Most common 2001 Infiniti I30 problems
Share of the 75 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Infiniti I30 complaints by model year
Best I30 years: 2003, 2004, 2002. Years to avoid: 2000, 1998, 2001. Compare all years →
2001 Infiniti I30 recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
On certain passenger vehicles, the pin at the end of the front suspension transverse link (lower control arm) could break where it is mounted to the frame.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transverse links on the left and right sides with new ones. Owner notification began July 29, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Infiniti I30:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2001 Infiniti I30 owners say
Suspension all 23 →
In the last 2 months I have had the front passenger tire blow out 3 times. After this last tire repair the car started to shake, vibrate and make a knocking noise while driving. When driving faster the steering wheel would jerk me almost offthe road. It was so bad I pulled over and when I looked at the front passenger tire it was smoking and sitting sideways. I had to get my vehicle towed and now I have no way to work. I have included an estimate of the repairs as well as a written warranty that was given to the previous owner. I was told this was no longer valid since I am not the original owner of the vehicle. The way the steering jerked and how the tire went sideways I feel that is a safety issue.
I was driving along the middle lane in heavy traffic. At the intersection with traffic lights, the lane was stuck in front of me and there was no space to go. In order not to block the intersection, I had to slow down and stop at the traffic lights. While I was waiting at the lights, after 10 seconds the other car came closer without slowing down and hit my car from the behind. I was rear-ended on that incident.
Speed control & acceleration
When I am in stop-and-go traffic after 30-45 minutes of time the engine idles very fast. I have to keep my foot on the brake very hard to keep vehicle stopped. When I take my foot off the brake the engine RPM reads 1100 (if the problem is not occurring it is usually 750 RPM in idle or when stopped) without putting my foot on the accelerator the cars drives at 30 MPH (almost as if it in cruise control mode even though the cruise control is not engaged) when this is occurring and I come to a stop and put the car into neutral or park the engine races to 3000 RPM and seems stuck at that level. I recently serviced the vehicle including throttle box cleaning but the problem persists on an intermittent basis. The dealer tells me that the "computer" does not show a trouble code. They recommend that I bring it in when it is occurring. …
I was driving on the highway in my 2001 Infiniti I30. Car has never been hit or otherwise damaged. It's a fully stock vehicle. As I was driving down the highway the accelerator pedal depressed all by itself half way and the rpms and speed rose. I tried to brake but the acceleration overcame the braking and would not slow the vehicle. I put the vehicle into neutral and the rpms were at max. I was on the highway with no shoulder so I had to put the vehicle back into gear to get to the next exit. Once I put it into gear the vehicle sped up uncontrollably again. So I had no choice but to turn the vehicle off and I lost power steering and braking ability. Luckily I was able to coast to a stop. I opened the hood and noticed the cruise control cable on the throttle was keeping the throttle floored. It would not let up. …
Body & structure
I was driving along the middle lane in heavy traffic. At the intersection with traffic lights, the lane was stuck in front of me and there was no space to go. In order not to block the intersection, I had to slow down and stop at the traffic lights. While I was waiting at the lights, after 10 seconds the other car came closer without slowing down and hit my car from the behind. I was rear-ended on that incident.
2001 Infiniti I30. Electronic motor mounts fail, causing cascading failure of idle air control and destroying ECU. Alternately, the idle air control valve fails and destroys the ECU which in turn destroys the electronic motor mount circuit which resides adjacent to the iacv circuit on the ECU main board. The resulting short circuit in either case causes acrid smoke to enter the passenger cabin of the car and causes the engine to rev wildly which, if not, accounted for, could cause and an unsafe surge forward if stopped. By empirical internet research and more importantly - from discussions with the dealer service technician, this is a problem experienced by several drivers/owners of the 2001 Infiniti I30, and 2001 Nissan maxima which are "sister" cars. …
2001 Infiniti I30 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Infiniti I30 a good car?
Based on 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 I30 rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the I30 at the same age. It is one of the I30 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Infiniti I30?
The suspension — 23 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › lower arm. Next are the speed control & acceleration (12) and body & structure (11).
How many recalls does the 2001 Infiniti I30 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2001 Infiniti I30, the most recent from January 9, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Infiniti I30?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2004 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1998 and 2001. See the full Infiniti I30 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Infiniti I30 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 108,000 miles; 17% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.