Just bought an '02 Q45, have some Qs (brakes,exhaust,noise)

[Jerry in Bremerton]

So I just bought (stole?) a 2002 Q45 with the Sport Package. Paid under low bluebook from a desperate, private seller, so I assumed it would need a few things, and sure enough, it does. Title is clean, body is near perfection, Interior is in good shape. Think it mainly needs a brake job and tune-up.

Car has 117k miles on it. The people I bought it from (2nd owners) were extremely nice and forthcoming, in a very well off neighborhood. This Q started it's life as an "old lady" car. I don't think it was ever beat on, I think the last owners just neglected proper maintenance.

Regardless of paying a mere 7k for it, this Q45 is my first truly high end car. I'd like to get it back to tip top shape (or close) and keep it that way. It's also my first Nissan, not sure how "they do things".

1st question. Why can't I find my (front) seat heater buttons? That is standard on every Q, right? Book says center console. Am I blind? ...Not the rear seats as I realize this car doesn't have the premium package.

Problems I want to fix immediately (am I on the right track?):

Brakes: pulsation in pedal when pressed, worse at speed. I presume one of the front rotors is warped. Could anything else cause that? Plan to buy a new set of rotors and pads tomorrow.

Engine: Very sluggish initially when you press the gas hard. Sounds like the motor lopes a bit (for about a second). Power kicks in pretty well after that. Similar sluggishness when you press the gas at cruising speeds. After about a second, all is well with acceleration. Needs a standard tune-up is my initial thought on this.

Exhaust(?): Outside the car, I hear an ever so slight sound that correlates with the rpm, harder to hear as the motor's noise level increases. The sound is Indiscernible from inside the cabin. It doesn't seem like a motor tick, it sounds like exhaust noise. Any ideas what else to look for?

Minor issues:

--Tire pressure monitor is acting odd. Reads "???" for all 4 tires.
--Trunk pops but doesn't lift. I presume it should be motorized.
--Burnt out interior lightbulbs: Clock, front passenger, rear passengers (both)

Think that's every issue I've found in two days. Everything else works great. Car drives great as well.

Side note... I love the stereo, but I hate the lack of MP3 functionality. Not even a 3.5mm jack. Looks nearly impossible to replace the stock radio. Can I replace just the CD changer to a newer stock one without a lot of hassle? (assuming newer models could play MP3s) Looks like my only MP3 option would be a cassette adapter. (which would be absolutely tragic in this car, eh?)

Thanks for any help or ideas on where to go from here. Any tips for a 1st time Infiniti owner are welcome. I'll continue browsing the forum as time permits.

-Jerry-

[djwarner]

Only know from my '02 Q45 but as I understand it:

My car does not have a premium package and has no seat heaters.

Brakes - before you do anything, loosen the lug nuts and torque them properly. Warped rotors are not unknown for this model - but check the torque first.

Engine and exhaust - no similar problems here. Go to auto parts store and have the trouble codes read.

Tire pressure monitor will read ??? until you drive around for a few minutes.

Trunk - mine does the same.

Burned out bulbs - see the Factory Service Manual available on this site if the owner's manual isn't sufficient.

Search this forum for an MP3 patch - possible but requires a level of skill.

[djwarner]

One additional thought, there was a service bulletin modifying the gas pedal assembly and computer. My car does not have it but I have not found acceleration objectionable. Looking at how they revised the pedal, the original is springloaded at the top.

If you drive pushing the very top of the accelerator, you have to compress the spring before the pedal assembliy moves. If pressed from the center to bottom of the pedal, no lag is noticed.

[Q451990]

to NICO Jerry!

As mentioned above, there is a revised gas pedal assembly and transmission control unit upgrade available from the dealership that should fix your acceleration start-out issues. These were provided to owners during the initial warranty period, but will probably be customer-pay items if you're looking to upgrade now.

My first step would be to get a copy of the dealer-performed repairs at your local Infiniti dealership. They should be able to look it up by VIN and print it out for you. That'll tell you what's been done so far.

Brake rotor warping is a common Infiniti and Nissan issue - and the F50 series of Q is no exception. If you have plenty of rotor left, you could try to have them resurfaced. My wife's G responded very nicely to this, and seems to have held up without warping longer after having them turned than they did initially. I would stick with factory brake pads and factory (or a good high quality) rotor unless you have something specific you want to change with a different pad - e.g. racing hot stopping, etc. Most aftermarket brake pads are designed for longer life and less dust, which unfortunately translates to longer stopping distances and more noise.

