2014 INFINITI Q50 Complaints

AFTER HAVING A GREAT EXPERIENCE OWNING A '04 INFINITI G35X, I PURCHASED AN INFINITI Q50 IN MID OCTOBER, 2013 IN DALLAS, TX. IN ADDITION TO SOFTWARE ISSUES WITH NAV & APPS, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK OR START MY CAR W/O MY KEY FOB. THREE TIMES I LOST STEERING CONTROL WHEN THE WEATHER WAS NEAR 32 DEG. F... TWICE IN DRIVEWAY (REPORTED TO INFINITI IN MY SURVEY) AND ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SWERVE IF NECESSARY (VERY DANGEROUS)! RESTARTING THE CAR ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM EACH TIME. AFTER RECEIVING A "SERVICE CAMPAIGN" NOTICE I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MGR. SAID THAT HE HADN'T HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DAS, BUT I HAD THE RECALL NOTICE IN MY HAND AND MY SALES REP TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PAST WEEKEND I VISITED A CAR SHOW AND SPOKE TO AN INFINITI REP. ABOUT THIS DAS ISSUE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE DAS ISSUE WAS RELATED TO COLD WEATHER AND THAT THE SERVO-ACTUATORS THAT MAKE UP THE DAS SYSTEM NEED TO BE SEALED. WHEN WE ASKED IF THAT MEANT PUTTING GREASE OR SILICONE ON A RUBBER BOOT, HE SAID NO. THE UNITS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. HE SAID THAT ANY SOFTWARE FIXES FOR THE DAS WOULD BE TO CORRECT THE LACK OF TRIPLE REDUNDANCY IN THE EVENT OF FAILURES. I JUST ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF THEY REPLACED THE SERVO MOTORS OR CONTROL UNITS THAT ARE THE ROOT OF THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO DO SO. I THINK THAT THE DEALER AND INFINITI ARE BEING VERY AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THIS PROBLEM. I'LL GIVE THEM ONE CHANCE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS AND IF NOT SATISFACTORY, I'LL TRY THE LEMON LAW! *TR

CAR DID NOT WANT TO TURN--HAPPENED AGAIN AT 2200 MILES. CARRIED TO DEALER AT FIRST TIME BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED . FIRST TIME IT WAS VERY COLD AND THE SECOND TIME IT WAS EVEN COLDER. NOT HAPPY WITH THE SYSTEM IN PLACE TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM.. REPEAT SALE IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. CAR HAS BEEN PARKED IN YARD SINCE 2-5-2014 WAITING FAR TOWING TO DEALER.. DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN DRIVING CAR.. IT SEEMS THE ONLY USE WE HAVE IN OWNING CAR IS TO IMPRESS OUR NEIGHBORS WITH A USELESS $44,000 CAR. VERY UNHAPPY WITH DEALER, INFINITI AND TOWING COMPANY. NEED I SAY MORE.--THREE PHONE CALLS TODAY WITH NO RESULTS. POSTED 2-11-2014. *TR

WE PURCHASED THE Q50 BECAUSE WE LOVED OUR G35X SO MUCH. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE Q50 IN EARLY OCTOBER 2013, WE KNEW THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE SALESPERSON TOLD US THAT THERE WOULD BE A FIX IN NOVEMBER AND WE WOULD BE CONTACTED. DURING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, WE EXPERIENCED A RANGE OF ISSUES WITH THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND ONE TOUCH SYSTEM. WE HAD TO REBOOT THE SYSTEM ALMOST EVERY TIME WE DROVE THE CAR. WE WERE NOT CONTACTED FOR THE FIX IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER AND WE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE MANY STEERING ISSUES. MY WIFE CONTACTED THE PITTSBURGH INFINITI DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO FIX AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT SHE CONTACT THE CORPORATE OFFICE FOR CLARIFICATION. CORPORATE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO FIX, BUT THAT OUR Q50 HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR A RECALL. WE FOUND THE RECALL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET AND THE SHOCKING PART WAS THAT THE NHTSA SAID NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT CORPORATE KNEW OF THE STEERING ISSUE SINCE NOVEMBER 2013, BUT NEVER NOTIFIED US. I GUESS THEY WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED BY THE STEERING PROBLEM BEFORE TAKING ACTION. AFTER MANY CALLS TO THE PITTSBURGH INFINITI DEALER AND CORPORATE OFFICE, WE FOUND THAT NO ONE WANTED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE WENT TO THE DEALER WITH THE CAR THAT THEY AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND SUDDENLY THE FIX WAS AVAILABLE. I WILL MOST LIKELY NEVER BUY ANOTHER INFINITI AND I CAN ONLY RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE STAY AWAY FROM THE INFINITI Q-SERIES. HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/OWNERS/SEARCHRESULTSBYURLCODE.ACTION?REFERENCESEARCH.REQUESTID=20188&REFERENCESEARCH.URLCODE=YAZKXB0A65BZTDT. *TR

