AI Damage1997 Infiniti I30: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Infiniti I30 filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 20
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 30% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 5% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (30% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (15% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 20 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags failed to deploy. The road conditions were wet and the vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. As of december 20, 2007, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. The driver sustained bruises to the right side of her body. Updated 01/24/08. Updated
On feburary 20,2007 my mom's leftt front tire blew out, causing vehicle to ram the guard rail and the rear tire to blow out, pushing the car up an embankment. She was taken to military hospital for treatment.
While driving the vehicle came to a complete stop, applied pressure to accelerator pedal, vehicle went into pen throttle position; applied brakes, would not stop vehicle, impact 12:00 position, hitting a tree and a pole and other vehicle.
While fueling the vehicle, the bracket that held the fuel filler neck became corroded. The contact stated that fuel spilled out after fueling the vehicle and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the bracket and the fuel filler neck needed to be replaced.
The car stalled, needed towing to firestone in elgin. They say it's alternator. This will be third change of the alternator for this vehicle in 4 years period. Battery has been changed about 3 months ago, when the car stalled previously.
The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. After driving onto the side of the road fumes began to come from the engine. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The vehicle was not inspected by the dealer nor had it been repaired.
I have replaced 2 starters, alternator, ignition switch, 2 ignition coils, cam shaft angle sensor, crank shaft angle sensor, 3 sets of spark plugs,valve cover gaskets, fuel pump, fuel filters, major front and back wheel computerized alignment, transmission filter and oil.
My 1997 infiniti I-30 was having a hard time starting and eventually the car died one weekend and would not start. I spent some time on it and got the car started and drove it down to o'neil auto parts and they put their starting system analysis machine on the starting system...their results were that the car battery…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,257 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the I30 has 28 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 20, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Infiniti I30?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (15%), warning lights, check engine (10%), airbags did not deploy (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Infiniti I30?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Infiniti I30 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.