2004 Infiniti M45: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
43 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
83,159 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 42 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 23 of 43 complaints (53.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 11 | 25.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 7 | 16.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 7.0% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 2.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 23 |
| Engine | 7 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System | 4 |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 |
| Seats | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 23; Engine: 7; Electrical System: 5; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System: 4; Fuel System, Other: 3; Seats: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 4
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 8 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
2009: 1; 2010: 13; 2011: 8; 2012: 12; 2013: 5; 2014: 1; 2015: 3
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 11 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10285271 · 2009-09-25 (September 25, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI M45. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT WAS UNSTABLE SINCE THE SEAT BRACKET WAS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE BRACKET HAS WEAK SPOTS THAT CAUSED CRACKS IN THE WELD. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE CONTACT IS REQUIRED TO PAY $1200.00 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 71000.
Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10316666 · 2010-03-04 (March 4, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI M45. WHEN THE CONTACT ADDED FUEL TO THE GAS TANK HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATE WITHOUT GIVING THE DRIVER AN ACCURATE READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80000.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10316712 · 2010-03-04 (March 4, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI M45. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL CONNECTOR IN 2009 AND HE NOTICED THAT AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT PERFORMED. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS A MINOR ERROR BY THE PREVIOUS DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MINOR ERROR COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY IF HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE DRIVING WITH A DEFECTED AIR BAG. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,0…
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316712 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10317234 · 2010-03-05 (March 5, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI M45. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DRIVES THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WILL SHOW 1/2 GALLON MORE GASOLINE THAN THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY HAS IN THE TANK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130000. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 05/10/10*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10317234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10318987 · 2010-03-11 (March 11, 2010)
ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010, MY 2004 INFINITY M45 GAS GAUGE READ THAT I HAD A LITTLE OVER A 1/4 TANK OF GAS. AS WAS DRIVING DOWN MATHILDA AVENUE IN SUNNYVALE I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING. I MANAGED TO GET ONTO EL CAMINO REAL AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. UNFORTUNATELY, I COASTED TO THE RIGHT CURB IN A BUS STOP AREA. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AS MY VEHICLE WAS BARELY ABLE TO COAST TO THE CURB. MY HUSBAND ARRIVED WITH A GAS CAN AND POURED GAS INTO THE FUEL TANK AND THE CAR STARTED. I CAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318987 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10320190 · 2010-03-16 (March 16, 2010)
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI M45. THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED AN INCORRECT READING WHICH INDICATED THE FUEL TANK LEVEL WAS FULL. HOWEVER, THE FUEL TANK CONSUMPTION WAS HALF OF THE FUEL LEVEL CAPACITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED AN INACCURATE READING THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRENCES FLUCTUATED AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUEL GAUGE ASSEMBLY. THERE HAD BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320190 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10322403 · 2010-03-26 (March 26, 2010)
PURCHASED MY 2004 INFINITI M45 AT WILLOW GROVE INFINITI IN THE SUBURBS OF PHILADELPHIA WITH 22,160 MILES. I PERFORMED A THOROUGH TEST DRIVE AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT TO BE MY "WEEKEND" CAR SINCE I'M ALREADY SUPPLIED WITH A COMPANY CAR FROM WORK.AFTER 3 WEEKS OF MINIMAL DRIVING, FOUND THAT I HAD PUT OVER 300 MILES BUT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS STILL READING JUST UNDER HALF TANK. THIS CAR HAS A 20 GALLON TANK AND IS KNOWN TO HAVE BETWEEN 16-19 MPG. AT THE VERY BEST, LOGIC WOULD SAY I WOULD GET 380 MILES OUT OF A FULL TANK. I…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,704 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10324572 · 2010-04-08 (April 8, 2010)
INCORRECT GAS LEVEL ON 2004 INFINITI M45. COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY M45'S IN 2003 AND 2004. GAUGE CLUSTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10324572 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V497000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch
Reported: 2004-10-13 (October 13, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION.
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
NHTSA campaign record ↗12V088000 · Fuel System, Gasoline
Reported: 2012-03-06 (March 6, 2012)
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2004 INFINITI M45 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 7, 2002, THROUGH JUNE 3, 2004. DUE TO A CIRCUIT BOARD FAILURE, THE FUEL GAUGE MAY READ A FUEL LEVEL HIGHER THAN ACTUALLY EXISTS. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE MAY RUN OUT OF GAS WITHOUT NOTICE.
Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE CIRCUIT BOARD FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign record ↗