2000 Infiniti I30

2000 Infiniti I30 4-DR. w/SAB

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

STRUCTURE

WHILE WORKING UNDER MY CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE UNDER THE RADIATOR IS RUSTING BADLY AND CAN BE MOVED BY HAND. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND APPEARS TO BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I CAME ACROSS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME MODEL OF NISSAN INFINITI. I FEEL THAT SINCE THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, THE COMPANY SHOULD WARN OWNERS AND RECALL THE VEHICLES FOR REPAIR AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. THIS IS PREMATURE RUSTING AND APPEARS TO BE VITAL TO THE ENGINE STABILITY AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION BUT I THINK THAT IS WHAT I HEAR RATTLING WHEN ENCOUNTERING BUMPS.

STEERING,SUSPENSION

DRIVE TO GAS STATION A MILE AWAY WAS A DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE, THE ISSUE I THOUGHT WAS A TIRE BLOWN OUT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY LOCAL POLICE OFFICER UPON OCCURRENCE AND DETERMINED IT IS SUSPENSION DEFECT. RIGHT REAR AXLE IS WHERE THE LOUD GRINDING STARTED

STRUCTURE

I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC FOR A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE MECHANIC LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM BELTS BECAUSE THE SUPPORT BAR THAT HOLD THE ENGINE WAS SAGGING. THIS IS CALLED THE CROSS MEMBER. I LEARNED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER HAD RUSTED PREMATURELY. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH EVERY I30 MODEL. INFINITI NEEDS TO HAVE THESE SUPPORT BARS REPLACED BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. PS. CROSS MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF A CAR BEING THAT THIS IS WHAT HOLDS THE ENGINE IN PLACE, NOT RUST PREMATURELY.

STEERING,AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEW, THE CAR THEN LOCKED UP, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE CAR SPED OUT OF CONTROL (POLICE ESTIMATED UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR), THE CAR RAN INTO A BRICK BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! I WOKE UP SURROUNDED BY A CROWD OF PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH, I PRESSED THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR, AND THERE WERE BLACK MARKS ON THE PARKING LOT LEADING UP TO THE CAR INSIDE THE BRICK BUILDING, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, OUT OF CONTROL.

STRUCTURE

2000 INFINITI I30 WITH APPROX. 100K MILES. THE VEHICLE IS USED AS A SPARE AND IS GARAGE KEPT. WENT TO GET AN OIL/FILTER CHANGE AND FOUND THE FRAME UNDER THE RADIATOR IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND IS ACTUALLY SAGGING. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS PART OF THE FRAME SUPPORTS THE ENGINE MOUNT THAT'S LOCATED NEAR THE RADIATOR ALSO. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I GOT AN ESTIMATE OF APPROX. $1,000 TO REPLACE THE RUSTED PART OF THE FRAME. SEARCHING ONLINE, IT APPEARS THE VEHICLES BUILT ON THIS CHASSIS HAVE SIMILAR RUSTING FRAME ISSUES. *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,STRUCTURE

I HAVE A WELL MAINTAINED 2000 INFINITI I30 WITH 168,000 MILES . THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. APPROXIMATELY 2009 THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT (FRONT CROSS FRAME TIE BAR) STARTED TO RUST NEAR THE CENTER OF THIS BOXED FRAME MEMBER. PORTIONS OF THE TOP AND FRONT SIDE OF THIS FRAME MEMBER RUSTED THROUGH COMPLETELY SOME TIME IN 2011. THE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM AND HORN ARE FASTENED TO A VERTICAL STEEL SUPPORT THAT IS BOLTED TO THE FRONT OF THIS FRAME MEMBER, JUST LEFT OF THE RUST PERFORATION. I INTEND TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR MANY MORE YEARS AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST WITH SEVERAL OTHER CARS IF THIS DOES NOT BECOME A SAFETY PROBLEM, . I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE FRONT FRAME TIE BAR REPAIRED IF POSSIBLE TO AVOID FUTURE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS (IE. HOOD POPPING OPEN WHILE DRIVING AND/OR UNSTABLE FRONT END CONTROL). THIS RUST PERFORATION MORE THAN LIKELY LESSENS THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR IN A FRONT END COLLISION. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDELY KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM ON VARIOUS NISSAN AUTOS. EVEN IF NISSAN IS NOT REQUIRED TO RECALL THESE AUTOS FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST NOTIFY OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES AND POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FIXES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE OWNER. *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT AND USING THE TURN SIGNAL, WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL CANCELS AFTER A TURN, THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF BRIEFLY THEN COME BACK ON. AN ONLINE SEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE 2000-2003 NISSAN MAXIMA AND INFINITI I30 IS AFFECTED BY THIS. *TR

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE. HAD TO BACK UP TO GET ALIGNED. VEHICLE WAS FULLY STOPPED WITH THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SHIFTED FROM R THROUGH N TO D. VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AT VERY HIGH RPMS. RIGHT FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. PUT HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED TO N AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE OVER THE CURB AND ABOUT 3 FT ONTO THE SIDEWALK. TOTAL DISTANCE MOVED, APPROX 6 FT. PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND PARKED. DROVE HOME AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE INCIDENT AND THE COMPUTER RECORDED NO INCIDENT. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO INFINITI HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ARE TO FOLLOWUP. I CONSIDER THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FULLY RESOLVED. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I'M HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY INFINITI 2000 I30 THE ENGINE LIGHT COME. I HAD A TUNE-UP THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE SIX IGNITION COIL AND THE CRANK SENSOR FIX, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COME ON. I WANT TO KNOW DID YOUR HAVE A RECALL ON THE 2000 I30. EVERYBODY I TALKED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND PLUS I READ ABOUT IT COULD BE A MALFUNCTION WITH THE 2000 I30INFINITI. CARS. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I'M HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY INFINITI 2000 I30 THE ENGINE LIGHT COME. I HAD A TUNE-UP THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE SIX IGNITION COIL AND THE CRANK SENSOR FIX, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COME ON. I WANT TO KNOW DID YOUR HAVE A RECALL ON THE 2000 I30. EVERYBODY I TALKED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND PLUS I READ ABOUT IT COULD BE A MALFUNCTION WITH THE 2000 I30INFINITI. CARS. *TR