDDENLY HAPPENED. THE CAR TURNED ON IMMEDIATELY AND DROVE BACK HOME. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUE WITH THE FUEL. I DROVE IT AGAIN AND THIS HAPPENED TO ME ONCE MORE, THE VEHICLE JUST SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WAS TOLD AFTER BEING CHECKED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME CAR AND YEAR FOR THE CAM & CRANK SENSORS BUT NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THIS CAR WAS PART OF IT. TO MY SURPRISE IT WASN'T! WHY WOULD THEY RECALL SAME YEAR AND MODEL BUT NOT MINE? MY VEHICLE STALLS ON THE ROAD AND COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY GOTTEN INJURED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION. PLEASE HELP US OUT. THANK YOU! *TR

Mileage: 138,000

THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL. IT READS FULL 100% OF THE TIME REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH FUEL IS ACTUALLY IN THE TANK. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

WIFE HAD JUST REACHED 65MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE DIED. FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 1/2 TANK. I HAD HEARD THAT FUEL GAUGE FAILURES ARE COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE, SO I CAME WITH A GAS CAN AND ADDED 2GAL. CAR STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM AND WAS DRIVEN TO NEAREST GAS STATION TO FILL THE TANK. CAR CONTINUES TO RUN WITHOUT INCIDENT SINCE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. I NOW RESET THE TRIP ODOMETER WITH EACH FILL UP, AND REFILL BEFORE REACHING 300 MILES ON A TANK. WAS TOLD BY INFINITI DEALER THAT ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF APPROX. $1200. *TR

Mileage: 124,500

EVEN THOUGH FUEL GAUGE SHOWS A FULL TANK OF GAS THE TANK WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY AND I RAN OUT OF GAS. THIS WAS VERY INCONVENIENT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS FOR EVERY PASSENGER IN THE CAR, HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY OR OTHER ROADS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED TO SUDDENLY BE OUT OF GAS. ONE OTHER RELATED ISSUE IS THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT. TRIED TO GET THE VEHICLE SMOGGED BUT WAS TOLD THAT A FEW CODES CAME UP ON THE METER. ONE WAS CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ONE OTHER ONE SHOWED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT/SENSOR TO BE FAULTY. IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE, IT WOULD SEEM THAT JUST REPLACING THE SENDING UNIT MAY NOT BE A GUARANTEE THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WILL PROPERLY FUNCTION. CAR CAN NOT BE SMOGGED WITHOUT THESE ITEMS CORRECTED AT HIGH COST. THESE ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED PROPERLY FROM THE INFINITI/NISSAN COMPANY. THANK YOU. *TR

FUEL GAUGE LEVEL INDICATOR STAYS AT MUCH HIGHER LEVEL THAN IS ACTUALLY PRESENT. MOSTLY STAYS AT FULL READING, BUT SOMETIMES GOES TO HALF LEVEL WHEN IN ACTUALITY THE FUEL LEVEL IS CLOSE TO EMPTY. FOR THE MOST PART, IT STAYS AT FULL LEVEL INDICATION AND SOMETIMES CAUSES AN INTERMITTENT "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO APPEAR ON THE DASH CLUSTER ASSEMBLY. AFTER HAVING THE OBD2 ERROR CODE READ, IT STATES THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS FAULTY, HOWEVER AFTER HAVING IT TESTED, THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS WORKING WITHIN NORMAL SPECIFICATIONS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE ITSELF IS FAULTY AND A REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUSTER ASSEMBLY IS RECOMMENDED TO REMEDY THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED, I ALMOST RAN OUT OF FUEL ON THE FREEWAY.I FELT POWER LOSS WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A GAS STATION COMING UP AT THE CLOSEST ONCOMING EXIT AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT IN AND REFUEL. THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THIS FUEL GAUGE AND DECIDED TO RESEARCH THIS. I HAVE FOUND THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY OWNERS OF THIS SPECIFIC INFINITI MODEL VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

HTTP://FORUMS.NICOCLUB.COM/M45-FUEL-GAUGE-PROBLEM-POST-HERE-IF-YOU-HAVE-HAD-IT-T316682-120.HTML FIRST OF ALL, THE LINK ABOVE SHOWS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. I WAS LEAVING HOME ONE NIGHT, CAME BACK, CUT MY CAR OFF, TRIED TO LEAVE AGAIN, CAR WOULD NOT CRANK. I WORK FOR AAA, SO I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER IT TURNS OUT THE CLUSTER IS BAD. NOW WHEN I FILL MY CAR UP, IT GOES TO 3/4 A TANK, AND IT WILL NOT DROP BELOW 1/2 TANK. LUCKILY I CAN ALMOST GAUGE WHEN I NEED I NEED GAS, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT INFINITI SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON AND THEY WILL NOT ADMIT TO IT. *TR

