1993 Infiniti J30 from North America - Comments

Hi all, I own the 93 J30, just like everyone I love my car, but started going through some problems:

1) Headlights going crazy (on--off from left to right side), so I did some research, and found out that this model had several manufacturing defects, with the relay and some electrical problem with the stereo wiring, which heats up and causes a melt down (a short) in the dash board.

How I fixed some of the problems: I replaced the relay that everyones talking about, which I purchased at Infiniti for about $30. bucks, then had to replace the light bulbs. The relay is difficult to remove and put back, if you go to the library and look at a Chilton's repair manual for the Infiniti J30, you can find out where the relay is located. I have not had a problem since.

I also had the problems with, the power windows and sunroof. If you can purchase parts from a used car lot (saves you money), just replace the switch/power panels, very easy they pop out with a flat head screw driver, sometimes they get loose and could cause the sunroof to stop working, just pop it open and see if the connection is loose and put it back in or just replace it. You can do the same with the radio panel. Works fine until the wire heats up and creates another short.

Now, the radio lights don't work, but the radio still works, the CD does not work.

My HICAS light turned on and it's not that I don't have transmission fluid, the HICAS turns off when I'm going up hill. So I'm thinking I need to replace the filter.

Good luck all, don't give up. :)

I have owned my 93 J30 for 15 years. Still looks and runs fantastic. Best car ever. Just now starting to have the dimmer issue and will apply tricks from this site. I have what I believe are cracked exhaust manifolds. Can't find an after market supplier and the dealer wants way too much $$ for them.

Anyone know of any aftermarket supplier?

I inherited my 1993 J30 from my stepmother in 2000 with 65K miles on it. It's my first car; how lucky am I?!? It now has 151K miles on it, and it's going strong. However, I've had a really bad case of the G35 fever ever since they first came out (again?) in 2002, and my stepmother loves the J30 so much that she wants to buy it back from me and keep it in the family whenever I buy a new (or new to me) car. She and I both have taken excellent care of the car, and she wants to keep it and restore it-- she thinks the J30 will be a classic someday.

I've had a plethora of problems with my J30 though, many of which have already been shared on this forum:

-- Sunroof motor: Completely dead. Had it replaced once in 2002 for $1,100, then the replacement motor died a year later. Now I can't open or close the sunroof.

-- Cold start: Yup, me too! Although luckily I live in LA, so this isn't too much of an issue.

-- Radio antenna: Completely corroded and broke off in 2004. Had to have it replaced. Has been creaky as of late.

-- Headlights: Passenger side headlight goes in and out (but mostly out) when it feels like it. No rhyme or reason to it.

-- Radio display: Had to have the innards of the radio completely replaced for about $250. The board was completely corroded.

-- Power steering: I have a crack in my power steering column that will be another $1K+ repair that I just haven't had done. For this reason, my power steering is in and out (but again, mostly out), so I have to muscle every turn I make.

-- Check engine light & vibrating idle: Had problems about a year ago with the check engine light coming on and the car severely vibrating/ shaking up and down when idling. Car did OK when in motion, but it was a mess at stoplights. I'm not sure if it's correlated with oil changes or not, but it always seems to act up right around the time I need to get the oil changed.

I will adamantly agree with those before me who have said that even with the problems, this is the greatest car on the road. Even with some of the problems I'd consider cosmetic (headlight, sunroof, radio, etc.), I've never had to worry about if my car will start or not. This is an extremely reliable car with such a smooth ride. I love my J30, and the only reason I can bear to part with it is of the hope that the G35 will be even better...

Infiniti needs to bring back the J30!!!

I have a 93 J30, I have had it for about a year now, but have only been able to drive it for a few months. I fell in love with the car the second I test drove it, and I truly don't want to sell the car if I don't have to.

First I had a problem where I was at a very busy stop light getting ready to turn left, when I started to turn I was maybe going 2 mph while "flooring" it. I pulled over and it died and would not start again. After getting it towed home, we replaced the fuel pump and then all the injectors, but I still had the same problem so it took a while, but we figured out that it was the O-rings on the injectors that needed replaced. Replaced them and it was as good as new.

I also have had the dash lights and radio go out -- couple of good hits on the dimmer switch and that is good to go.

Now for my current problem... when my car is cold it runs good, but once it warms up I have a problem getting up speed, especially in first gear. I can eventually get up the speed, but I am running the RPM's up around 5000. It too has a little shake in it. I saw similar problems on this website, but no one really said what the problem was. If anyone has figured this out, you can email me directly at linlin_42570@yahoo.com. If this is going to be an expensive fix, then you can look for it for sale on Austin's Craigs list.

