1997 INFINITI QX4

In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of April 20, 2011, Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall of certain 1996-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-2003 Infinity QX4 vehicles to repair corrosion damage to the driver's side front strut tower.The vehicles included in the recall are those that were originally sold, or are currently registered in salt belt states including Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.The DIR states in part, ...the strut housing may crack and pull away from the inner hood ledge assembly.This could lead to the strut housing panel separating and contacting the steering column lower shaft.Contact with the steering column lower shaft can cause steering difficulties and may require an increase in steering effort by the driver.If the steering column lower shaft completely fractured it would result in a total loss of steering control.In some cases, the strut housing panel can contact or affect adjacent brake system components.Complainants reported experiencing either steering or brake system issues, and in some cases, both.Nissan dealer's will inspect the strut housing and, based on the level of corrosion found, make an assessment as to how to remedy the vehicle (see defect information report for additional details). Brake system components adjacent to, and in the area of, the strut tower (i.e., brake master cylinder, left front brake line, ABS wire harness, etc.) will also be inspected.

The contact owns a 1997 Infiniti QX4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering, Suspension). The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH and other various speeds over bumps in the roadway, the vehicle was shaking abnormally with the steering wheel becoming difficult to turn to the left or to the right. Additionally, the contact heard abnormal metal on metal grinding sounds particularly while turning the vehicle to the left or the right. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and was advised that the vehicle had failed a safety inspection and he would be contacted by a third party to buy back the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11520613

Incident

Mar 12, 2023

Mileage

154,000 mi

the rear end started to sway and shake ... made the car uncrontrlable, I reacted instantly and took my foot off the gas peddle and gripped the steering firmly like driving on snow...it came back under control as I was braking softly ....what a scary incident ...

NHTSA ID

11428638

Incident

Jul 20, 2021

I HAD MY CAR SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY DETAILING IT. I'VE ALWAYS TOOK EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF MY VEHICLES AND ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS DONE WAS MADE SURE THE UNDERCOATING WAS TOP-NOTCH. AS I PROCEEDED TO UNDERCOAT THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT FENDER WELLS ON MY 97 QX4 I NOTICED SOME RUST FORMING BEHIND THE STRUT TOWER. SOME OF IT WAS FLAKY AND SOME OF IT WAS RAISED RUST. I TOOK MY SCRAPER AND LO AND BEHOLD FOUND A HOLE BEHIND THE STRUT TOWER. I CONTINUED TO SCRAPE AND CLEAN THE HOLE AND THE AREA ACCORDING TO THE RECALL CAMPAIGN FROM INFINITY AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT VEHICLE SAFETY AND THE RUST BEHIND THE STRUT TOWER ON DRIVERS SIDE.I HAVE YET TO CHECK MY PASSENGER SIDE SINCE THE DRIVER SIDE HAS ISSUES I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND NOTIFY YOU GUYS. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE STRUT TOWER ON NISSAN PATHFINDERS AND INFINITI QX4S 96 THROUGH 2004. I HAVE A 96 PATHFINDER ALSO THAT JUST LAST WEEK I TALKED TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NISSAN NORTH AMERICA AND IT STILL HAS A OPEN RECALL CONCERNING THE STRUT TOWER. I LIVE IN TENNESSEE AND BY THE RECALL TENNESSEE IS NOT LISTED AS ONE OF THE SALT STATES BUT YET THAT IS WHERE MY PATHFINDER IS REGISTERED AND IT HAS A RECALL THAT NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED ON THE STRUT TOWER SO I'M WONDERING IF MY QX4 WHICH IS A 97 MODEL HAS HAD A RECALL PERFORMED ON IT OR IF THE RECALL EVEN CONCERNS MY QX4 IT CLEARLY HAS RUST BEHIND THE STRUT TOWER ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND REGISTERED IN TENNESSEE. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE I HAD MY SEAT BELTS REPLACED IN MY QX4 6 MONTHS AGO AND WHEN I HAD IT IN THERE I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT CHECKING MY STRUT TOWERS BUT ON MY TICKET THEY GAVE ME IT DOESN'T LIST ANYTHING ABOUT THEM CHECKING THE STRUT TOWERS CAMPAIGN # R1109 NHTSA # 11V-244 APPLIED VEHICLES 97-03 QX4 (JR50) I NEED TO KNOW WHAT MY NEXT ACTION SHOULD BE AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED PLEASE HELP GOD BLESS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH

NHTSA ID

11233265

Incident

Jul 19, 2019

Mileage

254,432 mi

CAR SUSPENSION SHIMMIES, SHAKES AND WHOLE CAR ROLLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

11121531

Incident

Aug 21, 2018

Mileage

86,000 mi

ALL 1997 THRU 2003 FRAME SUSPENSION, SUSPENSION BODY PANELS WERE IMPROPERLY UNDERCOATED TO PREVENT RUSTING. WARNING WAS ISSUED IN 2011, AS THIRD OWNER OF VEHICLE, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. CAUSING IMMINENT BODY HARM AND POSSIBLY DEATH. INFINITY WAS TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FOLLOW THRU, AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MY $20,000 LOSS, NOT TO MENTION RISK TO MY LIFE. THANKS A LOT YOU MONEY MONGERS! YOU SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILURE OF NOTIFICATION.

