QX reliability (potential new users thread)

Hi folks! read this thread as i am looking to upgrade me EX35. This is the second Infiniti I have owed and to date i have been very happy with the reliability of these cars.

We are expecting on second child so the EX35 just wont be practical anymore. I was looking as either the JX or the QX. The JX seem to have a lot of reliability issues VS the QX with some issues but manageable. Truth be told the JX is more within budget as even a used QX is still quite costly and gas is very expensive here.

From what I gather reliability issues on the +2011 QX are the timing chain and the Cat converters. The Timing chain is now on the recall so that shouldn't be an issue anymore but what are the symptoms of the Cat converter? is it simply a inspection issue?

The bottom line... since the timing chain is no longer an issue. Would you call this car reliable? The best i could afford is 2011 (maybe 2012 with higher mileage).

What kind of consumption are we looking at?

What about kid car seat, how user friendly is the car for car seats and rear seat access.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
T
 
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the car is quite kid friendly.

i'd say reliability on my 2011 is decent. my g35 has been great, in 6 years i've replaced a wheel bearing and that's it (besides oil and fluids). the qx has been somewhat less good...fuel pump went out, timing chain obviously, backup camera died, master cylinder failed, brake caliper pins seized, alternator had to be replaced. all fixed under warranty except the alternator but that was my issue (and would have been warrantied if i were within 150 miles of a dealer).

none of it left me on the side of the road. i had an x5, and that had about the same # of issues.
 
i wouldn't go that far; it's not a honda or a toyota and its not as solid as my G. i think you should expect something to break w/in the first few years of owning. that said, i'd recommend the car against its 3-row lux SUV competition...
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cbkqx56 said:
the car is quite kid friendly.

i'd say reliability on my 2011 is decent. my g35 has been great, in 6 years i've replaced a wheel bearing and that's it (besides oil and fluids). the qx has been somewhat less good...fuel pump went out, timing chain obviously, backup camera died, master cylinder failed, brake caliper pins seized, alternator had to be replaced. all fixed under warranty except the alternator but that was my issue (and would have been warrantied if i were within 150 miles of a dealer).

none of it left me on the side of the road. i had an x5, and that had about the same # of issues.
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That is quite the list TBH. I am happy that it was on warranty but makes you wonder if these components will fail again in the near future. A 2011 has no more warranty and I imagine part and labour for these repair are really expensive.

Being at the top of my budget not sure this is a viable option. It's really too bad the qx60 is so unreliable. That would gave been the perfect choice. I hate to part with infiniti but I guess it's out of budget for me and my needs.
 
cbkqx56 said:
i wouldn't go that far; it's not a honda or a toyota and its not as solid as my G. i think you should expect something to break w/in the first few years of owning. that said, i'd recommend the car against its 3-row lux SUV competition...
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we can agree to disagree.

ive had 2 armadas and this 2012 qx and nothing ever broke on the armadas and the qx has had nothing to break on it. and its my daily driver.

its grossly unfair to "Expect" something will break on a new car of ANY manufacturer. this qx is solidly built and i expect it to last.

the flaw in slaw comes in when you pick up a used car. then all bets are off as you dont know what abuse (if any) this used car had prior to you.
 
marctronixx said:
we can agree to disagree.

ive had 2 armadas and this 2012 qx and nothing ever broke on the armadas and the qx has had nothing to break on it. and its my daily driver.

its grossly unfair to "Expect" something will break on a new car of ANY manufacturer. this qx is solidly built and i expect it to last.

the flaw in slaw comes in when you pick up a used car. then all bets are off as you dont know what abuse (if any) this used car had prior to you.
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Well to be fair I did say I was looking at a used one. I was looking at 2011-2012.
 
My vehicle is a 2011, purchased new. These vehicles are stout, well made and durable, but it does require proper servicing and a tad bit of common sense.

I've known quite a few folks, in my time, who enjoy driving luxury cars. Some fail to do their due diligence as to what the costs are to have the vehicle properly serviced. I've witnessed them either skip oil changes altogether or they use the cheapo quickie lube places. Consequently, the vehicle never sees the inside of a true service bay, until they trade it in! One never knows what the original owner did with that used vehicle unless they can produce detailed records for the life of the vehicle. Even then, you wont' know if they went off road or mudding!