Thank you.

I too inherited a J30...

My headlight relay started to short and had to be completely replaced (lets just say it got hot... ;). That wasn't cheap.

The radio started to go out about a year ago, and now is completely off.

Before that, the antennae corroded on itself (stuck in the down position, but the motor still tries to push it up every once in a while... it makes for some interesting noises for any passengers that don't know beforehand)

My major problem now: the transmission (auto). about 5-6 months ago, the trans wouldn't shift from first to second & second to third unless you let off the acceleration to make it shift. It never goes into fourth. I refuse to run the car at highway speeds considering I'd have to put it @ 3800+ rpm's. (If you miss a shift, it will skyrocket past 4k rpm) Anyways, it won't pass an emissions test because it trips the max and min rpm due to this. Sum it up: gotta repair/replace the trans.

Funny that I REALLY wanted this car and had it for about a year before it all went downhill (LOL). Sigh...

If you have any specific comments, send 'em to c_hill_7@yahoo.com.

HELP ME PLEASE!!! my 93 j30 is not running!!! I replaced the Starter and can't get it to turn over. Battery is good and Alternator is good. What else should I do? Some one please help me I'm lost...

I have had my 95 J30 for over 10 years now. It has 170k on the Odo. I've replaced the KNOCK Sensor, transmission and I have done some minor repairs.

Lately I have been smelling fuel when I start up in the morning. The smell is not loud but faint and goes away after running about 15-20 min. Checked the fuel lines on top of the engine and can't find any noticeable leaks. Has anyone had this problem before?

1993 J30 owned since 1995 and still running strong. Have experienced issues with the radio and sunroof over the years, other than my recent problem a nice ride.

Looks like more electrical problems are appearing. On a recent warm day I left the car running and stepped outside only to hear the idle race and the door locks cycled about 4 times until I was locked out with the car running. Good thing I was home with the spare key. The most recent problem is the trunk lid. A combination of left turn signal and brake pedal will fire the electronic trunk release and sometimes the latch will remain closed and I am unable to close the trunk. This also seems to happen randomly and usually at freeway speed. Any thoughts!

I recently purchased a 93 infinit j30. I love this car but I'm having a few issues already discussed. I currently have the headlight problem. Driving down the road the passenger side headlight will turn off and on. I'm going to replace the relay and see if that fixes it. Also my sunroof and drivers side window does not work. Most likely a motor issue. The main problem I am having is that it bucks going up hill. When I reach a hill the car will buck 4 or 5 times then when I give it some extra gas it stops bucking. I was told it was maybe a fuel filter or tune up problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have an Infiniti J30. It was given to me over a year ago. Only gotten to drive it for months all together because it's always need a fix.

I'm neighbors with a mechanic, and sometimes he guesses what's wrong with it, but can't figure it out because it's such a Japanese car with all the sensors and high tech like stuff.

Anyways, it needed a transmission, so I replaced that. Ran fine, then the car started to act up, it would die while I was driving, but I was able to start it up, then you can floor it and nothing would happen. Funny story is it took months to find out that the mass air flow sensor was cracked and it was shortening itself out. So I replaced that and it ran fine, so I took it down the road and now it won't shift to 3rd gear. It has 163,000 miles on it, I have put about 200 miles on it. I have not gotten a chance to enjoy the sucker. Well let me know what might be wrong with it, thank you lots.

Hi, I have a 93 J30 and it's idling a little rough at parked and at stopped positions at red lights, like it's trying to die out, but it doesn't. Also the most common is the headlight issue. One comes on and then goes out, then at one point they both black out at the same time. Any luck, let me know.

Thanks, Sean.

Aloha, I've just purchased a 93 J30 and the ride is smooth! There were two previous owners whom took very good care of this car. It has 135k miles, and the car is clean and A/C is cold! My questions is the driver rear door window doesn't want to go up or down, and I was told to just open the panel and put it back on the track. Well tried that and just can't seem to figure out what and how to do it. If you may know of the solution, please email me hislove77@yahoo.com with your results

Also my sunroof doesn't open, but that's not a real problem for me, being that I use the A/C all the time. Oh and maybe you may know, the steering on my turns has a sound as if it's out of power steering fluid? Yet it has. Do you know about that one too???

I read a lot about the CD player or radio has problems also. My CD reads "cd err" and nothing's wrong with the CD and the only speaker works is the driver door. Help....

Appreciate your comments or results!

Aloha!

I have just got a 1993 J30. Where can I find struts for this car front and rear. And where is the transmission dipstick?