How Reliable Is The Infinti G35 2003-2008.

Welcome back, today we are going to talk about the Infiniti G35. The third Gen G was released to North America for the 2003 model year on March 12, 2002. Sharing the Nissan FM platform, or Front Ship platform, which indicated the engine was shifted a bit further back into the engine bay for superior weight distribution, with the Nissan 350z, and the Infiniti FX Crossover. The G35 is very reliable, however, with that said, it still has issues. And some of the issues will be similar on the 350z.

Today, I will be going over the common issues with the g35 to better educate you about your ride or help you with your future purchase. Now, I am not saying do not buy the car, I am just here to tell you what’s up.

Let us get started!

Lower Control Arm Bushing:

The front lower control arm bushings tend to fail rather quickly due to the nature of the car. Its a sporty car, so they go out. For best results, you should press out the old bushing and install a Poly bushing as they last a lot longer.

Here is a video:

Window Regulators:

The window Regulators do go out somewhat frequently as well. In my opinion, replacing it with the proper guidance is easy. Like a YouTube video… Patience is key. A new motor can cost around $100, though.

Oil consumption:

The Dual overhead 3.5L v6 motor tends to burn and eat up oil. The engines are reliable, but they can consume oil. The 2003-2004 g35s do not typically consume oil. But the. 2005-2007 G35 is the Rev up engine, which is the problem engine. You can indicate which engine you have by the timing cover. If you have both the intake and exhaust timing cover, then you have the rev up engine. This gave the engine 15 more hp. You can install a catch can, which will help. But that is more of a cover up and it is not fixing the issue. You will need to replace the piston rings to truly fix this issue. You may also be leaking oil. So, check for leaks if your oil was low last time you checked the dipstick.

Oxidizing headlights:

The headlights on these Infiniti G35s tend to oxidize quickly when they sit in the sun. There are many ways to get rid and prevent oxidations. One of which is sanding off the oxidation, then clear coating them. You will need to wax the headlights routinely as you wax the car, but that should resolve the oxidation issue.

Synchro Grind:

Within the 6 manual speed transmission, it is typical to have a grinding noise as you shift gears. You may even need to double clutch to change gears. The most often reported gear that goes bad is the 3rd gear. But this can happen to other gears as well. Owners have repeatedly concluded that if the gears are not totally toast, then a transmission fluid change and adding redline tranny flush will get rid of the grind after a few thousand miles.

Fuel Gauge malfunctioning and basically the gauge acting odd:

The odometer cluster on these cars start to act a bit funky. You may get dim LEDs, false reading and what is most reported is the false fuel gauge reading. Basically, you will have to remove the cluster itself, tear it apart, and re-solder some joints on the motherboard itself. The article down below explains this a bit further in-depth, good luck!

https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sedan-v35-2003-06/441048-fuel-gauge-problem-detailed.html

Camshaft sensors:

The camshaft sensors typically fail often. You will get either a P0340 or P0345 engine code. There are two camshaft sensors on the back of the engine, one on the driver’s side and the other on the passenger side of the engine. They are easy and cheap to replace. It may be somewhat of a tight squeeze, but its only held on by a 10mm bolt.

Misfires:

Misfires are also very common within the G35 and you will probably receive a P0300 engine code. There are two main issues that can cause this and one being the Coil. They tend to fail prematurely. The second reason is that the Valve cover gasket is leaking from the spark plug seals and wetting the plugs. You can easily check which cylinder is misfiring by removing each plug while the car is running. Once you find the problem cylinder, you can try to swap coils. If the coil is not the problem, you can then remove the plug and see if the treads are wet.

Valve Cover Gasket:

Which leads me to the valve cover gasket. Like I just mentioned, a leaking valve gasket can cause a misfire. But you will also notice wetness around the heads. Replacing the Valve cover gasket is simple.

If you are looking for one of these beauties, I would try to stick with the 2004-2005 years to avoid the engine consumption issue. Which, in my opinion, is the only thing which would deter me from buying a G35. However, if you have a Rev up G car and you cannot afford to replace the piston rings, you can just keep topping off the oil. But, keep in mind, if you live in a highly restrictive state, then you should think about fixing the piston rings as burnt oil can clog up your catalytic converter. And you need to meet regulations if you live in Cali, especially.