07 M45 Help!

[NewM45]

Hello all,

I need your expertise!

I just picked up my new to me 07 m45 today. Bought it sight unseen from a new car dealer a few states away. They had it shipped to me.

Anyway, car looks good, although crazy dirty from the transport.

It drives fine, but has a slight burning smell. Then I get home, and hear a loud rattling noise from under the car when stopped, and in drive. The noise stops when in park or neutral.

The dealer is closed, but I have sent the salesman an email describing the problem.

Anybody have this? Any ideas what is the cause? It seems like a transmission issue... I will talk to the dealer tomorrow, and my goal is to have it inspected by a local infiniti dealer.

Just fyi, they sent me the inspection paperwork preformed by their service dept, and zero mention of this!

Any input would be great, thanks guys.

[Ilya]

The rattling is probably a heat shield on the exhaust. You can tear it off.

The burning smell could be anything. Need more information.

[NewM45]

So a heat shield on the exhaust rattles when idling, but only when in drive, not in park or neutral?

I played with it some more, and it makes the noises in both drive and reverse. And i hear a double POP sound when shifting into drive and reverse.

[BlackCat81]

So a heat shield on the exhaust rattles when idling, but only when in drive, not in park or neutral?

I played with it some more, and it makes the noises in both drive and reverse. And i hear a double POP sound when shifting into drive and reverse.

Yes, the rattle is probably a heat shield. The pop you hear going into drive or reverse is either the rear axle splines need lubrication or its the pads shifting in the brackets. Aftermarket pads tend to not fit 100% correctly so if there's some free play it can cause a noise. The burning smell is probably leaking valve cover gaskets.

[NewM45]

Okay,

So the burning smell is gone.

Ant this morning, the noise was not there, im guessing that bracket only makes that noise when exhaust is hot?

As for the pop, that makes sense. So it sounds like the pop is not an issue, just aftermarket parts installed?

Is there anything I should do to protect, or is the pop sound and rattle not hurting anything?

Thank you guys so much for the input!!

[BlackCat81]

Okay,

So the burning smell is gone.

Ant this morning, the noise was not there, im guessing that bracket only makes that noise when exhaust is hot?

As for the pop, that makes sense. So it sounds like the pop is not an issue, just aftermarket parts installed?

Is there anything I should do to protect, or is the pop sound and rattle not hurting anything?

Thank you guys so much for the input!!

No, the pop noise, if it's actually one of the two things I mentioned, won't hurt anything.

[seldomseen]

Hurry up and have your M serviced by a competent mechanic or a reputable Infiniti dealership.

[MOWellsinVA]

My 2007 M45 Sport developed a rattle like that about three years ago. The Infiniti dealer tightened it down, but warned that the repair would probably not last. Rattle has not come back yet! How many miles on your M45? I'm over 120,000 miles now.

[dback]

What exactly needs to be tightened to remove the rattle? I got this going on with my 09 M45x.

[NewM45]

Hi all.

Thanks to all that posted.

Here is the update:

The rattle on my car is from the exhaust tip. The older lady who owned before me must have hit a curb or driveway with exhaust, and bent slightly. It only occurs when hot, and ideling in drive or reverse. The part from the dealer is @ $40, so not a big deal, and it does not require welding for install. The tech said typically a bouse like that is from a loose "jeat shield " that they can simply tighten down.

The popping or clicks from rear when shifting into gear is either brake pads, or the axel needs grease. Either way, noise is faint, and they said will not cause any damage, so I am not going to worry about it for now.

The burning smell was from an engine cleaner the dealer used, and is completely gone now.

Now I am ordering all fluids and parts online to have my mechanic do a full service, including belts etc. I am considering new spark plugs, but with 80k on odo, may wait a year.

Thanks again guys, hope this thread can help someone in the future!

I will stay checking this forum, and who knows, maybe have the ability to help someone else someday.

[EdBwoy]

Thanks for the update, and glad all the issues turned out to be fairly minor

Thanks again guys, hope this thread can help someone in the future!

I will stay checking this forum, and who knows, maybe have the ability to help someone else