2010 INFINITI M45

Typical onset: 75,000-130,000 mi

Symptoms: Metal flakes or glitter in oil during changes, Low oil pressure warning, especially at idle when hot, Ticking or knocking from upper engine, Excessive oil consumption (1qt per 500-1000 miles), Check engine light with bearing-related codes

Fix: The VK45 has internal oil gallery gaskets that deteriorate and allow metal shavings to circulate through the entire oil system. Once contamination begins, bearings score and pistons wear rapidly. Early catch requires engine-out gasket replacement with full system flush (18-22 hours). Advanced cases need short block or complete rebuild with crank grinding, new bearings, pistons, rings (35-45 hours). Many shops won't attempt repair due to contamination extent — recommend reman or used engine instead.

Estimated cost: $8,500-15,000

Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi

Symptoms: Transmission fluid appears milky or strawberry-colored, Coolant level dropping with no external leaks, Delayed or harsh shifts, slipping, Transmission overheating warnings, Check engine light with transmission temp codes

Fix: The internal transmission cooler in the radiator develops leaks that allow coolant into the ATF and vice versa. This destroys the transmission rapidly. Requires radiator replacement, complete transmission fluid system flush with new cooler lines, and often transmission rebuild if contamination ran more than a few days (12-16 hours for cooler/flush, add 20-25 hours if transmission damaged). Must replace radiator at first sign — do not delay.

Estimated cost: $1,800-7,500

Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi

Symptoms: Clunk or thud when shifting from Park to Drive/Reverse, Vibration at idle in gear that smooths in neutral, Excessive driveline lash on acceleration, Visible sagging or oil-soaked rubber on mount inspection

Fix: The hydraulic transmission mount fails from age and heat cycling. The front mount takes most abuse. Requires lifting transmission slightly for access (3-4 hours for front mount, 4-5 hours if doing both front and rear). OEM mounts strongly recommended — aftermarket versions collapse within 20k miles.

Estimated cost: $450-850

Symptoms: Airbag warning light illuminated, Recall notice from Infiniti (check VIN at NHTSA), SRS codes stored for driver or passenger inflator, Potential explosive deployment with metal shrapnel risk

Fix: Multiple Takata airbag recalls affect this year (3 passenger-side, 1 driver-side campaigns). Parts availability has been problematic — some owners wait months for replacement inflators. Replacement is free at dealers but must be scheduled. Do NOT ignore this — defective inflators can rupture and send metal fragments into cabin. Verify recall completion before purchase (2-3 hours per side when parts available).

Estimated cost: $0 (recall)

Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi

Symptoms: Hard starting, especially when hot, Loss of power under acceleration, Rough idle or stumbling, Fuel pressure codes (P0087, P0191), Limp mode activation

Fix: The high-pressure fuel filter is inside the tank and rarely serviced. Contaminants restrict flow and starve the direct injection system. Requires tank drop and pump module removal (4-5 hours). Filter is cheap but labor-intensive. Often discovered during pump replacement. Use top-tier fuel and replace every 60k miles as preventive.

Estimated cost: $550-850

Typical onset: 80,000-100,000 mi

Symptoms: TPMS warning light solid (not flashing), One or more tire pressures not reading on display, Intermittent loss of signal from specific wheel, System fault message after battery replacement in sensor

Fix: Original TPMS sensors have non-replaceable batteries that die around 8-10 years. Requires new sensor units and reprogramming (0.5 hours per wheel). If doing tires anyway, budget for all four sensors. Some aftermarket sensors don't communicate properly with Infiniti system — stick with OEM or quality equivalents like Schrader EZ-Sensor.

Estimated cost: $400-650