AI Damage1994 Infiniti Q45: common problems
Owners of the 1994 Infiniti Q45 filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 27% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 27% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 7% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 3% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (27% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 6 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (7% 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.
- 4.5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 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.
Vehicle was parked in parking lot, an half hour later vehicle rolled into a brick wall. Car was locked and in the park position and was on flat ground.
The vehicle was hit from behind and then propelled into a guard rail and the airbag did not deploy.please describe.
Abs brake system failed, pedal fades and vehicle keeps rolling, resulting in accident, airbags did not deploy.
After making slow turn, accelerated going straight, suddenly front right wheel locked, rendering steering inoperative, due to oil and wet road, and fish tailing
The consumers wife suddenly saw the air bag light blinking, followed by the blinking of the seat belt light, then noticed smoke coming from the housing of the seat belt. The dealer was contacted and they stated the vehicle was out of warranty.
There was an apparent electrical short within the interior frame next to the passenger window. I'm not sure exactly when the short occurred but the interior lining on the panel has three burn marks about two inches in diameter. The interior lights have not worked since this incident.
While driving vehicle, heard popping sounds from rear, smelled smoke and engine shut down. Vehicle filled with smoke by time stopped vehicle. Electrical fire burned area between trunk and back seat, around gas tank on passenger side.
The fuel injectors just keep going bad, even doing all scheduled maintence work on time and using only the instructed premium fuel from either amoco or mobile. I just don't understand it.
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Q45 has 14 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Infiniti Q45?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, fuel system. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (20%), airbag warning light (7%), airbags did not deploy (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1994 Infiniti Q45?
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 1994 Infiniti Q45 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 1994 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.