Infiniti Q50 V37
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
Engine Overview
The Infiniti Q50 V37 is available with 6 engine variants — from 305 to 405 hp.
3.0L twin-turbo V6, 300–400 hp — technically impressive but with documented reliability concerns. Oil pressure control solenoid can fail silently, causing bearing damage without any warning light. Turbos prone to seal failures from 60,000 miles. Porous block is a documented factory defect causing internal coolant loss at 70,000+ miles. Oil changes every 5,000 miles are a hard requirement, not a suggestion.
- !! Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning from 80,000 km
The oil pressure control solenoid can fail and prevent the engine from ever exceeding 30 psi oil pressure. The ECU does not log a fault code until oil pressure drops below 5 psi. Result: sudden bearing or engine failure without warning. Experienced technicians attribute 95% of VR30 bearing failures to this solenoid failing silently.
Symptoms: Sudden red oil pressure warning light followed immediately by engine failure — no prior warning codes - !! Turbocharger seal failure from 60,000 km
Turbocharger seals and bearings can fail from 60,000 miles. No blow-off valve system increases backpressure through the intercoolers. Dealers report replacing multiple turbos per week on twin-turbo models under warranty.
Symptoms: Whistling or whirring noise that grows louder, oil loss, blue exhaust smoke, power drop - !! Porous engine block — internal coolant loss from 70,000 km
A factory design defect results in porous areas in the engine block around coolant passages near exhaust valves. Coolant leaks internally and combusts. Untreated this leads to engine failure. Block replacements documented by dealers at 70,000–90,000 miles under the 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Symptoms: Dropping coolant level with no visible external leak, sweet exhaust smell, white exhaust smoke
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.0L twin-turbo V6, 300–400 hp — technically impressive but with documented reliability concerns. Oil pressure control solenoid can fail silently, causing bearing damage without any warning light. Turbos prone to seal failures from 60,000 miles. Porous block is a documented factory defect causing internal coolant loss at 70,000+ miles. Oil changes every 5,000 miles are a hard requirement, not a suggestion.
- !! Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning from 80,000 km
The oil pressure control solenoid can fail and prevent the engine from ever exceeding 30 psi oil pressure. The ECU does not log a fault code until oil pressure drops below 5 psi. Result: sudden bearing or engine failure without warning. Experienced technicians attribute 95% of VR30 bearing failures to this solenoid failing silently.
Symptoms: Sudden red oil pressure warning light followed immediately by engine failure — no prior warning codes - !! Turbocharger seal failure from 60,000 km
Turbocharger seals and bearings can fail from 60,000 miles. No blow-off valve system increases backpressure through the intercoolers. Dealers report replacing multiple turbos per week on twin-turbo models under warranty.
Symptoms: Whistling or whirring noise that grows louder, oil loss, blue exhaust smoke, power drop - !! Porous engine block — internal coolant loss from 70,000 km
A factory design defect results in porous areas in the engine block around coolant passages near exhaust valves. Coolant leaks internally and combusts. Untreated this leads to engine failure. Block replacements documented by dealers at 70,000–90,000 miles under the 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Symptoms: Dropping coolant level with no visible external leak, sweet exhaust smell, white exhaust smoke
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.7L V6 with VVEL variable valve lift — 330 hp at 7,000 rpm, 7,500 rpm redline, that cultured VQ sound. Oil gallery gaskets behind the timing chain cover are the critical weak point: when they fail, oil pressure drops with no external leak visible. Pre-purchase inspection: always check for P0011/P0021 codes. ESCL steering lock issues on early 2009–2012 builds.
- !! Oil gallery gaskets fail — oil pressure drop from 80,000 km
Paper-based oil gallery gaskets behind the front timing chain cover swell or tear. Oil pressure drops with no external leak visible — camshafts and bearings become oil-starved. Nissan later switched to improved metal gaskets.
Symptoms: Low oil pressure when warm (below 30 psi at idle), P0011/P0021 fault codes, jerky acceleration - !! Electronic steering lock (ESCL) prevents engine start from 60,000 km
Electronic steering lock can jam permanently due to an internal fault, preventing the engine from starting. Mainly affects early production models from 2009–2012. Nissan issued several recalls and TSBs.
Symptoms: Vehicle only switches to accessory mode, engine does not start, steering lock warning on dashboard, no starter noise - !! Bearing wear at high mileage from 180,000 km
At high mileage and with spirited use, connecting rod and main bearing wear can occur. The engine does not tolerate running with a low oil level, which can result from the sealing issues.
Symptoms: Metallic knocking on load changes, oil pressure warning, rough engine running at high revs
+ 10 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.7L V6 with VVEL variable valve lift — 330 hp at 7,000 rpm, 7,500 rpm redline, that cultured VQ sound. Oil gallery gaskets behind the timing chain cover are the critical weak point: when they fail, oil pressure drops with no external leak visible. Pre-purchase inspection: always check for P0011/P0021 codes. ESCL steering lock issues on early 2009–2012 builds.
- !! Oil gallery gaskets fail — oil pressure drop from 80,000 km
Paper-based oil gallery gaskets behind the front timing chain cover swell or tear. Oil pressure drops with no external leak visible — camshafts and bearings become oil-starved. Nissan later switched to improved metal gaskets.
