Infiniti G35 2003–2006
1st generation (V35)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20261,573 complaints, 1,255 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 1,255
- Median of reported failures
- 81,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Electrical system (19.2%)
- Recalls
- 1
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 49,000 and 113,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Infiniti G35 2003–2006 · 1,255 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 72 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 18 complaints (1.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 10,000
- 25%
- 49,000
- Median
- 81,000
- 75%
- 113,000
- 90%
- 149,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 72 | 5.7% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 48 | 3.8% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 33 | 2.6% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 34 | 2.7% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 20 | 1.6% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 13 | 1.0% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 18 | 1.4% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 20 | 1.6% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 25 | 2.0% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 32 | 2.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 37 | 2.9% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 31 | 2.5% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 48 | 3.8% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 42 | 3.3% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 59 | 4.7% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 61 | 4.9% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 72 | 5.7% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 53 | 4.2% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 45 | 3.6% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 45 | 3.6% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 50 | 4.0% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 44 | 3.5% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 58 | 4.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 35 | 2.8% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 29 | 2.3% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 23 | 1.8% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 17 | 1.4% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 32 | 2.5% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 29 | 2.3% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 7 | 0.6% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 15 | 1.2% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 9 | 0.7% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 11 | 0.9% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 10 | 0.8% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 16 | 1.3% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 10 | 0.8% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 13 | 1.0% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 9 | 0.7% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 4 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 8 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 18 | 1.4% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,573 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003–2006 Infiniti G35, and 1,255 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 49,000 and 113,000 miles. The median is 81,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (19.2% of complaints, typically around 93,000 miles), the engine (10.0% of complaints, typically around 108,000 miles), the exterior lighting (9.4% of complaints, typically around 81,000 miles).
1 recall campaign cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2003–2006 Infiniti G35 last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2003–2006 Infiniti G35 were filed by 81,000 miles and 90% by 149,000 miles — figures drawn from 1,255 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
18 reports (1.4%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a G35 reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2003–2006 G35: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,255 mileage-tagged complaints, 1 recall campaign, 5 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 1 campaign cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine oil consumption (vq35de) on 2003–2004 cars. High oil consumption and blow-by from worn piston ring sealing, typically surfacing around 60,000-80,000 miles on the earliest cars.
- Check timing chain guides and tensioner on 2003–2006 cars. Premature wear of the timing chain rail guides and tensioner causes rattle/tapping; disintegrating guide material can fall into the oil pan and block pickup.
- Check crankshaft/camshaft position sensors on 2003–2006 cars. Position sensor failures cause stalling at idle and no-start conditions; failure rates were high enough that Nissan addressed them through a recall/service campaign.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 49,000 and 113,000 miles, with a median of 81,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 93,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Infiniti G35 2003–2006
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Hydraulic brake circuit89 reports14,0009,000–28,000Hydraulic brake circuit: 89 reports, median 14,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 28,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system131 reports80,00030,000–107,000Engine and its cooling system: 131 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 30,000 to 107,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting148 reports81,00060,000–110,000Exterior lighting: 148 reports, median 81,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Airbag system106 reports85,00053,000–114,000Airbag system: 106 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 114,000 miles.
- Visibility equipment86 reports87,00076,000–110,000Visibility equipment: 86 reports, median 87,000 miles, middle half 76,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Electrical system302 reports93,00074,000–115,000Electrical system: 302 reports, median 93,000 miles, middle half 74,000 to 115,000 miles.
