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Infiniti M45Model year report

2006 Infiniti M45 Problems

Complaints
72filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
74,250miles, 54 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
18 mpgcombined, 4.5L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2006 Infiniti M45 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year report two broad patterns: handling that feels unstable at highway speed (wandering, tramlining and pulling that alignments do not fix), and unexpected engine shutdowns while driving, often accompanied by warning lights. Other recurring themes in the sampled complaints are a driver's seat that breaks or collapses, and long waits for the passenger air bag inflator recall remedy.

  1. Steering

    Steering wander, tramlining and pulling

    • 16 complaints (22%)
    • median 51,785 mi at 5.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2008–2014

    Complaints describe the car wandering or tramlining at highway speeds, needing constant correction to stay in a lane, and sometimes veering or pulling to one side when braking. Several owners say multiple alignments, new tires and balancing did not change the behavior, and some report being told the steering rack was the likely source. Dealers are described as unable to duplicate the concern or as attributing it to tires, wheels or brakes. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 100,000 miles, commonly at highway speeds.

    What to check: Drive the car at highway speed on a road with some crown or truck ruts and see whether it tracks straight without constant correction, and try a firm stop to check for pulling. Ask whether the steering rack or alignment components have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2006 Infiniti M45- severe trammeling issues since first purchased car in october 2006. Car will drift to the left or to the right depending on the crown in the road. I have completed 4 different alignments and 4 independent shops, all 4 shops say my alignment is within specs. I did purchase all 4 new tires and still trammeling is active.”

    NHTSA complaint #10375063, filed 2011-01, 9,371 miles

    “I'm having a problem with my car called tramlining where the vehicle will steer on its own depending on road conditions. This can be a dangerous issue especially on the highway when one time my car wants to steer into another lane on its own with cars present in my other lane. My car has new tires, alignment done, road force balance and no suspension problem and this issue still exist.”

    NHTSA complaint #10361802, filed 2010-10, 25,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine stalls and shuts off while driving

    • 14 complaints (19%)
    • median 98,282 mi at 9.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2022

    Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds, sometimes at a stop and sometimes on the highway, with dashboard warning lights and loss of power steering and power assist for the brakes. Restarts are described as taking several attempts, and some owners link the behavior to the accelerator pedal recall or to camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. Complaints mention that diagnostic codes were sometimes absent and that repairs did not always stop the stalling. Reported from about 70,000 miles upward, at city and highway speeds.

    Recall 13V4300001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the accelerator pedal sensor recall (13V430000) was performed and whether camshaft or crankshaft position sensors have been replaced. During a test drive, note any hesitation, rough idle or warning lights, and have stored codes read before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Yesterday my wife was driving with my daughter and two friends when the vehicle stalled and lost all power while driving on a busy road. They were very fortunate to not have caused a serious accident and all were quite frightened by the incident. The vehicle would not restart so they had it towed to a mechanic (I was out of town). Today I went to the shop where the vehicle was towed and spoke to the mechanic. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10621266, filed 2014-08, 147,000 miles

    “I had purchased my M45 2006 Infiniti used feb 20,2016 the car drove good everything worked well no problems at all. I did noticed the check engine light came on I took the car back to metro honda which is where I got it from as used. The checked it out the light went off but came back on and stay. July of 2016 is when the car would just lose power cut off while driving etc. The car would take several minutes to start back up. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10936077, filed 2016-12, 181,392 miles
  3. Seats

    Driver's seat frame or bracket breaks

    • 13 complaints (18%)
    • median 92,000 mi at 8.5 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • filed 2008–2018

    Complaints describe the driver's seat rocking or leaning and then cracking or dropping toward the floor or the center console, often noticed when sitting down or while driving. Owners report broken welds or brackets in the seat frame, and say dealers quoted a full seat replacement or declined to treat it as anything but wear. Typically reported between about 22,000 and 175,000 miles, often noticed while getting in or braking.

    What to check: Push and rock the driver's seat firmly by hand and check for play, a lean toward the console, or a gap at the rear mounting points. Ask whether the seat frame or bracket has been repaired or replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I noticed for a couple of weeks my seat would rock back and forth when I accelerated. Yesterday when I sat down in my car, I heard a loud clunk and it was my driver's seat which apparently broke off the mechanism that holds it. I researched and saw many users are reporting the same issue. Now I have a broken driver's seat in my car.”

    NHTSA complaint #10482615, filed 2012-10, 77,000 miles

    “I currently own a 2006 Infiniti M45. I have a safety issue which involves a broken driver side seat lift bracket. I wasn't doing anything abnormal, but when I sat down in my vehicle I heard a pop and notice the seat now had a slight lean towards the center console. This is a huge concern, and after doing extensive research online, I have found that it is a manufacture defect rather than normal part wear. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10916308, filed 2016-10, 108,000 miles
  4. Air bags

    Passenger air bag inflator recall parts delay

    • 11 complaints (15%)
    • typically at 10.6 yrs old
    • filed 2015–2017

    Complaints describe receiving notice of the passenger inflator recall and then being told the replacement part was unavailable, with dates pushed back repeatedly. Some owners report difficulty getting a loaner vehicle in the meantime, and one notes the vehicle was not covered because it had been registered in another state. Mostly filed around 2015-2017, with no mileage pattern in the sampled complaints.

