The 2010 Infiniti M35 shares the VQ35HR engine and RE5R05A 5-speed automatic with the 350Z/G35 platform—generally robust, but this generation suffers from catastrophic transmission cooler failures that can destroy the engine, plus the notorious Takata airbag recalls that affect resale and safety.
Transmission Oil Cooler Failure Leading to Engine Contamination
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Milky or strawberry-colored transmission fluid on dipstick, White smoke from exhaust, rough idle, misfires, Sudden loss of power or no-start after cooler ruptures internally, Transmission slipping or harsh shifts as ATF mixes with coolant
Fix: The factory transmission cooler sits inside the radiator and fails internally, allowing coolant and ATF to cross-contaminate. Once mixed, the entire cooling system, transmission, and often the engine require flushing or replacement. Preventive external cooler install takes 3-4 hours; full catastrophic repair with engine flush/rebuild and transmission overhaul can exceed 40-60 hours depending on damage severity.
Estimated cost: $400-800 preventive external cooler; $8,000-15,000+ for engine/trans damage after failure
Symptoms: NHTSA recall notices for driver and passenger airbag inflators, Risk of metal shrapnel deployment in crash, potentially fatal, Airbag warning light may or may not illuminate, Affects nearly all 2010 M35s due to humidity-sensitive propellant degradation
Fix: Four separate recall campaigns cover driver and passenger-side inflators. Dealer replacement is free, but parts shortages have dragged on for years. Verify completion before purchase—unrepaired vehicles are uninsurable in some states and dangerous to operate. Replacement takes 1-2 hours per side at dealer.
Estimated cost: $0 (recall repair at dealer)
VQ35HR Timing Chain Guide and Galley Gasket Oil Consumption
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 100,000-180,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling from engine on cold start that fades after 5-10 seconds, Excessive oil consumption—1 quart per 1,000 miles or worse, Check engine light for cam/crank correlation codes (P0345, P0340), Metallic timing chain noise under acceleration
Fix: Timing chain guides wear and gallery gaskets fail, starving the upper end of oil. Requires front engine teardown to replace chains, guides, tensioners, and galley gaskets. Book time around 12-16 hours; some techs pull the engine for better access. If neglected, can lead to chain jump and valve-to-piston contact requiring head work or full rebuild.
Estimated cost: $2,800-5,500 for timing components and gaskets; $6,000-12,000 if cylinder head damage occurs
Transmission Mounts and Driveline Vibration
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunk or thud when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Vibration through floor and steering wheel at idle in gear, Excessive driveline movement visible when rocking vehicle in gear, Transmission "slap" noise on throttle tip-in
Fix: Hydraulic transmission mount fails, causing excessive powertrain movement. Front and rear mounts also wear. Replacing all three mounts takes 2-3 hours with a lift. OEM mounts are hydraulic-damped; aftermarket solid mounts reduce movement but increase NVH.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200 for all mounts including labor
Fuel Level Sending Unit and Low Fuel Light Glitches
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Fuel gauge reading erratic or stuck at full/empty, Low fuel warning light illuminates with half tank or more, Range-to-empty display shows inaccurate values, Intermittent gauge behavior, sometimes corrects after refueling
Fix: Fuel level sensor in the tank degrades, giving false readings. Requires dropping the tank and replacing the fuel pump assembly (sensor is integrated). Labor is 2-3 hours; dealer part runs $400-600. Not a safety issue but annoying and can strand you if you trust the gauge.
Estimated cost: $700-1,100
TPMS Sensor Battery Failure and Valve Stem Corrosion
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: TPMS warning light on dash constantly illuminated, One or more sensors not reporting pressure, Valve stems leaking air slowly due to corrosion around sensor base, Sensors fail to wake up after tire rotation or replacement
Fix: Factory TPMS sensors have 7-10 year battery life and are not serviceable—entire sensor must be replaced. Corroded valve stems also common in rust-belt cars. Each sensor costs $50-80, plus mounting and programming. Replace all four at once during tire service to avoid comebacks. 1 hour labor for four sensors.
Estimated cost: $300-500 for all four sensors
Owner tips
Install an external transmission cooler immediately if not already done—cheapest insurance against the $10k+ cooler-failure disaster
Change transmission fluid every 30k miles with Nissan Matic-S only; do NOT flush, drain-and-fill only to avoid dislodging debris
Monitor oil consumption closely and keep level topped off—VQ35HR can burn oil as gaskets age, starving timing components
Check recall status by VIN at NHTSA.gov before purchase; walk away if airbag recalls are incomplete and parts unavailable
Use 5W-30 full synthetic and 5,000-mile oil change intervals to prolong timing chain life; Nissan's 7,500-mile service is too long for this engine
Solid luxury sedan IF the transmission cooler has been addressed and airbag recalls completed—otherwise a ticking time bomb that can cost more to fix than the car is worth.
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.
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AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 22E066000
2022-08-09
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that may have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 QX4, 2006-2010 M35 and M45; Nissan 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback vehicles. Please see Nissan's recall report for the specific part numbers. These replacement inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 20V008000
2020-01-09 · EA15001
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 17V028000
2017-01-10 · EA15001
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2012 Nissan Versa hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A".
Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2009-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45 and 2009 Nissan Versa sedans and hatchbacks originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B".
Additionally, if not included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Nissan is recalling certain 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on June 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 16V349000
2016-05-24 · EA15001
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2011 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."
Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2003-2004 Infiniti I35, 2006-2008 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."
Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Nissan is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Infiniti I35 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2017. All owners should receive a second notice by May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45 vehicles manufactured April 4, 2004, through October 5, 2010. Over time, the accelerator pedal sensor signal may deteriorate resulting in the output of an incorrect signal causing the engine to go into fail-safe (limp home) mode.
Consequence: In this fail-safe mode, throttle valve deposits may cause the engine to stall when the vehicle is coming to a stop or at idle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator pedal assembly and reprogram the engine control module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during November 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · 09V393000
2009-10-05
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. THE MATERIAL IN THE NUT USED TO SECURE THE SENSOR-TRANSMITTER OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) MAY CORRODE AND POTENTIALLY CRACK IN AREAS WITH HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE NUT MAY COME OUT OF THE SENSOR-TRANSMITTER AND THE TPMS LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE.
Consequence: IF THE TPMS LAMP IS DISREGARDED AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION, THE TIRE WILL QUICKLY LOSE AIR PRESSURE AT A CONSISTENT RATE RESULTING IN A FLAT TIRE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TPMS NUT WITH A NEW, MORE ROBUST NUT. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 AND INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
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