ENGINE SUPPORT TOOLS SERVICE INFORMATION A new Engine Support Tool, Engine Support Bracket, and CVT Transmission Jack Adapter are now available to allow the CVT to be removed from the APPLIED VEHICLES without having to remove the engine. The procedure in this bulletin is different from the procedure currently in the ESM, which will be updated with this information at a later date. Please refer to the SERVICE PROCEDURE in this bulletin for information on how to use these new tools: ï· Front Wheel Drive (FWD) â pages 4 - 25 ï· All Wheel Drive (AWD) â pages 26 - 52
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 INFINITI QX60 powertrain problems
moderate Owners of the 2018 INFINITI QX60 have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 QX60 | 117 |
| 2015 QX60 | 23 |
| 2016 QX60 | 3 |
| 2017 QX60 | 12 |
| 2018 QX60 (this page) | 12 |
| 2019 QX60 | 10 |
| 2020 QX60 | 5 |
When does it fail?
Of the 12 powertrain complaints filed for the 2018 INFINITI QX60, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 32% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 4 categories tracked.
Among the 8 model years of INFINITI QX60 in our records for powertrain problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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.
FLUID LEAK CAUSED BY TRANSFER ASSEMBLY RIGHT SIDE DRIVE SHAFT OIL SEAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TRANSFER ASSEMBLY SEAL REPLACEMENT FOR AWD FRONT DRIVE SHAFT REMOVAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA âWRITEâ PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DRIVE SHAFT BOOT SERVICE INFORMATION SERVICE INFORMATION If a Drive Shaft (Axle Shaft) Boot on an APPLIED VEHICLE is found to be leaking grease, AND There is no abnormal noise or obvious CV Joint risk due to water intrusion and/or complete grease loss, check for REPAIR KIT-DUST BOOT (cv Joint Boot Kit) availability. ï· If there is a REPAIR KIT-DUST BOOT (CV Joint Boot Kit) available for the vehicle being repaired, do NOT replace the axle. Install a new boot kit following the procedure in the ESM. o Refer to the ESM: TRANSMISSION & DRIVELINE > FRONT AXLE > REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION > FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BOOT o If the complete axle (drive shaft) is replaced when only a new boot is required, the
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The CVT transmission dominates complaints in this group. Owners describe jerking, hesitation, shuddering between 20–60 MPH, and loss of power during acceleration, starting around 31,000 miles and continuing through 79,000+ miles. One owner's diagnostic code P0776 (CVT malfunction) triggered a warranty dispute when Infiniti delayed approval despite an extended warranty court decision (96 months/94,000 miles, effective June 2022). Another owner had the transmission replaced entirely under extended warranty—the problem persisted and worsened. A third reports transmission control valve replacement that failed to stop recurrent shuddering within days.
Transfer case leakage requiring replacement appears multiple times; one owner replaced it twice by 93,000 miles and notes four other owners with identical issues. Rear differential noise (grinding and whining) with black fluid leakage is reported, along with powertrain rattle and steering wheel vibration that dealers attributed to a fuel-efficiency design and declined to address.
One low-mileage case (10,830 miles) describes the vehicle rolling backward in a garage—the dealer refused to diagnose. Another owner's gear shift locked, requiring full assembly replacement followed by timing chain work shortly after.
AWD coupling failure caused a tire to spin independently at highway speeds with no warning light. Dealer identification of the needed repair did not lead to resolution or recall.
Same INFINITI QX60 powertrain reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
CVT Transmission Malfunction and Shuddering
CVT transmission exhibiting jerking, hesitation, shuddering, and loss of power during acceleration. Owners report the problem persists or worsens even after transmission replacement under warranty. Symptoms appear in low speed range (20–60 MPH) and during highway driving.
When: 31,000–94,000 miles; one case at 79,600 miles with error code P0776
Symptoms owners cite: jerking when accelerating; hesitation during acceleration; shuddering between 20–60 MPH; loss of power; transmission slipping; vehicle struggling to find right amount of power
Codes mentioned: P0776
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced transmission control valve (did not resolve issue); full transmission replacement performed under extended manufacturer warranty (problem persisted or worsened); timing chain replacement cited in one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: CVT warranty extended by court action (effective June 1, 2022) from 72 months/70,000 miles to 96 months/94,000 miles for 2015–2018 QX60 models. Dealer delayed warranty approval; one owner reports dealer insisted no further action needed after second transmission visit.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Coupling Failure
Rear-end electric coupling malfunction causing passenger-side rear tire to spin independently and vehicle hesitation during acceleration. Occurs at moderate speeds with no warning lights.
When: 94,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: passenger side rear tire spinning; hesitation during acceleration; AWD not functioning as designed
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer identified rear-end electric coupling as requiring replacement; vehicle was not repaired at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or TSB issued; manufacturer made aware but did not provide coverage or assistance.
