Complaint Against Infiniti of Mobile
On January 26, we took my wife’s 2017 Infiniti Q50 to Infiniti of Mobile for a recall repair known as the ESM Reprogram Campaign. This vehicle has only ever been serviced by Infiniti dealerships, specifically Infiniti of Orlando and Infiniti of Mobile.
After the recall was completed, the service advisor informed my wife that the Check Engine Light might appear. When asked why, she stated that the recall required a harness sub part that had been ordered and that the dealership would contact us to schedule another appointment when the part arrived. She also recommended replacing the thermostat due to diagnostic code P0597.
Less than ten miles after leaving the dealership, while driving back to Pensacola, Florida, the Check Engine Light illuminated. I reviewed the service paperwork and found an estimate totaling $2,006.11, which stated that the issue was “unrelated to the recall and will continue to have the SES light on until repairs are completed.”
I contacted the service manager, Michael McCord, around 12:30 CST on January 26 to discuss the situation. I explained that the vehicle had no warning lights prior to the visit, that it had recently been serviced in November by Infiniti of Mobile for routine maintenance, and that we had driven it out of state during the holidays without any problems. At that November visit, the recall could not be completed because the system was down, but no active fault codes were present at that time.
The vehicle is garage kept, driven weekly, and typically under 100 miles at a time. There had been no engine warning lights or performance concerns before the January visit.
The following day, I noticed a strong gasoline smell in my garage. After pulling the vehicle outside for several hours, the odor dissipated. When the car was returned to the garage, the smell came back. I do not store gasoline, lawn equipment, or similar items in my garage. The only place the vehicle had been was Infiniti of Mobile and then home.
When I shared these facts with the service manager, he stated that he did not know what I was trying to insinuate. I clarified that I was not insinuating anything, only reporting the sequence of events and the condition of the vehicle before and after the recall visit.
We arrived at Infiniti of Mobile without any problems and left with an illuminated Check Engine Light, a repair estimate of $2,006.11, and written documentation stating the issue was unrelated to the recall and that the SES light would remain on until repairs were completed.
I am requesting that Infiniti of Mobile and Infiniti corporate review this matter, determine whether the recall work or dealership service contributed to the current condition, and clarify responsibility for the repairs and gasoline odor that appeared immediately after the visit.
My goal is resolution and accountability, not speculation. I would like a formal investigation into whether the recall work or diagnostic procedures caused or contributed to the warning light or fuel smell, and whether the quoted repairs should be covered by the dealership or manufacturer rather than at my expense.
I am submitting this complaint so the issue is documented and reviewed and so that a fair and transparent resolution can be reached.