2009 Infiniti G37 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 G37 most often report the passenger air bag system switching itself off, usually traced to the occupant sensor in the front passenger seat, with complaints frequently noting that the repair quoted is a full seat cushion replacement. Second most common are dashboard problems: a sticky, melting or cracking dash that throws glare onto the windshield. Engine stalling or sudden power loss at speed and hard shifting are also described, and most complaints in this sample are filed between roughly 40,000 and 110,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger air bag off / seat occupant sensor failure

   • 77 complaints (46%)
   • median 74,100 mi at 10.1 yrs old (54 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $6,340 (median of 35 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2026

   Complaints describe the air bag warning light flashing and a "passenger air bag off" message appearing even when an adult is seated, sometimes starting with no warning on a normal drive. Owners say dealers have diagnosed a failed occupant sensor (fault code B1018 in several reports), and that the sensor is not sold separately, so the recommendation is to replace the seat cushion assembly; quoted prices in the complaints range from a few thousand dollars upward, and some owners say the part is no longer available. Several owners report that a reset only worked briefly before the light returned, and that the manufacturer declined assistance. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 15,000 miles up to about 200,000, most commonly between roughly 40,000 and 130,000 miles.

   What to check: Before buying, turn the ignition on and confirm the passenger air bag indicator reads "on" with an adult in the seat and does not flash. Ask whether the occupant sensor or seat cushion has ever been replaced, and get any quote for the repair in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The airbag light started blinking, I got it checked and I was told the infant seat sensor was bad and all the seat has to be changed $6000. I checked a couple of online forums and it seems like in the past 2 years people with the same car model have been complaining about the same problem. Basically the passenger seat sensor is not working so it shuts off the airbag system for the passenger.”

   NHTSA complaint #11319734, filed 2020-03, 80,000 miles

   “Airbag sensor was blinking on my dash after starting it in my driveway to drive to work. I took it in to an infinity dealership and only to find out it was a seat sensor to be replace with only 40k miles on the vehicle. The part alone cost $6340.00 which isn't worth fixing. I wasn't told of any other option and seems to have happened a lot with other owners and no recall of any sort is to be issued.”

   NHTSA complaint #11316606, filed 2020-03, 40,500 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalling or sudden loss of power while driving

   • 21 complaints (13%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2022

   Complaints describe the engine shutting down or dropping power without warning at highway speed, with the car slowing sharply and the check engine light coming on; turning the car off and restarting sometimes restores normal operation. Several owners say dealers could not reproduce the problem, and one report describes a dealer attributing an engine failure to maintenance. Other complaints describe a rattle from underneath diagnosed as internal engine damage, and oil pressure code P0524 linked to the gallery gasket. Spread from very low mileage (under 5,000 miles) to over 130,000, with several reports between about 25,000 and 75,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records showing oil changes and any stored engine or evap fault codes, and have a scan tool check for pending codes. Listen for rattles at start-up and at idle during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Infiniti needs to recall the timing chain galley gaskets. My 2009 g37xs sedan recently blew the galley gaskets and it seems as if this is a common problem and is a very expensive fix. Recall this issue please I always use 93 gas. Always use mobil 1 full synthetic oil, and always do all maintenance on the car on time. I'm shocked and aggravated that this issue happened and Infiniti did not recall it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11243680, filed 2019-08, 117,000 miles

   “Nhtsa action # 813795. Without warning RPM's drop to about 2,000 and vehicle will not go over 30 MPH. Turning the car off for 30 seconds seem to reset the issue, but this very dangerous because it happens randomly. I believe it is the ECM . There is a TSB on this, but it should be recalled! It has happened several times and I have had the ECM replaced, to no avail. The latest date is below. ## VIN passed ## infinitii G37 2009 ##”

   NHTSA complaint #10860063, filed 2016-04, 130,000 miles
3. 3
   Other or unknown

   Sticky, melting or cracking dashboard with windshield glare

   • 12 complaints (7%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2014–2025

   Owners describe the dashboard surface becoming tacky and shiny, and in some cars cracking, particularly in hot sunny climates. Complaints say the glare reflecting onto the windshield can obscure the view of the road in bright sun, and that cleaning does not remove the stickiness. A few owners report the dash was replaced, with the replacement material described as no longer sticky. Generally reported between about 14,000 and 126,000 miles, with complaints often filed on cars several years old and kept in sunny states.

   What to check: On a sunny day, look across the dash at an angle to check for gloss and glare, and feel the surface for tackiness or cracks near the passenger air bag seam. Ask whether the dash has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The dashboard is extremely sticky. The other day I was driving on the freeway and a plastic bag got stuck to the dashboard and obstructed my view, luckily no accident. Also, during really sunny days there is a strong glare coming from the dash affecting my visibility because of interference with my glasses.”

   NHTSA complaint #10954835, filed 2017-02, 112,000 miles

   “For years now my Infiniti G37 dashboard is melting causing obstruction to my visibility. Today on my way from work the glare was so bad I was so close to getting an accident. The reflection can sometimes make it hard to see at night! Nothing works I tried cleaning it with a wet rag and nothing works. Infiniti should take care of this problem it's absurd how a 'luxury' company tends to cut corners to make cheap dashboards.”

   NHTSA complaint #11341468, filed 2020-07, 109,760 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard or jerky shifting and transmission surge

   • 16 complaints (10%)
   • median 17,876 mi at 2.2 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2021

   Owners describe the transmission jerking on upshifts and downshifts, and a brief rpm surge on the first 3rd-to-4th shift after the car has been parked for a while. Complaints also mention slow or awkward engagement from first gear and a lurch at low speed in a parking lot. One owner reported the dealer saying no software update was yet available for the shift behavior. Mostly reported at low mileage, from a few hundred miles to about 14,000 miles, with a few reports at higher mileage.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from cold and feel the first few shifts, including a slow parking-lot maneuver, and check for a clunk or click from the axles during take-off. Ask whether any transmission software or valve body work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2009 Infiniti g37x coupe. 1st gear is exceptionally slow and causes dangerous acceleration problems in certain situations. The transmission jerks when up or down shifting. When I took my car to Infiniti for service I was told that Infiniti hasn't released a software update or recall for this problem yet but that they've been receiving numerous complaints about the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10299726, filed 2010-01, 800 miles

   “We picked up our brand new Infiniti G37 sedan out of town (52 miles on it) and the next day, drove it home 300 highway miles. Obviously, we were extremely fortunate the problem didn't begin on the trip. By the second day, the car started dying when we came to a stop. At first, the problem didn't happen every time we slowed down, and we discovered putting the car in neutral proved helpful. We hoped it was a fluke that would quickly abate. Unfortunately, by the next day, the problem worsened, and the check engine light went on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10297540, filed 2009-12, 375 miles

Buying note. Check the passenger air bag indicator and the dashboard surface first, since those are the most commonly reported items and the seat sensor repair can be costly. Have a pre-purchase inspection check for stored engine and transmission codes and listen for engine rattles and brake vibration on the test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.