Transfer Case Leakage and Failure
Transfer case developing leaks and requiring replacement multiple times within vehicle ownership. Owner reports four other vehicle owners experiencing the same recurring problem.
When: First replacement around 16,000–73,000 miles; second replacement at 73,000 miles; leakage again by 93,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: transmission leaking; black fluid dripping from between oil pan and transmission
Repairs/costs cited: Transfer case replaced twice; owner characterizes as expensive repair. Four other owners reported same issue.
Rear Differential Noise and Leakage
Grinding and whining noises from rear differential during turns and driving; black fluid leakage from differential area; hissing sound on startup.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: grinding noise during left or right turns; whining noise while driving; black fluid dripping from differential area; hissing sound when turned on
Powertrain Rattle and Vibration Noise
Rattling noise and steering wheel vibration occurring throughout normal operation. Dealer stated noise is common in QX60 models and attributed to fuel-efficiency design feature. Multiple owners reported same complaint; dealers declined to service.
When: Occurs from time of purchase (CPO vehicle purchased 2021)
Symptoms owners cite: rattling noise from powertrain; steering wheel vibration
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer declined to address, claiming it is inherent design characteristic (referred to as 'Droner' or similar). Infiniti consumer service directed owner to have failure inspected by separate dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infiniti consumer service acknowledged complaint but did not provide fix; directed owner to secondary dealer inspection.
Transmission Control Valve Failure
Transmission control valve causing shuddering in 20–25 MPH range. Replacement did not resolve issue; shuddering returned within days and expanded to 20–60 MPH range.
When: 31,000+ miles; failure on 8/16/19, valve replaced 8/23/19, issue returned 9/1/19
Symptoms owners cite: shuddering in 20–25 MPH range; shuddering recurrence in 20–60 MPH range after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission control valve replaced; ineffective.
Transmission Shift Lock and Gear Shift Assembly Failure
Gear shift assembly locking up, requiring full replacement. Timing chain replacement needed shortly after.
When: Mileage past transmission warranty but within engine warranty timeframe
Symptoms owners cite: gear shift locked up
Repairs/costs cited: Full gear shift assembly replacement performed; timing chain replacement also required.
Vehicle Rollback in Park (Possible Transmission/Parking Brake Issue)
Vehicle rolled backward in home garage despite being parked. No warning indicators illuminated. Low-mileage incident suggests potential transmission holding failure or parking brake malfunction.
When: 10,830 miles
Symptoms owners cite: vehicle rolling backward while parked in garage
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infiniti of Naperville showroom manager refused to assist; manufacturer made aware but did not assist.
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
The rear differential is messed up on this truck, and there is grinding noise - when i turn left or right, and there,s a whinning noise while driving, and also black fluid drips from in between the oil pan, and transmission and hissing sound when turned on..
Car is slipping and have had CV joints checked, fluids replaced. Was told it was the differential coupling. Looked it up and many, many others are having the same issue. This is a safety concern because the transmission is slipping on these cars when they get to 50,000+ miles.
The contact owns a 2018 Infiniti QX60. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH or at slower speeds, the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) failed to function as designed, causing the passenger’s side rear tire to spin. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while attempting to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed…
I purchased my 2018 QX60 in 2021 at Competition Infiniti as a certified pre-own vehicle. I soon began to hear a rattling noise and the steering wheel would vibrate a little. I brought the vehicle back to the dealer several times with this complain and they keep telling me that their is nothing that the can do for me because that’s the way the vehicle is built. The noise as I was told is common…
The transmission started shuttering in the 20-25 MPH range on 8/16/19. I took it in for service the next day and they replaced the transmission control valve on 8/23. The shuttering returned on 9/1 and now occurs between 20 to 60 MPH. This issue occurs during highway or street driving. Vehicle has 31k plus miles
Check Engine light came on. Diagnosis revealed timing chain needs to be replaced. Mileage is past the warranty but years is not past the warranty. Repair comes just a couple of months after gear shift locked up and full gear shift assembly had to be replaced.
Malfunction of Power Train from 2018 Infiniti QX60. On July 19th, I visited Infiniti of Beachwood due to engine error light (error code P0776, CVT tranmission malfunction) of 2018 Infiniti QX60 (VIN: 5N1DL0MN0JC533475, mileage 79600). Infiniti dealer service at beachwood asked me wait untill they receive transmission warranty approval from their regional Headquarter. During last 3 weeks, I…
Subject of Complaint: Severe odometer fraud, mileage tampering, and title misrepresentation by the selling dealership: Phenix Motors, LLC ([XXX]), operated by [XXX]. The Discrepancy: The vehicle was sold to me with a falsely represented odometer reading. Subsequent electronic diagnostics and vehicle history reports reveal that the actual mileage is severely discrepant from the mileage disclosed…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2018 INFINITI QX60?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2018 INFINITI QX60?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 57,208 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/INFINITI/QX60.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.