EVEN AFTER DAS REPROGRAM (ITB14-006) PER CAMPAIGN END OF JANUARY '14, DAS FAILED AT COLD TEMP AT START UP. AFTER DRIVING 10 MIN, I PARKED THE CAR OUTSIDE FOR 30 MIN AT 0 DEGREE F. WHEN RESTARTED, ENGINE WAS ON BUT MULTIPLE WARNINGS APPEARED (SAME AS REPORTED ON 1/11/14). THIS HAPPENED 2 TIMES AT COLD TEMP BEFORE REPROGRAMMING, AND PREVIOUSLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN TIRES AT ALL BECAUSE STEERING WAS JUST TOO HEAVY. HOWEVER, THIS TIME (#3), I WAS ABLE TO TURN TIRES EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL HEAVIER THAN USUAL. THE BACKUP MECHANICAL STEER MUST HAVE KICKED IN, AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AND MOVE THE CAR TO MORE SECURE PLACE AND WAITED. IN PREVIOUS 2 OCCASIONS, AFTER 40 MIN AND 10 MIN EACH TIME WHEN THE CAR WARMED UP, ALL ALARMS DISAPPEARED. THEREFORE, I WAITED, AND AFTER 40 MIN OF ENGINE RUNNING, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND ALL ALARMS DISAPPEARED, AND THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. EVEN THOUGH THE MECHANICAL STEER KICKED IN AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT WAS OBVIOUS DAS STILL FAILED AT COLD TEMP. THE FUNDAMENTAL DAS FAILURE PROBLEM AT COLD TEMP HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED AFTER THIS REPROGRAM, BUT AT LEAST NOW THE BACKUP MECHANICAL STEER WORKS IN THIS SITUATION. OF SEPARATE NOTE, IN OTHER 2 OCCASIONS, I WAS NOT ABLE TO CHANGE VOLUME OF AUDIO. THAT WAS SOLVED BY TURNING CAR OFF AND ON. SINCE THIS CAR HAS MULTIPLE SENSORS AND CONTROLS, I AM NOT CERTAIN IF EVERYTHING IS RUNNING NORMALLY OR NOT, IF EVEN A VOLUME CONTROL OF AUDIO FAILS AT TIMES, SINCE THIS IS ONLY THING THAT I CAN TELL IMMEDIATELY, BUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT I CANNOT RECOGNIZE WHILE DRIVING MAY BE IN FAULT MODE WITHOUT ME KNOWING IT. *TR

ON JANUARY 8, 2014, I WAS SCHEDULED TO BRING MY Q50 FOR SERVICE FOR VARIOUS ISSUES AND PICK UP A LOANER. THAT AM IT WAS ABOUT 3 DEGREES F IN CHICAGO. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, I SAW A SERIES OF WARNING LIGHTS, INCLUDING DYNAMIC CONTROL, SEAT BELT LIGHT (MY SEAT BELT WAS ON), MASTER WARNING LIGHT, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE WARNING LIGHT, DIRECT RESPONSE HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND ONE UNIDENTIFIED LIGHT. I LIVE 3 MILES FROM THE SERVICE CENTER AND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HEAD TO THE DEALER TO DROP OFF THE CAR AND PICK UP MY LOANER. THE CAR SEEMED TO OPERATE NORMALLY AT FIRST. AFTER 5 MINUTES IN SLOW TRAFFIC, I SAW THE "CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM ERROR" APPEAR. I WAS NOW ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM INFINITI. I MADE IT 1 MILE FROM THE SHOP WHEN THE CAR JUST STOPPED ON THE ROAD. IT WOULD NOT MOVE BUT THE HEAT AND RADIO WERE STILL WORKING. THEN A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID "WARNING SHIFT TO PARK." I SHIFTED TO PARK AND WAS THEN ABLE TO PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE AND MOVE ONCE AGAIN. EVERY TIME I SLOWED TO A NEAR STOP, THE CAR WOULD DIE AGAIN AND ASK ME TO PUT IT IN PARK. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR TO WITHIN 3 BLOCKS OF INFINITI WHEN IT STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE CAR WAS NOW STUCK ON HALSTED ST. DURING CHICAGO RUSH HOUR. TWO GUYS IN A TRUCK PUSHED MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED INFINITI AND THEY PICKED ME UP AND GAVE ME A LOANER. I PHOTOGRAPHED THE SCREENS WITH THE WARNINGS. ITS NOW JANUARY 31ST AND THE CAR IS STILL NOT READY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND IT WAS COMING FROM JAPAN. CAR TO BE READY FEBRUARY 4TH, 28 DAYS AFTER IT DIED ON THE ROAD. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN A COMPLETE RUN AROUND. THEY SAID THEY WERE CONSIDERING A BUYBACK BUT 3 PLUS WEEKS INTO THE PROCESS I WAS TOLD THEY WILL NOT BUY IT BACK. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AND MUST SELL IT FOR A LARGE LOSS. *TR

STEERING WHEEL LOCK AND MALFUNCTION AT COLD WEATHER. UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. ABLE TO RESTART AND FIX THE PROBLEM. HAPPENS DAILY IN COLD WEATHER. TOOK TO DEALER SOFTWARE UPGRADE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED. DEALER TRIED A SECOND TIME AND STILL SAME ISSUE. WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE CENTER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FIXED YET. THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX. *TR

