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2014 Infiniti Q50 Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2014 Infiniti Q50 carries 5 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering automated/adaptive steering and occupant classification. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Transmission valve body failure limiting gear shifts.” Infiniti manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe — short trips, city traffic, extreme temperatures) and Schedule 2 (easy highway use). Most US drivers honestly belong on Schedule 1: oil every 5,000 miles. The VQ V6s that power most of the lineup are chain-driven and durable when the oil stays fresh. The two things owners skip at their peril: CVT fluid on QX50/QX60 (extended intervals are how these transmissions die) and oil discipline on the twin-turbo VR30 in Q50/Q60 Red Sport.

5 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

STEERING:AUTOMATED/ADAPTIVE STEERING

Campaign #16V430000 · Jun 13, 2016

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc.'s (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Infiniti Q50 vehicles manufactured December 26, 2012, to December 11, 2015, and Infiniti Q50 Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 10, 2012, to December 17, 2015. The Direct Adaptive Steering system may experience an error at vehicle start up altering the vehicle's steering responsiveness and turning radius.

Risk: If the vehicle does not steer as the driver anticipates, there is an increased the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Direct Adaptive Steering ECU software, free of charge. The recall began on August 12, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Campaign #16V244000 · Apr 26, 2016

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Campaign #14V138000 · Mar 25, 2014

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.

Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Campaign #13V588000 · Nov 20, 2013

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc.'s (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 vehicles equipped with Direct Adaptive Steering. The affected vehicles received a power steering software version that, should the engine compartment reach freezing temperatures, the power steering software may disable the electric steering system and also may delay the engagement of the mechanical steering backup system.

Risk: The disablement of the steering systems could result in a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan notified owners and arranged to have vehicles towed to the nearest Infiniti retailer. Customers were instructed not to drive their vehicles until they were repaired. Infiniti retailers provided affected customers with loaner vehicles, while the software update remedy was applied. These services were provided at no cost to the customer. Owners may contact Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Campaign #24V470000 · Jun 21, 2024

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2011-2013 M56, 2012-2013 M35 Hybrid, 2014-2018 Q50, Q70 Hybrid, 2014-2019 Q70, and 2015-2019 Q70L two-wheel drive vehicles. The driveshaft can fatigue and break.

Risk: A broken driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power, or a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 13, 2024. Owners may contact INFINITI's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's numbers for this recall are R24A5 and R24A7.

Recall data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2014 Infiniti Q50.

Reported to NHTSA

Transmission valve body failure limiting gear shifts

POWER TRAIN

19 NHTSA complaints · 2016-03 → 2025-10

“Valve body went out at 90k miles”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11606767
“The transmission Valve Assembly Control Module and Vehicle Speed Sensors have both failed. The car will not shift out of 2nd gear and cannot go faster than 40 mph. This is a safety issue. I had my car inspected by a certified mechanic and he diagnosed the problem”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11614127
“Received PO270 code which is speed output sensor which requires valve body and TCM to be replaced. Dealership stated that there should be recall but is not”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11597589

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Run-flat tire sidewall crack or blowout

TIRES

13 NHTSA complaints · 2014-10 → 2018-10

“I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TIRES ON MY INFINITI Q50. THEY ARE DUNLOP P245/40 RF19 DOT U28T. I HAVE 20,500 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND HAVE BLOWN 6 TIRES. ALL TIRE FAILURES HAVE BEEN CAUSE BY THE SIDEWALLS OF THE TIRES BLOWING OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10723553
“I PURCHASED A 2014 INFINITI Q50 NEW FROM THE DEALER. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 6,500 MILES ON IT WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SIDE WALL CRACKED. THE REPAIR SHOP NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD A BUBBLE AND ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10730214
“THIS AFTERNOON I HAD ANOTHER BLOWOUT OF A RUN-FLAT TIRE. THIS IS THE 7TH BLOWOUT IN UNDER 17 MONTHS. OVER MY DRIVING CAREER I HAVE DRIVEN OVER A MILLION MILES, BY MY CALCULATIONS, AND HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11141875

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

InTouch infotainment, DCU, and backup camera malfunction

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

13 NHTSA complaints · 2014-03 → 2025-08

“NAVIGATION AND AUDIO SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, IT JUST STOP WORKING. I WAS TOLD ALL 2014 HAS THIS ISSUE AND I HAVE TO GET A NEW DCU INSTALLED. THE DCU IN THE 2014 AND 2015 HAS NOT BEEN WORKING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11341831
“Q50 BACKUP CAMERA MALFUNCTION. AFTER 3 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS (33000 MILES) THE BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY, IT OFTEN JUST SHOWS A BLACK OR WHITE SCREEN WITH NO VIEW BEHIND THE CAR WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, EVEN AFTER WAITING 60 OR MORE SECONDS FOR THE APPS TO LOAD OR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11065282
“THE TELEMATICS CONTROL UNIT MY 2014 INFINITI Q50 WILL BE INOPERABLE BY 12/31/16 BASED ON A NOTICE RECEIVED FROM INFINITI ON 12/6/16. INFINITI HAS INDICATED THIS IS BECAUSE ATT WILL DISCONTINUE SUPPORT OF THE 2G TECHNOLOGY THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO USE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10933669