NHTSA ID

10825232

Incident

Nov 2, 2015

Mileage

105,460 mi

MASSIVE RUST OF FRAME AND UNIT BODY SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAUSING A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING, BRAKING AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE IS NO RUST UNDER COATING, POOR DESIGN, POOR WELDS, PRONE TO TEAR LOOSE FROM FIREWALL AND FRAME CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND POSSIBLY MY OWN DEATH. THEN THEIR REFUSAL TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY FOR THEIR DESIGN ERRORS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE WAS A SUDDEN DROP OF MY VEHICLE HEIGHT AT THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL ALMOST CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. A WARNING LETTER AVAILABLE IN 2011 WAS NEVER SENT TO ME, POSSIBLY MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO REPAIR. UPDATED 03/10/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10788749

Incident

Oct 28, 2015

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 INFINITI QX4 EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN LTX M/S TIRES, SIZE: PT245/70 R16 (NA). WHILE ADDING AIR TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, THE CONTACT NOTICED TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED ALL FOUR TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ONLY REPLACED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10706074

Incident

Apr 13, 2015

Mileage

180,000 mi

I OWN A 1997 INFINITI QX4. WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH OR MORE, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO WOBBLE AND VIBRATE VIOLENTLY, SEEMINGLY FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MECHANICS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE THE REAR SHOCKS AND PASSENGER SIDE BUSHINGS AND TRAIL STABILIZER BAR AND FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE THE WOBBLE, SHAKE, FISHTAIL AND EARTHQUAKE. " I BOUGHT THIS 1997 INFINITI QX4 FROM CARS UNLIMITED HERE IN HOUSTON, TX. THE OWNER IS[XXX]AND I BOUGHT 'AS IS'. ALTHOUGH DEALER OWNER WAS NON-INTEGRAL, LIED AND TOLD ME VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND SAFE, HE IS NOT LIABLE UNDER RULE BY THE AS IS. THIS VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO OVER 6 MECHANICS BY NOW. ALL TELL ME VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I TRIED MAKING IT SAFER SINCE I AM STUCK WITH IT BY CHANGING THE SHOCKS AND THE TRAILER STABILIZER BAR AFTER I LEARNED IT HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE BAR WAS BENT. THAT BY NO MEANS FIXED THE EARTHQUAKE SWAYING AND THE AWFUL REAR END FISH-TAILING ALL OVER THE ROAD. CAN'T DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN. CAN'T GET CAUGHT IN THE RAIN, IT SLIDES INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S LANES. COPS LOOK AT ME CRAZY AS IF I'M DRUNK. I DRIVE 40 MILES OR LESS TO KEEP FROM GETTING PULLED OVER. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHO HANDLED THE PREVIOUS DRIVERS' CLAIM SHOULD HAVE SALVAGED IT. IT LOOKS SUPER PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE. WILL FOOL A LOT OF WOMEN INTO BUYING IT. NOT SAFE! *JS

NHTSA ID

10585713

Incident

Apr 14, 2014

WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

WHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

1997 QX4 GRILLE GUARDS, BRUSH GUARDS AND WINCHES This bulletin is no longer active. Please discard previous versions of ITB97-001.

INFINITI; FRONT SONAR PARKING SENSOR SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

EXTERIOR CLEANING INFORMATION SERVICE INFORMATION When cleaning the exterior of an Infiniti vehicle, damage may occur when using a cleaner with too high of an alkaline concentration. - Always refer to the Appearance and care section of the related owner?s manual. - Not all cleaners are created equal. - Many cleaners come in concentrated form. - Alkaline cleaners (cleaners with a high pH value) can cause spots on paint and trim when not used as directed. - Some commercial car washes use cleaners with a high pH value. - When using cleaners that meet the conditions defined in the Appearance and care section, be sure to carefully follow the cleaner?s directions. - When finished cleaning/washing, rinse thoroughly with clean water. IMPORTANT: Damage to paint, glass, bright metal, or any other exterior surface caused by using improper cleaning products is not covered under warranty. Always refer to the Paint Incident Identification Manual (PIIM) and Assurance Products Reference Manual (APRM). Follow the guidelines in the PIIM and APRM for non-warrantable exterior body, glass, or painted surface quality issues. To access the PIIM and APRM, login to nnanet.com: - For the PIIM, select: MY LINKS > Warranty > Paint Incident Identification Manual - For the APRM, select: MY DOCUMENTS > Warranty > APRM See further information in this bulletin.