Model year report

2002 Infiniti I35: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2002 Infiniti I35

On the 2002 Infiniti I35, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, with 19 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 122,500 miles. Overall it scores 65 out of 100, high risk for a 2002.

High risk for a 2002 — 215th riskiest of the 329 2002 vehicles we can rate. 123 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 28 named failure modes on the 2002 Infiniti I35, and the three most-reported carry 29% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other engine problem leads with 19 reports and about 0.4 per 1,000 vehicles.

Other electrical problem follows with 9 reports, median 80,000 miles.

Other suspension problem follows with 8 reports, median 100 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (23), suspension (16) and steering (10).

When these failures get reported

56 of the reports on the 2002 Infiniti I35 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 122,500 miles.

Cumulatively, 11% by 50,000 miles, 45% by 100,000 miles and 57% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 6 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 90,000 and 100,000 miles, which alone holds 13% of the dated reports.

9% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.

Median

Other engine problem

165k
Other electrical problem

78k
Other suspension problem

100
Other steering problem
no odometer readings given
—
Other lighting problem

185k
Other speed control problem

66k
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure

156k
Other powertrain problem

110k
Other brake problem

167k
Radiator or coolant leak

99k
Other fuel system problem

100
Other body or interior problem
no odometer readings given
—

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 28. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 122k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 6 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 15 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 16 an injury and 7 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 8.15, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other suspension problem at $350–$2,000 and other steering problem at $350–$2,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

29% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	19	7	—	165k	—	0.4	$300–$4,000	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	9	3	—	78k	—	0.2	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	8	1	—	100	—	0.2	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	7	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	7	5	—	185k	—	0.1	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	7	5	—	66k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	Critical
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	6	6	—	156k	—	0.1	$400–$2,200	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	6	4	—	110k	—	0.1	$400–$4,500	High
Other brake problem	brakes	6	2	—	167k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	4	4	—	99k	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	4	1	—	100	—	0.1	$300–$2,200	High
Other body or interior problem	body	4	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Stalling while driving	engine	3	1	—	140k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	3	1	—	155k	—	0.1	$0–$0	Critical
Loss of power steering	steering	3	3	—	94k	—	0.1	$600–$2,800	Critical
Other visibility problem	glass	3	1	—	185k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	2	2	—	85k	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Excessive oil consumption	engine	1	1	—	141k	—	0.0	$900–$6,500	High
Torque converter failure	transmission	1	1	—	59k	—	0.0	$1,100–$3,200	High
Loss of braking	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	1	1	—	75k	—	0.0	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,600	High
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	1	1	—	119k	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	1	1	—	83k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Other seat belt problem	airbag	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Unclassified problem	other	10	5	—	125k	—	0.2	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2002 Infiniti I35 draws about 2.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 75th percentile of complaint rates among 2002 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 49,571 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2002 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Recalls on the 2002 model year

NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Infiniti I35, affecting an estimated 132,569 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module, air bags, engine and engine cooling and suspension:front:control arm:lower arm. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

20V008000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

307,962 vehicles 2020-01-09

Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after…
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.

15V287000

AIR BAGS

1,090,569 vehicles 2015-05-15

Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: On December 18, 2015 Nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 vehicles.

03V455000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

630,000 vehicles 2003-11-17

Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Consequence: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

02V146000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

90,500 vehicles 2002-05-30

Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, the pin at the end of the front suspension transverse link (lower control arm) could break where it is mounted to the frame.
Consequence: This can cause a knocking sound and abnormal steering. This could result in difficulty controlling the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transverse links on the left and right sides with new ones. Owner notification began july 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

02V043000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

39,000 vehicles 2002-02-12

Defect: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with an electronic throttle control system, the stopper for the accelerator pedal will prevent excessive movement of the accelerator position sensor. If the driver applies overly excessive force to the accelerator pedal while at the same time pushing it to the right, the pedal can "over travel" due to the design of the pedal stopper.
Consequence: This will cause the engine malfunction indicator lamp to come on and the engine speed to be severely limited. If this occurs unexpectedly, it could lead to a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new accelerator pedal stopper. Owner notification began march 11, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 800-662-6200.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2002 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2002 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

How 2002 compares with the other years

High risk for a 2002 — 215th riskiest of the 329 2002 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.

Across the 3 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2004 comes out best at 57 and 2002 worst at 65, with 2002 itself at 65.

If the model year is negotiable, 2004 scores lower than 2002 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2001–2004 generation specifically, 2004 is the strongest year at 57 and 2002 the weakest at 65.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2001-2004 generation, 2004 Infiniti I35 scores best at 57 and 2002 Infiniti I35 worst at 65.

The limits of complaint data

123 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 123 reports, 56 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 46% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Infiniti I35?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (19 reports, median 165,000 miles), other electrical problem (9 reports, median 80,000 miles) and other suspension problem (8 reports, median 100 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

Is the 2002 Infiniti I35 reliable?

It scores 65 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 215th riskiest of the 329 2002 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2002 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Infiniti I35 is best?

Within the 2001–2004 generation, 2004 scores best at 57 out of 100 and 2002 worst at 65. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed