2003 INFINITI M45 Fuel system Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Infiniti M45. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the fuel gauge failed to read the fuel level correctly and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed several times to a dealer and independent mechanic however, the fuel gauge sensor could not be replaced. Additionally, on one occasion, the vehicle was steered to the side of the road where the vehicle was refueled. The vehicle was restarted but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel filter needed to be replaced and the fuel gauge sensor needed to be cleaned. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11586153

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL AT ALL TIMES. THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER BENNETT INFINITI (1060 PA-315 WILKES BARRE PA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000. *BF*JB

NHTSA ID

11311141

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

159,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. WHILE STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS,THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND "CHECK YOUR FUEL CAP" DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT CITED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES, AS REPORTED BY A CODE READER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11121152

Incident

Dec 8, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INACCURATELY DISPLAYED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V088000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10925179

Incident

Sep 3, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 12V088000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10862550

Incident

Mar 10, 2016

SINCE BUYING THE 45M. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE THE GAS GAUGE LEVEL READS FULL. THE FIRST TIME I WAS SIMPLY DRIVE THE A BUSY HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 40MPH. THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY BEGIN TO SPUTTER THEN CAME TO A STOP WHILE OTHER CARS TRIED TO AVOID HITTING ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10660400

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

264,874 mi

THIS VEHICLE RANDOMLY WILL SHUT DOWN ALL MECHANICAL SYSTEMS SIMULTANEOUSLY AT ANY SPEED WHICH CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY AROUND OTHER TRAFFIC, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE CAR'S "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT APPEARS, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOSES ENGINE POWER, BRAKES, AND STEERING AND MANY TIMES WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY WHICH PUTS THE PASSENGERS AT RISK OF A CRASH IN ANY SITUATION. THESE ARE THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS OF A RECALL ISSUED BY INFINITI FOR THE 2003 M45, HOWEVER, INFINITI INSISTS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE ALREADY CHANGED THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). *TR

NHTSA ID

10584627

Incident

Feb 6, 2014

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

NHTSA ID

10575681

Incident

Mar 17, 2014

2003 INFINITI M45. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL CONCERNING FUEL GAUGE *TGW THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT OF RELATED EXPENSES OF $2,168.76 AS HE PREVIOUSLY PAID TO HAVE THE DEFECT CORRECTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, WHERE AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY, EVEN THE NEEDLE READ HALF FULL. THE FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED, BUT IT DID NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. FINALLY IN DECEMBER 2011, DURING A SMOG TEST, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FUEL GAUGE WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10473487

Incident

Dec 26, 2007

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE GAS GAUGE HAS MALFUNCTION FIRST WAS A FEW YEARS AGO WHILE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I REMEMBER IT WAS A SUNDAY AND I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM CHURCH WITH MY SONS. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH WHEN CAR STALLED. THIS TIME I WAS ON I 95 WHEN THE CAR STALLED. BOTH TIMES THE GAUGE READ THAT THE CAR HAD A HALF FULL TANK. I HAVE NO HAD IT REPAIRED AS OF YET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10469674

Incident

Jul 10, 2012

Mileage

149,000 mi

2003 INFINITI M45. CONSUMER STATES FUEL GAUGE FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING A NOW RECALL ITEM, IN WHICH SHE EXPERIENCED AND PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR ON SEPTEMBER 3 , 2010. RECALL # 12V088000. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $ 516.99. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE RAN OUT OF GAS, EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE REFLECTED MORE THAN 1/4 TANK OF GAS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENDER UNIT. WHEN THE CONSUMER ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT, SHE WAS INFORMED THE CURRENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED ON HER VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10466102

Incident

Sep 3, 2010

I'M SINCERELY WITH NO RECOURSE TO FIXING WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR SINCE IT HAS BEEN PURCHASED. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2007 AND THE VERY DAY I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, IT RAN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THE FUEL GAUGE CLUSTER SHOWED IT WAS HALF FULL. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY "FIXED" IT. I THEN FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL AND I WENT BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY FUEL GAUGE STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND MY WIFE AND MY ONE YEAR OLD RAN OUT OF GAS AGAIN A WEEK AGO ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO STATE THERE ISN'T A RECALL FOR FUEL GAUGE ISSUES, BUT I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE. PLEASE HELP AS THEY ARE SEEKING CLOSE $1500 TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10456573

Incident

Apr 16, 2012

GAUGE SAID HALF A TANK BUT WAS EMPTY CAR CUT OFF ON HIGHWAY DAM NEAR KILLED ME I WAS IN FAST LANE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455875

Incident

Apr 10, 2012

Mileage

178,000 mi

MY GAS GAUGE SHOWS INCORRECT READINGS, I HAVE TO GO BY GALLONS OF GAS I PUT IN TO CAR TO DETERMINE MILES I CAN DRIVE. WHEN I START THE CAR GAUGE SHOWS ONE READING A FEW BLOCKS LATER IT SHOWS ANOTHER. MY CAR STOPPED SOME WEEKS AGO ON BUSY STREET WHEN GAUGE SHOWED A 1/4 OF A TANK ON THE GAUGE, I HAD TO CALL ROADSIDE SERVICE TO GET HOME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10455245