As far as I know the trunk isn't motorized... just pops open.

I'm not sure on the heated seats. If you don't have a copy of your owner's manual, it's available at www.infinititechinfo.com under "publications"

The factory service manual (FSM) is available at www.nicoclub.com/FSM/

Heath

[Jerry in Bremerton]

Appreciate the heads-up.

Meant to mention that thus far (small sample), I'm getting 24+ mpg on freeway and 19-20 in mixed driving. I think that's right in line with "normal" so I'm hoping that means I don't have much to worry about under the hood aside from wear items.

I read up further on the standard features, and alas, no seat heaters. (surprising for a 50k car, but no worries) Whoever bought the car new did buy the optional powered sunshade though (and full size spare, love that). Odd since it was bought here in the Northwest where it's kinda cold (RE: seat heaters) and not at all too sunny (who needs a sunshade? OK, I do... lol).

I was reading about the computer chip software and pedal upgrade earlier. Sounds intriguing. I'll try moving my foot pressure point on pedal as you suggest. Could be after a tune-up, acceleration will be more than adequate. Besides, I got two speeding tickets in the past year in my GXP (after many years with none), don't really need to go crazy speeding. The Q is more conducive to relaxation than just "punching it". The GXP is a straight up sports model, stiffer leather seats, very stiff suspension, handles much better, etc. My Q is nowhere near the 5.8/5.9 0-60 claims currently, it's without a doubt slower than the GXP (6.3 sec).

I'm pretty handy with electronics/computers, so I'm glad to hear maybe there IS a way to make MP3 disks work. I will definitely search around for that fix.


{edit}

@Q451990 - Does the dealer charge anything for this printout? Been getting gouged left and right lately...

If the rotors can be turned, should I even need new pads, or is that not an issue? The pads seem to have a lot of meat left on them. I almost always replace everything, sometimes even the calipers. Doubt I want to know how much these calipers cost...

I'm hearing that parts from dealer aren't all that horribly priced...? I could do rotors and pads for all 4 wheels for under $300 elsewhere, but I don't want to compromise safety. Fully intend to at least get the best brake pads available. Are the aftermarket rotors more susceptible to premature failure than OEM?

And, thank you.

Great forum.

[qship96]

My advice, check the oil level frequently,once a week,every week without fail,as these engines are known to use oil-some much quicker than others.Many a f50/m45/fx45 owner has had this issue.....and never solved throughout the VK45s production run.

[djwarner]

When I bought my Q, I went to the local dealer and explained I was considering buying a Q and had a VIN number and asked them politely if they could print out a service history. They weren't very busy at the time and printed out the entire service history since new.

My Q was very earliy in the production run and had a -1 version of the transmission control unit. Under the service bulletin, -2 and -3 units could be modified but the -1 units had to be replaced. Since the car drove fine and wa far out of warranty, I opted to skip the SB.

My mileage in suburban driving is 20-22 mpg YMMV.

[Jerry in Bremerton]

Thank you Heath for that Service Manual link. That's phenomenal. Downloaded them all and saved for future reference.

I will absolutely keep on top of the oil level. Thanks qship96, for pointing the oil issue out.

I may go to the Infiniti dealer tomorrow and see about a printout if I find myself in Tacoma. They don't sell these things out here in the sticks. :P

[edit]

I was given two keyfobs with car, one programmed, one not (a recent replacement). I just successfully programmed a spare remote. Works great to unlock doors, but not for the ignition. Dealer / locksmith only, I take it?

HomeLink doesn't seem to like my garage door opener, a remote which has to pressed/squeezed/manhandled to make the connection and open the door. I'll keep at it. I've gotten it to work in other cars, may just be my remote.

[mcrews]

rear and side sunsahade are not an 'option' they are standard. has nothing to do with heated seats. HS were not offered in 02.
I would by an extended warrenty.
then report the hesitation.
Look for my posts. I had the hesitation fixed under the extended warrenty.
otherwise your looking at 1200.
I along with several others felt that if it had not been covered, it was worth the $$$.
It makes a big difference.

I also have an early production with 243,000 miles!!!

