Infiniti M Hybrid: Black Smoke & Stalling Nightmare

Hey there! I had a pretty similar issue with my 2011 Lexus GS450h (also had a look at the LS600h at the time). I've got some experience working on cars, but nothing too advanced. Those symptoms sound exactly like what I dealt with! My car was doing the same thing black smoke, stalling, terrible fuel economy. Took it to my regular workshop, and yep, it was the mass airflow sensor. Cost me around 415 Euro to get it sorted, but the car's been running like a dream since. Quick question have you checked if your check engine light is on? Also, what's your mileage? Could help pinpoint if we're dealing with the same scenario. Just an FYI these hybrid systems can be tricky. If you're planning on getting it fixed, I'd recommend going to a shop that really knows their way around hybrid powertrains. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more specific details.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! My mileage is at 173254 KM, and I just had it serviced last month. The check engine light has been flickering on and off, which is pretty annoying. It's good to know you had a similar issue with your Lexus makes me feel a bit better about it being the mass airflow sensor. Did your car also take longer to start up when the problem began? Mine's been struggling a bit in the mornings. I was thinking of going to the dealership since they specialize in hybrids, but 415 Euro sounds way more reasonable than what I was expecting to pay. Would you mind sharing the name of your workshop? Could save me some serious cash!

Hey again! Yeah, my Lexus had that exact same starting issue! It was super frustrating especially on cold mornings when it would crank for what felt like ages before finally starting up. Can't believe I forgot to mention that in my first reply. The flickering check engine light is definitely familiar too mine was doing the same dance before I got it fixed. I got mine done at AutoTech Specialists in Munich (I live in Germany). But honestly, any reputable hybrid-certified workshop should be able to handle it. Just make sure they know their stuff with hybrids that was key for me. The 415 Euro included both parts and labor, which wasn't too bad considering it's a hybrid system. With your mileage being around 173K, it's actually pretty normal for the mass airflow sensor to act up. Mine was at about 165K when it started showing these symptoms. Just a heads-up though it took them about 3-4 hours to complete the job, so plan accordingly if you decide to get it fixed. Also, after they replaced my sensor, it took about 50-100 km of driving for the car to fully adjust and run smoothly again. So don't panic if it's not perfect right away that's totally normal. Let me know how it goes if you get it fixed! Always curious to hear if others have the same experience.

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! That's super helpful, especially about the adjustment period after fixing it. Unfortunately, I'm in Canada, so I can't use your workshop, but I'll definitely look for a hybrid-certified place here. It's really reassuring to hear that your car had such similar symptoms and that fixing the mass airflow sensor sorted everything out. The 3-4 hour timeframe is good to know too I'll plan to drop it off in the morning and arrange alternate transport for the day. I'm going to start calling around to some certified workshops tomorrow. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience saved me from stressing too much about this! I'll probably post an update once I get it fixed, in case someone else runs into the same issue. Thanks again for all your help!