2013 Instrument Cluster/Steering Column Motor Failure
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2013 Instrument Cluster/Steering Column Motor Failure
So I noticed over the past couple of weeks that when making right turns into driveways, sometimes the steering wheel/instrument cluster would slightly drop down a notch. Not that big of a deal, I just moved it back up.
So today I was washing my car and got to detailing the inside. I thought about the issue and was wondering what was going on. So just testing it out to see, I move the IC/steering wheel down to its lowest position... go to move it back up... nothing. Literally, the motor that moves it all made no noise. Color me pissed, as I am a tall guy, so I would not be able to see the gauges clearly and it would be hell trying to get in and out of the car with the steering wheel that low. So I kept messing with it and at some point I got it to go slightly up, but it was still way too low. Then I noticed that when I pushed the control stalk for it to go up, it actually notched down slightly and then just stopped. So I try to muscle it up... no bueno.
The only way I got it to go up, I had to QUICKLY press the control stalk to move it down slightly and then back up to get it move up bit by bit while pressing up on the bottom of the steering wheel with my hand. So once I got it up to its normal position, I was like fine, forget it, as long as it stays there. No one else drive my car. So I also reset the memory position so that it would not move then either.
But driving it this evening, while making a u-turn and a couple of left and right turns, I felt and heard it drop down again... friggin A! So I get home and park, and do the little wiggle while pressing up on the bottom of the steering wheel, but now the whole damn thing can be moved up and down with very moderate pressure, and then when getting out of the car, I accidentally hit the steering wheel and noticed that it friggin moves left to right pretty easily, making a knocking noise while doing so.
So yeah, I'm PISSED now and the damn warranty just went out EXACTLY a month ago today!!!! And I am unemployed at the moment after being laid off and can't afford to pay to fix the damn thing and I know it can't be cheap...
I did some searches on it but I have gotten nothing, so I feel its pointless to ask if anyone has experienced this, as the answer seems pretty obvious.
Has anyone had any luck with Infiniti covering a fix like this outside of warranty? That's an answer I think I know as well...
I am also skeptical because the issue didn't start until after I took it in the last week of the warranty to get some last minute things taken care of. I don't know if they had to take the dash out to fix one of the noises I was hearing from behind the dash. I am curious now if they did have to take it out and something happened then...
Never mind the fact that they only fixed one of the noises I was hearing, even though they said all of them were taken care of. Still have a freaking clicking brake pedal and on top of that now my clutch pedal makes noises too that it didn't before I took it to them.
Okay, vent over.
I'm still extremely pissed.
So today I was washing my car and got to detailing the inside. I thought about the issue and was wondering what was going on. So just testing it out to see, I move the IC/steering wheel down to its lowest position... go to move it back up... nothing. Literally, the motor that moves it all made no noise. Color me pissed, as I am a tall guy, so I would not be able to see the gauges clearly and it would be hell trying to get in and out of the car with the steering wheel that low. So I kept messing with it and at some point I got it to go slightly up, but it was still way too low. Then I noticed that when I pushed the control stalk for it to go up, it actually notched down slightly and then just stopped. So I try to muscle it up... no bueno.
The only way I got it to go up, I had to QUICKLY press the control stalk to move it down slightly and then back up to get it move up bit by bit while pressing up on the bottom of the steering wheel with my hand. So once I got it up to its normal position, I was like fine, forget it, as long as it stays there. No one else drive my car. So I also reset the memory position so that it would not move then either.
But driving it this evening, while making a u-turn and a couple of left and right turns, I felt and heard it drop down again... friggin A! So I get home and park, and do the little wiggle while pressing up on the bottom of the steering wheel, but now the whole damn thing can be moved up and down with very moderate pressure, and then when getting out of the car, I accidentally hit the steering wheel and noticed that it friggin moves left to right pretty easily, making a knocking noise while doing so.
So yeah, I'm PISSED now and the damn warranty just went out EXACTLY a month ago today!!!! And I am unemployed at the moment after being laid off and can't afford to pay to fix the damn thing and I know it can't be cheap...
I did some searches on it but I have gotten nothing, so I feel its pointless to ask if anyone has experienced this, as the answer seems pretty obvious.
Has anyone had any luck with Infiniti covering a fix like this outside of warranty? That's an answer I think I know as well...
I am also skeptical because the issue didn't start until after I took it in the last week of the warranty to get some last minute things taken care of. I don't know if they had to take the dash out to fix one of the noises I was hearing from behind the dash. I am curious now if they did have to take it out and something happened then...
Never mind the fact that they only fixed one of the noises I was hearing, even though they said all of them were taken care of. Still have a freaking clicking brake pedal and on top of that now my clutch pedal makes noises too that it didn't before I took it to them.
Okay, vent over.
I'm still extremely pissed.
