2016 Infiniti Q50 Problems & Complaints

Better than average62% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Q50 at the same age

Owners have filed 39 complaints about the 2016 Infiniti Q50 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 62% fewer than a typical Q50 model year at the same age, making the 2016 one of the better Q50 years. The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling (10 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles). 4 recalls cover this model year.

39complaints
4recalls
1crashes
0fires
1injuries
0deaths

Most common 2016 Infiniti Q50 problems

  • Engine & cooling~60,000 miles
    1026%
  • Electrical system~93,000 miles
    821%
  • Steering~26,000 miles
    615%
  • Air bags~169,000 miles
    513%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~33,000 miles
    410%
  • Driver assistance~52,000 miles
    410%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~78,000 miles
    410%
  • Speed control & acceleration~37,000 miles
    38%
  • Seat belts~93,000 miles
    38%
  • Other / not specified~34,000 miles
    25%
  • Body & structure~17,000 miles
    25%
  • Wheels & tires~23,000 miles
    25%
  • Stability & traction control~26,000 miles
    13%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~26,000 miles
    13%
  • Seats
    13%
  • Brakes
    13%

Share of the 39 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Infiniti Q50 complaints by model year

201420152016201720182019202120231691263963443068
Owner complaints per model year, Infiniti Q50. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Q50 years: 2021, 2016, 2023. Years to avoid: 2014, 2015. Compare all years →

2016 Infiniti Q50 recalls (4)

Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft

NHTSA recall 24V-470 · Jun 21, 2024 · 7,222 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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.

Electrical system › Software

NHTSA recall 17V-476 · Jul 27, 2017 · 14,192 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Infiniti Q50 and 2017 Infiniti Q60 vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. Incorrect Fuel Pump Control Module (FPCM) software may allow the fuel level in the main tank to be too low to supply fuel to the engine, causing the engine to stall while driving.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and Infiniti dealers will reprogram the Fuel Pump Control Module (FPCM) with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began August 29, 2017.

Steering › Automated/adaptive steering

NHTSA recall 16V-430 · Jun 13, 2016 · 28,182 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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

NHTSA recall 16V-244 · Apr 26, 2016 · 3,296,947 vehicles

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…

Remedy: 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,…

What 2016 Infiniti Q50 owners say

Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Infiniti Q50. The contact stated upon attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that upon attempting to drive the vehicle 30 minutes later, the vehicle responded as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed that the valve body had failed. The mechanic determined that the valve body and the entire transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,636. The VIN was not available.

78,000 miles · Jun 2024

The contact owns a 2016 Infiniti Q50. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked before stalling. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was faulty. After replacing the engine, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired several times before the engine was replaced. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

60,000 miles · Jan 2020

Electrical system

The contact owns a 2016 Infiniti Q50. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change. The contact stated while driving to the residence, the RPMs and the speedometer were intermittently dim, and the daytime running lights were intermittently inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated that the front passenger's side seat belt light indicated that the seat belt was not buckled even though the front passenger's seat was unoccupied. The contact stated that upon buckling the front passenger's side seat belt, the seat belt warning light turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

93,000 miles · Oct 2023

I'm reporting a safety issue with my 2016 Infiniti Q50. Last Friday [redacted], my the car wouldn't crank and there was minimal dashboard power, but the engine wouldn't start. After receiving a jump, I had the battery replaced assuming it was the issue. However, six days later, while driving, the vehicle suddenly lost all electrical power mid-drive with no warning or dashboard alerts. The engine shut off, the brake pedal became stiff, and I was unable to use any power-operated functions, such as rolling down the windows (98 degree day in Texas) or opening the trunk, which contained my emergency tools. A police officer had to assist and the vehicle was towed. Upon inspection, the issue was traced to corroded battery terminal cables, which were blocking the signal from the new battery and causing the full shutdown. …

Jun 2025

Steering

Passenger seat light remain on for 4 months the went away. Then the airbag light came on. Took it to Infiniti of Tampa where they supposedly done diagnostics. They cause additional lights to appear on my dashboard to include the steering hard to turn. When I purchased the vehicle in October 2016 I was unaware of any recalls. I found out about a month ago there approximately four recalls for 2016 Infiniti Q50.

Dec 2024

On 12/11/21 my vehicle had limited turning (left or right) capability. The vehicle has < than 23K miles, was purchased at Bommarito Infiniti, and has been serviced at the same dealership since I purchased it. I bought the vehicle new and drove it over the last 5 years as a back-up vehicle to a Chevy Cruze (w/greater than 180K miles on it and no faulty parts). I did not purchase the extended warranty because it was supposedly a reliable vehicle, based on my prior history/ownership of a 2006 G50. I made timely payments for 5 years, performed all of the required maintenance, and took my car in for all of the Infiniti "recalls." After the ability to turn failed, I took the vehicle to Bommarito Infiniti for a diagnostic and routine oil change. The steering diagnostic found 3 leaks on the steering rack and pinion., (no oil was visible on the ground). …

Dec 2021

2016 Infiniti Q50 engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid7-speed automaticRWD28 / 33 / 30
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid7-speed automaticAWD27 / 30 / 28
2.0L 4-cyl turbo7-speed automaticRWD23 / 31 / 26
2.0L 4-cyl turbo7-speed automaticAWD22 / 28 / 24
3.0L 6-cyl turbo7-speed automaticRWD19 / 28 / 23
3.0L 6-cyl turbo7-speed automaticAWD19 / 26 / 22

EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Infiniti Q50 a good car?

Based on 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Q50 rates better than average: 62% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Q50 at the same age. It is one of the best Q50 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Infiniti Q50?

The engine & cooling — 10 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (8) and steering (6).

How many recalls does the 2016 Infiniti Q50 have?

There are 4 recalls for the 2016 Infiniti Q50, the most recent from June 21, 2024 (driveshaft). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Infiniti Q50?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021, 2016 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2014 and 2015. See the full Infiniti Q50 years comparison.

At what mileage do 2016 Infiniti Q50 problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 34,000 miles; 65% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.