Applies to 2003-08 models
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
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| Injury measures |
|---|
| Head/neck | A |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
|---|
| Important: Frontal crash test ratings should be compared only among vehicles of similar weight.
|
The Infiniti FX was introduced in the 2003 model year. There are two models, the FX35 (equipped with a V6 engine) and the FX45 (equipped with a V8 engine).
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of the FX in two 40 mph frontal offset crash tests into deformable barriers. In the first test, the driver frontal airbag deployed late, with the result that high forces were recorded on the dummy's head, indicating the likelihood of head injuries. This led Infiniti to modify the frontal airbag deployment characteristics on models produced after September 10, 2003. Also, Infiniti initiated a service campaign to modify, at its cost, vehicles produced earlier. The Institute tested a second FX with the modified driver airbag, and the airbag inflated much earlier. Ratings of the FX are based on the results of the second test, except structural performance is based on both tests.
Injury measures
Measures taken from the neck, chest, and both legs indicate low risk of injuries to these body regions in a crash of this severity. A high head acceleration occurred when the dummy's head hit the steering wheel through the airbag, indicating that head injuries would be possible.
Restraints and dummy kinematics
Dummy movement was well controlled. During rebound, the dummy's head brushed the inflated side curtain airbag and its fabric cover. The dummy continued to rebound into the seat without its head coming close to any stiff structure that could cause injury.
Tested vehicle specifications
| Tested vehicle | 2003 Infiniti FX35 4wd |
| Weight | 4,282 lbs. |
| Side airbags | front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags |
| Wheelbase | 112 in. |
| Length | 189 in. |
| Width | 76 in. |
| Engine | 3.5 L V6 |
| EPA ratings | 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway |
How this test is conducted
Measures of occcupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0324 | CEF0320 |
|---|
| Footwell intrusion |
|---|
| Footrest (cm) | 5 | 5 |
| Left (cm) | 5 | 5 |
| Center (cm) | 7 | 6 |
| Right (cm) | 6 | 6 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 4 | 4 |
|---|
| Instrument panel rearward movement |
|---|
| Left (cm) | -1 | -2 |
| Right (cm) | -1 | -4 |
| Steering column movement |
|---|
| Upward (cm) | 4 | 3 |
| Rearward (cm) | 2 | 3 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 | 0 |
|---|
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0324 |
|---|
| Head |
|---|
| HIC-15 | 539 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 87 |
| Neck |
|---|
| Tension (kN) | 1.1 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 21 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.24 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 24 |
|---|
| Legs |
|---|
| Femur
force - left
(kN) | 1.9 |
| Femur
force - right
(kN) | 3.5 |
| Knee
displacement - left
(mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum
tibia
index - left | 0.28 |
| Maximum
tibia
index - right | 0.36 |
| Tibia axial
force - left
(kN) | 1.7 |
| Tibia axial
force - right
(kN) | 1.9 |
| Foot acceleration (g) |
|---|
| Left | 68 |
| Right | 78 |