2002 Infiniti QX4 Problems & Complaints

Averageabout as many complaints as a typical year of the QX4 at the same age

Owners have filed 37 complaints about the 2002 Infiniti QX4 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is about average for the QX4 at the same age. The most reported problem area is the suspension (14 complaints, typically around 140,000 miles). 5 recalls cover this model year.

37complaints
5recalls
5crashes
0fires
3injuries
0deaths

Most common 2002 Infiniti QX4 problems

  • Suspension~140,000 miles
    1438%
  • Steering~140,000 miles
    719%
  • Air bags~137,000 miles
    514%
  • Engine & cooling~123,000 miles
    411%
  • Speed control & acceleration~120,000 miles
    411%
  • Brakes~89,000 miles
    38%
  • Body & structure~146,000 miles
    38%
  • Lights
    25%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~195,000 miles
    25%
  • Transmission & drivetrain~120,000 miles
    25%
  • Seat belts~30,000 miles
    25%
  • Electrical system~125,000 miles
    25%
  • Other / not specified
    25%
  • Equipment & accessories~12,000 miles
    13%
  • Wheels & tires~111,000 miles
    13%

Share of the 37 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Infiniti QX4 complaints by model year

199719981999200020012002200345294328733720
Owner complaints per model year, Infiniti QX4. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best QX4 years: 2000. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997. Compare all years →

2002 Infiniti QX4 recalls (5)

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 20V-008 · Jan 9, 2020 · 307,962 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020.

Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 17V-068 · Feb 2, 2017 · 46 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2002 Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with Takata air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March, 31, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Air bags

NHTSA recall 15V-287 · May 15, 2015 · 1,090,569 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Suspension › Front

NHTSA recall 11V-244 · Apr 20, 2011 · 195,991 vehicles

Nissan is recalling certain model year 1996-2004 pathfinder and model year 1997-2003 Infiniti qx4 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…

Remedy: Nissan will inspect the strut housing and repair the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. An interim notification letter was sent out in May 2011. The second notice was mailed on July 25, 2011.

Air bags › Frontal

NHTSA recall 10V-312 · Jul 6, 2010 · 46 vehicles

Nissan is recalling forty-six certain model year 2002 pathfinder and Infiniti qx4 vehicles manufactured from August 24, 2001 through August 28, 2001. The air bag inflator contains propellant wafers that are required to properly deploy the front passenger air bag.

Remedy: Nissan will notify the owners of the forty-six affected vehicles. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module assembly with a new one free of charge. The safety recall began on August 19, 2010.

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2002 Infiniti QX4:

Frame/Body Structure Corrosion

NHTSA investigation PE11004 · opened Jan 28, 2011 · closed Jun 30, 2011 · led to recall 11V-244

In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of April 20, 2011, Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall of certain 1996-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-2003 Infinity QX4 vehicles to repair corrosion damage to the driver's side front strut tower.The vehicles included in the recall are those that were originally sold, or are currently registered in salt belt states…

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

NHTSA investigation EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.

What 2002 Infiniti QX4 owners say

Suspension

My issues are related to the SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 1997-2003 QX4 IN SALT STATES FRONT STRUT HOUSING CORROSION. I brought my car in for the recall at Infiniti of Bloomington, Minnesota and they only fixed the Driver's side strut housing using a brace but only painted the Passenger's side. Now the Passenger's side strut housing shows corrosion and some perforation but repairable still under the recall. As of today 01/23/2023 The dealer and Infiniti refused to do recall on passenger's side despite the car is not safe to drive. They knowingly know the passenger's side will corrode but still let me drive the car with the defective which they refuse to fix.

Jan 2023

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Infiniti QX4. While the vehicle was with an independent mechanic for routine maintenance, the mechanic noticed that the driver's side strut housing was rusted and cracked. The independent mechanic alerted her of a recall for the strut housing and the manufacturer was contacted. The manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension) at fields Infiniti glencoe (2100 frontage rd, glencoe, il 60022 [phone]). The dealer stated that a plate was installed on the strut housing. The contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic who stated that it looked like no repairs were completed. The contact stated that both independent mechanics informed her that a plate needed to be installed in the strut housing, but the vehicle was not repaired. …

124,000 miles · Nov 2017

Steering

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Infiniti QX4. While the vehicle was with an independent mechanic for routine maintenance, the mechanic noticed that the driver's side strut housing was rusted and cracked. The independent mechanic alerted her of a recall for the strut housing and the manufacturer was contacted. The manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension) at fields Infiniti glencoe (2100 frontage rd, glencoe, il 60022 [phone]). The dealer stated that a plate was installed on the strut housing. The contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic who stated that it looked like no repairs were completed. The contact stated that both independent mechanics informed her that a plate needed to be installed in the strut housing, but the vehicle was not repaired. …

124,000 miles · Nov 2017

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Infiniti QX4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver without warning. The contact called an unknown dealer and was informed that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension) in 2012. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but did not offer any further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

152,000 miles · Jul 2017

Air bags

Driving in a snow storm and slid in to a rail ,no damage but the back light,airbag deployed,. My regular headlights on the driver side went out three years ago , neighbor got it to work ,now both headlights are not working.

Feb 2026

Takata recall air bag did not deploy when stationery 2002 Infiniti QX4 stopped at traffic light on city street was hit in the rear by another vehicle which was accelerating. Pushed Infiniti QX4 25 feet into oncoming traffic.

137,000 miles · Mar 2010 · crash · 1 injury

2002 Infiniti QX4 engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automaticRWD14 / 18 / 15
3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic4WD/AWD13 / 17 / 15

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2002 Infiniti QX4 a good car?

Based on 37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 QX4 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the QX4 at the same age. 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 2002 Infiniti QX4?

The suspension — 14 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the steering (7) and air bags (5).

How many recalls does the 2002 Infiniti QX4 have?

There are 5 recalls for the 2002 Infiniti QX4, the most recent from January 9, 2020 (inflator module). 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 QX4?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001 and 1997. See the full Infiniti QX4 years comparison.

At what mileage do 2002 Infiniti QX4 problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 123,000 miles; 12% 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.