2014 Infiniti QX60 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 QX60 most often describe shuddering, juddering and hesitation from the continuously variable transmission, typically felt at low speeds or when pulling away from a stop and usually surfacing between roughly 60,000 and 100,000 miles, with several owners reporting a replacement transmission that later behaved the same way. A second recurring theme is the front passenger air bag indicator switching off with an adult seated, reported mostly on very low-mileage vehicles and often tied to the occupant classification system. Scattered reports cover headlight moisture, shattered sunroof glass, sticking accelerator pedals and loose wheel hardware.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, judder and hesitation

   • 99 complaints (50%)
   • median 77,500 mi at 5.8 yrs old (52 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $6,940 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2025

   Complaints describe the vehicle shuddering, bucking or jerking during acceleration, most often between about 15 and 40 mph or when leaving a stop, sometimes with a delay before the car moves. Owners say dealers frequently diagnosed the continuously variable transmission and in several cases replaced the whole unit, with at least a few owners reporting the shudder returning after the replacement. Other complaints mention loss of power at speed, stalling, a whining or clunking noise, and repair estimates in the several-thousand-dollar range once the vehicle was out of warranty. Most reports fall between roughly 60,000 and 115,000 miles, with a handful on much lower-mileage vehicles.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for transmission service history and whether any CVT calibration or replacement was done, and test drive slowly from a stop and at 15-30 mph on an incline. A transmission fluid check for leaks and a look at the transfer case seal area are worth requesting.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle was in motion(highway) will juddering, refuse to change gear properly and shake or jerk like I have never seen.I was about to be hitted from the back and afraid of this car.when to the dealer, and they do like they are not aware of this issue of the powertrain.this brand or vehicle is a serious issue that need the authority voice to fix before it kill someone.”

   NHTSA complaint #11348401, filed 2020-08, 75,000 miles

   “My vehicle shattered and violent shaking upon accelaration. Theres a CVT recall for the same models, and when I bring my car to the dealer they told me they can't replace it for free because my car is salvage. Now I can't drive because am not feeling safe and I dont want to endanger my self and the other drivers.”

   NHTSA complaint #11355626, filed 2020-09, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Passenger air bag turns off with adult seated

   • 21 complaints (11%)
   • median 1,745 mi at 1.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the passenger air bag indicator showing the bag as off while an adult occupies the front seat, sometimes intermittently. Owners report dealers adjusting sensor sensitivity, performing a zero point reset, or updating software, and several say the light came back afterward or that the issue could not be duplicated. More recent complaints describe the occupant classification system control unit being diagnosed as needing replacement. Many reports come from vehicles with very low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles.

   Recall 16V244000Recall 15V681000Recall 14V1380003 related service bulletins

   What to check: With the engine running, have an adult sit in the front passenger seat and confirm the air bag indicator reads on rather than off. Ask whether the occupant classification software update or control unit campaign was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a brand new Infiniti QX60 2014 in apr. 2014. The passenger seat airbag has been frequently off even when an adult occupies the seat, and the problem happened just a few days after the purchase. I brought the vehicle to the dealer and they said that they re-calibrated the airbag sensor. Also, the dealer said that the car is not under recall list as the car is newly manufactured in mar. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10588462, filed 2014-05, 80 miles

   “I leased this 2014 QX60 on 10/23/2013. Within the first two weeks we noticed that the airbag off light would go on while my wife was in the front seat. It would come on for several minutes then go off. This occurred randomly and would occur days apart. We took the vehicle to the dealer and they adjusted the sensitivity. The issue started back a month later and we took the vehicle back on 2/26/14 and they performed a zero point reset. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10651564, filed 2014-10, 1,900 miles
3. 3
   Other or unknown

   Headlight assemblies take on moisture

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report moisture building up inside a headlight assembly in rain or snow, with one or both headlights going inoperative and the driver-side lights acting intermittently. Complaints state dealers diagnosed the headlamp assemblies as needing replacement, and some owners said no assistance was offered for the repair. Reported from roughly 57,000 to 110,000 miles, often after wet weather.

   What to check: Inspect both headlight housings for fogging, water droplets or staining and switch on all lights to confirm both assemblies work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought this vehicle brand new in 2015. A few months after purchasing the vehicle. It started to give me intermittent issues with the driver side front lights (but not the headlight). A couple of months after I first notice the problem, I had the chance to take it to the dealer. When they tested the vehicle they didn't find any problems. I drove home puzzled because when I drove to the dealer that morning the one of the lights of off. So I tested the lights as soon as I got home and the light didn't go on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11057892, filed 2018-01, 45,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2014 Infiniti QX60. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, she noticed that the headlights were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced due to moisture. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11459204, filed 2022-04, 110,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator pedal sticks or car gains speed

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the accelerator pedal staying down after release or moving down on its own, with the vehicle accelerating beyond the intended speed until the pedal is lifted manually. Some owners also describe the car failing to respond to the pedal, or surging while cruise control is set. Reported from very low mileage up to about 75,000 miles, at highway and steady speeds.

   What to check: Press and release the accelerator slowly with the engine off and on to confirm the pedal returns freely, and check that floor mats are the correct fitted type and secured.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving my car losses normal speed and stops responding to me trying to accelerate even after I hit the pedal all the way to the floor, car keeps slowly moving but doesn't pick up the speed. Sometimes its jerking on its own and do not respond to my pressure on the gas pedal. Seesm to be realated to similar issue that they have with q50 cars engine control module (ECM) may temporarily lose a signal from one of the engine management system's throttle position sensors (tps). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11338615, filed 2020-07, 80,000 miles

   “On two separate occasions,the gas pedal on the car got stuck in the down position causing the car to accelerate uncontrollably. The first time was while accelerating onto the highway. When I let off the gas pedal, it stuck in the down position and I had to manually disengage it with my foot. The second time on 3/7/2015 at 2050, my wife was driving at a steady speed of 65 MPH when the gas pedal went down on its own causing the car to accelerate to approximately 85 MPH before she was able to disengage the pedal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10693001, filed 2015-03, 3,000 miles

Buying note. The transmission is the main thing to vet on this model year: budget time for a slow-speed test drive and ask for service records showing any CVT work. Also confirm the front passenger air bag indicator behaves correctly with an adult seated and whether the related occupant classification updates were completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.