[Jerry in Bremerton]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'm feeling better about the purchase of this Q. Those initial, "did I just make a mistake buying this used car" blues are gone. Q45s cost money to keep up, and sadly, I'm currently unemployed. I actually feel guilty driving this right now, it's a lot of car! It is completely paid for, but buying this car is an act of faith. (I interviewed at Boeing last week, very optimistic I'll hire on with them)

mcrews, thanks for the heads up (msg). I'll bet these look great cruising I-80 / I-5. I grew up nearby in Vacaville (21 yrs) and left for here in '94. I miss the valley, the sun, the fun.... and the drivers. They are HORRIBLE up here. Rude, slow, oblivious, etc.

Once $$$ is more stable I will look into extended warranties and all things good for my new baby.

...I like sharp, unique cars, and I think I found a diamond here. I still haven't seen another F50 since I bought this 3 days ago. Are these really that rare? That's something I like about driving the GXP, I've rarely ever seen one the past couple years, I think 4 total. People notice that car all the time, and seems they notice this one too. It's not "just another" BMW, Audi, Lexus, it's a Q45, my friend.

[mcrews]

actually, it's not a 'problem' they really wanted to solve. (oil)

as has been discussed, infiniti wanted to be class leading w/ the introduction of the 2002. It was there last ditch effort to get market share away from Toyo/lex.

to achieve 340 hp out of 274ci(4.5liter) they did MANY industry leading things but one was 'loosing' up the parts to allow the engine less friction.
the s class, 7 series and ls were all below 300hp in 2002.

wieght. the 02F50 weighed in at 3801 and the next in class was 4200. A lot of alluminuum!!!!!!!!

Headlamps put uot the most lumms of any massproduced car in 2002.
the list goes on.

Unfortunately, the marketing andd ads were also industry leading.....they sucked more than anybody elses!!! lol

[qship96]

actually, it's not a 'problem' they really wanted to solve. (oil)

as has been discussed, infiniti wanted to be class leading w/ the introduction of the 2002. It was there last ditch effort to get market share away from Toyo/lex.

to achieve 340 hp out of 274ci(4.5liter) they did MANY industry leading things but one was 'loosing' up the parts to allow the engine less friction.
lol

Oh, it was a problem indeed {and infiniti tried to solve it one by one at $10k a piece by replacing engines under warranty},with many a story of engines being destroyed from running low/out of oil because wealthy owners who bought car brand new did not think their expensive top of the line car would use oil in between changes, much less some using more than a quart per 1,000 miles. Many,many owners brought car back to dealer complaining of serious engine related noises and performance issues that were diagnosed by dealer as damage caused by low oil levels.......and many complete engines replaced under warranty due to excessive oil consumption......not only on this series Q, but also on m45 and fx45.........read this {and other} forums for plenty of stories regarding the issue. I seriously doubt a single engine actually made the 340hp claimed,and by 2005 or so Infiniti downgraded the advertised hp number.The ls400 with much lower "advertised" horsepower consistantly outran the Q in every magazine article where they were compared.


rather "strange" way to be "class leading" and "gain market share from lexus" by producing a car that needs engines swapped under warranty in an attempt to cure excess oil consumption.

[mcrews]

Jerry,
Welcome to the best part of the NICO Q45 forum.........

Wannbes with their pos who continually badmouth the F50.

Infact, there are more documented posts of badmouthing F50s than the
"Many,many owners ............
.and many complete engines replaced....
for plenty of stories ........."

In fact, this site is infamous for the petty and imature attitude they exhibit time and time again..

It's difficult to understand. I am on several other forums and I have never seen the type of attitude displayed here.

Could be because they only have a 4.1 liter and feel cheated and lied to with the constant reminder that it's suppose to be a 4.5liter.

[qship96]

you are more than welcome to spend your time moderating that other forum that gets about 1 post a week..........


mcscrews, do you have a hard time facing facts? Everything I posted regarding the problems with the vk45 are well documented facts.....guess you would rather live in fantasyland?

[Jerry in Bremerton]

Been on many forums, know the drill... It's all good. I take help for what it's worth, and appreciate it.

Stopped by an Infiniti dealer today. No history on this car in the past 5 years (anything prior drops out of their system after that). That can either mean no issues the past few years or total neglect. So really, it told me zip. :|

I just took my first real drive in the Q, over past Tacoma and back. First time night driving in it. I cannot believe how awesome those headlights are. Off the hook! This has to be the safest car I've ever been in, let alone owned.

