Last night was my first drive in the Infiniti FX50. My first impression was that it's too much. Too much of everything. Too many buttons, too heavy, too much hood. And there was this constant blowing fan noise.
I looked around to see where it was coming from. It wasn't the A/C. It wasn't the audiobook that someone left playing in the car. It sounded like it was coming from the driver-side door. Then I realized it was the seat cooler which was on full blast. I turned it down and--ahhh--Silence.
I tried the heated end of the spectrum and it also blows loud hot air. So if I want to warm my buns or cool my fanny, I need to listen to that constant whir. Too much.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
slickersdrip says:
01:37 PM, 03/ 3/09
I was afraid you were going to say was the noise of kissel1 trying to break into the FX50 and spread manure around.
wobbly_ears says:
01:49 PM, 03/ 3/09
Oboy, oboy, oboy! I can't wait for kissel1's comment....
adavis2493 says:
01:50 PM, 03/ 3/09
Thats what I hate about these Asain Cars. They inundate them with technology, enough to practically make them drive themselves. While doing thism the car looses some of it's soul.
altimadude00 says:
01:52 PM, 03/ 3/09
This post blows....hot air.
Actually, I would agree that a fan blowing from somewhere unidentifiable is annoying. My father's Deville has a rear climate control, and the fan that blows air into the rear seats is situated in the center tunnel between the front seats. With the rear fan going at full blast, it's almost louder than the front climate fan.
zimtheinvader says:
02:07 PM, 03/ 3/09
I love the ventilated seats (they need an exhaust setting for after some meals though). I guess the problem is they made the rest of the car just too quiet so now you hear the fan.
I read recently that is one of the problems with modern cars, people complain about rattles and squeaks because now you can hear them. Older cars were loud enough overall to drown out some of that.
carguy622 says:
03:37 PM, 03/ 3/09
Is there is no way have just radiant heat, as on a conventional heated seat?
billt9 says:
03:50 PM, 03/ 3/09
You can hear the seat fan?
You're not using the 5.0-liters right.
2003expo says:
10:06 PM, 03/ 3/09
Toooooo much beauty on the road is what the FX is....it is THE MOST GORGEOUS concoction out right now....I mean, this thing looks amazing (not in the color choice u guys chose). The most impractical vehicle probably, but beauty comes at a price.
dubaizen says:
01:42 AM, 03/ 4/09
"too many buttons"? come on, its not that many!
"too much hood"? that hood looks amazing!!!!
"too heavy"? hello it weighs less than the X6 and the X5 dont it?
yes the seat fans make a lot of noise, but then again i recently drove a 2nd gen Lexus IS and in my opinion the seat fan was just as loud.
dubaizen says:
01:43 AM, 03/ 4/09
some pics of an fx in moonlight white, which looks way better than the one you guys got :p
http://s653.photobucket.com/albums/uu260/dubaizen/
ace47 says:
02:37 AM, 03/ 4/09
It could be that the fans are too small and and spin way too fast. A bigger fan would revolve less and make less noise.
2003expo says:
05:52 AM, 03/ 4/09
dubaizenAuthor
"some pics of an fx in moonlight white, which looks way better than the one you guys got :p
http://s653.photobucket.com/albums/uu260/dubaizen/"
That just made my day....whoever took those pictures did a helluva job!!! Better than the pros at Edmunds continuously try to do!
wizard8873 says:
06:40 AM, 03/ 4/09
I'm surprised you can hear it. the only time i hear my seat in the M45 are when i'm at a standstill with no music playing. Even then, it's such a faint noise that I barely notice it unless I try to pay attention
dougtheeng says:
08:23 AM, 03/ 4/09
The front grille on this vehicle is the most hideous of any on the road. I saw a purple one at the autoshow....memories of that will haunt my dreams forever.
jriz says:
08:50 AM, 03/ 4/09
HA Donna!
That's what you get for that one time I got in the Q7 after you and found my butt inexplicably roasting because of the seat heater set on 5.
HA, I say, HA!
Your friend, -James
redliner says:
08:53 AM, 03/ 4/09
Is it just me, or do women like hot seats more than men?
bbechtel16 says:
10:20 AM, 03/ 4/09
No they do. They're obsessed.
mohaji says:
10:23 AM, 03/ 4/09
Well, I dunno about you, but hot bottoms on men reduced sperm count, folks..
Say no to infertility, say no to hot seat!! ;)
alifya says:
10:52 AM, 03/ 4/09
Haha.
My dad used to have an M35, and we experienced the same thing.