The 2003 draws 9.42 complaints per run and the 2004 3.73, a 2.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 8 years of age, so 96% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Fuel System, with 93 complaints, typically at 6.9 years.
Infiniti M45 years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 41 | 11 | yes | |
| 2003 | 113 | 12 | yes |
Among the 2 Infiniti M45 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2003, 2004; the three worth hunting are 2004, 2003.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 1.3% | covered | |
| 1 year | 3.3% | covered | |
| 2 years | 4% | covered | |
| 4 years | 7.3% | you pay | |
| 5 years | 14.7% | you pay | |
| 6 years | 26.7% | you pay | |
| 7 years | 46% | you pay | |
| 8 years | 63.3% | you pay | |
| 9 years | 76.7% | you pay | |
| 10 years | 82% | you pay | |
| 11 years | 88% | you pay | |
| 12 years | 91.3% | you pay | |
| 13 years | 98% | you pay | |
| 14 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 4% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 96% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (6 years / 70,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 31% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
What waits further out is Fuel System at 6.9 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System | 6.9 yrs | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 7 yrs | — | — | |
| Engine | 10.9 yrs | — | — | |
| Electrical System | 7.7 yrs | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6.7 yrs | — | — | |
| Other | 6.8 yrs | — | — | |
| Seats | 7.6 yrs | — | — | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 yrs | — | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the M45's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Charger draws 4.56, the Chrysler 300 4.11 and the Kia K5 3.08, against 6.7 for the M45. That is the most complaints of the group.
| Same class as the M45 | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Charger | 133 | 1983–2026 | |
| Chrysler 300 | 86 | 1999–2026 | |
| Kia K5 | 21 | 2021–2026 | |
| Hyundai Sonata | 152 | 1989–2026 | |
| Chevrolet Impala | 98 | 1981–2026 | |
| Lincoln Continental | 80 | 1981–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is the Infiniti M45 reliable?
By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 6.7 against 3.73 for the average car, and more than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.
When do M45 problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 8 years of age. The most reported system is Fuel System, typically at 6.9 years, followed by Gasoline.
Will the warranty cover M45 problems?
Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 4% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 31% of the complaints here.
Is the M45 more reliable than the Dodge Charger?
No: 6.7 complaints per production run for the M45 against 4.56 for the Dodge Charger.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.