- Engine157 reports108,00076,000–140,000Engine: 157 reports, median 108,000 miles, middle half 76,000 to 140,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 302 | 19.2% | 93,000 | 74,000–115,000 |
| Engine | 157 | 10.0% | 108,000 | 76,000–140,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 148 | 9.4% | 81,000 | 60,000–110,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 131 | 8.3% | 80,000 | 30,000–107,000 |
| Airbag system | 106 | 6.7% | 85,000 | 53,000–114,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 89 | 5.7% | 14,000 | 9,000–28,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 86 | 5.5% | 87,000 | 76,000–110,000 |
| Equipment | 69 | 4.4% | 81,000 | 65,000–109,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 68 | 4.3% | 40,000 | 7,000–77,000 |
| Seats | 53 | 3.4% | 66,000 | 39,000–94,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Infiniti G35 2003–2006 · 1,255 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 31% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 57% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 79% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.4% of reports (18) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
31% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 14,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 30,000–107,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 53,000–114,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Electrical system — middle half 74,000–115,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 76,000–140,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 60,000–110,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 76,000–110,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
57% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 14,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 74,000–115,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 76,000–140,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 60,000–110,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 30,000–107,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 53,000–114,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 76,000–110,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
79% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 93,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 81,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 80,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 85,000 mi
- Hydraulic brake circuit — median 14,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 87,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Engine — middle half 76,000–140,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 81,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 19.2% of complaints (302 reports, 254 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 93,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 74,000 and 115,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 10.0% of complaints (157 reports, 129 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 108,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 76,000 and 140,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 9.4% of complaints (148 reports, 109 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 81,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 110,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 8.3% of complaints (131 reports, 119 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 107,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 6.7% of complaints (106 reports, 77 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 114,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 5.7% of complaints (89 reports, 66 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 14,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,000 and 28,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2003 model year drew the most — 737 complaints — while 2006 drew the fewest at 184. The median year sits at 326.
That makes 2003 an outlier: roughly 2.3 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 1 recall campaign covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,573 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 73 (4.6%)
- Fires
- 28
- Injury reports
- 37
- Fatality reports
- 3
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Engine Oil Consumption (vq35de) 2003–2004
High oil consumption and blow-by from worn piston ring sealing, typically surfacing around 60,000-80,000 miles on the earliest cars.
Timing Chain Guides and Tensioner 2003–2006
Premature wear of the timing chain rail guides and tensioner causes rattle/tapping; disintegrating guide material can fall into the oil pan and block pickup.
Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Sensors 2003–2006
Position sensor failures cause stalling at idle and no-start conditions; failure rates were high enough that Nissan addressed them through a recall/service campaign.
Front Brakes 2003–2005
Rotor warping and rapid pad wear generate heavy vibration complaints, concentrated on the sedan in the early years.
Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid (automatic) 2005–2006
TCC solenoid failure as early as around 30,000 miles causes slippage and hard shifts; the fix pairs solenoid replacement with a PCM reflash per TSB.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 737 | 587 |
| 2004 | 351 | 277 |
| 2005 | 301 | 243 |
| 2006 | 184 | 148 |
Recalls (1) — is your car included?
Jul 2010 · 2005–2006 · SeatsIn the event of a crash, the airbag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The defect. Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005 through 2007 Infiniti G35 sedans manufactured from march 29, 2004 through august 25, 2006 and Infiniti G35 coupes manufactured from april 1, 2004 through may 30, 2007. The wire harness connecting the belt tension sensor (bts) and the occupant detection sensor (ods) control unit under the front passenger seat can experience relative movement which can cause wear and oxidization of the terminals and may cause interruption of the signal.
What can happen. In the event of a crash, the airbag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on july 12, 2010. Owners may contact Nissan toll-free at 1-800-662-6200.
What owners reported
My 2003 Infiniti G35 has an unsafe brake system. Since it was new and before 24,000 miles, i have had the brake pads and rotors replaced 3 times. They wear out so fast that it is difficult to know when they are unsafe. They always have squeaked loudly, even when new so that is not an indicator. Infiniti stopped…
2003 · Hydraulic brake circuit
Almost 99% of the time when i roll my G35 within 10 MPH i hear a crackling or grinding noise (like fan just started) and a "vibration" would transfer from the brake to my foot. Fter troubleshooting (shut down all sound device including ac/fan) and researching the owner's manual, it stated what i described above is…
2003 · 25 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
Bought my Infiniti G35 in may of 2002, ever since day one, the driver's seats seems to be moving, rocking during acceleration and braking.. This seems to be a common problem on a lot of G35's. Dealer's and Infiniti has not relesase a fix that works yet after a year... I believe that this is a dangerous problem…
2003 · 100 miles · Seats
Built from 1,255 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page