Symptoms: Low oil pressure when warm (below 30 psi at idle), P0011/P0021 fault codes, jerky acceleration - !! Electronic steering lock (ESCL) prevents engine start from 60,000 km
Electronic steering lock can jam permanently due to an internal fault, preventing the engine from starting. Mainly affects early production models from 2009–2012. Nissan issued several recalls and TSBs.
Symptoms: Vehicle only switches to accessory mode, engine does not start, steering lock warning on dashboard, no starter noise - !! Bearing wear at high mileage from 180,000 km
At high mileage and with spirited use, connecting rod and main bearing wear can occur. The engine does not tolerate running with a low oil level, which can result from the sealing issues.
Symptoms: Metallic knocking on load changes, oil pressure warning, rough engine running at high revs
+ 10 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.0L twin-turbo V6, 300–400 hp — technically impressive but with documented reliability concerns. Oil pressure control solenoid can fail silently, causing bearing damage without any warning light. Turbos prone to seal failures from 60,000 miles. Porous block is a documented factory defect causing internal coolant loss at 70,000+ miles. Oil changes every 5,000 miles are a hard requirement, not a suggestion.
- !! Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning from 80,000 km
The oil pressure control solenoid can fail and prevent the engine from ever exceeding 30 psi oil pressure. The ECU does not log a fault code until oil pressure drops below 5 psi. Result: sudden bearing or engine failure without warning. Experienced technicians attribute 95% of VR30 bearing failures to this solenoid failing silently.
Symptoms: Sudden red oil pressure warning light followed immediately by engine failure — no prior warning codes - !! Turbocharger seal failure from 60,000 km
Turbocharger seals and bearings can fail from 60,000 miles. No blow-off valve system increases backpressure through the intercoolers. Dealers report replacing multiple turbos per week on twin-turbo models under warranty.
Symptoms: Whistling or whirring noise that grows louder, oil loss, blue exhaust smoke, power drop - !! Porous engine block — internal coolant loss from 70,000 km
A factory design defect results in porous areas in the engine block around coolant passages near exhaust valves. Coolant leaks internally and combusts. Untreated this leads to engine failure. Block replacements documented by dealers at 70,000–90,000 miles under the 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Symptoms: Dropping coolant level with no visible external leak, sweet exhaust smell, white exhaust smoke
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.0L twin-turbo V6, 300–400 hp — technically impressive but with documented reliability concerns. Oil pressure control solenoid can fail silently, causing bearing damage without any warning light. Turbos prone to seal failures from 60,000 miles. Porous block is a documented factory defect causing internal coolant loss at 70,000+ miles. Oil changes every 5,000 miles are a hard requirement, not a suggestion.
- !! Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning from 80,000 km
The oil pressure control solenoid can fail and prevent the engine from ever exceeding 30 psi oil pressure. The ECU does not log a fault code until oil pressure drops below 5 psi. Result: sudden bearing or engine failure without warning. Experienced technicians attribute 95% of VR30 bearing failures to this solenoid failing silently.
Symptoms: Sudden red oil pressure warning light followed immediately by engine failure — no prior warning codes - !! Turbocharger seal failure from 60,000 km
Turbocharger seals and bearings can fail from 60,000 miles. No blow-off valve system increases backpressure through the intercoolers. Dealers report replacing multiple turbos per week on twin-turbo models under warranty.
Symptoms: Whistling or whirring noise that grows louder, oil loss, blue exhaust smoke, power drop - !! Porous engine block — internal coolant loss from 70,000 km
A factory design defect results in porous areas in the engine block around coolant passages near exhaust valves. Coolant leaks internally and combusts. Untreated this leads to engine failure. Block replacements documented by dealers at 70,000–90,000 miles under the 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Symptoms: Dropping coolant level with no visible external leak, sweet exhaust smell, white exhaust smoke
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) failure — power assist loss The steer-by-wire DAS system loses power assist in cold temperatures or with transient voltage drops. Steering wheel becomes extremely heavy or momentarily locks. Three redundant ECUs but no redundant sensors — all three modules must be replaced as a set. Repair costs $3,000–7,000. NHTSA recall 16V-430 issued 2016. Symptoms: Steering wheel suddenly extremely heavy, vehicle wants to pull right at 5–30 mph, steering wheel momentarily self-turns, steering/traction control warning lights from 50,000 km | High |
Top Reported Issues
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Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 27 weaknesses have been documented for the Infiniti Q50 V37 (2014–2025) — 19 engine-related and 8 vehicle-related. Typical issues affect Steering, Brakes, Electronics, Body.
Q50 (VQ37VHR, 2014–2015) — Be Careful: Oil gallery gaskets fail — oil pressure drop, Electronic steering lock (ESCL) prevents engine start, Bearing wear at high mileage. Power: 330 PS.
Q50 (VR30DDTT, 2016–2025) — Be Careful: Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning, Turbocharger seal failure, Porous engine block — internal coolant loss. Power: 300 PS.
Q50 (VR30DDTT, 2016–2025) — Be Careful: Oil pressure solenoid failure — bearing damage without warning, Turbocharger seal failure, Porous engine block — internal coolant loss. Power: 400 PS.
What to watch out for with the Infiniti Q50? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problems and weaknesses does the Infiniti Q50 V37 have? +
What should I look for when buying a used Infiniti Q50 V37? +
Which engine is recommended? +
Which Infiniti Q50 V37 engine is the most fun? +
Is the Infiniti Q50 V37 worth buying used? +
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Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee