Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Infiniti QX4 problems

Owners filed 29 complaints about the 1998 Infiniti QX4 with NHTSA between Nov 1998 and Aug 2019. The most-cited component is suspension (10).

Complaints
29
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension10
  2. Steering6
  3. Structure5
  4. Fuel system, gasoline5
  5. Vehicle speed control5
  6. Power train3
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  8. Air bags2
  9. Engine and engine cooling2
  10. Wheels1
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  12. Tires1
  13. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19982
19995
20001
20011
20020
20031
20040
20051
20060
20070
20081
20093
20100
20117
20121
20132
20141
20150
20161
20170
20181
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Suspension

10 reports2 crashes
“WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS PEDDLE THE REAREND STARTS A VIOLENTLY SHAKEING BACK AND FORTH AND WILL CAUSE YOU TO DRIVE OVER SOMETHING OR SOMEONE DUE TO DEFECTIVE BUSHINGS!!!HOW CAN THEY SELL US CRAP THAT CAN COST THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE AND NOT HONOR A RECALL ON REAR BUSHINGS...I NEARLY SHUT DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON MY LAST DRIVE......”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2019Suspension, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 11242762

Steering

6 reports1 crash1 related recall
“I BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN FOR A RECALL WITH STRUT TOWER AND CHASSY,THEY PATCHED TBE CHASSY UP,WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP I DIDN'T GET 5 MINUTES UP THE ROAD AND IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT HARD AND SHAKING AST 40TO 50MPH,IT'S A DRIVING HAZARD,I BROUGHT IT RIGHT BACK THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT ON IT,CALLED ME AND SAID IT'S STILL DOING IT AND THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO,SO NOW I'M OUT OF A VEHICLE THEY TOLD CONSUMER AFFAIRS THAT I CALLED THAT IT COULD OF BEEN A,PRE EXISTING PROBLEM SO NOW CONSUMER AFFAIRS WON'T HELP ME SO WHAT DO I DO NOW IT'S MY ONLY VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO JUST DRIVE OFF THEIR LOT WITH A HAZARDOUS VEHICLE,IT WAS FINE UNTIL THEY PATCHED THAT CHASSY UP THEIR WERE NO PRE-EXISTING PROBLEMS SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW,PLEASE HELP?THE DEALERSHIP IS RAY CATINA INFINITI IN EDISON,NEW JERSEY,THE ONLY THING THEY HELPED ME WITH IS GETTING ME A LOANER CAR AND THEM PAYING FOR IT BUT NOW I HAVE TO BRING IT BACK,I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT RIGHTS I HAVE OR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2018SteeringODI 11128014

Structure

5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INFINITI QX4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN AND SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,757.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2016Steering, StructureODI 10863087

Fuel system, gasoline

5 reports1 related recall
“HAD A RECALL ON OUR CAR AND WHEN WE CALLED TO TELL THEM WE HAD IT FIXED THEY WANTED US TO TAKE IT TO THEIR DEALER WHICH THE CLOSEST ONE TO US IS OVER 300 MILES AND IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO I AM ON DISABILITY AND CAN BARLEY SURVIVE ON WHAT I GET AND THERE IS NO WAY POSSIBLE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO TRAVEL THIS DISTANCE MONEY WISE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REIMBURSED ME FOR THE REPAIR EXPENSES BUT WONT IF I CANT GET IT TO THEIR DEALER. I HAD IT REPAIRED IN AUGUST 2010 THE EXACT RECALL WORDING WAS FOR FRONT DRIVERS SIDE STRUT TOWER HOUSING I COULDN'T FIND THIS IN YOUR LIST AND WHEN I CALLED THE NUMBER THAT'S WHEN SHE TOLD US ABOUT THE FUEL LINE PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 28, 2011Steering, Suspension, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10403636

Vehicle speed control

5 reports3 crashes
“GAS PEDAL DOES NOT GO DOWN WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED. IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHEN DEPRESSED WITH MORE FORCE. SOMETHING IS STUCK IN THE LINKAGE. DEALER (JEFF) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 29, 2000Vehicle speed controlODI 719452

Power train

3 reports
“MY INFINITY 1998 QX4 HAS ABOUT 88000 MILES I BOUGHT A DEMO IN JAN "99 RECENTLY I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3000.00. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT WARANTY IT BECAUSE IT WAS AN INFINITY SO I TOOK IT TO AN AAMCO. WHO WARANTEED IT FOR I YEAR.I MUST HAVE CHANGED THE BRAKEPADS 3 TIMES AND ACCEPT FOR THE DRIVERS SEATBELT NONE OF THE SEATBELTS WORK, ALSO DURING THE FIRST YEAR THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED,I CONTACTED INFINITY AND LEARNED THAT TIRES THAT COME WITH NEW VEHICLES WERE NOT WARANTEED.THIS IS MY 4TH OR 5TH NISSAN PRODUCT BUT NEVER AGAIN!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2005Power train, TiresODI 10122012
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.