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Infiniti M45 VIN Check

NHTSA holds 154 owner complaints on the Infiniti M45 from 23 production runs; the worst run has 16, the typical one 6.7.

NHTSA complaint records · 154 complaints · 23 runs · 2003–2004 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported M45 run is JNKAY41E33M (2003 builds) with 16 complaints, 2.4× the typical run. Fuel system problems make up 35% of reports; 2003 is the worst model year at 9.4 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for M45 model years 2003–2010.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Infiniti M45 has 23 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 41% of every M45 complaint on file.

FIG.01·Infiniti M45 — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
JNKAY41E33M••••••200316——
JNKAY41E03M••••••200315——
JNKAY41E53M••••••200312——
JNKAY41EX3M••••••200311——
JNKAY41E13M••••••20039——
JNKAY41E83M••••••20039——
JNKAY41E73M••••••20039——
JNKAY41E23M••••••20039——
JNKAY41E63M••••••20039——
JNKAY41E04M••••••20048——
JNKAY41E93M••••••20037——
JNKAY41E43M••••••20036——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 11 M45 runs has 6 complaints or fewer.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Infiniti M45 the gap between build years is 2.5×: a 2003 car draws 9.4 complaints per run, a 2004 one 3.7.

FIG.02·Infiniti M45 — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20043.74111—
20039.411312—
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2003 at 9.4 complaints per run; lightest is 2004 at 3.7.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 35% of everything Infiniti M45 owners report: Fuel System, 93 of 154 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Infiniti M45 — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Fuel System93——
Gasoline77——
Engine29——
Electrical System23——
Engine And Engine Cooling18——
Other16——
Seats7——
Fuel/propulsion System6——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 10 recall campaigns on the Infiniti M45; the 6 below cover build years 2006 to 2010. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Infiniti M45 — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
20V008000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2006–2010
17V028000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2006–2010
16V349000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2006–2010
13V430000Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal2006–2010
22E066000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module2006–2010
09V393000Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems2008–2010
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

20V008000 was opened in 2020 on cars built from 2006: 14 years on the road before the recall.

The M45 against its rivals

The M45 draws 6.7 complaints per production run; the Chrysler 300C 5.1, the Buick Lucerne 3.6 and the Hyundai Azera 4.1. That is the highest rate of the 4.

FIG.05·Infiniti M45 VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Infiniti M45154236.70%
Chrysler 300C1,0412045.11.7%
Buick Lucerne8242283.67.9%
Hyundai Azera6521584.14.3%
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

FIG.06·Infiniti M45 — complaint severity
OutcomeInfiniti M45All vehicles
Complaints filed1541,115,966
Involved a crash0 (0%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire0 (0%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported058,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 100% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Infiniti M45 share of that is 154 complaints over 23 runs, 0.01% of everything on record.

Everything on the Infiniti M45
Recalls33 campaignsFuel economy18 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems174 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space15 cu ftInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2003–2010

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Infiniti M45 VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 154 NHTSA complaints from 23 M45 runs and 10 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which M45 production run has the most complaints?

JNKAY41E33M, a 2003 build, with 16 complaints. The typical M45 run has 6.7.

Which M45 years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2003 is heaviest at 9.4 complaints per run and 2004 lightest at 3.7.

Does the M45 get more complaints than the Chrysler 300C?

Yes: 6.7 complaints per production run for the M45 against 5.1 for the Chrysler 300C.

How many M45 complaints involve a crash?

0% of 154 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 0 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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