Infiniti FX Owners Forum (The Org)

Latest CU Brand Quality Perception survey shows Infiniti lower that Jeep.
Wow, just Wow.

yeah i read this yesterday too, and cant understand it. im a little disappointed in their findings and dont know what kind of customers would bash their own cars this bad. I love my FX and never had anything bad to say about it.

Can you give us a link to the article?

Also, the 1st run of the 2nd gen FX has been a bit spotty so I can see a decline in overall customer satisfaction...

I guess people just love their wranglers...

Look at my thread I started.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23104

I told you my brother's Jeeps are more reliable. I'm having a bear of a time with both of my Nissan/Infinitis. They're just not what they used to be. My Nav screen has been red for almost 5 months waiting for a fix. The interior of my '09 rattles more than my '04 did when I sold it! Again, I don't mean to be a downer, but these will be my last Nissans. I never had complaints about my '04 FX35 and '01 Pathfinder SE. They just ran. If you look at that thread, don't even start me on my Z.

As an opinion, I'm glad this survey or whatever slammed Infiniti. They need a wake-up call.

Here's a quick rundown of my FX....

5 months and my nav screen is still red. My tranny is still a pile, and the thing squeaks and rattles like it's noones' business. I have a screw rolling around in the hatch door they can't find. The bluetooth is having some problems. XM is shotty. I put the thing in park, and it keeps rolling forward and bitching at me that I didn't put it in park. Center console is loose. The center stack cracks really loudly all the time with any change in termperature. I can't believe it.

I've had some major repairs on my 2008 FX35. A bit surprised, since this was the last year of the 1st gen, and all the bugs should have been addressed. Seems to me that the quality of parts may have been compromised in the search for the cheapest vendor - I'm speculatiing here. The only reason I'm OK about the problems is that my dealer has been very responsive.

I doubt they take into account that infiniti owners (or other higher end car owners) expect a much better vehicle and are prone to complain about their vehicle more (as proven by many of the people here that post about their issues). People with cheaper cars i would think settle for so-so quality or minor issues. But those types of things should not happen on a higher end vehicle, so people complain more.

My friend has a bone stock 06 keep grand cherokee. The hvac lights stopped working, the tail light harness is shorted out, the motor blew, the PS pump leaks and the tranny leaks. It has 50k on it. He bought it used from a dealer. Oh, and when the block cracked due to overheating after it sat running on remote start for 15-20 mins, jeep denied the warranty claim and said it blew because he drove on it while overheating. Yea, I'll stick with infiniti.

Yeah, I highly doubt that a Jeep Wrangler owner is going to care about rattles and squeaks. Of course, when you don't have doors anyway, how are you suppose to hear the rattles and squeaks while driving down the highway.

What if that Jeep owner is the proud parent of a $50,000 Jeep SRT-8, with the fun, toy car as the Wrangler? That's my brother. We have the same philosphy of having two new cars, just that one is fun. The more expensive of the two had better be built well. His biggest complaint with his SRT is the squealing Brembo brakes. The SRT engineers say heat them up and they'll be quieter. They're right. His new Wrangler... has less rattles than my FX. Yes. That's right. Less rattles. I ride in his cars all the time, and he rides in mine. He now laughs at me. He also had a '03 FX35 that he loved, and was reliable, and a 2002 Nissan XTerra Supercharged. Nissan bought back 2 of the XTerras because they would never run with the Supercharger.

My Dad's Land Rovers are more reliable than my newest batch of Nissans. Mine go in twice as much as his. I wish I could afford a new Supercharged Sport. That's what I'd have. Sorry guys, I know I sound like Debbie Downer. It's just the way it is, and I'm so happy that Consumer Reports doesn't think I'm crazy either. I love my Nissans, but they just don't work well all the time. They've cost me a lot, lot of my time. I never had to take in my '04 FX or my Pathfinder. Wait, let's go back to my Subaru Outback when that first came out. Never went in. My stinkin' Ford Explorer... Never went in. This isn't a price issue of paying more and expecting more. These new Nissans don't work well. They're really neat, but they break all the time.

second that.

2005 FX35 with bobbling dash - out of warranty out of luck
2007 Murano SE with under surface rust spots - Nissan calming that they are climate related

It is a combination of poor quality and crappy after sale service.

I never had a problem with my prev nissans (Xterra, maximma, altima) but lately it all went down the hill.

