YearToAvoid

2018 Infiniti Q50 Engine Problems

Engine complaints make up 19 of 44 total complaints for the 2018 Infiniti Q50, or 43% of all reported issues that year — the highest share of any model year listed. There is no related recall filed for this engine problem area.

Engine complaints
19
43% of 44
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
22,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Serpentine belt has snapped or shredded multiple times while driving, in one case leading to engine overheating after a coolant hose was knocked loose.
  • Owners report a persistent whirring or whining noise from the engine at startup and during warm-up, sometimes tied to a tensioner pulley.
  • Some owners describe the VR30DDTT engine block as porous, resulting in engine failure, stalling at highway speed, or a possible rod failure.
  • Engine has seized or shut down while driving, accompanied by a knocking sound from the engine bay and loss of power.
  • A low oil pressure warning has appeared along with an abnormally loud engine on startup, prompting a tow.
  • One vehicle caught fire under the hood and burned completely while the owner was exiting the car.

When 2018 Infiniti Q50 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 24, 2018, latest Jan 7, 2026.

2018 Infiniti Q50 engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Jul 2018Oct 2019Mar 2023Nov 2024Sep 2025Dec 2025
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2018 to Jan 2026; peak Oct 2019 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2018 Infiniti Q50

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Q50 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201419 (11%)
  2. 201527 (21%)
  3. 201613 (33%)
  4. 201719 (31%)
  5. 201819 (43%)
  6. 201913 (43%)
  7. 20202 (67%)
  8. 20213 (50%)
  9. 20220 (0%)
  10. 20231 (13%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2018 Infiniti Q50?
NHTSA lists 19 engine-related complaints for the 2018 Q50 out of 44 total complaints for the year, which is 43% of all reported issues — the largest share among the model years shown.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Infiniti Q50 engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the engine problem area on the 2018 Q50.
At what mileage do 2018 Q50 engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2018 Q50 is 22,000 miles.
What kind of engine failures do owners report?
Owners describe repeated serpentine belt failures, unusual engine noises, porous engine blocks leading to failure, engine seizing while driving, and one under-hood fire.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.