NHTSA Complaint #10441480 — 2003 INFINITI M45

I FIRST INCURRED A FUEL GAUGE ISSUE WITH MY 2003 INFINITY M45 SEDAN AROUND APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2009. MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME OF FIRST INCIDENT AND THE FUEL GAUGE HAD READ FULL. ON HER WAY TO WORK SHE RAN OUT OF GAS WHICH CAUSED AN ENGINE FAILURE. AS A RESULT, SHE WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO A LOCAL INFINITY DEALERSHIP THEY WERE ALMOST INSTANTLY ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER. I WAS TOLD THE PART ALONE WAS AROUND $900 AND AFTER LABOR, IT WOULD BE OVER $1000 TO FIX. MY ONLINE RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND SEVERAL THIRD PARTY COMPANIES HAVE BEGUN OFFERING REPAIR SERVICES FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. I HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH WELL OVER 20 03-04 INFINITY M45 OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. SOME OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH AS FEW AS 20,000 MILES. IT IS AN ISSUE THAT INFINITY IS AWARE OF, BUT IT IS MY OPINION THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO RECALL THE ISSUE WHEN THEY CAN MAKE AN EXTRA $1000 OFF REPLACING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE ISSUE WAS NO UNDER INVESTIGATION. THERE ARE ONLY AROUND AN ESTIMATED 8100 03-04 M45S CURRENTLY STILL IN USE. AS A RESULT, OUR VOICE IS NOT HEARD VERY LOUDLY EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES. I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO OFFER ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE MATTER. *TR