Tark: Have the vehicle you are looking at inspected by someone other than who is selling it and get a good warranty.
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come on, let's be serious. an infiniti is not a toyota or a honda. let's be realistic.

that said, i wouldn't categorize them as unreliable. e.g., i've had 2 bmw and sold both as soon as the warranty ended. i'll keep the qx beyond my warranty expiration. the g35 has been pretty great (tho it is in the shop now for weird noises). the timing belt was the thing i lost sleep about -- now that is fixed and is a warranty item for everyone else.
 
Be wary of any used QX with over 80K on the original cats and manifolds. Seems to be a common problem and it will cost you between 2K - 5K to fix.
 
Prospective QX56 buyer

Looking at a 11-12 vintage QX56 with around 100k on it. These things are super nice but reading about high dollar timing chains and catalytic converters has got me spooked. So I've got a few questions.

Is every 11-12 afflicted with the timing chain recall or is it only certain VINs?

Does the recall cover all the 11-12 models?

If the timing chain craps out after warranty, is it still covered due to the recall status? My understanding of recalls is that they are not limited by warranty.

If a truck has made it to 100k miles, does that mean the timing chain is not one of the compromised ones?

Can these vehicle be serviced at dealers other than Infiniti?


I really like the truck but the potential or dare say likelihood for expensive repairs gives me pause. Sell me on the general reliability of this truck to go from 100k to 200k with me doing my part on maintenance.
 
aye my car is a 2012 and ain't nothing "vintage" about it! its the same car as the newer qx. just different lipstick on the front.. :D

if you have been on various car forums over the years, you should have noticed that people only post up when there are issues. rarely do people log on and say "wow i just signed up to say this car is great" posts..

heck even audi had a recall, bmw, and other high end cars. tesla had a recall (adding titanium plate to the undercarriage to protect the battery)

so recalls will happen. the car is expensive so consider the maintenance on major parts (not talking about fluid maintenance and the type) to be expensive. this is nothing new.

so on to your question.

Is every 11-12 afflicted with the timing chain recall or is it only certain VINs?

Does the recall cover all the 11-12 models?
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1. the majority of the 11-12 models were affected, but NOT all. there is a website that you can enter the vin in of your car to determine if it needs the work done, or you can call into any infiniti dealer and they will find it.

If the timing chain craps out after warranty, is it still covered due to the recall status? My understanding of recalls is that they are not limited by warranty.
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2. i don't believe so. once the repair is done (it's more than JUST the chain), you have a limited warranty on the WORK. i think its a year or X miles but that is something you can for sure find out through a local infiniti shop.


If a truck has made it to 100k miles, does that mean the timing chain is not one of the compromised ones?
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3. NO this does NOT mean that. if the recall was not done, and you get a car with over 100K you SHOULD GET IT DONE.


Can these vehicle be serviced at dealers other than Infiniti?
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4. in theory yes. personally i would not take my car to ford to have the timing chain done (i mean would a dealer other than nissan/infiniti even AGREE to work on another car?) its not a super hybrid car its just a conventional DIG engine, 8 cylinder.

people who are good with mechanics, have done repairs himself and/or taken it to a local shade tree or friend. with the service manual for this car, you have access to the same procedures the infiniti techs do, so if you are mechanically inclined and have the space, time and tools, you can do repairs yourself.


the car is reliable. period. its built like a tank. ive had a 2006 armada, then a 2008 armada, and bought the 2012 qx brand new. its my daily driver and it has 68K on the clock. even before the recall work was done i did not have any issues with the car. with the recall done, the car still drives and feels like the first day i bought it. you can choose to believe me or feel that I am being biased, but there are many people who have these cars and they are one of the best.

since you are looking for a used car, get the vin and see what kind of life it had before you. anyone can get a car and dog it out, regardless of make.model.

