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severe Owners of the 2014 INFINITI Q50 have filed 22 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Q50 (this page) | 22 |
| 2015 Q50 | 8 |
| 2016 Q50 | 7 |
| 2017 Q50 | 6 |
| 2018 Q50 | 5 |
Of the 6 model years of INFINITI Q50 we track for electrical problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 22.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION See ITB19-029 for models built after those listed above for a different Service Procedure. SERVICE INFORMATION The Applied Vehicles are equipped with a wireless communication device called a Telematics Communication Unit (TCU). With an active Infiniti Connection® or Infiniti InTouch Services™, the TCU communicates with the Infiniti Data Center to provide various security and convenience services. This bulletin contains important service procedures that must be performed properly in order to set-up and maintain the telematics system for the Applied Vehicles. Ø A table has been provided on the next page that lists the model and year specific steps required to suc
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗INTELLIGENT KEY NOT DETECTED / ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners report persistent lockups and software failures in the InTouch infotainment system, occurring multiple times daily or monthly. When the system freezes, owners lose control of audio, climate control, navigation, and instrument panel displays (speedometer, tachometer). Resets are the only remedy and result in loss of saved data and settings. Dealers have told owners that several lockups monthly is "normal" and blamed slow processing or incompatible Bluetooth phones. Backup camera malfunctions are widespread—systems fail to initialize, display black or white screens, load too slowly (up to 90 seconds instead of the recommended 6 seconds), or fail to show gridlines and warning messages, particularly at night when visibility is critical.
Engine start/stop failures have occurred, with owners receiving "No Key Detected" messages or the engine refusing to shut off after shifting to Park. Water intrusion from sunroof leaks into the body control module has caused electrical cascades affecting multiple systems. Instrument cluster resets have occurred during driving, leaving owners without speedometer or tachometer readings. Advanced driver assistance systems (collision avoidance, radar-based brake engagement, sonar backup warning) malfunction frequently, triggering hard braking with no vehicles ahead or false-positive warnings. The telematics control unit became inoperable when AT&T discontinued 2G support. Complete electrical power losses have occurred during highway driving. One owner reported a heated seat overheating without being activated. Navigation and audio system failures after car wash exposure suggest water vulnerability.
The InTouch system repeatedly locks up or shuts down, disabling audio, climate control, navigation, and instrument displays. Freezes occur randomly and unpredictably, with some owners reporting 2–3 incidents per day and others several per month. The only remedy is pulling over and restarting the vehicle, which resets saved data and settings. Dealers claim this is normal behavior for the system and blame slow processing speed or incompatible Bluetooth phones.
When: First few days of ownership through 3+ years; occurs randomly while driving
Symptoms owners cite: System lockup or complete shutdown; Loss of audio control; Loss of climate control functionality; Navigation system goes offline; Instrument panel displays become unavailable; Loss of saved data after reset; System resets when stopped and vehicle restarted
Repairs/costs cited: Software updates and hardware replacements performed but failures persist. Some owners report dealer replacements of DCU (Display Control Unit) without resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers advised owners that lockups 2–3 times per month are normal; blamed slow processing and incompatible Bluetooth devices; informed owners that promoted features (apps, calendar, email) advertised for fall 2013 release were never implemented. Infiniti stated the system operates as designed.
Backup camera fails to initialize after startup, displays black or white screens, or takes excessively long to display gridlines and warning messages (up to 90 seconds reported, compared to NHTSA-recommended 6 seconds). Camera particularly unreliable at night—either fails to activate or displays in dimmed day-mode rather than bright night-mode, making visibility impossible. Restarting the vehicle does not always restore function.
When: Occurs from 3 years 8 months and 33,000 miles onward; happens day and night, especially at night
Symptoms owners cite: Camera fails to initialize or display after shifting to Reverse; Black or white screen instead of camera view; Gridlines and warning messages do not display; Extreme delay (30–90 seconds) before gridlines appear; Night mode brightness issue (displays dimmed day-mode at night); Camera completely non-functional in some instances
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced display module without resolving the issue. Infiniti offers no solution and refuses warranty coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infiniti stated camera is operating as designed and can take up to 90 seconds to load; classified the problem as a normal characteristic of the vehicle; refused to investigate or repair under warranty despite video documentation.
Vehicle fails to shut off after placing in Park and pressing the START/STOP button, or displays 'No Key Detected' messages while driving. One vehicle continued to run for hours after owner exited with the smart key, requiring removal of the starter fuse to stop it. Engine refusing to turn off has occurred even with key present; 'Visit the Dealer' message displayed.
When: Occurs at various mileages; one instance at 150,000 miles; one at 66,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine fails to shut off when START/STOP button pressed after shifting to Park; No Key Detected message displays while driving; Vehicle continues running without key inside (smart key system fails); Visit the Dealer warning message; Light around START/STOP button changes color (orange vs. green)
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle required starter fuse removal by independent mechanic to shut down engine. Another required towing to dealer. One repair involved fixing water intrusion through sunroof into body control module (BCM).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers and independent mechanics investigated; root cause in one case was water damage to BCM from sunroof leak. Dealer performed repair.
Sunroof leaks or drainage tube clogs allow water to enter and damage the body control module (BCM), causing cascading electrical failures including inability to start engine, illuminate dashboard warning lights, and loss of multiple vehicle systems. Water intrusion into the firewall and through the BCM has been confirmed by dealers.
