Infiniti Q50 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2014 draws 4.74 complaints per run and the 2016 1.23, a 3.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 60.9% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Steering, with 117 complaints, typically at 3.8 years.

Infiniti Q50 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Infiniti Q50 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2023	1.14	8	7	too new
2021	1	6	6	too new
2019	1.93	29	15	yes
2018	1.75	42	24	yes
2017	1.82	60	33	yes
2016	1.23	37	30	yes
2015	4.1	119	29	yes
2014	4.74	161	34	yes

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2014 Q50 asks a median $10,500, against $10,875 for a 2015, the next model year: about the same, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 6 Infiniti Q50 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2014, 2015, 2019; the three worth hunting are 2016, 2018, 2017.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Infiniti Q50 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	56	12.6%	covered
1 year	45	22.8%	covered
2 years	42	32.3%	covered
3 years	30	39.1%	covered
4 years	21	43.8%	you pay
5 years	44	53.7%	you pay
6 years	36	61.9%	you pay
7 years	54	74%	you pay
8 years	36	82.2%	you pay
9 years	30	88.9%	you pay
10 years	30	95.7%	you pay
11 years	18	99.8%	you pay
12 years	1	100%	you pay

ROWS 13·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 39.1% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 60.9% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (6 years / 70,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 33% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Infiniti Q50, the early trouble is Steering and Service Brakes — reported at around 3.8 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Electrical System at 5.1 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Infiniti Q50 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Steering	117	3.8 yrs	8	—
Electrical System	84	5.1 yrs	2	2
Power Train	77	7.7 yrs	3	1
Engine	76	5.6 yrs	2	1
Air Bags	61	4.7 yrs	14	—
Unknown Or Other	55	5 yrs	2	1
Vehicle Speed Control	47	6.2 yrs	5	—
Service Brakes	41	3.7 yrs	9	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Q50's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 2.59 for the Q50. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Infiniti Q50 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Q50	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Infiniti Q50

Recalls31 campaigns Fuel economy31 mpg best Common problems487 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space14 cu ft Used prices924 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2014–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Infiniti Q50 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.59 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Q50 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2014, 2015, 2019. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2016, 2018, 2017. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Q50 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Steering, typically at 3.8 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Q50 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 39.1% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 33% of the complaints here.

Is the Q50 more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 2.59 complaints per production run for the Q50 against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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