    Recall 20V008000Recall 17V028000Recall 16V349000Recall 15V2260004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check with an Infiniti dealer by VIN whether the passenger inflator recall was completed, and confirm the part is now available before relying on the vehicle carrying passengers.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I received a recall letter from Infiniti of america in reference to the takata airbags. This was around may 0f 2016. I contacted Infiniti about trying to get a loaner car because I carry passengers in my car and if the car was not safe to drive because of the airbags, that I needed a loaner vehicle. I was informed that I could not get a vehicle and that I should be receiving a call from my local dealership to bring my car in for repairs, that was five months ago. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10925133, filed 2016-11

    “I received a notification of the takata inflator deficiency in may of 2016. I contacted my local Infiniti dealership and was informed that the replacement part was not available. I was informed that the part would be available in july 2016. In contacting the dealership in july, I was informed that the part would not be available until september. In september, I was informed that the part may be available in mid-november. I contacted the dealership on today and I am being told that the part may be available in december 2016. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10926082, filed 2016-11
  5. Vehicle speed control

    Accelerator pedal sensor and limp-home mode

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the vehicle suddenly losing power and entering a reduced-power mode, and one describes the car surging forward while the brake was held at low speed. Owners report that the recall applied only to certain VINs or that the repair could not be performed, and some say the symptom returned after the recall work. Reported from low mileage to around 90,000 miles, including during low-speed parking maneuvers.

    Recall 13V430000

    What to check: Confirm by VIN that the accelerator pedal sensor recall was completed, and during a test drive note any sudden drop in power or pedal response that feels inconsistent with input.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving a 2006 Infiniti M45. I was pulling into a parking place. I had my foot on the brake. The car was slowing to a stop and had stopped forward motion. I was getting ready to stop the engine. Suddenly with my foot still on the brake the vehicle surged forward, jumped the concrete parking barracde and then proceeded over the curb, down a 3 foot drop crashing into the ground and then hitting the corner of a brick condominium. There was no injury. I was alone in the vehicle. No air bag deployed. I did have my seat belt on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10153778, filed 2006-03

    “The contact owns a 2006 infinti M45. The contacted stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine suddenly stalled after the accelerator pedal was released. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The technician informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA campaign id number 13v430000 (speed control) because they did not know how to perform the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 89,600. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10551337, filed 2013-11, 89,600 miles

Buying note. A highway test drive and a look at the driver's seat mounting are the most useful checks on this model year, along with confirming the air bag inflator and accelerator pedal recalls by VIN. Ask for service records covering steering rack work, sensor replacements and any seat frame repair.

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 72 consumer complaints for the 2006 Infiniti M45. 54 of the complaints include a mileage, and 19% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 74,250 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 89 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: Body and structure (3), Tires (3), Transmission and drivetrain (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Engine cooling (1), Fuel system (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “The camshaft position sensor and/or crankshaft position sensor continue to fail even after being replaced with new Infiniti/nissan oem parts. Almost every time I start the car it will continue to turn over for about 15 seconds then stop. I usually have to go through this process 3 or 4 times and eventually it will start with the slp and vdc lights on, but thats not the scary or dangerous part of it. …”

NHTSA complaint #11320098, filed 2020-04, 136,870 miles

Steering: “I was driving in the highway when my vehicle started swaying back and forth in between the lines it became very hard to control the steering of the vehicle, this has happen several times before in the past, I've taken the vehicle in several times for service told the technicians about the incident countless steps have been taken to correct the situation and still to this day the vehicle does the same thing...”

NHTSA complaint #10373827, filed 2011-01, 67,255 miles

Seats: “While driving at normal highway speed, my drivers seat suddenly collapsed onto the floor on the left side of the seat. After regaining control of the car, I pulled over to find that the seat bracket had broken. The seat is completely detached from the frame and now moves freely up and down. I took the car to the dealership and without even looking at it, they said that I would need a new drivers seat at a cost of $2000.00. The technician then stated that this was a common problem on 2006-07 infinities. …”

NHTSA complaint #10818183, filed 2016-01, 160,000 miles

Air bags: “Letter from senator pat toomey on behalf of constituent re: takata airbag recall ( please send response to allison rayburn). The consumer stated the recall only applied to vehicle registered in southern state. The consumer stated prior to moving to pennsylvania, the vehicle was originally registered in georgia. The consumer was informed his vehicle was not on the recall list.”

NHTSA complaint #10760495, filed 2015-08

Mileage when problems were reported

19% of the 54 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 59,100 and 108,000 miles.

4%0–106%10–259%25–5031%50–7520%75–10015%100–15015%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (54 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 74,250 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.

’07’09’11’13’1510’1710’19’22
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 2006 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 automatic162118$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 2006 Infiniti M45 → · 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. 89 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 89 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 2006 Infiniti M45?

Owners of this model year report two broad patterns: handling that feels unstable at highway speed (wandering, tramlining and pulling that alignments do not fix), and unexpected engine shutdowns while driving, often accompanied by warning lights. The issues reported most often: Steering wander, tramlining and pulling; Engine stalls and shuts off while driving; Driver's seat frame or bracket breaks.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006 Infiniti M45 have?

NHTSA recorded 72 consumer complaints for the 2006 Infiniti M45 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2006 Infiniti M45 is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 17 complaints (24% of the total), followed by steering with 17.

Has the 2006 Infiniti M45 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 2006 Infiniti M45 get?

The EPA rates the 2006 Infiniti M45 (M45, 4.5L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 21 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 2006 Infiniti M45 reported?

Among the 54 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 74,250 miles and the middle half falls between 59,100 and 108,000 miles; 19% 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.