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Infiniti M35Model year report

2008 Infiniti M35 Problems

Complaints
60filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
62,000miles, 27 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Infiniti M35 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe wandering, tramlining steering — the car following road grooves and pulling left or right, sometimes with the wheel turning on its own at low speed. The second large group of complaints concerns the passenger air bag inflator recall, mainly about parts being unavailable or delays in getting the repair done. A smaller but recurring theme is a sticky, shiny dashboard that owners say deteriorates in sun and heat.

  1. Steering

    Steering wanders and tramlines on grooved roads

    • 22 complaints (37%)
    • median 8,400 mi at 2.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • filed 2008–2017

    Owners describe the car pulling or darting left and right, especially on highway grooves, tar seams and uneven pavement, sometimes requiring two hands to keep it in the lane. Several say the steering wheel moves on its own as the car slows toward a stop. According to the complaints, dealers often performed alignments, replaced tires (in some cases switching brands) or replaced steering rack components, with mixed results; some owners were told the behavior is normal for the model. Reported from very low mileage (some under 1,000 miles) through the 60,000-90,000 mile range, and generally worse at highway speeds on grooved or wet roads.

    What to check: Drive the car at highway speed on a grooved or rutted stretch and see whether it tracks straight; ask whether alignments, tire changes or steering rack work have been done, and inspect the rack for leaks.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I bought my 2008 Infiniti m35x new in september of 2008. From the day I drove it away from the dealership I noticed that the steering was pulling erratically sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right. The angle of the road and rough road surfaces made it worse. Upon taking this to the dealer, they agreed to change the tires (from goodyear to michelin) that made it somewhat better but has not eliminated it. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10555811, filed 2013-12, 50 miles

    “This car tends to drift/travel/trammel with road grooves/ruts/dips all the time. This is a common problem with this model. I've changed the tires a few times to try and resolve this issue and the same problem happens with all tire brands I've tried. I have never experienced this problem as prevalent with any other vehicle I've driven. I've taken it to two dealers and they both say it is common to this car. This is extremely dangerous.”

    NHTSA complaint #10556134, filed 2013-12, 66,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Passenger air bag inflator recall parts unavailable

    • 12 complaints (20%)
    • median 120,000 mi at 8.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • filed 2016–2017

    Many complaints concern notification of the passenger-side air bag inflator recall and the wait for the remedy. Owners report being told parts were not available, receiving interim notices, or being unable to use the front passenger seat in the meantime. A few describe dealers declining or postponing the repair; the complaints do not describe an inflator failure occurring in the vehicle. Mostly reported in 2016-2017, shortly after recall notifications were mailed, across a wide mileage range.

    Recall 16V349000Recall 20V0080004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the VIN against open air bag recalls and ask for written confirmation that the passenger inflator remedy has been completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “This complaint is related to NHTSA recall 16v-349 for passenger side airbags. This recall was initiated in early summer of 2016 and I received a letter from infinity about the recall in august of 2016. I was given an original time frame of sept to oct 2016 for completion of repairs on my car. Now infinity is estimating it will be late nov. 2016 or later before parts are available. In the meantime I have a car where you can't use the front passenger seat. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10911194, filed 2016-10

    “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Infiniti M35. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v349000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”

    NHTSA complaint #10919661, filed 2016-10
  3. Vehicle speed control

    Limp mode and stalling linked to accelerator pedal sensor

    Mentioned in 5 of 55 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the car dropping into limp mode or losing power after the accelerator pedal sensor signal degraded, with one owner paying for a pedal replacement before the recall notice arrived. Another complaint describes stalling while accelerating from a stop and a reported unintended surge on a parking-lot turn; dealers in these accounts could not reproduce the problem. Reported between roughly 18,000 and 169,000 miles, in some cases before and after the recall notice.

    Recall 13V430000

    What to check: Ask whether the accelerator pedal recall has been completed and whether the pedal assembly was replaced; note any hesitation or reduced-power episodes during a test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Making right turn to park the car in a parking lot with foot on the brake throughout the turning process. As the turn was completed, vehicle surged forward quickly and collided with a tree. The car was completely destroyed. It happened third time. First two times, the car accelerated when my foot was on the brake, but I could control it. The car was brought back to the dealer for check up and inspection. After checking the car, dealer found no problem and did not take any corrective action except for adjusting the idle time. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10441093, filed 2011-12, 30,680 miles

    “2008 Infiniti M35. Consumer writes in regards to accelerator pedal sensor recall notice. The consumer stated the vehicle into limp mode, prior to taking it to the dealer. Afterwards, the exact same thing happened again. From a standing start, the vehicle would get up the speed, then it abruptly dropped down to a low speed crawl. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10589002, filed 2014-05
  4. Air bags

    Air bags not deploying in a collision

    Mentioned in 4 of 55 sampled complaints

    A few owners describe frontal collisions in which the air bags did not deploy, including one where the other driver was injured; another reports the passenger seat occupancy sensor turning the passenger air bag off. In one case a dealer was waiting on dashboards before completing the passenger inflator recall. These are isolated accounts rather than a consistent pattern. Reported at higher mileage, generally above 100,000 miles.