some owners have had paint chipping off the caer on some areas. thats hit or miss and it noe common. again i have no paint flaking and my car (black) looks like it just drove off the showroom floor. yes i keep my car clean weekly, so other may not (some use this car as a grocery hauler/ mall troller, etc. and may not keep it as clean as other people)

other than the above, not much is going on with this car. nissan have had a reliable run with the armada/qx of the first gen (some cats have over 300K on the car) and no doubt they will continue with the second.

yes its expensive for certain things just like escalades and range rovers for example, so if you dont want to worry about that, you should look into another car that is less expensive.
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marctronixx said:
aye my car is a 2012 and ain't nothing "vintage" about it! its the same car as the newer qx. just different lipstick on the front.. :D

if you have been on various car forums over the years, you should have noticed that people only post up when there are issues. rarely do people log on and say "wow i just signed up to say this car is great" posts..

heck even audi had a recall, bmw, and other high end cars. tesla had a recall (adding titanium plate to the undercarriage to protect the battery)

so recalls will happen. the car is expensive so consider the maintenance on major parts (not talking about fluid maintenance and the type) to be expensive. this is nothing new.

so on to your question.



1. the majority of the 11-12 models were affected, but NOT all. there is a website that you can enter the vin in of your car to determine if it needs the work done, or you can call into any infiniti dealer and they will find it.




2. i don't believe so. once the repair is done (it's more than JUST the chain), you have a limited warranty on the WORK. i think its a year or X miles but that is something you can for sure find out through a local infiniti shop.





3. NO this does NOT mean that. if the recall was not done, and you get a car with over 100K you SHOULD GET IT DONE.




4. in theory yes. personally i would not take my car to ford to have the timing chain done (i mean would a dealer other than nissan/infiniti even AGREE to work on another car?) its not a super hybrid car its just a conventional DIG engine, 8 cylinder.

people who are good with mechanics, have done repairs himself and/or taken it to a local shade tree or friend. with the service manual for this car, you have access to the same procedures the infiniti techs do, so if you are mechanically inclined and have the space, time and tools, you can do repairs yourself.


the car is reliable. period. its built like a tank. ive had a 2006 armada, then a 2008 armada, and bought the 2012 qx brand new. its my daily driver and it has 68K on the clock. even before the recall work was done i did not have any issues with the car. with the recall done, the car still drives and feels like the first day i bought it. you can choose to believe me or feel that I am being biased, but there are many people who have these cars and they are one of the best.

since you are looking for a used car, get the vin and see what kind of life it had before you. anyone can get a car and dog it out, regardless of make.model.

some owners have had paint chipping off the caer on some areas. thats hit or miss and it noe common. again i have no paint flaking and my car (black) looks like it just drove off the showroom floor. yes i keep my car clean weekly, so other may not (some use this car as a grocery hauler/ mall troller, etc. and may not keep it as clean as other people)

other than the above, not much is going on with this car. nissan have had a reliable run with the armada/qx of the first gen (some cats have over 300K on the car) and no doubt they will continue with the second.

yes its expensive for certain things just like escalades and range rovers for example, so if you dont want to worry about that, you should look into another car that is less expensive.
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Thanks for the reply. Yes, I've been on various forums over the years and no doubt they expose the weaknesses more than the attributes of a given vehicle. That's why they are a great resource to check for a vehicle you don't know much about. Looked at another QX56 tonight and it was immaculate. 96k miles and the carfax only showed regular maintenance through 2 owners. It feels like a joke that the Escalade from 2010-14 is even considered in the same segment. It's like a completely different era of vehicle. My main concern in this purchase is reliability. The QXs are a bit higher than I want to spend but after looking at them, they may justify the higher price tag. Just don't want to get hit with a big repair bill right out of the gate. That would be a lot easier to stomach on a $20k Escalade than a $29k QX. Plus I'm not as intimidated by repair work on a GM SUV. I can handle a lot of those repairs myself. Not so sure about the Infiniti. Thanks for any additional insight anyone can provide.
 