As much as I love new FX I`m not even going to take it for the test drive.

Here's my philosophy... I bought them... I will love them. They're really cool. They look awesome and perform awesomely. Other than that, these are the most problem prone vehicles I've ever owned since 1993. My first car was a 1993 Ford Probe GT V6.

I have never given Consumer Reports or JD Power much credibility and I will not go into my reasoning. I find it very hard to believe Infiniti has slipped below a Chrysler product in terms of initial quality.

I do agree with johnmax that owners of certain brands are going to be less likely to complain about problems than owners of brands with a reputation of being flawless. I am more accepting of poor quality on my dad's F150 than I am on a Toyota, for example, even if both vehicles cost $40k+.

Still, I have had a fair number of little problems between my two FXs. The most irritating of all is a spot weld above the b-pillar of my FX45 that keeps breaking, causing a snapping/popping sound whenever the body flexes. I have come across this same problem on other FXs and Muranos, so it is not an isolated incident. I have also had a dash replaced, the cargo door struts absolutely suck and need to be replaced annually, FX35's driver seat cover was replaced due to cracked vinyl, warped rotors, side mirror motor failed, fuel sender failed, some little pin came out of place on my FX35's steering wheel causing a grinding sound, loose fender bolt, and so on. They are all insignificant problems but become irritating over time. Luckily I have a decent dealership to work with.

Despite the problems I have dealt with, there is not another vehicle I would rather drive except maybe an FX50S, though I am often tempted to buy a Yukon Denali just to have more capacity. GM though...?

I'm happy about the report. Keep the masses away from Nissan/Infiniti for selfish reasons.

I have 2 Nissans and 2 Infinitis with no major issues. Only issue was with the G and the aftermarket alarm/remote start but apparently those problems were common with the complicated electronics. Not really a Nissan/Infiniti issue.

My best friend has 5 Nissans and 1 Infiniti with no issues. One of those cars has 380k miles on it with the original engine.

I guess the report just highlights the people who complain who are OBVIOUSLY more vocal than those who are happy about their car. I don't really speak up because I'm happy with what I have and I'm sure others are the same way. Those who are even mildly unhappy get VERY vocal about it. Not to single you out but Weatherman you've posted 3 times out of the 13 (now 14) posts in this thread so that illustrates what I'm talking about...

Exactly. I am not saying that Nissans/Infinitis are without their problems, because they aren't, but I cannot fathom that the Infiniti brand is a worse bet than Chrysler/Jeep. Sorry Weatherman, I'm just not buying it. And your mention of not having as many problems with your Ford Probe and Ford Explorer as you do with your current cars almost made me laugh. Almost.

My first car was a 1990 Nissan Stanza - bought it with 94k miles, never took it in for more than regular maintenance. My girlfriend at the time had a 1994 Ford Exploder - at 50k miles, her Ford had more rattles and check engine lights coming on than I had ever seen. My next car was a 1997 Honda Accord - this thing was bulletproof, I did oil changes and tire rotations, that was about it. During that time, my sister owned a 1997 Ford F150 - again, rattles galore, along with the check engine lights. One of my buddies in the Marines had a 1996 Ford Escort - I drove that thing once and though it was the biggest piece of crap. Lots of plastic, lots of rattles. Of course, what does a Ford owner expect? Once in the Marines, I was tasked with driving a group of guys down to San Diego in a rental van. It was a brand new Ford Econoline V10 15-pass van, just a few thousand miles on the odo. Within the first 30 minutes of driving it, the radio began to turn the volume up gradually on its own! I tried to turn the radio off, and it wouldn't. I swear it was possessed. My next vehicle was/is my 2004 FX35. I would say the build quality is just as good as my Honda, but with more gadgets comes more opportunities for problems. My wife owned a 2003 Infiniti G35 (first year vehicle), and it was more reliable than my FX. She now drives a 2003 Nissan Z, and we've done nothing but change the oil and do the brakes.

Weatherman, I have to believe that the reason you're having as many problems with your Nissan products is that they were first year designs. I don't think its any coincidence. What I think is ironic is that you are pointing to the OP's statistics and saying "see, it's what I've thought all along", and yet you are saying that a Range Rover Sport is more reliable and you wish you had one. You do realize that JD Power and Assoc. ranked Land Rover last or second to last in vehicle dependability pretty much every year in the past decade, and Consumer Reports ranked it last in vehicle reliability in 2006 and second to last in 2007. The CR 2009 Reliabiity survey ranked Land Rover dead last, and the writers commented "The worst, the Land Rover Range Rover, had 140 problems [per 100 vehicles]". And you seriously think a Range Rover is more reliable than your FX?

