AI Damage1999 Infiniti QX4: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Infiniti QX4 filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 43
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 33% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 33% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 19% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 12% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 14 complaints (33% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 14 complaints (33% of all).
- Structure: 8 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 43 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I began to turn left & the car suddenly jerked us to the left & then went out of control. As we were jerked to the left, I felt the steering wheel jerk and then it started spinning like a top. There was no way to control the steering. We slammed into an embankment and my 7 yr old daughter hit her head.
Steering locked up - gearbox or steering column failure.
Vehicle rear ended another vehicle at 15 mph, and frotal air bags did not deploy. Dealer has been contacted.
Accelerating grinding sound in back chassis. Steering is harder than usual. Im not getting the power to accelerate properly all the time. Eventually the problem with salt cause im in Indiana too much salt on roads and i dont think things are sealed completely from manufacturers.
While on vacation with the entire family in the vehicle and traveling down the turnpike at 75mph I started down a incline with the cruise control on and when the motor started coasting or not under load the rear end started to shake side to side so bad that I had to get on the brakes and slow down to 35 mph and then…
While driving the car smelled smoke. 4. All dash lights and electrical system went black. 5. Smoke started coming from under the dash board. 6. Car remained running, head lights functioned. 7. After turning the car off, large amounts of smoke came from behind and under the dash board. 8.
The contact stated that while driving 40 mph she heard a rattling and squeaking noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis but the failure was unable to be duplicated. Four months later the brake light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to a personal mechanic for diagnosis.
Consumer requests reimbursement due to the loss of value of vehicle due to severe rust damage the consumer stated one day, while her husband was driving, he felt a vibration and heard a knocking noise from the left front of the vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,758 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the QX4 has 31 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 43, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Infiniti QX4?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, suspension, structure. Total complaints: 43. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (23%), warning lights, check engine (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Infiniti QX4?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Infiniti QX4 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.