Purchasing an 08 - 10 QX56

Hello, I am new here and I'm in the market used QX 56,, likely to be 2008 to 2010 with 100k plus miles. My question for the experts here is are there any major issues that I should be aware of and or considering in my decision process.
I have read quite a few stories of timing chain and catalytic converter issues?
Do these issue effect all model years? At what mileage do these issues typically surface? Telltales to be on the lookout for ? Engine Codes to look for?
Thank you very much in advance!
Any advise would be greatly appreciated!
Dave
 
that model qx is the same as the same year armada so whatever issue you may come across in your internet travels, you should add that car to the search string.

main things:

cats/manifolds

I had a 2006 and 2008 and dont recall reading about timing issues. or course, people only get online to complain and rarely do they get online to praise a car, so keep your search with a grain of salt.

as for trouble codes:

just see if there are any present. take the code(s) if any and search the internet.

im more concerned with maintenance history of previous owners). make sure you get good records.

the armada/qx of that year is a reliable car. i mod on another armada/qx forum and there are many 200K+ happy armada users.
 
2011 QX56. 130k miles.
My wife loves this SUV! But...
-Random electrical problems with battery failure. Infiniti service disconnects something to solve the problem that Infiniti manufacturing won’t fix.
-Timing chain problem at 90k (got money back after recall thank goodness. And thanks to all those who complained so that Infiniti was held responsible for poor manufacturing!)
-Catalytic converters both go out at 100k... $4000 because Infiniti Consumer Affairs said it was not ‘covered’ and it was my responsibility to pay for the repair.
-Now the transmission is doing a stuttering thing and Infiniti service says the only thing I can do is replace it at a cost of $9000. Infiniti Service is not allowed to repair them. And since there are no ‘codes’ when tested, apparently the computer does not even realize the transmission is having problems!
Infiniti Consumer Affairs says that it only covered these problems through 80k miles and that they were not interested in assisting in any way.
Now we have to decide if it is worth keeping or if we would ever consider trading it for another Infiniti.
Just WOW!
What are they thinking? No company survives when they don’t take care of the customers they already have... pretty sad since my wife loves the SUV.
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160k miles on my 12. Really love the vehicle. Wife wants another. That said, I would not buy another Infiniti. Multiple problems that should just not happen (I do expect some, but there have been multiple major system failures). Timing chain, catalytic converters, front end suspension, broken seat brackets (1k each), rear air lift suspension, leaky weather sealing on windows, backup camera. Plus I get about 15k miles on the rear tires. Granted I am at high miles, but problems started to develop at 50k miles and pop up every now and again in a frequency that I wish they wouldn't.

Was thinking about GLS but maybe your experience is a warning. Maybe just by a Land Rover so I know what is coming and don't expect reliability.
 
New user here....looking at a 2012 QX56

My wife is looking to replace her current 2009 Chevy Tahoe and found a 2012 QX56 at my father in laws dealership that she is interested in.
He said that the timing chain recall was done around 70 something. (5/18/16)

and i spoke to the infiniti website rep to confirm this, and she also states it had a safety recall for the fuel rail pressure sensor on 3/25/12.

No other open recalls or campaigns are on the vehicle.

With that said, the vehicle currently has 121k almost to 122.

Is the timing chain something that will need to be done again in 20k?

I dont want to purchase this vehicle to only be hit with lots of financial issues right away to repair.

The reason we are looking at this vehicle is because it is newer, we like it, and it would work better for us as we are expecting a 3rd child now.


Thanks!
 
Is the timing chain something that will need to be done again in 20k?
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no one can predict things like that, but its not a maintenance item that will normally need to be replaced on that interval...

it comes down to how well the car was maintained.
 
Buying high mileage qx56

Hi, new member, I searched for this but didn't find it so please refer me if there's already a post similar to this.

Looking at a 2011 qx56 with about 124,000 miles. It has service records and got the timing chain recall done. It's not perfect because it had 2 minor accidents, 1 sideswipe in a parking lot, another minor rear ending. It was fixed properly and still has a clean title.

My two questions are about reliability and what to look for when inspecting for purchase? Also what is it worth? Asking is around 17-18k but that feels like overpaying with its history.

Let me know guys, thanks!
 
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