Mileage: 108,000

THE FUEL GAUGE NO LONGER WORKS CORRECTLY. I RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE STREET. MY WIFE, CHILDREN, MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS WERE ALL PUT IN HARM'S WAY DUE TO THIS FAULTY ISSUE. FROM READING THE FORUMS, THIS ERROR ON NISSAN'S PART IS PLAGUING MANY OF THESE VEHICLES AND WILL EVENTUALLY AFFECT THEM ALL. PLEASE CONSIDER THAT THIS MODEL M45 WAS SOLD IN THE US FOR ONLY TWO MODEL YEARS (2003, 2004). THE COMBINED SALES FOR THESE VEHICLES FROM 2002-2004 WAS ONLY 7,855 BEFORE THEY ABANDONED THE Y34 PLATFORM AND WENT TO THE NEW Y50 PLATFORM. SO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WILL NOT BE THAT OF A TOYOTA CAMRY. FROM WHAT I GATHER ON THIS WEBSITE, AT LEAST 1% OF ALL 03/04 M45 OWNERS HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NOT FILED A COMPLAINT. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISCUSSED TOPICS IN THE INFINITI OWNERS FORUMS. MY VEHICLE IS NOW SHOWING TWO ERROR CODES ON THE OBD-II READOUT: P1444 (EVAP CANISTER PURGE VOLUME CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE) AND P0462 (FUEL LEVEL SENSOR). FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPLACED BY INFINITI, BUT THIS DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SENT OFF AND REPLACED BY A THIRD PARTY TO REPAIR NISSAN'S FAULTY FACTORY SOLDERING. THIS IS THE CAUSE FOR THE FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING AND FOR THE ERROR CODES. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION AND THAT OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS TO HAVE NISSAN ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS FUEL GAUGE ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 155,025

THE FUEL GAUGE MEASURED MORE THAN 1/2 A TANK AND THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP IN A SAFE AREA. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION. *TR

Mileage: 47,719

AS I WAS DRIVING HIKE AFTER WORK ON 95 SOUTH MY INFINITI ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS ON THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, I MANAGES TO LET IT RIDE OVER AND GET TO THE EMERGENCY LANE BEFORE THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS THE ISSUE UNTIL I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR HAD NO FUEL, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE GAUGE READ A QUARTER TANK, AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND GETTING MY CAR SCANNED FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT IS NOW ON BECAUSE OF IT, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS MODEL M 2003-2004 ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE GAS GAUGE (INSTRUMENT CLUSTER). *TR

Mileage: 107,200

I FIRST INCURRED A FUEL GAUGE ISSUE WITH MY 2003 INFINITY M45 SEDAN AROUND APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2009. MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME OF FIRST INCIDENT AND THE FUEL GAUGE HAD READ FULL. ON HER WAY TO WORK SHE RAN OUT OF GAS WHICH CAUSED AN ENGINE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, SHE WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO A LOCAL INFINITY DEALERSHIP THEY WERE ALMOST INSTANTLY ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER. I WAS TOLD THE PART ALONE WAS AROUND $900 AND AFTER LABOR, IT WOULD BE OVER $1000 TO FIX. MY ONLINE RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND SEVERAL THIRD PARTY COMPANIES HAVE BEGUN OFFERING REPAIR SERVICES FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. I HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH WELL OVER 20 03-04 INFINITY M45 OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. SOME OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH AS FEW AS 20,000 MILES. IT IS AN ISSUE THAT INFINITY IS AWARE OF, BUT IT IS MY OPINION THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO RECALL THE ISSUE WHEN THEY CAN MAKE AN EXTRA $1000 OFF REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE ISSUE WAS NO UNDER INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE ONLY AROUND AN ESTIMATED 8100 03-04 M45S CURRENTLY STILL IN USE. AS A RESULT, OUR VOICE IS NOT HEARD VERY LOUDLY EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES. I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO OFFER ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE MATTER. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED ACCURATELY INDICATING THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENTLY THE CAR RAN OUT OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD CAUSING DISRUPTION IN TRAFFIC BEFORE IT COULD BE MOVED TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER A CURSORY CHECK TO SEE IF ANYTHING LOOKED TO BE AMISS, WE DECIDED TO START WITH THE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS AND WORK TOWARD THE MORE COMPLEX. WE ADDED 5 GALLONS OF GAS TO THE CAR AND IT IMMEDIATELY CRANKED AND RAN FINE. THIS IS WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THE GAS GAUGE FAILED TO MOVE. THE GAUGE SHOWED TO BE ABOUT 1/2 FULL BEFORE WE ADDED FUEL AND DIDN'T MOVE AFTER ADDING THE FUEL. THE FUEL INDICATOR HAS NOW MOVED TO PAST FULL AND HASN'T MOVED SINCE. WE HAD AN INFINITI DEALER LOOK AT THE CAR AND THEY GAVE US AN ESTIMATE OF $1502.00 TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. THE MALFUNCTIONED OCCURRED AT OR NEAR 72,000 MILES, WELL AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD. REVIEWING INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET SHOWS THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A RATHER COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL. OFTEN THIS WAS REPAIRED BY INFINITI IN CARS THAT WERE STILL IN THE WARRANTY PERIOD. BELOW IS A LINK TO A WEBSITE THAT'S HAS OVER 160 POSTS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://FORUMS.NICOCLUB.COM/M45-FUEL-GAUGE-PROBLEM-POST-HERE-IF-YOU-HAVE-HAD-IT-T316682-150.HTML. *TR

