1997 Infiniti Q45
large luxury car / 4-door sedan
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 1997-2001 models built after March 1997
Tested vehicle: 1997 Infiniti Q45 4-door
The Infiniti Q45 was redesigned for the 1997 model year. All 1997 and later Q45 models manufactured after March 1997 include structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of a Q45 with the structural changes in two 40 mph moderate overlap frontal crash tests into deformable barriers. (Following discussions with the automaker about the head injury criterion in the first crash test, the second offset test was conducted. Similar results were obtained. This evaluation is based on both tests.)
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics Dummy movement wasn't well controlled in either crash test. After the dummy moved forward into the airbag, the seatback moved forward so that the head restraint hit the dummy's head. During rebound, the dummy's head hit the B-pillar. |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained reasonably well.
Side airbags inflated during the offset test to help control the dummy's movement.
Forces on the dummy's left lower leg were high in the second crash test, indicating likely injury.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CF97007 | CF97008 |
|---|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | ||
| Footrest (cm) | 15 | 19 |
| Left (cm) | 19 | 25 |
| Center (cm) | 22 | 29 |
| Right (cm) | 15 | 20 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 16 | 20 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | ||
| Left (cm) | 8 | 10 |
| Right (cm) | 4 | 6 |
| Steering column movement | ||
| Upward (cm) | 8 | 9 |
| Rearward (cm) | 6 | 8 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 11 | 12 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CF97007 | CF97008 |
|---|---|---|
| Head | ||
| HIC-15 | 786 | 841 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 37 | 25 |
| Neck | ||
| Tension (kN) | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 24 | 29 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.41 | 0.44 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 44 | 41 |
| Legs | ||
| Femur force - left (kN) | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 2 | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 5 | 5 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.91 | 1.21 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.63 | 1.12 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | ||
| Left | 73 | 56 |
| Right | 47 | 56 |