Selling an Infiniti QX50 with a failed engine
Just over half of all QX50 complaints to NHTSA are on one model year. The 2019 has 141 of the 277, and 51 of them are filed under the engine. Across every year, owners filed 92 complaints under the engine and 42 more under engine and engine cooling, far more than any other part.
- Model years (EPA)
- 2014-2025
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 277
- Year with the most complaints
- 2019 (141)
- Filed under engine
- 92, plus 42 under engine and cooling
- Engine from late 2017 (Wikipedia)
- 2.0 KR20DDET turbo four, Xtronic CVT
- Recall campaigns
- 7
- Discontinued
- End of 2025
If your QX50's engine has let go, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
The 2.0-liter turbo, the investigation and the recall
Wikipedia says the second-generation QX50 (J55) went into production in November 2017 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, with a 2.0-liter KR20DDET turbo four and an Xtronic CVT. NHTSA began investigating on December 13, 2023, after owners reported engine failures in Nissan's KR15DDT and KR20DDET engines. Per Wikipedia, the reports describe a dead engine, lost power, knocking or noise, and metal chunks and shavings in the oil pan. Wikipedia puts the likely cause at seized or damaged main bearings and L-links, and Nissan said it was changing its manufacturing process.
Recall 25V437 followed, reported June 27, 2025. It lists 2019-2022 QX50s, 2022 QX55s, 2019-2020 Altimas and 2021-2024 Rogues with the 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter variable compression turbo. Dealers reprogram the engine control module free, and owner letters went out April 8, 2026. The 443,899 vehicles in that campaign include the Nissans, so the number is not QX50s alone.
Two generations
| Generation | Built (Wikipedia) | Drivetrain | Model years here | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First (J50) | Tochigi, Japan | 3.5 or 3.7 V6, 7-speed automatic, rear- or all-wheel drive | 2014-2017 | 37 |
| Second (J55) | Aguascalientes, Mexico, from Nov. 2017 | 2.0 turbo four, CVT, front- or all-wheel drive | 2019-2025 | 240 |
The QX50 name replaced the EX in 2013, per Wikipedia, and the model ended with 2025. NHTSA's file has no 2018 row.
2014-2017
These V6 years have 37 complaints between them. The 2016 has the most, 19, with 3 crashes and 3 fires reported. None of the seven recall campaigns lists these years.
2019-2025
Engine complaints lead on 2019, 2020 and 2021. The 2020 has 17 engine complaints out of 33, and the 2021 has 15 out of 41, plus 4 under forward collision avoidance. From 2022 on, counts fall to 16, 4, 4 and 1. Those cars are young, so a low count partly reflects less time.
The other six campaigns:
- 18V593 (2019): in a crash in very cold weather, the trim cover could separate from the passenger knee air bag. 1,671 QX50s.
- 19V654 (2019): back-up camera software update. 1,228,830 vehicles, mostly Nissans.
- 21V025 (2020): the tire and loading placard may be unreadable. 8,291 QX50s.
- 21V402 (2021): a front steering knuckle or the rear axle housing might lack strength. 14,276 vehicles, including the Murano, QX60, GT-R and Q50.
- 23V187 (2022): wrong door latch in the front passenger door lock. 48 vehicles, QX55s included.
- 24V154 (2023-2024): driver air bag replacement. 351 vehicles across many Nissan and Infiniti models.
Complaints and recalls by model year
QX50 totals use NHTSA complaint data up to October 10, 2026. Any recall that covers 2019-2022 is counted on every one of those year rows.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns | Named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical, structure (1 each) |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Engine, lighting, power train (1 each) |
| 2016 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 0 | Engine (4) |
| 2017 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (3) |
| 2019 | 141 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Engine (51) |
| 2020 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Engine (17) |
| 2021 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Engine (15) |
| 2022 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (5) |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Fuel, collision avoidance, engine (1 each) |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (2) |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fuel/propulsion (1) |
Across all years, owners' complaints say 19 vehicles were towed.
Fix it or sell it?
- Engine knocking or dead on a 2019-2022? Check the VIN for 25V437 and ask a dealer in writing what applies to an engine that has already failed.
- If you'd be paying for an engine yourself, line up the engine quote against what running QX50s of your year are listed for. Blown engine walks through that call.
- Shudder or slipping instead? The J55 uses a CVT; failing CVT covers the signs.
Selling a QX50 whole
- Have ready the VIN, mileage, front- or all-wheel drive, and what happened to it.
- Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
- Tell us where it sits: a dealer lot, a shop, a garage or the street. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Leave it whole, engine included, even if it's seized. Mention anything already removed.
- At pickup, have the title and ID. Still paying on it? See still owe on the loan.
Questions people ask
- Which QX50 model year has the most NHTSA complaints?
- The 2019, with 141 of the model's 277 as of October 10, 2026. Fifty-one are filed under the engine and 31 under engine and engine cooling. The 2021 (41) and 2020 (33) come next. Newer QX50s have had less time to collect complaints.
- Is my QX50 in the engine recall?
- Recall 25V437 lists 2019-2022 QX50s with the variable compression turbo engine. Dealers reprogram the engine control module free, with letters to owners mailed on April 8, 2026. NHTSA's VIN search confirms whether a given car is included.
- The engine already failed. Does the recall cover that?
- The listed remedy is a software update, not an engine. Ask an Infiniti dealer, in writing, whether anything beyond the software applies once the engine has already seized. Decide on selling after that answer.
- Will you buy a QX50 with a seized engine?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Mention the seized engine and the address where the QX50 sits.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data: QX50 model years fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 18V593: passenger knee air bag nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 19V654: back-up camera software nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V025: tire and loading placard nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V402: steering knuckle and rear axle housing nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 23V187: front passenger door lock nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 24V154: driver air bag nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 25V437: variable compression turbo engine nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: Infiniti QX50 (generations, engines, plants, 2023 NHTSA investigation) en.wikipedia.org