Mileage: 72,000

I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE CAR AND WHEN I LEFT THE LOT AROUND NOVEMBER 1ST, 2011 AT 95K MILES , I WENT 10 MILES HOME TO MY PLACE, THEN 10 ADDITIONAL MILES TO MY MOTHERS PLACE TO SHOW THEM THE CAR. THEY GOT TO SEE THAT IT DIED IN HER APARTMENTS WHEN THE GAS GAUGE READ THAT IT WAS FULL. WE TRIED TO JUMP THE CAR, BUT WE DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS OUT OF GAS AND HAD SOMEONE WITH A GAS CAN TO HELP US. THE REFERRED ME TO A SHOP AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT'S NOT EVEN APART OF THE BBB AND NOT CERTIFIED AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THEY WANTED ME TO HELP THEM FIND THE PART BUT THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY. I'M STILL DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND I HOPE YOU ALL CAN HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 95,900

I KNOW THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON FUEL GAUGE ISSUES WITH THE 03-04 M45. MY CAR NOW HAS 87K AND HAS HAD THIS ISSUE SINCE AROUND 73K MILES. ONCE IT GETS DOWN TO 1/4 TANK, IT WILL SOMETIMES GO TO E AND TURN THE LIGHT ON OR GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 1/4 AND 1/2 TANK MARKS. I KNOW THE QX56 HAD A RECALL FOR THE SENDING UNIT BUT THE GAUGE CLUSTERS ARE THE ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. I'M HOPING INFINITI WILL PROVIDE SOME HELP SINCE THIS IS QUITE A BIG CONCERN FOR EVERY DRIVER. THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 75,421

FAULTY GAS GAUGE READINGS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH CODE 0462. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED NO +12 V FROM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (COMBINATION METER) TO FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. NO OPENS OR SHORTS IN WIRING HARNESS. ALL POINTS TO A DEFECTIVE GAUGE CLUSTER. *TR

FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT SHOW ANYWHERE NEAR CORRECT AMOUNT. BOUGHT CAR 1 YEAR AGO AND HAS BEEN SO FROM DAY 1 . REPLACED FUEL SENDER BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. REPLACED GAUGE CLUSTER WITH JUNKYARD PART AND IT WORKED FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH THEN IT FAILED AS WELL.EVERYONE I KNOW WHO OWNS THIS CAR HAS OR HAS HAD THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP US. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

2003 M45 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR GAS GAUGE, ALWAYS FULL. THE DIAGNOSTIC SAYS ITS THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. REPLACED THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR (ABOUT $400) BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD FAILED THE STATE EMISSIONS INSP. THE CHECK ENGINE IS STILL ON AND NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ALL-IN-ALL THIS IS TURNING OUT TO BE A PRETTY SERIOUS (EXPENSIVE) PROBLEM. MY CAR WON'T PASS INSPECTION AND MY REGISTRATION IS OUT. I'VE RUN OUT OF GAS SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY, SINCE NOTHING IS TELLING ME HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. THE CAR SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. ON ONE OCCASION HAD TO WAIT ON THE SIDE OF A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE FOR AN HOUR TO GET GAS FROM A TOW TRUCK DISPATCHED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

I PURCHASED MY M45 FROM USED CAR DEALER AND WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CAR STALLED DURING CHICAGO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE WRECKER TOWED ME BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHO ASKED IF I RAN OUT OF GAS - I THOUGHT NOT POSSIBLE SINCE THE FUEL GAUGE READ 3/8. THE DEALERSHIP FILLED THE GAS TANK AND CAR STARTED UP. I WAS STRANDED A SECOND TIME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THIS TIME MY TANK READ 7/8. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON (CODE P0462) DUE TO LOW VOLTAGE LEVEL TO THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE READINGS COULD LEAVE THE DRIVER AND OR THEIR FAMILY IN DANGER OF BEING SERIOUSLY OR FATALLY INJURED IN A REAR-END ACCIDENT IF THE CAR STALLS ON THE INTERSTATE. NISSAN INFINITI CAR OWNERS CLUB HAS IDENTIFIED NO LESS THAN 50 OTHER 2003-04 M45 CAR OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA IS AWARE BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 93,000

GAS GAUGE FAILURE ON INFINITI M-45 2003 MODEL. GAS GAUGE WOULD READ FULL - 3/4 FULL WHEN THE TANK WAS BELOW 1/4 TANK. WOULD LEAD TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS UNLESS THE GAS WAS MONITORED BY THE NUMBER OF MILES BETWEEN FILL UPS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION - OWNERS POTENTIALLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHEN TRYING TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC, ETC. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

WHILE DRIVING EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS COMPUTERIZED. CONSUMER HAD TO LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD WHERE THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS TO DO ANYTHING IN THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH ACCIDENTS, A TOTAL OF TEN TIMES. *AK