Well, I should feel mighty happy to be posting about my new G37x sedan (automatic), but I’ve encountered a serious problem that’s taking the fun out of it.

I took delivery of my car on January 9, and was thrilled. What a classy and luxurious rocket it is! However, about one week after getting it I came to a stop in a slushy, snowy area, and then accelerated onto a street with dry pavement. It began to lurch and sputter, and would not go beyond 2,400 RPMs. Fortunately, I was only two blocks from my home. Any shifts occurred with a noticeable and untimely jerk. No warning lights came on.

After the car sat in the garage for thirty minutes, I started the engine and everything seemed fine. I called the dealership (Infiniti of Denver) and told a service guy what had happened. He said that perhaps it would be “a one time thing.” From that day until last Monday, Jan. 26, the car performed normally.

Tuesday, January 27, was another slushy day. After leaving my neighborhood (which means I left the slushy, unplowed areas for dry main arteries), I drove for ten minutes on dry streets and at speeds of up to sixty mph. Still on dry streets, I made a left turn (same as before) onto another dry street when the car began doing what it did three weeks previously. Surprised (especially because I was on dry streets), I pulled over to see if the engine would recover, but after five minutes of no change, I limped the car home. Once again, I was very fortunate to be only two blocks from my home. Again, no warning lights.

Once there, I left the engine running and called the dealership. I spoke with the service department and described in detail what was happening. With a rep on the phone, I revved the engine to 2,400 RPMs, and it began coughing and sputtering, unable to exceed it. The rep said he could hear the trouble, and asked me to turn off the engine and restart it. After doing that, the same trouble remained, so I parked the car and shut off the engine. The rep then gave me the Infiniti Roadside Assistance number, and suggested I call them in order to have the car transported to the dealership. However, after thirty minutes, I restarted the car and everything returned to normal. I drove the car to the dealership late this morning.

They put it through every diagnostic test they could and found nothing. They suspect that there is something wrong with a sensor or chip that forces the car into “fail safe mode” (something which protects the engine), but cannot duplicate the problem.

My option was: 1) take the car home (I live more than an hour away), wait for it to happen again and the dealership would have it towed for testing. Problem: it’s dangerous. If, for example, I were to attempt a merge into speeding traffic and it happened, well, that’s a serious risk. I wouldn’t let my wife drive it, and I wouldn’t allow my kids in the car. Further, the car seems to re-set after the engine is off for a while, which means the problem would be over by the time it was towed to the dealership. No duplication. 2) leave the car at the dealership and accept a loaner. This means a rep will drive my car until the problem happens again. How long that will be, no one knows. Further, I am paying for a car I’m not driving. How long do I let them have it?

I chose option #2. They have my G37x, and I have their EX 35.

I have been treated very well—understanding and sympathy all around. No complaints at all, but I feel trapped. What would you recommend? Any ideas?

 

return the vehicle. Get a new one.

 

wow... that sucks
Intermittent problems are the worst.

I hope they get it sorted out for you.

 

Big +1 on that!

 

Sounds like a great idea to me--return it for another one--but how does one go about doing it? It's not like I shopped at Costco. . .

Suggestions?

 

If you purchase defective merchandise, there should be a return policy. I know cars can be a little different. I don't know what your state has for a lemon law, But make sure you document EVERYTHING and make your DEALER aware of EVERY time you have an issue.

 

doesnt sound like a major problem..could be a number of things,maybe as simple as a dirty maf...if you decide not to trade it in and this happens again..dont turn off the car next time..keep it coughing/studdering until the infiniti roadside guy comes just so they dont think your bs'ing them,and if they cant fix it tell em you want a new one of your 40k back...gl with problem

 

Keep the EX for a while, beat the crap out of it, let them keep your car for a while until they fix it.

 

Dont beat the Hell out of it!

Enjoy the loaner and document everything... Get a Video camera out and document it that way!

 

The 2400 rpm is a big clue. They are right as it's apparently going into the fail safe mode. Usually when the ecu sees a maf voltage out of spec'd range, it will throw the ecu into fail safe. The ecu will then only used open loop maps and won't let the engine rev over 2,000-2,400 rpm to protect the engine.

it's odd that no codes are being thrown. But a ghost code might show up once the dealer puts their OBDII scanner on it.

 

X2 on not beating the hell out of it. Its not classy and you wouldn't want them beating the hell out of your car, why would you beat the hell out of theirs?

 

and yeah, it sounds a lot like fail safe mode for the tranny as others have mentioned. it might even be something as simple as some loose wires somewhere throwing a faulty code and causing it to not rev past 2400.

 

Guys, easy, it was a joke...never trash a loaner....

 

That stinks. I would say (as others have) document everything, and every time it happens take it to the dealer to try and resolve. If they try 3 times to fix it, and can't, it sounds like a cut and dry lemon case. The key is to make sure they try 3 times to fix it. I can't imagine you will have too many problems getting a new car if they really can't figure it out.

I would also let them know you are going to try and "lemon" the car if they can't fix it after 3 tries. This may give them the motivation to bring in an expert. I run part of a world-wide service operation with maybe 200 technicians world-wide. There are just some issues that only 4-5 guys are capable of figuring out that other 195 just can't get. It is nice to think that all techs are the same, but the fact is most of the ones you run into are average at best. You need to make sure they have the best working on your car at this point.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

Here’s the latest.

The service techs haven’t found anything wrong and driving it has not revealed the problem. After having it for one week, the dealership is sending someone tomorrow to return my car and take back their loaner. My service guy tells me that Infiniti is sending a top service rep to the dealership on Monday to look over my car, so they will send someone to my home to pick up my car that morning in exchange for another loaner. Because I consider my car a danger waiting to happen, I’m not overjoyed at getting it back.

In my thinking, Monday will be the third time they have looked at my car regarding this issue. The first time when I took it to them they put the issue in the “it’s probably just an aberration—keep an I on it”—category, but have been working on it specifically this second time.

While the situation is lousy, I am pleased with how they are treating me.

Comments? Suggestions?