    Recall 16V349000

    What to check: Ask whether the passenger occupancy sensor and air bag system have been checked, and confirm all air bag recalls are closed; watch for an air bag warning light on the dash.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The passenger seat occupancy sensor (ocs) mat is not working properly (code b1018) and is causing the passenger side air bags to be turned off. Infiniti has quoted me $3,250 to correct the problem which requires the replacement of the entire front passenger lower seat assembly (1\2 of a seat for $3,250 !!!). After repeated attempts to Infiniti USA, and the president of Infiniti worldwide - roland krger, infinit has said no to providing me any financial assistance to correct this problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10763503, filed 2015-09, 95,000 miles

    “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Infiniti M35. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 16v349000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received the second notification in january of 2017. The dealer (Infiniti of south atlanta 4201 jonesboro rd, union city, ga, 30291) stated that the parts were available; however, they experienced issues with the dashboard fracturing due to the remedy. The dealer was waiting on dashboards before repairing the passenger side air bag inflator. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11013330, filed 2017-08, 133,000 miles
  5. Other or unknown

    Sticky, shiny melting dashboard

    • 5 complaints (8%)
    • median 91,000 mi at 9.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2013–2020

    Owners report the dashboard surface turning sticky, shiny and gummy, with glare reflecting into the windshield and, in some cases, cracking near the passenger air bag area. Complaints say dealers or the manufacturer declined to cover the repair, in one case attributing it to material breakdown outside warranty. Reported on cars from roughly 56,000 to 145,000 miles, often described as worsening in sun and heat.

    What to check: Look at the dash top in daylight for shine, tackiness or cracks, and check for glare on the windshield from the driver's seat.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Yes....the entire dashboard is literally melting.....it's become sticky and super shiny. During the day (in bright sunshine), I can hardly see the road because of the reflection from the dashboard....trust me, it's that bad. When I searched this problem on the internet, I found that I am not the only one with this problem. There are literally thousands of reported melting dashboards. And, that's only the ones who have complained. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11344247, filed 2020-08, 145,000 miles

    “The passenger dashboard on my Infiniti is cracking and Infiniti will not warranty part. The crack is occurring over the passenger airbag and I am concerned for the safety and security of my family. Resolution has been unsuccessful and I feel that Infiniti has sold me an inferior produce even if out of warranty. The year of the vehicle is 2008, and there should not be these kinds of deterioration of materials. The lack of customer satisfaction and consideration of the safety of the occupants is unacceptable.”

    NHTSA complaint #10551340, filed 2013-11, 62,000 miles

Buying note. Have the car inspected for steering rack condition and try it on grooved highway pavement, and confirm that all open air bag and accelerator pedal recalls have been completed before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 55 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.

NHTSA recorded 60 consumer complaints for the 2008 Infiniti M35. 27 of the complaints include a mileage, and 44% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 62,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 68 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine (2), Seats (2), Body and structure (2), Engine cooling (1), Exterior lighting (1), Fuel system (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “I purchased my vehicle in october 2009 certified pre-owned from Infiniti southwest in houston, tx with 13k on it already. This past year I cant take it anymore. The problem is getting worse and worse since the very beginning when I purchased the vehicle. Any groove on the road or minor indentation causes my steering wheel to lose control. Even when I switch lanes, just driving over the little bump reflector cause me tramling. It literally looks like there is a drunk driver on the road when people see me driving. It occurs any time I drive it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10362501, filed 2010-10, 13,000 miles

Air bags: “Takata recall airbag in steering wheel if deployed may contain shrapnel that can be fatal to operator of vehicle. Nothing has occurred, I was notified of a class action suite against takata.”

NHTSA complaint #11044783, filed 2017-11, 130,000 miles

Other or unknown: “When in sunlight or extreme heat the dashboard gets sticky and shiny. It appears as if it is melting. We filed a report with Infiniti consumer affairs. We were told that it wasn't a problem associated with any parts from our VIN number. The problem is getting worse and the glare on the windshield is a safety issue when driving.”

NHTSA complaint #10721437, filed 2015-05

Tires: “Traveling an tire sensor came on indicating low air pressure. Pull to the emergency lane on bridge on I-55 in louisiana to find nothing wrong. While on the shoulder another car passed with road debris damaging my car. I see a recall for the sensor yet the state of louisiana is not identified for the recall. Can you tell me how louisiana was not included in the tire sensor recall and can you help me get the sensors replaced? I also see many comments of the headlights not be set correctly and I struggle with the low beam view of the highway.”

NHTSA complaint #10559093, filed 2014-01, 89,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

44% of the 27 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 13,000 and 120,000 miles.

22%0–107%10–2515%25–5011%50–7511%75–10026%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (27 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 62,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’09’11’13’1514’17’19’22’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Infiniti M35 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
M35 RWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162319$4,350
M35x 4WD/AWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic162218$4,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Infiniti M35 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 68 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 68 bulletins →

Other model years of the Infiniti M35

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20102036,0005—19—Falling
20091632,5005—19—Falling
20086062,0005—19Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
200715574,2004—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200621090,0005—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Infiniti M35 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Infiniti M35?

Owners of this model year most often describe wandering, tramlining steering — the car following road grooves and pulling left or right, sometimes with the wheel turning on its own at low speed. The issues reported most often: Steering wanders and tramlines on grooved roads; Passenger air bag inflator recall parts unavailable; Limp mode and stalling linked to accelerator pedal sensor.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Infiniti M35 have?

NHTSA recorded 60 consumer complaints for the 2008 Infiniti M35 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Infiniti M35 is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 21 complaints (35% of the total), followed by air bags with 20.

Has the 2008 Infiniti M35 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Infiniti M35 get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Infiniti M35 (M35, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Infiniti M35 reported?

Among the 27 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 62,000 miles and the middle half falls between 13,000 and 120,000 miles; 44% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.