The 2009 FX35 uses Nissan's VQ35HR V6 paired with a 5-speed automatic (RE5R05A). While the engine is generally reliable, this specific year sits in a narrow window plagued by catastrophic oil consumption and galley gasket failures that can grenade motors without warning.
Catastrophic Oil Consumption / Gallery Gasket Failure (VQ35HR)
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 60,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Rapid oil loss between changes (quart per 500-1000 mi), No visible external leaks, Check engine light with low oil pressure codes, Sudden bearing failure/knocking with no prior warning
Fix: Internal gallery gaskets fail and dump oil into combustion chambers or starve bearings. Requires full engine teardown or replacement. Short block replacement is 18-24 hours labor; full rebuild with new pistons/rings/bearings is 25-32 hours if you catch it before bearing damage.
Estimated cost: $6,500-12,000
RE5R05A Transmission Oil Cooler Failure
Common · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission slipping or erratic shifts, Pink milkshake in coolant reservoir (trans fluid mixing with coolant), Overheating transmission, Coolant in trans pan during service
Fix: Internal cooler in radiator corrodes and cross-contaminates. Requires radiator replacement, full trans fluid flush (multiple cycles), often new transmission if coolant got into valve body. Trans replacement is 8-12 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $800-1,200 (caught early) / $4,500-7,000 (trans damaged)
Transmission Mounts Collapse
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Harsh clunk when shifting into Drive or Reverse, Vibration at idle in gear, Excessive driveline movement during acceleration
Fix: Rear trans mount is notorious for tearing. Front mount also fails but less dramatically. Rear mount is 1.5-2 hours labor, front is 2-3 hours. Replace both at once to save comeback labor.
Estimated cost: $400-750
Steering Column Intermediate Shaft Clunk
Common · low severityTypical onset: 50,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking from steering column over bumps, Play or notchy feeling in steering wheel, Noise when turning at low speeds
Fix: U-joint in intermediate shaft wears. Infiniti issued a recall (NHTSA 14V-087) for some VINs but many outside recall range still fail. Replacement shaft is 1.5-2 hours labor.
Estimated cost: $300-550
Fuel Filter Clogging (High-Pressure)
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard starting when hot, Loss of power under load, Surging or stumbling at highway speeds, Lean codes (P0171/P0174)
Fix: In-tank high-pressure filter clogs from ethanol fuel degradation. Requires fuel pump module removal. 2-3 hours labor if tank doesn't need dropping; 4-5 hours if seized or corroded.
Estimated cost: $450-800
Front Differential Carrier Bearing Noise (AWD)
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Whining or growling from front that increases with speed, Vibration at highway speeds, Noise changes pitch in turns
Fix: Front diff carrier bearings wear, especially if fluid never changed. Requires diff teardown and bearing replacement. 6-8 hours labor for R&R and rebuild.
Estimated cost: $1,800-2,800
Hard pass unless under 60k miles with obsessive oil consumption monitoring—this specific year's engine failures are too catastrophic and unpredictable for a used buy.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.