Incident

Mar 30, 2012

Mileage

79,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2003 INFINITI M45 FROM A PRIVATE LOT, AND THE GAS GAUGE SHOWED FULL. I DROVE THIS VEHICLE ABOUT 20 MILES THAT DAY AND IT DIED ON THE STREET WHILE I WAS DRIVING THROUGH MY RESIDENCE. COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT UNTIL WE SMELLED GAS SO I HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE TO BRING ME GAS IN A GAS CAN AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. THE PRIVATE LOT DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT THAT DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451671

Incident

Oct 21, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi

PURCHASED 2003 INFINITI M45 IN DECEMBER OF 2009. THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT READ CORRECTLY AS OF PURCHASE DATE, ALWAYS READING HALF FULL TO FULL. DEALER INSPECTION FOUND THAT ENTIRE CLUSTER NEEDS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451659

Incident

Dec 15, 2009

THE CAR STALLED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON 880 FREEWAY LEFT LANE. LUCKILY I SUCCEEDED TO STEER THE CAR THROUGH THE LANES TO THE RIGHT CURB. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE FUEL GAUGE (ASKED BY POLICE OFFICER THAT STOPPED BY), IT SHOWED SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE QUARTER. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO FRONTIER INFINITI DEALERSHIP IN SANTA CLARA. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE CAR AND CLAIMS THAT THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT INDICATING CORRECTLY. NO REPAIR ACTION WAS TAKEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451461

Incident

Mar 10, 2012

Mileage

65,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10451208

Incident

Mar 24, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi

THIS RELATES TO NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE11038. I WRITE ABOUT A FAULTY DESIGN THAT INFINITI DID NOT RECALL AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. SOME TIME AGO, MY FUEL GAUGE BECAME ERRATIC, THEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT WENT ON. THE TROUBLE CODE, P0462, WAS FOR "FUEL LEVEL SENSOR A CIRCUIT LOW INPUT" (NOT REALLY NEWS SINCE THE GAUGE WASN'T WORKING). I TOOK IT TO A SHOP THAT REPLACED THE FUEL SENDER AND FUEL PUMP, BUT THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT INFINITI HAS REDESIGNED THE CLUSTER BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS FAULTY. AS I WAS TOLD, THE DESIGN ERROR CAUSED THE CLUSTER TO FAIL WHEN THE FUEL SENDER FAILED. I SEE ONLINE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND ONE THAT INFINITI WILL SOMETIMES TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR - THOUGH NOT FOR ME. I UNDERSTAND, OF COURSE, THAT MANUFACTURERS GENERALLY NEED TO PUT SOME LIMITS ON THEIR WARRANTY LIABILITY. MY FUEL SENDER FAILED AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, AND I WOULD NOT EXPECT INFINITI TO COVER THE COST OF THAT REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS POORLY DESIGNED SUCH THAT IT TOO COULD FAIL IF THE FUEL SENDER WENT BAD. THAT, APPARENTLY, IS A PROBLEM THAT INFINITI KNEW ABOUT YEARS AGO AND CHOSE NOT TO ADDRESS. IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME THAT INFINITI WOULD NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR SUCH AN ISSUE THAT WOULD LIKELY BE SEEN ONLY BY A MINORITY OF OWNERS. HOWEVER, IT ALSO SEEMS FAIR THAT THE OWNERS WHO ARE AFFECTED - REGARDLESS OF THEIR WARRANTY STATUS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE - WOULD HAVE THEIR FAULTY CLUSTERS REPLACED AT INFINITI'S EXPENSE (WHICH WOULD CERTAINLY BE A SMALL EXPENSE COMPARED TO A RECALL). REPEATED INQUIRIES TO INFINITI - DIRECTLY AND THROUGH MY DEALER - HAVE ELICITED ONLY THE RESPONSE THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10451170

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

Mileage

57,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 INFINITI M45. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL BUT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ID

10450876

Incident

Aug 8, 2011

Mileage

101,000 mi

MY CAR STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY GAS GAUGE WAS READING AT 3/4 WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. I HAD TO CALL MY HUSBAND WHO EVENTUALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM. GOOD THING I WAS NOT IN THE FREEWAY OR I WOULD HAVE CAUSED A BIG TRAFFIC OR AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10448874

Incident

Feb 14, 2012

Mileage

124,000 mi

I RAN OUT GAS 3 TIMES AN HAD TO BE TOWED, THE COST OF MY VEHICLE HAS COSTS ME 1500 FOR THE FUEL SENSOR AND ALL THE GAUGES REPLACED I HAVE SEEN ONLINE THERE WAS COMPLAINTS AND RECALLS ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447914

Incident

Feb 1, 2012

Mileage

103,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10447694

Incident

Jan 24, 2012

Mileage

124,500 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10447509

Incident

Feb 7, 2012

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

NHTSA ID

10446936

Incident

Oct 1, 2010

Mileage

120,000 mi