Total Complaints
31 filings
INFINITI I30 · model year
31 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996INFINITII30 carries 31 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 I30 is vehicle speed control with 5 filings, followed by tires (4) and visibility:sun/moon roof assembly (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 7 investigation files overlapping the 1996 I30. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
31 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| TIRES | 4 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
I BELIEVE I'M THE 4TH OWNER OF THIS HERE VEHICLE THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT RIPPED, I HAVE A OIL LEAK AND THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING AND THE SEATS ARE SUN DAMAGED THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD MANY TRANSMISSION MECHANICS LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY HAD TOLD HIM THAT MANY THINGS CAN BE WRONG WITH IT BUT THE DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK
Mileage: 180,111
I BELIEVE I'M THE 4TH OWNER OF THIS HERE VEHICLE THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT RIPPED, I HAVE A OIL LEAK AND THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING AND THE SEATS ARE SUN DAMAGED THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD MANY TRANSMISSION MECHANICS LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY HAD TOLD HIM THAT MANY THINGS CAN BE WRONG WITH IT BUT THE DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK
Mileage: 180,111
I BELIEVE I'M THE 4TH OWNER OF THIS HERE VEHICLE THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT RIPPED, I HAVE A OIL LEAK AND THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING AND THE SEATS ARE SUN DAMAGED THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD MANY TRANSMISSION MECHANICS LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY HAD TOLD HIM THAT MANY THINGS CAN BE WRONG WITH IT BUT THE DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK
Mileage: 180,111
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 INFINITI I30. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, IT FAILED TO DEACTIVATE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WOULD DEPRESS THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON TO DEACTIVATE THE FEATURE. CURRENTLY, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH UNLESS HE TURNED AND HELD THE STEERING WHEEL BEFORE TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT CALLED CARDINALE NISSAN (LOCATED AT 1661 DEL MONTE BLVD, SEASIDE, CA 93955, (831) 322-4115) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,141.
Mileage: 137,141
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 INFINITI I30. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, IT FAILED TO DEACTIVATE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WOULD DEPRESS THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON TO DEACTIVATE THE FEATURE. CURRENTLY, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH UNLESS HE TURNED AND HELD THE STEERING WHEEL BEFORE TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT CALLED CARDINALE NISSAN (LOCATED AT 1661 DEL MONTE BLVD, SEASIDE, CA 93955, (831) 322-4115) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,141.
Mileage: 137,141
THIS IS MY SECOND INFINITI I30 WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE AS THE NISSAN MAXIMA. I CURRENTLY OWN A 1996 AND HAVE OWNED A 1997 PRIOR AND BOTH HAD RUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOWER RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT. OVER THE WEEKEND I LOOKED AT A 2000 INFINITI I30 FOR A FAMILY MEMBER CONSIDERING PURCHASE AND NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER 3 DIFFERENT CARS ALL OF DIFFERENT MODEL YEARS I DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND HAVE DISCOVERED ALL OVER THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM EFFECTING EVERY NISSAN MAXIMA AND INFINITI I30 FROM THE YEARS 1995-2000 REGARDLESS OF CLIMATE OR REGION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORTH IN MORE OF A "VENTING" FORMAT AND MANY PEOPLE DID NOT THINK TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY. THIS LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT HAS A LOWER ENGINE MOUNT BRACE THAT SCREWS IN, AND ONCE IT RUSTS COMPLETELY, WILL ALLOW THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE TO POTENTIALLY DROP OUT FROM BENEATH AND CAUSE A MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION OR EVEN FATALITY. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $1200 TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM, H
Mileage: 184,522
WHILE DRIVING ON A CLEAR DAY, NO WET ROAD, ETC., ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2004, MY 1996 INFINITI I30 MYSTERIOUSLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL, WENT INTO A SLIDE, CROSSED A TWO LANE HIGHWAY, WENT DOWN AN ENBANKMENT, FLIPPED OVER, AND CRASHED TOP-FIRST INTO A TREE; DRIVING THE ROOF INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DID EMPOLY. THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER DID NOT ISSUE A CITATION SINCE HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE FOR THE CAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS CHECKED FOR SOBRIETY, ETC. AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT I WAS NOT IMPAIRED. ALL TIRES WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, THERE WAS NOT A TIRE BLOWOUT. THE FRONT WAS ALIGNED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE TIRES WERE RECENTLY ROTATED AND BALANCED. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE TIRE HAD A SLIGHT INDENTATION DUE TO POSSIBLY HITTING A SIDE WALK CURVE.*AK
Mileage: 110,000
DUNLOP TIRE FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE BEFORE BLOWOUT. DEALER ADVISED THAT TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD HAVE BLOWN OUT IF DRIVEN FURTHER.*AK
Mileage: 97,821
WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY JUMPS FORWARD. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Mileage: 51,000
WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN STARTING UP THE VEHICLE CAN HEAR A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM TIMING CHAIN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
HAD STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. BEFORE TAKING OFF ENGINE WAS REVVING. OWNER HAD NO CONTROL. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN PARKING LOT. BEFORE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, VEHICLE WAS AT BODY SHOP. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SWITCH UP FROM THE FIRST GEAR. *AK
CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS. ALTHOUGH IT DOES START RIGHT UP AGAIN, THE STALLING IS PERSISTENT. ESPECIALLY IN HOTTER WEATHER AT IDLE OR LOW SPEEDS.
CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS. ALTHOUGH IT DOES START RIGHT UP AGAIN, THE STALLING IS PERSISTENT. ESPECIALLY IN HOTTER WEATHER AT IDLE OR LOW SPEEDS.
PASSENGER SIDE SPARE TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE ROAD. YH
SUN ROOF CRACKED INTO HUNDREDS OF TINY BLEMISHES THE BLEW OUT OF THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.
SUN ROOF BLEW OFF OF VEHICLE, CRACKED INTO HUNDREDS OF TINY BLEMISHES.
Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Improper Frontal Air Bag Deployment
Steering column separation
Collision Mitigation System Malfunction
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.