2014 INFINITI Q50 HYBRID Complaints

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE LEASE THE VEHICLE THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH INTERRUPTED AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THESE WERE FIRST REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AS "HESITATION ON ACCELERATION, ADVISE" WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT 4,849 MILES ON 01/30/2014. THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN REPEATED TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND TAKEN TO INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS. I HAVE GONE THROUGH RECORDING INCIDENTS WITH A MONITOR IN THE VEHICLE, HAVING A SPECIALIST DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS (AND ALTHOUGH HE DID DRIVE IT FOR A FEW HUNDRED MILES IT WAS MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING AND NOT THE TYPE OF STOP AND GO DRIVING WHERE THE INCIDENTS MORE REGULARLY OCCURRED). AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE RETURNED LAST WEEK I FINALLY DID SOME RESEARCH AND SAW A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE (11/07/2014) DESCRIBING A RECALL FOR THE ISSUES I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT. IN THE ARTICLE ONE OWNER STATED THE CAR WAS A "MENACE. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. EVERY TIME I HAVE HAD THIS INTO THE DEALER I HAVE COMPLAINED, AND THEY CLAIM THE ISSUE CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. FINALLY, THEY HAVE BEGUN TO TELL ME IT IS NORMAL WITH THIS HYBRID CAR. THIS IS NO NORMAL EVENT." SEVERAL WEEKS AGO MY YOUNGER SON, AN ATTORNEY, WAS DRIVING AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. HIS COMMENT WAS, "WHAT WAS THAT, IT TOOK OFF ON ITS OWN!" I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING, THAT IS THE MANNER IN WHICH THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. IF THAT IS NORMAL AND THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE THEN IT SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FATALITIES. I HAVE BEEN A RESPONSIBLE OWNER AND HAVE TRIED TO DEAL WITH THIS THROUGH INFINITI BUT THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACK ON ME, OTHER INFINITI CONSUMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR THE LAST TIME. I HAVE DECIDED IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO REPORT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM TO A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

DURING WINTER 2014, I STARTED GETTING AWD / CHASSIS CONTROL ERRORS CONSTANTLY. THE ERROR WOULD SHOW UP AT VARIOUS TIMES, INCLUDING WITHIN 3-5 MIN FROM A COLD START, 10-15 MIN AFTER ENGINE REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE, WHILE DRIVING AFTER 20-30 MIN. SOMETIME THE ERROR IS FOLLOWED BY A SURGE IN POWER. EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS, THE AWD SYSTEM GOES OFFLINE AND THE CAR WORKS IN REAR WHEEL DRIVE ONLY. IN SNOW OR RAIN THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THIS PAST WINTER, I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE CAR UP MY DRIVEWAY. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR, THE ERROR GOES AWAY BUT IN 90% OF THE CASES IF COMES BACK WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE CONDITION IS NOT RELATED TO WEATHER (HAPPENED IN WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER). THE ECU TROUBLE CODE POINTS TO A SOLENOID CONTROLLING THE AWD SYSTEM ON THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES. ALL THE RECALLS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, INCLUDING A FEW ECU RECALLS AS I UNDERSTAND. THE DEALER REFUSED TO CHANGE THE POSSIBLE FAULTY SOLENOID SINCE EVERY TIME THEY TESTED THE CAR, THE PART WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW (3200 MILES AS OF AUGUST 13TH). I HAVE LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALER FOR OVER 2 WEEKS AND DROVE A LOANER. AT WHAT POINT IN TIME CAN I CONTACT INFINITI AND ASK THEM TO REPLACE THE CAR SINCE THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO FIX IT. PERHAPS THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT OTHER HAVE AND WE CAN FORCE INFINITI TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 INFINITI Q50 HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, WHILE GOING INTO A RIGHT CURVE THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND ACTIVE LANE CONTROL SYSTEMS WERE ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE ROADS WERE TREATED DUE TO THE INCLIMATE WEATHER, WHICH HE FELT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,700.