When: Occurs over time; one confirmed at 150,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No Key Detected message while driving; Engine fails to shut off; Multiple dashboard warning lights illuminate; Vehicle does not start after electrical damage; Intermittent jerking while idling (post-repair)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer performed water test and discovered sunroof leak into firewall affecting BCM. Vehicle was repaired; subsequent intermittent jerking reported post-repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer identified and repaired water damage; repair involved replacing or repairing BCM.
Instrument cluster randomly resets while driving, disabling speedometer, tachometer, and other gauges for 5 seconds or more. Occurs during rainy conditions and specific driving scenarios (sweeping turns, hill crests). Cluster resets itself without driver action.
When: One incident reported at 8:45 PM on rainy January 3rd in 45-degree temperatures; occurs randomly
Symptoms owners cite: Complete gauge cluster reset mid-drive; Speedometer and tachometer become inoperative; All gauges go dark for approximately 5 seconds; Cluster resets itself and restores function
Intelligent Cruise Control, collision avoidance radar, and sonar-based backup warning systems malfunction by triggering unwarranted hard braking. Vehicles automatically brake with no vehicles ahead, on empty parking lot surfaces, or while slowly backing out of spaces. Sonar registers false positives and beeps endlessly. Radar components have been replaced without solving the problem.
When: Multiple incidents; one at 65 mph on highway during active cruise control; one in parking garage during slow backing
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic hard braking with no obstacle present; Braking at highway speeds (65 mph) with empty road ahead; Braking while slowly backing in parking garage on clear roadway; False positive sonar warnings and continuous beeping; Radar system triggers without target vehicle present; Error messages display on dashboard
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced radar system components; sonar components were replaced. Problems persisted after repairs.
Vehicle loses all electrical power while driving at highway speeds, causing gauges, lights, and instrument panel to go dark. Electrical system restores after 1 minute. One incident also occurred when driving over a bump, causing power loss and unintended acceleration when driver pressed accelerator before understanding what was happening.
When: Incidents at 60 mph highway driving and low-speed driveway entry over a bump
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of electrical power while driving; All gauges and interior lights go dark; Speed display shows 0 mph; Speedo and gauges become inoperative; Power restores after 1 minute without driver action; Power loss triggered by driving over bump
A short in the hybrid system's fuse relay caused the air conditioning control unit and compressor to fail, which then shorted the hybrid junction box and disabled the hybrid battery recharge and power management system. This resulted in severe fuel economy degradation and risk of sudden propulsion loss while driving.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Air conditioning fails; Hybrid battery recharge system malfunctions; Hybrid power management system malfunctions; Significant fuel economy loss; Risk of sudden loss of propulsion
The telematics control unit, which uses 2G cellular technology, became inoperable when AT&T discontinued 2G service support on 12/31/2016. This disabled the automatic collision notification safety feature that was advertised on the vehicle. Infiniti required owners to pay $299 to restore functionality, despite being aware of AT&T's 2012 public announcement of 2G sunset.
When: Inoperability date 12/31/2016; notice received 12/6/2016
Symptoms owners cite: Telematics control unit becomes inoperable; Automatic collision notification feature disabled; No cellular connectivity via 2G network
Repairs/costs cited: Infiniti charges $299 for TCU restoration or replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infiniti notified owners of inoperability due to AT&T 2G sunset; did not issue recall or service campaign despite advance knowledge of 2G discontinuation announced by AT&T in 2012.
Navigation and audio systems stop working entirely, often with no clear trigger. In one case, failure occurred after driving through a car wash. Dealers have reported this is a known issue affecting all 2014 models and requires DCU (Display Control Unit) replacement, though replacement does not always resolve the issue.
When: One instance after car wash; occurs at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Navigation system stops working; Audio system stops working; Complete loss of DCU function; System does not respond after reset
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replace DCU (Display Control Unit) as remedy. Owners report DCU replacement may not resolve the issue permanently.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers acknowledge all 2014 Q50 models have this issue and require DCU installation; issue persists into 2015 model year.
Heated seat on driver's side became dangerously hot and melted the leather upholstery without the heated seat button being pressed or activated. This represents an uncontrolled heating hazard.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Heated seat activates without button being pressed; Excessive heat output; Leather seat melts from heat; No user control or shutdown capability apparent
Vehicle engine continues to run hours after owner exits with the smart key fob. The push-button start system fails to recognize that the driver has left the vehicle and that the key is not present. One instance resulted in the vehicle running until fuel was depleted, causing extreme under-hood heat that burned the owner's hand and melted a CD.
When: One incident August 17 at approximately 6:30 PM; discovered next morning approximately 9 AM
Symptoms owners cite: Engine continues running after driver exits vehicle; Smart key not recognized by start/stop system; Vehicle runs until out of fuel; Extreme engine compartment heat generated; Carbon monoxide risk inside attached garage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reports this is a known recurring issue and that people have died as a result, though manufacturer response is not documented.
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
The telematics control unit my 2014 Infiniti q50 will be inoperable by 12/31/16 based on a notice received from Infiniti on 12/6/16. Infiniti has indicated this is because att will discontinue support of the 2g technology the system is designed to use. However, att announced 2g support would sunset timeline way back in 2012 - in this public announcement…
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Infiniti q50. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to turn off when attempted. The contact also stated that the keyfob was not recognized. The contact stated that the vehicle shut-off only after running out of gas. The vehicle to was towed to lupient Infiniti milwaukee (10595 w. Arthur avenue, west allis, wi 53227, (262) 649-2236) to be diagnosed however, the…
It's a meaningful issue. 22 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.