Got the dreaded message from the Service Manager on Friday that the only thing they can suggest is to change the engine ('03 Sedan with 120k on the clock), 100% on our dime.

Brief history dating back to April:

1. Car overheats on my gf in Perimiter Mall parking lot on a lovely Saturday. Paid for tow to dealer who has been servicing the car for 2 years exclusively, prior to them, the car was serviced at an Infiniti dealer in NY. Service rep calls on Wednesday to say there is nothing wrong with the car. Pick up car the following day.

2. Car overheats less than a week later. Limped it to the dealer next day following their recommendation. 7 or 8 days later, receive call from service rep insisting the radiator is no good and recommending a new thermostat. Pick up car 10 days later. Paid for new rad and thermostat.

3. Car overheats again less than 2 weeks later. Limp car to dealer to hear service rep tell us that '03 engines are notorious for air-pockets in the cooling system and they have to drain it...this took them over 3 weeks of repeated draining before they told us they were satisfied that the problem is fixed.

4. Car overheats with my gf heading to work. Dealership pays for tow. They pull the water-pump and it checks out fine. They check the fans which are ok as well. 2-3 weeks later, we are told to come and get the car after their lead mechanic drove the car home and back for a week unable to re-create the problem.

5 (unrelated). Took the car in for a dirty MAF sensor a few days later which they cleaned at no charge.

6. Car overheats after some shopping. Dealer pays for tow back to their service dept. 6 weeks later is when we get the call that the only option left is for us to change the engine. The service manager said they finally pulled the plenum and found one piston with some build-up which leads them to believe there is leak in the system somewhere. I guess I should mention that the SM suggested "off the record" that we try Stop-Leak, "it should work because it worked on a race-car of a buddies years ago."


We don't have the money for a lawyer at the moment. Are we out of luck or do we have options as far as Infiniti is concerned? We have been in touch with consumer affairs as well as an Infiniti regional manager but neither has returned phone calls in over a week. BBB next?

We have a mechanic in South Atlanta lined-up to do a 'rebuild' for under $2k but I haven't done due diligence before we commit to him. If Infiniti refuses to help, what budget-minded options should we look into as far as a complete rebuild, used engine or rebuilt heads?

Any helpful information will be greatly appreciated. Identities have been left out until it is safe to reveal the parties involved.


edit: My gf has been driving loaner-cars for 6 months.

 

The first question would be, did you try the Stop-Leak? Beyond that, you really don't have any recourse. From your post it sounds like the dealership made a good faith effort to fix your problem. They paid for several tows, and from what it sounds like, have given you many loaner cars. From a legal standpoint they have gone above and beyond their duty of care to you. It just comes down to having a 120k mile car. Hiring an attorney won't do you any good. Who would you sue? The dealership? Infiniti? You've been out of warranty for 50k miles. The doors could fall off at this point and you'd be SOL unless it was due to corrosion.

My advice would be:

1. Try the Stop-Leak.

2. Continue your efforts with the dealership and Infiniti, but eat humble pie and don't even think the L (lawyer) word. They might just decide to be nice, but they certainly don't have to.

3. PM Mike@RiversideInfiniti if you need tips on dealing with the dealership or Infiniti. I think he also used to work for a law firm that dealt with automobile related issues. There might be some obscure legal recourse that I don't know about. I'm not an attorney, but I have studied law extensively for business purposes.

 

^ Thanks for helping.

I understand that we may not have a case as far as the replacement and we are not looking to sue, just baffled that this issue has been going on for 6 months. What's your thought on the multiple incorrect diagnosis'?

Besides that, if we were to shop for an engine this weekend, what specifics should we be looking out for? Which engines will fit an '03 sedan, etc?

 

You don't need money to find an attorney... if they ask for money now, they are full of sh*t. Find one that'll charge when you have won your case. Otherwise, your attorney is going to be one lazy bastard who already got paid to do nothing.

 

I am by no means a master tech, but what the dealership did seems like the correct course of action for an overheating engine. I can't think of anything else I would have looked at.

As far as shopping for an engine is concerned, I would look at local wrecking yards. Your '03 sedan has a VQ35DE rated at 260HP. This engine is also found in '04 automatics. You could probably use a newer engine, but I'm not sure what, if anything, you would need to change ECU wise. You might want to ask for help in one of the technical forums.

 

I have found that once you "over heat" an aluminum block motor the damage is done. You warped something (head most likely) and there is a small leak in a head gasket. It's possable that the heads could be removed, decked and the head gaskets replaced. You might get by with that and if it works trade that sucker in ASAP!

Also, it "tap water" has ever been put in this motor, you are SOL. It eats the motor from the inside out. Not as bad as a cast iron block and Aluminum heads, but it's bad.

 

The biggest concern is how badly did you overheat? If the needle went up over half, you're probably okay, but if the needle ever pegged, your engine is more than likely shot.

As you are WAY out of warranty, I would say that your local dealer has done more than their due dilligance in trying to help you out.

It always helps when you've always serviced your car at your local dealer; when you run into situations like this, they'll try to find ways to help you out to keep you coming back .

Consider the cost of renting the car for 6 months. The dealer has given this to you at minimal, if any cost.

Hertz rental G35's cost 80 dollars a day

 

Very interesting Thread!!!!! Mike always gives good advise!

 

Get a lemon lawyer. I got one back in '06 for a range rover that was in and out of the shop every other week. Didn't have to give the guy a dime, the way it works is they listen to your claim and if they think you can win then they accept your case. Reason being because they get paid by the car company if they win the suit. I ended up winning, Land Rover (Ford) bought the car back for what I paid for 8 months earlier with 30,000 more miles on it and didn't have to pay a cent for legal help.

 

where is the lemon?

the car has 120k..

that sux, but you are way past the "in-service" period.
Car are supposed to break, especially after warranty.

 

Skipped over that part when I was reading it, was in a rush

 

Correct course of action? Not trying to be argumentative, but would you accept that after being told after the first two occurrences that nothing is wrong with the car? Do you think the block/head problem could have been exacerbated by the numerous mis-diagnosis' over the course of 6 months?

I don't want to beat the proverbial dead horse at the dealership, but they told us many times dating back to April that they did everything they could and that the car was safe to drive (we have the service records with their recommendations)...apparently they didn't do everything they could have, prior to pulling the plenum last week, since now we have to change the engine. Who is to say the head/block warping or cracking wasn't a direct cause of their telling us the car was safe to drive when there was a bigger problem lurking that they failed to diagnose?

 

That's an idea! I know if you car is out of service for the same problem more than 30 days out of one year, you can say it's a Lemon. I think you can say it's lemon if it's been to the dealer for the same problem more than 3 times in one month for the same problem. The only thing I can see standing in the way of this is the mileage.

 

What engine mods would you guys/gals recommend since we are probably going the rebuild route?

 

Unless you are going to go FI, go stock. Of course, you are saving the money of a tear down just to build it if you do it now. It may add 2000-3000 to your build.