Four problems related to alternator/generator/regulator have been reported for the 1997 Infiniti Q45. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The car can refuse to start right after it has been driven and shut off or after it has been parked for a while. It has been happening alot in the last three months. We have had to replace the alternator and battery,that were all replaced early this year by previous owner. Sometimes jumping the car works and other times it does not. The problem started one day while driving at low speeds. The brake light and battery signs appeared on the dash and disappearing. Days after that,the car started to refusse starting and needed a jump. We installed a new battery days ago and the car started right up. But it refused to start the next day again and took 4 attemps to get it going. It also seems that while at a stop sign/light trying to take off,the car refuses to move even when the gas pedal is depressed. It takes quite an effort to make the gas pedal respond,making the car jerk/luch forward with great force.
The contact owns a 1997 Infiniti Q45. While driving 55 mph, the contact noticed that both the brake light and battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a Chevrolet dealer and they stated that the alternator failed. The contact did not notice any differences prior to the failure. The current and failure mileages were 101,000.
Sometime after I purchasing the above vehicle in November, 2001, the engine would fail to start without recharging the battery. After recharging, the vehicle would exhibit no malfunction and operate normally for extended periods of time. This condition would reoccur infrequently, and has since manifested itself by showing no charging from the alternator. Infiniti identified this problem with a recall begun on 03/15/2002, as a defective diode damaged in manufacture. This action is identified as NHTSA action # pe02034. At no time was I notified by Infiniti of this recall, and the symptoms of malfunction I have experienced are clearly a result of a defective alternator/diode. I contacted Infiniti on 11/08/2011 and they denied me any assistance. I request your assistance in requiring Infiniti to correct this malfunction which would have been avoided had Infiniti notified me during the recall period. My ownership of the vehicle was a matter of public record and could have easily been obtained.
The vehicle would rev extremely high when the gas pedal was pressed. This vehicle had a recall for a defective alternator, but the recall expired. The manufacturer and the dealer are aware of the problem( recall no. #02v171000 damaged alternator).