2020 infinity qx 60 Bought car used in 2024 with 80,000. There is a hesitation when accelerating and sometimes seems to want to die when idling. There is also a knocking sound at times when accelerating. At times I feel transmission skips. When turning right or left or reversing, the wheels seem to creek and almost grind a bit. I am great about maintenance and called to determine if my vin was included in the current recalls. I am told no, but am experiencing the same symptoms described by infinity. Just want to know if there is a any action to take to ensure my 4 kids and I are always safe when traveling and dont end up with thousands in repairs.
Infiniti QX60 grinding brakes problems
12 of the 603 owner complaints about the Infiniti QX60 describe grinding or squealing brakes, most of them for the 2014 model year.
- owner complaints
- 12
- worst model year
- 2014
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20201
- 20182
- 20172
- 20161
- 20146
Often reported together
Transmission failure 2CVT failure 2Slipping 1Shudder 1Hesitation 1Fire or smoke 1Knocking 1
What owners say
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..
The electric controlled coupling failed and as a result, the AWD failed. There is vibration when turning and driving 25 mph. The grinding noise remained after I got new brakes and I was told it’s from the coupling trying to power the AWD. I took my 2016 QX60 to the dealer and also to a foreign car auto shop and they both confirmed it needs to be replaced. When the coupling is unplugged, the noise is not present.
Dear Infiniti Consumer Affairs, I am writing to express my concern about the recent transmission failure in my vehicle. This is the second time I have experienced a transmission failure in less than a year. The first transmission failure occurred on around May of 2023. The symptoms were as follows: The transmission gave out while on the highway, causing the vehicle to not start or drive. The transmission would not shift gears at 4000 RPMs unless I let off the gas and then gave it gas again. I took my vehicle to the dealership on sometime in May 2024, and they replaced the transmission after they tried to do a valve body that was recommended by the warranty department. Later, I was told that the failure was caused by a Faulty Transmission and was on recall notice. The second transmission failure occurred on 4/5/2024. The symptoms were as follows: The transmission would not shift gears at 4000 RPMs unless I let off the gas and then gave it gas again. The transmission would sometimes slip out of gear while driving. The transmission would make a grinding noise when shifting gears. My wife is taking the vehicle to the dealership on 04/08/2024, and they are currently diagnosing the problem. I am concerned that this is a recurring issue with my vehicle, and I am worried that it will continue to happen. I am also concerned about the safety of my vehicle, the safety of myself my wife and my kids as a transmission failure could cause both her and I to lose control while driving. I am requesting that you investigate this matter and take the necessary steps to resolve the issue. I would like to know what caused the transmission to fail, and I would like to know what steps can be taken to prevent it from happening again. I am also requesting that you provide me with a loaner vehicle while my vehicle is being repaired. my wife needs a vehicle for work, and she cannot afford to be without it. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. If you need to reach
The vehicle shudders and the transmission shifts up and down and has a high squeal when driving. The transmission does this cold and at operating temperature.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear AWD electronic coupler is failing. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? If it completely fails, the car can become inoperable while driving at any time. I was also told by the dealer that the differential could damage the transmission over time. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the dealer had diagnosed this issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning or messages. There is grinding when turning at low speeds and when driving sometimes there is a "bump" at around 40 mph. This was first diagnosed by the dealer in 2020 and again in 2022. There was a recall of the rear electronic coupler for the same year, make and model but, Infiniti says that it did not apply to my VIN. The TSB is 12-072C. My research of this issue shows that this issue common for my make, model and year. Clearly, this issue affects many more VINs than, originally recalled. The recall for this issue should be expanded to include my vehicle and extended so that this very expensive repair can be made without cost to me. I purchased this car because, I wanted a safe and reliable car to transport my small children. These critical issues jeopardize the health and safety of my family every day. My car is no longer safe or reliable. Additional, in 2020, at the time that the electronic coupler failure was diagnosed, something related to the CVT was replaced because of a recall. This year, I had to have the the transmission replaced. I now wonder if that could have been related to the CVT issue. My catalytic converters also had to be replaced this year.
July 2022 our 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid at 59,000 miles started making this winding/grinding noise. We took it in and was told the transmission needs to be replaced on a car that is only driven under 7500K miles per year and is in otherwise perfect shape. There is an extended warranty for the non-hybrid models due to a class action suit. This is extremely dangerous and a very costly repair to the tune of $7,500. Infiniti is refusing to repair at this point.
CVT have been told by one Infiniti Dealership the the fluids never need to be flushed, changed or filled. Then I hear about the Transfer Differential which I am assuming is the Transfer Case is leaking and that it would need to be replaced entirely along with the rear coupling costing nearly $10K in repair (Estimated $8,500 alone on these two items). I have found online people and even other Infiniti dealerships where these fluids are flushed and refilled regularly of which in discussing with the dealership these findings, they advised they never have to be flushed, but it is recommended through forums and other dealerships of such. In finding more about the history of my car, I have found that it has NEVER had a flush of the Transfer Differential or CVT or other factors of changing fluids. I advised I recently had a burning smell along with grinding. They only say I need to completely change that out. If I have a leak, then that should have been the first directive in fixing the seal (since this is a sealed compartment). I have 3 times where the power wasn't going to the transmission where I almost got into accidents. Thankfully, the other driver's were able to merge or brake as these were primarily city streets. I found a video where a gentleman had the same issue, the CVT was replaced, and the issue only got worse. How is this allowed or possible?
The vehicle started to make a grinding sound and stopped suddenly in the middle of traffic. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms. Other cars had to abruptly stop and swerve to avoid hitting the rear of my vehicle. I have been informed that this is a known issue with this model of vehicle from Infiniti related to 2014 – 2017 QX60; FLUID LEAK CAUSED BY TRANSFER ASSEMBLY RIGHT SIDE DRIVE SHAFT SEAL.
We are experiencing shifting delays and grinding when accelerating. The car is shaking at aroun 30/40 MPH speed and we hear whistling sound coming from under the hood when driving. When the car is running but stationary no noise is heard.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Murano, Pathfinder, and INFINITI QX60 vehicles. One or both front brake caliper assemblies may have reduced strength and could break. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
- Risk
- A broken front brake caliper can cause a loss of front brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake caliper assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 9, 2025. 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 PD137 and PD138.
Recall number 25V173000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V‑601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
- Risk
- A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
Recall number 19V807000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
- Risk
- A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Note: When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
Recall number 18V601000 · Recall details
Service brakes
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to November 5, 2014, and 2014-2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to November 15, 2014. During the assembly process, the front wheel hub assembly fasteners may not have been properly torqued.
- Risk
- The under-torqued fasteners may result in a brake caliper separating from the wheel assembly causing a reduction in braking performance or reduced steering control. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and tighten any loose bolts to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 15V012000 · Recall details
Questions about the Infiniti QX60 grinding brakes
Which Infiniti QX60 years have grinding or squealing brakes problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2014 (6 complaints), 2017 (2 complaints) and 2018 (2 complaints).
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