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Infiniti M45Model year report

2003 Infiniti M45 Problems

Complaints
129filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
95,900miles, 111 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns 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
18 mpgcombined, 4.5L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Infiniti M45 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a fuel gauge that reads high or full when the tank is actually low or empty, sometimes to the point that the car stalls or runs out of fuel. A second common theme is the engine cutting out while driving, which several owners link to the crank or cam position sensors. Reported mileages vary widely, from around 25,000 to over 150,000, so these complaints are not limited to high-mileage cars.

  1. Fuel system

    Fuel gauge reads high or full when tank is low

    • 69 complaints (53%)
    • median 85,000 mi at 8.3 yrs old (57 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,050 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2024

    Owners describe a fuel gauge that sticks at full or jumps between readings when the tank is actually well below that, and some say it eventually runs out of fuel with the gauge still showing a quarter tank or more. Several complaints mention a fuel level sensor code (P0462) and a service engine soon light. According to complaints, some dealers and shops replaced the fuel sending unit or fuel pump without fixing it, and others reported the instrument cluster was the part that needed replacement; a few owners say they now judge fuel by the gallons they add or by tracking miles. Reported across a wide range, from roughly 30,000 to 200,000 miles, with many complaints filed between 50,000 and 150,000 miles.

    Recall 12V088000

    What to check: Fill the tank and compare the gauge against actual fuel used over a few days; ask whether the sending unit or instrument cluster has been replaced and whether the fuel gauge recall work was ever performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My gas gauge shows incorrect readings, I have to go by gallons of gas I put in to car to determine miles I can drive. When I start the car gauge shows one reading a few blocks later it shows another. My car stopped some weeks ago on busy street when gauge showed a 1/4 of a tank on the gauge, I had to call roadside service to get home.”

    NHTSA complaint #10455245, filed 2012-04, 79,000 miles

    “This relates to NHTSA investigation pe11038. I write about a faulty design that Infiniti did not recall and will not take responsibility for. Some time ago, my fuel gauge became erratic, then the service engine soon light went on. The trouble code, p0462, was for fuel level sensor a circuit low input (not really news since the gauge wasn't working). I took it to a shop that replaced the fuel sender and fuel pump, but that didn't solve the problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10451170, filed 2012-03, 57,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine stalls or cuts out while driving

    • 28 complaints (22%)
    • median 131,504 mi at 11.1 yrs old (26 state mileage)
    • filed 2008–2019

    Complaints describe the engine shutting off without warning at highway or city speeds, sometimes with the check engine light coming on, and in many cases the car restarts after several attempts. Owners who had it diagnosed say shops pointed to the crankshaft or camshaft position sensor, though some report the stalling continued after those parts were replaced. A few owners also mention a burning smell or heat after a stall. Mostly reported between about 55,000 and 160,000 miles, often during steady-speed driving.

    Recall 03V4550001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the crank and cam position sensors have been replaced, and note whether any stalling or check engine light has occurred on test drives; the recall for this part covers specific production dates only.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “At about 60 speed on the highway, all engine lights came on and the engine turned off. The car steering wheel locks up. I pulled over to the shoulder and successfully restarted the car after about 10 attempts. The car started again and ran well for another 10 minutes. Again, at about 60 miles per hour, the engine halted and I had to change 3 lanes to get to a shoulder. The cars behind me were coming at full speed while my speed was going down fast. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10458194, filed 2012-05, 129,000 miles

    “While turning left with on coming traffic the engine died. The check engine light came on and the communications center said it was emissions related. The car did restart, the warning light remains on, and after a short drive there was a burning smell and heat coming from the car. The local nissan dealer will only work on it as customer pay, and will not do any recall work, said I need to go to the infinity dealer 2 hours away. I just notified nissan corp today of the issue and waiting for their response.”

    NHTSA complaint #10861092, filed 2016-04, 120,000 miles

Buying note. Budget for a fuel gauge repair or plan to track fuel by miles, since it is the most frequently reported problem on this model year, and ask for service history on the crank and cam position sensors given the stalling reports at highway speeds.

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.

NHTSA recorded 129 consumer complaints for the 2003 Infiniti M45. 111 of the complaints include a mileage, and 9% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 95,900 miles. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 49 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). 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: Steering (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Electronic stability control (1), Exterior lighting (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “This is the second time that the gas gauge has malfunction first was a few years ago while car was under warranty. I remember it was a sunday and I was on my way home from church with my sons. I was driving about 40mph when car stalled. This time I was on I 95 when the car stalled. Both times the gauge read that the car had a half full tank. I have no had it repaired as of yet.”

NHTSA complaint #10469674, filed 2012-08, 149,000 miles

Engine: “Hello, while driving our 2003 infinity M45 on the highway at approximately 65 MPH, the car suddenly shut off. I was driving my kids to school and this suddenly happened. The car turned on immediately and drove back home. I thought it might have been some issue with the fuel. I drove it again and this happened to me once more, the vehicle just suddenly shuts off. I went to the dealer to see what the problem was and was told after being checked that there was a recall for the same car and year for the cam & crank sensors but needed to make sure this car was part of it. To my surprise it wasn't! …”

NHTSA complaint #10475505, filed 2012-09, 138,000 miles

Electrical system: “While I was driving this vehicle, it had shut off while I was driving and I lost all power. It started back up like normal. This has happened twice and I'm afraid this could happen while I'm on the highway with my family. I see there was a recall involving this but not for my vehicle. This has happened to me just recently.”

NHTSA complaint #10895802, filed 2016-08, 117,000 miles

Engine cooling: “I was driving on the freeway at 50 miles an hour when my 2003 Infiniti M45 's engine shut off without warning. I put the car in neutral and re-started it. This happens often during highway and city driving. The current milage is 104,000mi.the first occurance was after the factory warranty of 70,000 mi. Expired. I contacted nissan/Infiniti and was told my car was not part of a recall initiated for this exact orrurance.”

NHTSA complaint #10402489, filed 2011-05, 104,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

9% of the 111 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 72,000 and 126,500 miles.

2%0–102%10–255%25–5019%50–7524%75–10037%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (111 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 95,900 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.

’05’10’1236’14’16’18’20’24
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 2003 Infiniti M45 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
M45 RWD4.5L 8-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 2003 Infiniti M45 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

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. 49 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 49 bulletins →

Other model years of the Infiniti M45

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20086101,4805—18—Not enough data
20072792,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20067274,2505—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20044383,1592—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200312995,9002—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Infiniti M45 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Infiniti M45?

Owners of this model year most often describe a fuel gauge that reads high or full when the tank is actually low or empty, sometimes to the point that the car stalls or runs out of fuel. The issues reported most often: Fuel gauge reads high or full when tank is low; Engine stalls or cuts out while driving.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Infiniti M45 have?

NHTSA recorded 129 consumer complaints for the 2003 Infiniti M45 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Infiniti M45 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 78 complaints (60% of the total), followed by engine with 23.

Has the 2003 Infiniti M45 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Infiniti M45 get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Infiniti M45 (M45, 4.5L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Infiniti M45 reported?

Among the 111 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 95,900 miles and the middle half falls between 72,000 and 126,500 miles; 9% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 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.