Now my mother is (finally) thinking of getting out of her perfect condition '98 Outback Ltd and getting an Infiniti or something similar. Been trying to convince her to replace it for years and get herself something nice. This car has shown her the light.

[mcrews]

Yeah, they (F50s) are sweet rides.
Don't let the low bluebook value fool you. These are Very reliable cars. Ask anybody who has ACTUALLY stepped up and bought one.

As far as brakes...if you drive ANY car like a race car....you'll warp the rotors.
I have 243,000 and have NEVER had warped rotors. I have always used stock pads and rotors.
I tend to replace the pads sooner rather than later. I have 2 used sets with 1/2 pads still on them.
The M45 guys have a thread going on some aftermarket pads and rotors. they all see to like them. Blanco is pretty hard on stuff and hes happy.
THe 02 had the 2.7x rear ratio and the 03 and up had the 3.xx (not sure the exact). so the decent mileage is partly because of that. Also the ecu and tcm "learn" how you drive and adjust. If you drive easy, you'll get good mileage.

If you do any road time, think about going to the 255/45/18. I have posted several times (particularly on the other site) concerning my experience with the larger diameter.
I just went to 245/50/18 which is a 27.7 diameter. While it hurts off the line (and who cares) it puts the rpm around 1770 at 60.

[qship96]

I hear the Versa is a very reliable car also.

[mcrews]

that is a post whore.....5000 posts and a pos.

[Jerry in Bremerton]

So my kids are back with me again, and my 13 yr old daughter said she likes her new car. "Daddiiiiieee, you're gonna give me this when I turn 16, right?"

...and I'm sure I will. Maybe then, I'll get myself an M.

[qship96]

that is a post whore.....5000 posts and a pos.

Actually Mcscrews, 5000 posts over a 9 year span of a forum member.......is called an active membership and healthy forum, guess you are not used to that over on the FA boards where you "moderate".....what exactly does a moderator over there do, considering the complete lack of posting.......I mean, if you look at the most recent 2 pages in the q section,you are clear back in the year 2010 !!!!!! as much as you b****, whine, and complain about this site......here you are.

[mcrews]

you right...my bad......post hoe.

[paranoidjack]

sigh

[goody90q45]

You need to email each other your phone numbers.

[qship96]

stir the pot goody!

[Lokim]

You need to email each other your phone numbers.

[Lokim]

that is a post whore.....5000 posts and a pos.

[mcrews]

Is that the freshalloy.com site that you are trying to refer to????

Cause the freshalloy.com site is also a nissan/infiniti site.

And the freshalloy.com site is also the site that you are banned from.

[AZhitman]

Is that the freshalloy.com site that you are trying to refer to????

Cause the freshalloy.com site is also a nissan/infiniti site.

And the freshalloy.com site is also the site that you are banned from.

Gonna ban me too? Or are you gonna call me a *gasp* "post whore"?

Take a hike with your spamming. You guys had your day in the sun... 10 years ago. Now it's a joke, with calendar models and the "has-beens" talking about "the good ol' days".

Don't let me see crap like this on my forum again.

Back on topic. Welcome aboard, Jerry!

[BadQ45t]

I had to wonder why AZ Hitman was posting to this post......on point as always. As someone that sees your posts all over the place on Nissan boards, thank you. Get back on point, helping this guy with a cool new Q he bought.

I was lucky enough to spend a week with an 03' a couple of years ago. I loved it and Initinit did a great job on building the car. Was it with flaws, hell yes. The styling was not very liked, the motor did burn oil, but it was a nice car and for 7 grand, what the hell!!!!!!!!!!! You did great, and with a little TLC you can make ti great. If you can find anyone to write you an aftermarket good warranty that is the best bet for you. This will solve the FSM that nearly everyone that had this car got. The 02' was famous for pretty decent gas mileage a lower rear end, thus not a rocket out of the gate. Take it for what it is, powerful but not a 1/4 mile rocket, but you can get it up to the 155mph limiter fast. The 06' M45 was the opposite and got horrible gas mileage with nearly the same engine.

Welcome to Nico and don't worry about the haters.

[AZhitman]

...not only that, but for someone who professes to be a Moderator elsewhere, you'd think he'd know that a '96 Q came with a VH45DE still... not the 4.1-liter.



Oops.