M Hybrid Starting Issues: Battery or Control System?

Hey there! I have some experience with hybrid vehicles and went through something very similar with my 2013 Infiniti Q70 Hybrid (like the M's successor). Had the same symptoms weak starts, flickering lights, the whole deal. Took it to my regular workshop and turns out the battery voltage was too low. They ran diagnostics and found that the 12V battery (not the hybrid battery) needed replacing. Cost me about 290€ for the whole thing parts and labor included. Car's been running perfectly since then. Before I share more specific details about my experience what's your current mileage and have you had any other electrical issues recently? Also, when was the last time you had your battery checked? Pro tip: With these Infiniti hybrids, it's worth getting the battery and charging system checked regularly. Mine was a wake-up call for sure! Feel free to ask any questions, and let me know those details so I can help further!

Thanks for the detailed response! Currently at 100307 KM and just had my service last month. No other electrical issues until now, but your experience sounds spot-on with what I'm dealing with. That's actually really helpful to know it might just be the 12V battery I was worried it could be something more serious with the hybrid system. Think I'll get it checked out this week. Did you notice any warning lights on the dash before changing yours?

Hey again! I totally get your concern about the warning lights in my case, I actually didn't see any specific warning lights before the battery change, which was kind of tricky because it made diagnosis less straightforward. But those symptoms you're describing are exactly what I experienced. With my 2013 Q70, I was at about 98,000 KM when these issues started popping up. The interesting thing is that even after that recent service you mentioned, these problems can still show up because sometimes the battery check isn't as thorough as it should be. My regular service didn't catch it either! After I got my 12V battery replaced, it was like having a completely different car starts were strong again, lights stopped flickering, and everything just worked the way it should. Quick tip from my experience: when you get it checked, make sure they also test the alternator and charging system. My mechanic did this as part of the diagnosis, and it helped confirm that the battery was definitely the culprit. Let me know how it goes when you get it checked out! Would be interesting to see if your fix is as straightforward as mine was.

Thanks so much for all the helpful info! I really appreciate you sharing your experience in such detail. I've actually just scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning to get it checked out. You've definitely put my mind at ease about it potentially being just the 12V battery rather than a major hybrid system issue. I'll make sure to ask them to check the alternator and charging system too that's a great tip! I'll update you once I know what they find. Fingers crossed it's as simple as your situation was! Thanks again for taking the time to help me out with this. It's super helpful to hear from someone who's dealt with the same issue in a similar car.