To make a valid point... there are times when you CAN get a FORD (or enter any car manufacturer not known for their quality here) and have NO problems... it's just not very common but hey, you could get lucky... but there are just too many bad FORDs out there... even though the American car industry is getting their act together (FINALLY) and I've heard their quality is getting better now...

But with INFINITI I'm sure they've got a few first year runs that showed up on the survey... and from the things we've heard over the net, a LOT of people aren't happy about many things... like the 3.7 weird noise... the 7-speed tranny needing a reflash... and TONS of 2nd gen owners have complained about rattles from the center console... enough that people are putting tissue paper in there to stop it... so I can DEFINITELY understand why the quality seems to go down... and if I'm not mistaken, these surveys only count problems per 100 vehicles but don't gauge the severity of each problem... so if 99 out of 100 2nd Gen FX owners have rattles coming from their center console while 10 out of 100 Jeep owners have blown engines (just an example) the results would still show the Jeep as having better "quality"...

Guys, I'm really not making this stuff up. Yes, my engine runs great and it always starts. My brakes work and aren't warped. You're probably right about getting the first-year models of each. Not only that, but getting the early ones in the cycle. I had the second 370Z even shipped into Wisconsin. I had one of the first 18", Premium Nav FX35's in the State as well. Really, I love the cars, and I will love them until I have to sell them. Now that you mention it, my other cars were usually about a year into the model cycle. These are my first cars that are right off the new production line.

I can live with problems. Some of these though have to be brought to the dealer. I live with the squeaks and rattles with a smile on my face. It's just bringing the things in over and over and over for the same stuff is getting a little annoying. I just received my call this morning that my new wiring harness has arrived. The whole dash is coming off. I'm sure that's going to help with the creaking and cracking.

People, of course, on an Infiniti FX forum are going to come down on me for taking digs at our brand. I understand that will ruffle a few feathers, but all I'm doing is letting you know my experiences. Call me a liar, call me whatever. My cars have been going in more than anyone in my family. Yes, the Land Rovers too. One is a 2006 Sport Supercharged and the other is a full-size '08 RR Supercharged. They pretty much have to go in every 7,500 miles for their service. Oh, sorry, the '08 had to go in for a clunking suspension and sometimes the steering wheel wouldn't go back to it's memory position. The '06 needed an ECU reflash and a new coolant tank float. Still running perfectly. Now compare that to mine and what it's been in for.

My brothers '07 Jeep SRT... Needed to have the auto-dimming headlights recalibrated, a tranny reflash, and the brakes checked for the squeaking. The '09 Wrangler... Nothing yet.

For the poster about the Yukon Denali... My GF's 2007 Denali... Needed a new serpentine belt, a sticky trim piece replaced on the roof, a trim piece replaced on the back window. She's at 59,000 miles and it's still bolted together pretty well. No major squeaks or rattles when I drive it. Even has the original tires, brakes and pads on it.

I'm just having a little more bad luck than a lot of you. It sounds like my tilt wheel is about to kick the bucket, (clunking badly, and getting stuck.) so I'm going to ask to have that replaced as well. Unless I'm just being picky because I expect my Infiniti to have it's wheel tilt. These aren't just things I can chalk up to, "Eh, no biggie. Move on." A stuck steering wheel means it HAS to go to the dealership... +45 minutes away from me. Please just don't knock me for making stuff up. My proof is in this post.

I will still be a happy enthusiast. I bought the cars for what they are. Awesome. They're quick and MAN do they look good. Not only that, but you guys/girls are great as well.

A few years ago, CU had a report on the Infiniti M and said it was they best car they ever tested. ? ? ? ?

My 2006 FX45 had the driver seat changed because it squeaked a lot. Other than that, in the 60,000 miles I had the car when the lease ended, I only had the tires, brakes, oil, wiper blades and filters changed.

My 2009 FX50S has a squeak in the front passenger seat. No other problems.

BooBoo, good to hear about your 50. Keep that up. I really think the ones who brought that survey waaayyy down were the really ticked-off G37 owners with that ringing noise. I have that on my Z and can't wait for that fix. If any of you haven't heard about that, go check out one of their forums. Now those are some angry people!

