RoadVitals

2003 INFINITI FX35 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 2, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
13%
of 61 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 INFINITI FX35 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed May 2, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI FX35. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE, VDC, AND SLIP WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAITED TEN MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED LESS THAN A MILE DOWN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE LEFT AND RIGHT CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED SHEEHY INFINITI OF CHANTILLY (LOCATED AT 4145 AUTO PARK CIR, CHANTILLY, VA 20151, (703) 372-0381) AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY PHONE THAT THE FAILURE COULD ALSO BE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SHEEHY DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT CRANK POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 35590467. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.

NHTSA ID
11205345
Incident
Apr 30, 2019
Mileage
153,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 16, 2017

BLOWN HEAD GASKET

NHTSA ID
11033485
Incident
Oct 1, 2017
Mileage
15 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI FX35. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER WAITING TEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES BEFORE REACHING HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10881418
Incident
Jun 28, 2016
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 6, 2012

PURCHASED A NEW 2003 INFINITI FX35 WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 238,000 AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED WITH THE DEALER RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. AT 234,634 AND FREQUENTLY THEREAFTER THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING WOULD JUST SUDDENLY OVERHEAT AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION CAUSING AUTOMOBILE TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND START TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS OR ROADS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY WHEN YOU DRIVING AT 65 MPH. VERY, VERY SCARY AND JUST BARELY AVOIDED SEVERAL REAR END COLLISION. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE FIXED AND WOULD LIKE FOR THIS COMPLAINT TO BE RECORDED AS WITH ALL THE OTHER LISTED FX35 COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10464486
Incident
Mar 8, 2012
Mileage
236,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 28, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI FX35. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE REDUCED POWER AND STALLED. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY WAS LOST. AFTER TWENTY MINUTES, THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT MADE AND APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10340470
Incident
Jun 28, 2010
Mileage
35,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 8, 2010

I HAVE AN '03 INFINITI FX35 WITH 90,000 MILES. I'M NOT AN ABUSIVE NOR NEGLIGENT OPERATOR AND HAVE HAD ALL MY SERVICES WELL MAINTAINED. CAR BEGAN BY OVERHEATING 15 HOURS INTO MY 16 HOUR DRIVE HOME FROM YELLOWSTONE THIS SUMMER. IT STARTED OVERHEATING WHEN I SLOWED DOWN IN TOWNS AND SUCH...REPLACED MY THERMOSTAT....FLUSHED EVERYTHING....DROVE FOR QUITE A FEW WEEKS MORE WITH NO PROBLEMS...THOUGHT IT WAS SOLVED :/ NOT QUITE. OVERHEATING BEGAN ONCE AGAIN...THIS TIME I HAD MY HEATER GOING AND NOTICED IT GOING COLD THEN WITHIN MINUTES MY TEMP BEGAN RISING. I PULLED RIGHT OVER KNOWING WHAT DAMAGES CAN BE INCURRED. I HAD COOLANT BEING EXPELLED FROM MY SPARE RESERVOIR JUST LIKE THE OTHER INSTANCES. I WAITED FOR IT TO COOL, FILLED IT WITH WATER/COOLANT AND MADE IT A WAYS FURTHER, THEN REPEAT, REPEAT. TOOK MY CAR TO INFINITI OF BEAVERTON WHO TOLD ME THAT MY ISSUE WAS A CRACKED RADIATOR. THEY WANTED 900 FOR IT. REPLACED IT, CAR STILL OVERHEATED. REPLACED WATER PUMP. STILL OVERHEATED. HAD MY CAR TOWED BACK TO INFINITI WHO FAILED TO HAVE A LOANER AVAILABLE (EVEN THOUGH I CALLED A DAY IN ADVANCE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD). THEY MADE ME RENT A CAR! THEY TOLD ME THEY STILL COULDN'T DIAGNOSE IT AND THAT I HAD TO DRIVE OR HAVE IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT SHOP AND PAY TO HAVE A 4 GAS HYDROCARBON TEST DONE. WELL SURE ENOUGH A ONE-WAY PINHOLE LEAK IN THE HEAD GASKET NOT DISPLAYING YOUR TYPICAL TRAITS OF GASKET BLOWOUTS...ONLY A SLIGHT RISE IN HYDROCARBONS, BUT ENOUGH TO SHOW IT HAD A LEAK ALLOWING AIR INTO THE SYSTEM WHICH THEN OVERPRESSURIZES MY COOLANT SYSTEM CAUSING THE SPARE RES. TO BE MY RELEASE LOCATION. ONCE AIR IS INTRODUCED AND REPLACES THE COOLANT AN AIR BUBBLE DEVELOPS AND SYSTEM OVERHEATS. WHAT I AM GETTING AT IS THAT INFINITI IS NOT RECOGNIZING THIS AS ANY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS WHO TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT HELP ME AT THIS TIME BUT WITH A $300 CREDIT TOWARDS THE $7000 ENGINE REPLACEMENT THEY WANT TO PERFORM. I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH INFINITI. *CN

NHTSA ID
10307630
Incident
Dec 25, 2009
Mileage
85,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 31, 2008

PURCHASED A NEW 2003 INFINITI FX35 WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 117,000 AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED WITH THE DEALER BASED ON AUTO BOOKLET MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. AT 101,000 AND FREQUENTLY THEREAFTER THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING WOULD JUST SUDDENLY OVERHEAT AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION CAUSING AUTOMOBILE TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND START TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS OR ROADS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION OR FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAY WHEN YOU DRIVING AT 65 MPH. VERY, VERY SCARY AND JUST BARELY AVOIDED SEVERAL REAR END COLLISION. FOR THE PRICE OF THE AUTOMOBILE BRAND NEW, WITH BARELY OVER 100,000 MILES AND THE DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE OR FIX THE PROBLEM IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE DEALER SUGGESTED I PAY THEM $ 10,000 TO INSTALL A NEW ENGINE--THAT IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION. THIS PROBLEM IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS INVESTIGATION. THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11/9/2008. I WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR OF A FATAL REAR END COLLISION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10253345
Incident
Nov 9, 2008
Mileage
117,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 28, 2008

2003 INFINITI FX35, ENGINE BROKEN WITH MILEAGE ONLY 89,992. NO CAR ACCIDENT RECORD. WELL MAINTENANCE DONE BY DEALER. MANUFACTURER HAS NO IDEA WHAT CAUSE THE ENGINE BROKEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10216277
Incident
Jan 14, 2008
Mileage
89,550 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .