AI Damage2002 Infiniti I35: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Infiniti I35 filed 70 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 70
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 16% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 16% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 10% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (20% of all).
- Air bags: 12 complaints (17% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 11 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 11 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 9 complaints (13% of all), 3 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.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 70 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Another issue my 2002 infiniti i35 was having, not related to the accident referenced above, was stalling without warning on several different occasions. This happens sometimes when I am driving. When this happens, the lights on my dash panel blink on and off rapidly for a few seconds and then turns off completely.
Tl contact owns a 2002 infiniti i35. The contact stated while driving 5 mph, she could not move her seat forward enough to reach her brake pedal which caused her to crash into another vehicle in front of her. The crash was a minor incident.
The passenger airbag deployed in my vehicle but the driver airbag did not deploy. I was wearing my safety belt. When I reported the incident to nissan/infiniti their response was to send the 2009 airbag safety manual and stated that their were no differences between the 2002/2009 model vehicles.
I called infiniti consumer affairs, and they told me, if the airbag feels the driver is rigid enough and that the seat belt will hold them back, it will not deploy. Why would an airbag and a seatbelt work properly when no one was in the seat, yet the driver one did not?
Our 2002 infiniti I-35 has accelerated on its own 3 times. The first time we were turning around in our friend's driveway and it took off in reverse. The second time we were first in line at a stop light.
Door locks automatically with my keys in car, front dash electrical jumps around, when I press the gas pedal nothing happens. ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****760753
When I get out car and close driver door. It locks itself automatically. Sometime it lock itself half way that I can't even open with key.
Front end palys freely, shaes, vibrate, woble and steps with a very rough and uncontrolable drive. Brakes in speed higher that 30 doesn't stop car. Sometimes when I prees gas pedal nothing happen and car die on me.
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 4,430 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the I35 has 50 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 70, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Infiniti I35?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 70. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (16%), vibration (11%), knocking, grinding or other noise (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Infiniti I35?
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 2002 Infiniti I35 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 2002 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.