To counter the point about first-year models, my wife's is a first-year G and I was afraid for that reason. No problems aside from what I previously mentioned. No ringing noise at all. And I removed a lot of trim pieces to open it up and make absolutely sure.

You want high-pitched ringing in your ears and annoying squeaks, rattles, and noises? I'll take you for a ride on the street in my track car!

Sadly, I have to agree with the Weatherman. I had more issues in the first 1000 miles with my 09 FX35 than in the 7 years and 90 thousand I had with my Isuzu Axiom, which was also a first year vehicle.

The issues have been squeaky struts, all sorts of rattles, the infamous exhaust/trailer hitch vibration, recalled steering wheel confort motor leading to a replaced steering column. I was very upset at first but slowly, the major problems have been fixed by the dealer. The last being the trailer hitch, just about a year after I first reported it. I still have two annoying creaks in the dash on the passenger side and right rear area that the dealer can't replicate/find.

Now, I am very happy with the FX overall because of the total package, including technology and sportiness. It is so much fun to drive on the mountain and coast twisties. If I had to make the decision over again, it would probably make the decision between FX over an X5 more difficult than when I first chose. But I would probably still lean towards the FX.

One more thing, shortly after I bought my FX, we were thinking of getting my GF an EX. Because of the FX problems, we crossed the EX off the list.

I understand the frustrations of buying a new car and having it give you problems, even if they are "minor" in nature (all of the problems mentioned are minor). Heck, I bought a first year Toyota as my first car and did not even keep it three years because of the problems "I" could not live with (they were all minor, in reality), including a transmission that had its own mind, horrible throttle response, a sunroof that sounded like it was going to break each time it opened/closed, etc. My sister ended up buying it and she is far less picky, so these little issues do not even phase her. She is happy with a car that I was unhappy with.

Expectations play a huge role in quality ratings and perceptions. I expected a Toyota to be better than it proved to be, and I now have a bad taste in my mouth regarding their vehicles. The FX is better than I anticipated it to be as far as overall enjoyment, but yes, it has plenty of little and irritating problems. The "SNAP" to the left of my ear over bumps constantly reminds me of it, and has forced my mind to think of buying a new car on several occasions. But then the realistic side of me finally comes around and I realize that if I sell a car every time something happens I do not like, I will never keep a car very long.

I agree, many of my previous cars have been either real piles of crap or at least older & beat up with plenty of defects & way less than perfect & I probably still loved most of them just because they were mine. when I got my 4 year old fx even smashed up in the nose I was so happy with it that any flaws were just accepted as that's the way it is, & to this day I still love her despite all her minor imperfections or minor annoyances. if something annoys me too much then I fix it & I go to great lengths regularly adding to her & upgrading & improving whatever I feel would make her even better for me with no complaints. I have no one to bitch to about it because it is what it is & I'm more than thankful for what it is, flaws & all. guess it's a bit different when you plunk down 60k for a brand new one though, there I guess you feel the right to expect total satisfaction rather than to just be thankful that it is still as awesome as it is. it's all in expectations. hell, I'd take any one of the new cars that everyone is complaining about & love it to death if I could get it cheap enough that I could afford it, flaws & all. but again, going out & paying full price for brand new I guess you can't accept flaws as easily, sorry to say I never had the luxury of even having that problem

oh & my own 2 cents on quality. an average novice judges quality by perception, this creaks or that doesn't do this & they judge this as a quality issue, but my career is working on cars, disassembling them & repairing them from collision damage & rebuilding them, mostly brand new cars. I find it very funny that there are guys out there that can actually have the perception that a jeep, even a 50k jeep, is better quality than something like the infiniti's in question. if you've ever worked on & disassembled any of these cars you'd see the difference in quality, not quality in does the seat creak, no, build quality. materials quality. logical assemblies quality & design quality. quality goes way more deep to me than squeaky this or annoying that. I hate to say it but those 50k Chrysler's are built just like a 14k neon, just extra chrome, leather, bells & whistles & a great motor. to someone like me who really See's the way these cars are constructed & built I think it's a joke to even put jeep, or even Chrysler as a whole in the same sentence as infiniti, the infiniti is far superior in almost every way when it comes to actual build quality, the Chrysler's are a toy in comparison, cheap cheap cheap, with an awesome motor