2020 Infiniti QX50 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#5 most-complained of 11 QX50 years
The 2020 Infiniti QX50 has a Complaint Index of 60 and ranks 5th worst of 11 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Engine complaints dominate at 69% of reports, with 2 recalls on file, one covering the engine control module.
- Complaints
- 32
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25.5
- 22.5 city / 28.5 hwy
Top 2020 Infiniti QX50 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine22 (69%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras8 (25%)
- Electrical System4 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (13%)
- Other3 (9%)
- Brakes2 (6%)
- Fuel System1 (3%)
- Lane Departure1 (3%)
What owners report
- Engine emits a fuel smell in the garage, later traced to a crankcase issue by an Infiniti engineer.
- Vehicle stalls abruptly multiple times while driving, along with screen restarts and radio turning on by itself.
- RPMs spike or fluctuate irregularly during acceleration and cruising, followed by a malfunction warning and total loss of forward propulsion.
- Brakes engage on their own without driver input, sharply cutting speed in traffic or on the highway.
- ProPILOT Assist/Intelligent Cruise Control fails to warn the driver when hands leave the wheel.
- Engine makes a knocking sound with a loss of power, later attributed to a spun engine bearing.
2020 Infiniti QX50 recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V437000Jun 27, 2025Engine443,899 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.
- NHTSA 21V025000Jan 26, 2021Other8,291 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2020 INFINITI QX50 vehicles. The text of the Tire and Loading Information placard, including the tire size and loading capacity, may be illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Illegible tire size or loading capacity information can lead to the incorrect sized tire being installed or its overloading, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: INFINITI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the legibility of and, as necessary, replaced the placard, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Infiniti's number for this recall is PC788.
2020 Infiniti QX50 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28.5 MPG
- Combined
- 25.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,125
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2020 compared with other QX50 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Infiniti QX50 reliable?
- Compared to other QX50 model years, 2020 carries a Complaint Index of 60 and ranks 5th worst out of 11 years, earning a Caution verdict. It is not the worst year, but engine complaints stand out.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2020 Infiniti QX50?
- Engine problems dominate NHTSA complaints for the 2020 QX50, making up 69% of all reported issues, with a median mileage at failure of 51,000 miles for that category.
- Does the 2020 Infiniti QX50 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2020 QX50: one for an engine control module software reprogram covering certain 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder variable compression engines, and one for an illegible tire and loading information placard.
- How does the 2020 QX50 compare to other years?
- The 2020 QX50's Complaint Index of 60 is lower than 2019 (100), 2021 (90), and 2022 (80), all of which carry an Avoid verdict, but higher than 2017 (40, Good verdict).