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, PRESSED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN CAR BECAUSE OF ANOTHER CAR IN THE FAST LANE. THE BRAKES THROBBED AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE CAR. MOVED OVER TO THE MIDDLE LANE AND PRESSED BRAKES AGAIN, BRAKES THROBBED BUT DID NOT SLOW DOWN CAR. PULLED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, BRAKES THROBBED SLOWED DOWN CAR UNTIL STOP. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE BRAKES THEN BRING TO WORK PROPERLY. THIS HAS HAPPEN ABOUT 5 TIMES AND INFINITI HAS NOT CORRECTED OR FOUND ISSUE. *TR

SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, SLIGHTLY OVER A YEAR, WHEN DECELERATING GENERALLY WHEN COMING OFF A HIGHWAY ON AN EXIT RAMP TO A STOP, WHILE BRAKING THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO NORMALLY SLOW BUT THEN SUDDENLY "JUMP FORWARD" OR FEEL LIKE IT IS ACCELERATING THEN CONTINUE BRAKING. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. EVERY TIME I HAVE HAD THIS INTO THE DEALER I HAVE COMPLAINED AND THEY CLAIM THE ISSUE CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. FINALLY, THEY HAVE BEGUN TO TELL ME IT IS "NORMAL" WITH THIS HYBRID CAR. THIS IS NO "NORMAL" EVENT. THIS CAR IS A MENACE. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR SYSTEM WILL INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATE WHEN MY WIFE (SMALL STATURE ADULT) IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. ABOUT HALF THE TIME THE SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE WHEN SHE GETS IN THE CAR AND ABOUT HALF THE TIME IT STAYS OFF. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPORT THE SYSTEM IS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. I CONTACTED INFINITI BUT MY DISCUSSIONS WERE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. THEY DENY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THEY STATE THAT IT IS DUE TO THE OCCUPANT NOT SITTING CORRECTLY. THEY CAME TO THEIR CONCLUSION WITHOUT OBSERVING HOW SHE SITS IN THE CAR AND WITHOUT GIVING SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT SHE IS "DOING WRONG". I FIND THIS FRUSTRATING SINCE THIS IS THE SAME REASONING THEY REPORTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013 PRIOR TO ISSUING A LARGE RECALL IN APRIL 2014 AND AFTER AN INITIAL SMALL RECALL IN APRIL 2013. I CURRENTLY BELIEVE THE SENSOR SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS RELATED TO HOW SHE SITS IN THE CAR. WE HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT WAYS OF SITTING IN THE CAR AND NOTHING WE DO SEEMS TO HELP. SHE HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY OTHER CAR COMPANIES. AND EVEN IF I ACCEPT THEIR ARGUMENT IT STILL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE BECAUSE AN AIR BAG SYSTEM SHOULD NOT HAVE A 50% RELIABILITY RATING AND BE SO DEPENDENT ON IF SOMEONE SITS 1 MM OFF CENTER. THERE SHOULD BE A MARGIN OF SAFETY TO PROTECT AGAINST FAILURE DURING ROUTINE DAY TO DAY OPERATION. I JUST WANT THE CAR TO BE FIXED. AND I WANT MY FAMILY AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE TO BE SAFE. I AM CONCERNED THAT NISSAN/INFINITI IS DENYING A PROBLEM EXISTS FOR ECONOMIC REASONS AND TO PREVENT ANOTHER RECALL. I REALLY APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU AND YOUR AGENCY CAN PROVIDE IN THIS MATTER. *TR

MULTIPLE NAVIGATION / INTOUCH CRASHES, MALFUNCTION, RADIO FREEZES, HEAD PROXY UNIT FAILURE,. ISSUES OCCUR UPON STARTUP AND YOU ARE FORCED TO STOP, WAIT 5 MINUTES, RESTART VEHICLE. BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE, REPLACED DIRECT CONTROL UNIT,UPDATED FIRMWARE. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO DISPLAY ISSUES APPROX. 2 - 3 TIMES PER WEEK APPROX. 15 - 25 MINUTES INTO COMMUTE. FORCED TO PULL OFF ROAD, STOP, WAIT, RESTART. SCHEDULED VISIT WITH INFINITI DEALER TECH SPECIALIST TO REVIEW VEHICLE. INFINITI ENGINEERING STATES 2 - 3 FAILURES PER WEEK NORMAL BEHAVIOR. VEHICLE IS HYBRID, ELECTRIC MOTOR DOES NOT APPEAR TO RUN FOR EXPECTED DURATION RESULTING IN CITY MPG UNDER 20MPG. VEHICLE ADVERTISED AT 27MPG CITY. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ELECTRIC MOTOR BEHAVIOR BUT INFINITI DOES NOT VIEW IT AS AN ISSUE. MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE UNSUCCESSFUL. INFINTI CASE [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *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