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 THE CONDITION BUT, NOT ALWAYS. WHEN THE SYSTEM IS IN FAILURE MODE THE STEERING IS EXCEEDINGLY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO OPERATE, TO THE POINT OF MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE, IN MY OPINION. THIS FAILURE MODE, ACCORDING TO THE OWNER MANUAL, IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAIL SAFE MODE WITH REDUCED STEERING ASSISTANCE AND DIRECT MECHANICAL LINKAGE TO THE FRONT WHEELS. HOWEVER, THE STEERING EFFORT IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF, THE DIRECT MECHANICAL LINKAGE ACTIVE AND STEERING THE WHEELS WITHOUT ELECTRICAL POWER APPLIED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT IN EITHER THE MECHANICAL ASPECT OF THIS SYSTEM OR THE SOFTWARE THAT MANAGES IT. THE STEERING EFFORT IN DAS FAILURE MODE SHOULDN'T EXCEED THE EFFORT REQUIRED WITH NO ELECTRICAL POWER APPLIED TO THE STEERING. BUT, IT DOES, BY A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT. THE EFFORT REQUIRED IS OF A DEGREE WHERE DRIVERS OF LOW STRENGTH WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO ADEQUATELY CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THEY'D BE BETTER OFF PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. I CONSIDER TO THIS TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY CONCERN AND IN NEED OF INVESTIGATION. SO FAR, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO ONE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR INJURED FROM A DAS STEERING FAILURE. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS EITHER INJURED OR KILLED FROM A DAS FAILURE WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM BEHAVES WHEN IT'S IN FAILURE MODE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT, IS STILL EXHIBITING THE PROBLEM. IT'S BACK IN THE SHOP AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INFINITI Q50. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COLD WEATHER CAUSED THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER DID NOT PERFORM ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. ..UPDATED 02-28-14 *BF

Q50S HYBRID WITH TECH PACKAGE DRIVING LESS THAN 2 WEEKS (380 MILES). BEFORE DELIVERY, THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS PENDING AND SOFTWARE IS UP-TO-DATE. IN THE EARLY MORNING, I DROVE ABOUT 60 MINUTES WITHOUT PROBLEM (IT WAS BELOW ZERO), AND PARKED THE CAR FOR 2 HOURS IN OUTSIDE PARKING LOT. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN (OUTSIDE TEMP APPROXIMATELY 0 DEGREE F), ENGINE STARTED BUT MULTIPLE WARNING CAME UP. THOSE INCLUDE "MASTER WARNING, POWER STEERING WARNING, VDC WARNING, AND FORWARD EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING." I TRIED TO BACK THE CAR FROM THE LOT AND IT MOVED, BUT THE STEERING WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY AND I COULD NOT TURN. I RESTARTED 3-4 TIMES BUT NOTHING CHANGED. I CALLED INFINITI AND THEY SET UP TOWING BUT I NEEDED TO WAIT FOR 90 MINUTES FOR PICK UP DUE TO COLD WEATHER. WHILE WAITING, I KEPT THE ENGINE ON SINCE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. AFTER THE ENGINE RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WITHOUT SHUTTING DOWN BUT STILL ALL WARNINGS ON, I AGAIN SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED. THIS TIME, ALL ALARMS DISAPPEARED, AND STEERING WAS NORMAL. I CONTACTED WITH DEALER, AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT SAME PROBLEMS ARE HAPPENING WITH OTHER Q50 SAME DAY, AND NOTHING NEEDED TO OR CAN BE DONE AT THIS MOMENT, SINCE ALL SOFTWARE IS ALREADY UPDATED. OF NOTE, THE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY KEPT IN LOCATION COLDER THAN 0 DEGREE F MANY TIMES AND THIS PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN AT THE COLDER TEMPERATURE. BUT ONLY DIFFERENCE THIS TIME WAS THE CAR WAS KEPT OUTSIDE PARKING LOT. SINCE THAT INCIDENT, NO FURTHER ALARMS APPEARED AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE. HOWEVER, AS I SEE MORE INFORMATION IN THIS SITE, I FEEL SOME SORT OF MANUFACTURE OR OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE INITIATED, SINCE IT SEEMS THERE ARE MULTIPLE SAME ISSUES HAPPENING EVERYWHERE. SOME OF THESE INCIDENTS COULD HAVE EASILY TRIGGERED FATAL ACCIDENT. OBVIOUSLY, AFTER A FATAL ACCIDENT THEN ONE CANNOT COMPLAIN ANYMORE... *TR

DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPOT AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT AT ZERO DEGREE TEMPERATURES. MULTIPLE RESTARTS DID NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION (CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM ERROR REMAINED ILLUMINATED). ENDED UP TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP MENTIONED THERE WAS RECALL AND A SOFTWARE FIX YET I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION. STILL WAITING FOR CONTROL CABLE IN STEERING COLUMN THAT WAS BROKEN WHILE MANEUVERING CAR BACK INTO PARKING SPOT. *TR