2001 INFINITI QX4 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI QX4. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. WHILE BEING INSPECTED, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE FRAME AND UNDERBODY WERE CORRODED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED SINCE IT WAS STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CORROSION TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD COLLAPSE WHILE BEING LIFTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,000.

NO ACCIDENT. DISCOVERED SEVERE CORROSION LOCALIZED ON PASSENGER SIDE FRAME/AXEL/FRONT WHEEL DRIVE BRACKET PART OF FRAME. CAR HAS ONLY 65,00 MILE. BODY, EXHAUST ETC. SHOW NO CORROSION. OTHER PARTS OF FRAME LOOK MILD. CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NISSAN NON RESPONSIVE. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER. CAR WAS 7 YEARS IN OHIO AND 8 YEARS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. WE WERE LUCKY TO FIND THIS BEFORE A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT! *TR

MY 13-YEAR-OLD AND SEVERELY RUSTED INFINITI 4WD SUV HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR CORROSION PROBLEMS AT THE DRIVER-SIDE STRUT TOWER. I WILL BE TOWING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION BECAUSE I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. MY CAR HAS A FIST-SIZED HOLE THROUGH THE FENDER WELL IN THE AREA DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE, SO IT IS PROBABLY NOT REPAIRABLE. BUT MY CAR ALSO HAS A RUSTED OUT AND SEVERELY WEAKENED UNIBODY FRAME AT ANOTHER CRITICAL AREA THAT WOULD CERTAINLY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND PROBABLY A CRASH WHEN IT IS FINALLY STRESSED TO THE BREAKING POINT. THIS AREA IS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE WHERE THE MOUNTING PAD FOR THE A-FRAME REAR PIVOT POINT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. I HAVE MADE THE DEALERSHIP AWARE OF THIS AND SENT THEM SOME PICTURES, AND THEY REFERRED ME TO THE MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP MAY REFUSE TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR, AFTER EVALUATING MY CAR, UNLESS I HAVE THE "OTHER DAMAGE" (WHICH WOULD RENDER THE CAR UNSAFE) REPAIRED PRIOR TO THEIR INSPECTION. IF THEY DON'T DO THE RECALL REPAIR, OR DETERMINE THAT IT IS BEYOND REPAIR (BASED ENTIRELY ON THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE RECALL), MY CAR MAY BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE REPURCHASE PROGRAM REMEDY. I MAY BE REQUIRED TO TOW MY CAR OFF OF THEIR LOT TO AVOID STORAGE FEES. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURER LOOPHOLE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO DO THE RECALL BECAUSE OF OTHER PROBLEMS, AND DISQUALIFY MY CAR FOR A REMEDY? THEY HAVE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LACK OF CORROSION PROTECTION IN ONE CRITICAL AREA, BUT NOT FOR OTHERS? WHAT COULD I, AS A CAR OWNER, HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS DAMAGE? I FEEL IT'S THE MANUFACTURER THAT IS AT FAULT. A $35,000 CAR SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 13 YEARS! SO I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT IN CASE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I AND TO HELP FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS SERIOUS MANUFACTURING FLAW AND ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

BODY FRAME RUSTED BEHIND THE FRONT WHEEL ON PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I TRY TO REPLACE THE FLAT TIRE , THE CAR COLLAPSE OVER THE JACK. THE CAR FRAME BROKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI QX4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS HEARD AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT WAS RUSTED AND DAMAGED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DEFECT BUT NO REMEDY WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

THE BUILT-ON RUNNING BOARDS (THESE ARE NOT AN ADD-ON FEATURE TO THE VEHICLE, BUT CAME STANDARD ON ALL QX-4S) HAVE BRACKETS AND A TUBULAR STEEL SUPPORT BEAMS THAT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF ANY PASSENGER STEPPING ON THEM TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE SUPPORT BEAM AND SUPPORT BRACKETS HAVE ENTIRELY RUSTED AWAY; THERE IS LITTLE TO NO OTHER RUST ON OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL BODY SHOP IDENTIFIED AND NOTIFIED THE OWNER OF THE DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH NON-SUPPORTED RUNNING BOARDS. A CONSUMER COULD EASILY BE INJURED IF STEPPING ON THE RUNNING BOARDS TO ENTER THE VEHICLE AND HAVING THEM COLLAPSE. THE INJURY CERTAINLY COULD BE MORE ACUTE FOR ELDERLY, DISABLED, OR CHILDREN IN THE EVENT OF A COLLAPSE. THE TUBULAR STEEL SUPPORT BEAMS AND BRACKETS HAVE NO RUST INHIBITOR ON THEM WHILE THE OTHER METAL SECTIONS OF THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE COATED WITH RUST INHIBITOR AND SHOW NO RUST. THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW EITHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE TYPE OF METAL USED OR A LACK OF RUST INHIBITOR ON THE PARTS THAT HAVE DISINTEGRATED. THE COST TO REPLACE IS QUITE EXORBITANT AND THE REPLACEMENTS MAY HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. THE SHORT TERM SOLUTION HAS BEEN TO ENTIRELY REMOVE THE RUNNING BOARDS OFF OF THE VEHICLE TO ELIMINATE THE DANGER. THIS MAKES FOR A TALL VERTICAL STEP-IN, BUT IS LESS RISKY THEN THE FAULTY RUNNING BOARDS. *TR

I BELIEVE THE CAR'S RUNNING BOARDS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO SERIOUS RUST DAMAGE CAUSING WEAKNESS OF THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURE. THE HAZARD CAN MANIFEST ITSELF AS THE RUNNING BOARDS CAN EASY FAIL AND THE DRIVER OR ANY PASSENGER CAN FALL AS A RESULT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR QX4S FROM MODEL YEARS 1997 TO 2002 OR LATER. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS WORSE FOR OLDER CARS IN AREA'S WHERE SALT IS USED ON THE ROADS IN WINTER. I PETITIONED INIFINITI TO INVESTIGATE THE HAZARD AND CONSIDER RECTIFYING IT. THEY CLAIMED RUST DAMAGE WAS NOT COVERED AND WOULD DO NOTHING. HOWEVER, I NOTE THEY IN FACT HAD A STRUT HOUSING RECALL FOR OUR QX4 TO FIX RUST DAMAGE. *TR

2001 INFINITI QX4. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE PULLS HARD TO THE LEFT *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER HAD RUSTED OUT, AND SEPARATING THE STRUT FROM THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE REPAIR WOULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE CONSUMER JUNKED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, WHICH RESULTED IN A RECALL. *JB UPDATED 06/19/12. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITY QX4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO CRASH INTO A TREE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE CONTACT WAS REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 INFINITI QX4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRACKETS SUPPORTING THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A PASSENGER ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THEY WERE UNABLE TO STEP ON THE RUNNING BOARDS TO ASSIST ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE RUNNING BOARDS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. FAILED APROX 3.5 YEARS AGO. UNSUPPORTED RUNNING BOARDS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. UPDATED 10/19/2011 *LN *TR