InfinitiQ451996Overview/infiniti/q45/1996/base/

1996 Infiniti Q45

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Q45.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Infiniti Q45 pairs a 6.3-quart oil capacity engine specifying 5W-30 or 10W-30 API SM viscosity with a four-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA ratings of 15 city, 20 highway, and 17 combined mpg. With eight total owner complaints and zero recalls, the 1996 model year sits well below the generation's peak of 47 complaints in 1991 and above the low of two in 1993, placing it in the lower-complaint tier of the 1990–2006 model run. Suspension leads the complaint categories for this year, though the overall volume suggests a relatively trouble-free showing compared to earlier iterations.

Model year200620052004200320022001199919981996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 API SMOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 27 · 625 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520855Y0A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 27 · 625 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-65VR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520855Y0A
Engine air filter165461P100
Fuel filter1640041B1A
Spark plug224011P115 alt 224011P117
Front wiper blades2889060U65 alt B889051P00
Serpentine belt1192066US1VW alt 1172060US1VW
Thermostat2120060U02

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase113.4 in
Curb weight4083 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 20 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume95 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Q45 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.9–8.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.90 sec — 1990 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995a Sedan (Full-Active Suspension) 4.5L V87.80 sec16.10 sec278 hpRWD
1995t Sedan 4.5L V87.90 sec16.20 sec278 hpRWD
1994t Sedan 4.5L V88.20 sec16.30 sec278 hpRWD
1991t Sedan 4.5L V87.30 sec15.60 sec278 hpRWD
1990Sedan 4.5L V86.90 sec15.40 sec278 hpRWD
1990Sedan 4.5L V87.20 sec15.30 sec278 hpRWD
1990Sedan 4.5L V87.90 sec15.80 sec278 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.3 qt of 5W-30 / 10W-30 API SM engine oil, 75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.7 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · 10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.3 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts61-69 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts13-15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16-21 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs61-69 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.7 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14.0-22.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing15, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.70-1.82 lbs
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.80 oz
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number27
Standard BCI Cranking Performance625 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)34.0 psi
Engine Compression142-185. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure67-81 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.00 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.00 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket23-30 ft-lbs / 87-101 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle28-38 ft-lbs / 72-87 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in / 0.0008 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.024 in / 0.315 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Bolts 9-101.4 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
110-12 ft. lbs., Step 2: 28-3310–12 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
269 ft. lbs.69 ft. lbs
3loosen all bolts completely
418-25 ft. lbs.18–25 ft. lbs
569-72

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miBattery (inspect electrolyte level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miActive Suspension System (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Infiniti Q45 generation shows a fluctuating complaint volume, peaking in the early 1990s before stabilizing significantly in the mid-to-late 1990s. The 1996 model year sits at a low point in this arc, mirroring 1995 with only 8 complaints and continuing a streak of zero recalls and investigations that began in 1993. This stability is particularly notable when compared to 1997, which saw a jump to 2 recalls and a sharp increase in Technical Service Bulletins from 28 to 68. For 1996, the limited complaints focused on the suspension (2) and air bags (2), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. Additionally, there were no recorded crash or fire complaints for this year. Given the lack of recalls and the low volume of complaints relative to the wider generation, 1996 is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
28
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Suspension2
Air Bags2
Unknown Or Other1
Seats1
Visibility1
Exterior Lighting1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 28 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
ITB13-007H2023-02-27StructureREMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See…
ITB09-039J2023-02-27VisibilityWINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last…
ITB10-067C2023-02-22WheelsWHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on…
ITB16-006A2021-03-24Electrical SystemINFINITI; FRONT SONAR PARKING SENSOR SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended…
ITB19-0082019-04-02EquipmentEXTERIOR CLEANING INFORMATION SERVICE INFORMATION When cleaning the exterior of an…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Q45. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Q45 take?

6.3 qt of 5W-30 OR 10W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Q45 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Q45 get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.