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Direct Adaptive Steering lockup or loss of assist

STEERING

67 NHTSA complaints · 2013-11 → 2025-12

“THE VEHICLE HAS DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING (DAS) AND HAS BEEN HAVING FAILURES OF THE SYSTEM SINCE COLD WEATHER CAME IN EARLY DECEMBER. AT START UP THE STEERING ERROR AND TRACTION CONTROL ERROR LIGHTS COME ON. MOST TIMES WAITING A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE WILL CLEAR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10561458
“DAS (DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING) STEER BY WIRE SYSTEM LOSES CALIBRATION WHICH CAUSES STEERING LOSS. DEALERS RE-CALIBRATE SYSTEM BUT CALIBRATION LOSS CONTINUES. FAULTS AND ERRORS DON'T REGISTER AND BACKUP STEERING SYSTEM DOES NOT ENGAGE AS THE FAULT IN THE SYSTEM IS NOT TRIGGERED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10873001
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INFINITI Q50. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILED DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCED. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING STEERING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11302483

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Takata passenger airbag recall parts delay and sensor fault

AIR BAGS

16 NHTSA complaints · 2014-03 → 2025-02

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INFINITI Q50. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V244000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10897615
“The contact owns a 2014 Infiniti Q50. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag off warning light remained illuminated constantly. The contact stated that the warning light was also present while a passenger was seated in the seat. The”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11640611
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INFINITI Q50. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10721122

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake pedal sink, rotor wear, and booster fault

SERVICE BRAKES

14 NHTSA complaints · 2014-03 → 2026-04

“MY 2014 INFINITI Q50 SPORT HAS AN UNRESOLVED REOCCURRING PROBLEM WERE AFTER APROX. 20 MILES OF DRIVING THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL SINK SUBSTANTIALLY TOWARDS THE FLOOR AFTER BRAKING. AS THE CAR WILL STILL STOP AFTER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE BRAKING DISTANCE IS LONGER THAN NORMAL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10896286
“REAR BRAKE PAD LIFE IS DANGEROUSLY SHORT. I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SQUEALING AND VIBRATION UPON BRAKING AFTER ONLY 25,000 MILES. THERE IS NO SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT INTERVAL SO I COULD EASILY SEE SOMEONE IGNORING THE SYMPTOMS OR PUTTING OFF THE PAD REPLACEMENT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10926177
“MY INFINITI Q50 2014 HAS INTERMITTENT BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FAILURE THAT CAUSES DIMINISHED BRAKING POWER AT ALL SPEEDS AND AT A SLIPS AT A STOP. THE DIMINISHED BRAKING AFFECTS STOPPING DISTANCES AND TRIGGERS EMERGENCY COLLISION WARNINGS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10992962

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Note: NHTSA also opened 2 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 13, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1 (most US driving); 7,500 on the easy-use Schedule 2. VQ engines tolerate a lot but reward fresh oil with quiet chains and clean variable-timing operation. VR30 twin-turbo: treat 5,000 as the ceiling.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate with every oil change. Staggered-fitment sport models (G37S, Q60) can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (QX50 / QX60)

Every 60,000 mi

CVT-equipped models: replace fluid around 60,000 miles — sooner with towing or hot-climate city driving. Use only Nissan NS-spec CVT fluid. This is the single most skipped, most expensive-to-skip item on modern Infiniti SUVs.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and lines at every service. Akebono-caliper sport packages wear pads unevenly if the slide hardware isn't serviced — have it cleaned and lubricated with pad changes.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace around 30,000 miles. Twin-intake VQ and VR engines use two filters — replace both, not just the easy one.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace roughly every 30,000 miles or 2 years — Infiniti pairs it with major services. Sport models driven hard should err toward the 2-year mark.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Automatic Transmission Fluid (7/9-speed)

Every 60,000 mi

Conventional automatics (G35/G37/Q50 RWD 7-speed, QX80 9-speed): fluid service around 60,000 miles under severe use keeps shifts clean. Matic-S/Matic-D spec fluid only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium plugs rated to 105,000 miles. On transverse VQ models (older QX60, JX35) the rear bank hides under the intake plenum — pay the labor once, at the full interval.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace about every 15,000 miles; behind the glovebox on most models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

First replacement at 75,000 miles / 5 years (Nissan blue long-life), then about every 4 years after. Genuine or NS-spec coolant only — mixing types gels.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Drive Belt Inspection

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles; replace on cracking, glazing, or tensioner noise. VQ accessory belts announce their age with a cold-start chirp.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Intelligent-Key and always-on telematics draw at rest — weak batteries show up first as slow push-button starts.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

96 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

11

complaints mentioning a crash

2

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2014 Infiniti Q50 reflects INFINITI's published service intervals and the Schedule 1 / Schedule 2 Maintenance system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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