Last edited by nisslover; Jul 27, 2017 at 01:57 AM.
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Doing more research, seems there was a TSB out on this same issue on the 09+ FX/QX70, and Infiniti actually extended the warranty on the EX35s for the same issue... I am sure its the same friggin motor used for all of these cars, yet they are only offering fixes on certain models. I'll take it in tomorrow and see what they say.
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I know no one responded to this, as it seems I have a one off issue. But I'll update the thread just in case someone else has to deal with it.
After posting my original rant, I kinda lost hope and figured I was outta luck and would just have to deal with the steering wheel slowly dropping, rattling and shaking over bumps. I figured that once I was able to afford it, I'd fix it, but it was getting pretty bad and I would have rig it back up every 5 minutes or so of driving.
But I lucked up and the dealer is going to fix it out of goodwill!
Went in for an oil change and mentioned it and asked how much it would be to replace the motor. I had mentioned there were TSBs for other models with the same issue and part. But the guy was saying that he heard of a recall for the FX and thinks the whole steering column has to be replaced, and just the motor couldn't be replaced. GREAT! He said he'd have them look at it while they were changing the oil. Once they finished up he gave me a quote of over $2000 to fix it. I think he saw the disappointment come over me when he said that figure. He then called the manager to see what could be done but pretty much said it was too big a pill to swallow under the table and that I would have to go through Consumer Affairs to try and get Infiniti to approve them to cover it. At that point all I could think was "Oh well."
After that he walked me out and realized they had parked my car in the back for some reason, so he said he'd drive it up front for me. All I can say is THANK GOD! When he was getting out the car he said he was curious about the issue and went to try and adjust the steering wheel with the stalk. He got nothing, then he went to move it with his hands the whole thing just DROPPED and he was able to freely move it up and down it seemed like the full range of motion. I was just standing there like "What the hell, it wasn't THAT bad." I don't think he caused it, I think it just completely crapped out at that moment and it just so happened while he was messing with it... YES!!!! lol. Once he saw how bad it was, he called over the manager he had spoke with on the phone. Once he saw it, he simply said, "I can't let you drive like that." They wanted to keep it that day, but I had to go out of town for a funeral this weekend and can't take a loaner out of state. I managed to get it to stay up for the trip after I messed around with it a little bit.
But I'm taking it in first thing in the morning. SO relieved. If everything goes well, they just may have a lifetime customer after this!
After posting my original rant, I kinda lost hope and figured I was outta luck and would just have to deal with the steering wheel slowly dropping, rattling and shaking over bumps. I figured that once I was able to afford it, I'd fix it, but it was getting pretty bad and I would have rig it back up every 5 minutes or so of driving.
But I lucked up and the dealer is going to fix it out of goodwill!
Went in for an oil change and mentioned it and asked how much it would be to replace the motor. I had mentioned there were TSBs for other models with the same issue and part. But the guy was saying that he heard of a recall for the FX and thinks the whole steering column has to be replaced, and just the motor couldn't be replaced. GREAT! He said he'd have them look at it while they were changing the oil. Once they finished up he gave me a quote of over $2000 to fix it. I think he saw the disappointment come over me when he said that figure. He then called the manager to see what could be done but pretty much said it was too big a pill to swallow under the table and that I would have to go through Consumer Affairs to try and get Infiniti to approve them to cover it. At that point all I could think was "Oh well."
After that he walked me out and realized they had parked my car in the back for some reason, so he said he'd drive it up front for me. All I can say is THANK GOD! When he was getting out the car he said he was curious about the issue and went to try and adjust the steering wheel with the stalk. He got nothing, then he went to move it with his hands the whole thing just DROPPED and he was able to freely move it up and down it seemed like the full range of motion. I was just standing there like "What the hell, it wasn't THAT bad." I don't think he caused it, I think it just completely crapped out at that moment and it just so happened while he was messing with it... YES!!!! lol. Once he saw how bad it was, he called over the manager he had spoke with on the phone. Once he saw it, he simply said, "I can't let you drive like that." They wanted to keep it that day, but I had to go out of town for a funeral this weekend and can't take a loaner out of state. I managed to get it to stay up for the trip after I messed around with it a little bit.
But I'm taking it in first thing in the morning. SO relieved. If everything goes well, they just may have a lifetime customer after this!
Last edited by nisslover; Sep 18, 2017 at 02:23 AM.
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I just got a call back from the dealer saying the car is ready after dropping it off at 11am this morning. But turns out they didn't have to replace the column, they said once they got to working on it they noticed there were a few bolts not tightened which was not allowing the motor catch and hold the column in place and move up. So I'm thinking the other dealer I took it to right before the warranty was up may have had to take the dash and such out to find and fix the noise I was hearing behind the dash and didn't properly reassemble everything. Long as its fixed.