1998 Infiniti QX4: complaints, problems and recalls

MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN OF TRANSFER CASE. EARLIER REPORT (SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER ITB99049FILED WITH NHTSA DOCUMENTED A WHINING NOISE FROM TRANSFER CASE.

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020649 at NHTSA ↗

MY INFINITY 1998 QX4 HAS ABOUT 88000 MILES I BOUGHT A DEMO IN JAN "99 RECENTLY I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3000.00. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT WARANTY IT BECAUSE IT WAS AN INFINITY SO I TOOK IT TO AN AAMCO. WHO WARANTEED IT FOR I YEAR.I MUST HAVE CHANGED THE BRAKEPADS 3 TIMES AND ACCEPT FOR THE DRIVERS SEATBELT NONE OF THE SEATBELTS WORK, ALSO DURING THE FIRST YEAR THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED,I CONTACTED INFINITY AND LEARNED THAT TIRES THAT COME WITH NEW VEHICLES WERE NOT WARANTEED.THIS IS MY …

Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122012 at NHTSA ↗

RECALL NUMBER 07V435000 COVER PATHFINDER AND QX4 BUT INFINITI WILL ONLY AUTHORIZE REPAIR AT INFINITI DEALERSHIP WHICH IS 2 HOURS AWAY. NISSAN DEALERSHIP IS ONLY MINUTES AWAY AND CAN DO REPAIR BUT INFINITI WON'T PREAUTHORIZE IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10214767 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INIFINTI QX4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL FOR A REPAIR THAT WAS PERFORMED IN JUNE OF 2007 AT HIS EXPENSE. HE IS CURRENTLY SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WANTS TO ENSURE THAT THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED PROPERLY BEFORE PROVIDING COMPENSATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEAREST DEALER IS TWO HOURS AWAY FROM HIS RESIDENCE. HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER THAT IS LOCATED CLOSER TO HIM, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR. THE NHT…

Owner-reported narrative. 112,454 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267650 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THE FIRST RECALL NOTICE FOR THEIR 1998 INFINITI QX4, THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH CORROSION. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD THE REPAIRS MADE ON THE LEAKING FUEL FILLER TUBE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL. THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE CORROSION HAD CAUSED THE DETACHMENT OF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER FROM THE FRAME AND NEAR THE DETACHMENT OF THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT TOWER FROM THE FRAME AND THAT THE FRAME IN THE GENERAL AREA OF THE FRONT END AND THE STRUT TOWERS WERE BAD…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10274509 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INFINITI QX4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LEFT STRUT APRON BROKE AND IT WAS COVERED WITH RUST WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING COUPLING TO SHEAR OFF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, HE TRIED TO MAKE A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING OVER POT HOLES THERE WAS LIMITED STABILITY IN THE STEERING WHEEL; ALTHOUGH, THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND …

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286737 at NHTSA ↗

FRAME FAILURE ON INFINITI QX4 AND NISSAN PATHFINDER; MODEL YEARS 1997-2001. FRAME FAILURE ON INFINITI AND NISSAN VEHICLES; FAILURE IN MANUFACTURING TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT FROM ABNORMAL CORROSION AND ROT, THE FRAME, UNDERCARRIAGE AND MOUNTING BRACKETS OF NISSAN AND INFINITI SUV VEHICLES. EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND ROT TO FRONT APRON AND FRAME OF INFINITI QX4 AND NISSAN PATHFINDER VEHICLES; SUSPECT ASSOCIATION WITH NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 07V435000. INSUFFICIENT PROTECTION OF FRAME FROM ABNORMAL AND PREMATURE CORROSION AND ROT; RESULTANT CATASTROPHIC …

Owner-reported narrative. 191,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10376467 at NHTSA ↗

STRUCTURE FRAME FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. FRAME RUBBING ON THE STEERING SHAFT FROM CORROSION DUE TO POOR DESIGN. SAFETY CONCERNS WHEEL SECTION COULD SEPARATE FROM FRAME CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO OCCUPANTS OR OTHERS. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRAME COULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AND HITTING A POT HOLE. REPAIR COSTS IF POSSIBLE ARE IN THE THOUSANDS. THE FRAME SEPARATION IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY PREMATURE CORROSION PROBLEMS. THE FRONT FRAME LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES HAD TO BE WELDED USING STEEL PLATES TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396859 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-09-18 (September 18, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DURING THE COATING PROCESS OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY, AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF COATING MAY HAVE BEEN APPLIED AT THE LOWER MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN OPENING IN THE COATING WHICH CAN ALLOW WATER TO ENTER AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BARE METAL OF THE TUBE.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN SURFACE RUST BUT NOT PERFORATION OF THE TUBE. HOWEVER, IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, IF A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE BARE METAL, CORROSION MAY OCCUR TO A DEGREE WHICH RESULTS IN PERFORATION OF THE TUBE. IN THIS CASE FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR WHEN FILLING THE TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ONE WITH AN IMPROVED COATING PROCESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2011-04-20 (April 20, 2011)

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1996-2004 PATHFINDER AND MODEL YEAR 1997-2003 INFINITI QX4 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT MAY ENTER AN ASSEMBLY LOCATION HOLE IN THE UPPER STRUT HOUSING, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT AT THE MATING SURFACE OF THE STRUT HOUSING PANEL AND THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. OVER TIME, THIS SNOW/WATER AND SALT INTRUSION MAY RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE STRUT TOWER HOUSING IN SOME SUBJECT VEHICLES.

Consequence: THE STRUT HOUSING MAY CRACK AND PULL AWAY FROM THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. THIS MAY LEAD TO GRINDING NOISES, INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, AND POSSIBLY THE STEERING COLUMN TO BREAK, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL INSPECT THE STRUT HOUSING AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION LETTER WAS SENT OUT IN MAY 2011. THE SECOND NOTICE WAS MAILED ON JULY 25, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.