2019 Infiniti QX50 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

A few months ago, I received an email from CarFax letting me know that my vehicle, a 2019 Infiniti QX50 with 2.0L Turbo Engine had a major recall (NHTSA Recall Campaign No. 25V-437). The letter indicated the recall was due to issues with the engine bearings which could lead to a catastrophic failure. I wasn't sure what this meant, so I took the car to Austin INFINITI. The technicians checked the oil pan to see if there were issues. My understanding is that the oil pan should have been removed, drained of all oil to ensure there were no issues that could lead to the catastrophic failure of the engine. None of this was done. I was given my car back and told all was okay. Unfortunately On the evening of November 10, 2025, my vehicle’s engine suddenly seized while driving at highway speeds. Fortunately, I was able to coast onto the Frontage Road. For my protection, the Police Department arrived quickly to park police vehicles in the front and back of my car with their lights on to avoid a nighttime collision or worse. I had no idea why my engine suddenly lost power while driving down the highway and continued to refuse to start despite repeated attempts to restart the vehicle, the engine would not start. I was scared to death and this situation has exacerbated my current diagnosis of PTSD for which I am currently in treatment. This was a horrifying event that could have cost me my life. I can't eat or sleep and experience nightmares that my car died, then I am hit by a car driving at highway speeds as I tried to exit the vehicle. My wife and I are both terrified of driving the car now. I tried to resolve the issue with my local INFINITI dealership and even contacted NISSA/INFINITI executives. I was met with disregard, disrespect and a $1,700 bill to replace the starter that burned out as we kept trying to start the car. The starter burnout was a secondary cause due to the primary issue of the engine seizure. Infiniti disagreed and insisted on the $1,700 for the starter.

Vehicle: 2019 Infiniti QX50 Mileage at engine replacement: 31,830 miles Date of engine replacement: August 2023 (recall-related repair) The engine in my 2019 Infiniti QX50 was replaced under recall at 31,830 miles in August 2023. Approximately 18,633 miles later, the vehicle began experiencing transmission malfunction symptoms consistent with CVT failure. An independent mechanic diagnosed the CVT transmission as needing replacement. I then took the vehicle to an Infiniti dealership, and they confirmed transmission issues but declined warranty coverage because the powertrain warranty expired February 28, 2025. The transmission is directly integrated with the engine in this vehicle. Following the engine replacement, the transmission began exhibiting unsafe operating behavior, including hesitation, loss of acceleration response, and drivability instability. There are widespread consumer complaints and litigation involving this engine and CVT transmission combination in the 2019 Infiniti QX50. Infiniti extended coverage for the engine but has not extended coverage for the transmission despite known reliability concerns. I am now afraid to operate the vehicle due to concern of sudden transmission failure while driving, which could result in loss of power in traffic and create a safety hazard. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this recurring pattern of CVT transmission failure following engine defects in the 2019 Infiniti QX50.

On February 28, 2025, while driving home form work in my 2019 Infiniti QX50, on a 4 lane highway, I slowed to turn across 2 lanes of oncoming traffic to a side county road. I made it across the highway and the vehicle immediately lost all power. I coasted to a stop on the side of the road. I tried to restart the car and it would not start. I called for a tow and had it taken to the nearest repair shop. The vehicle was inspected and I was informed the engine was blown and would need to be replaced. Prior to this happening, there were no sounds, indicators or warnings of any possible issues. I have owned the vehicle since February 2020. It has always been maintained on schedule (records available). In fact, the vehicle was thoroughly inspected by Infiniti in October of 2024, when I had to have the rear lift gate motor replaced. I was told everything looked good, timing belt had no wear, there were no leaks or concerns. The only recommended services at that time were to change the brake fluid and antifreeze. The vehicle is available for any and all requested inspection.

About five months ago, while driving on the highway, the care would say it's in Drive, but sounded like it couldn't get out of 1st gear and I'd get high RPMs. Thankfully there was stop-and-go traffic and I didn't have to exit pull off the highway or hit high speeds. I exited at the next exit and, as soon as the car stopped, it wasn't possible to get it into gear. Eventually the car started and I was able to get into gear and drive it using Manual drive mode. Once at the dealership we were told it was a bad VCR and they needed to replace that to get it going. That was around 38,000 miles. This most recent incident, I had just gotten onto the highway when I started to hear a low whiney noise when pressing the accelerator. I only had a few miles till my exit and decided to continue, thinking it might just be debris or something. After exiting, I literally rolled into the gas station because the car, despite being in Drive, was not in gear. The car stalled and I couldn't get it started, or I could get it started, but it refused to go to Neutral to allow me to push it out of the way. Eventually, the car started and I was able to put it into Drive. Thinking it was the same issue, I planned to drive it the 2 miles home. I made it to the first traffic light and the car turned off, leaving the me stranded in the middle lane of the road. I called the police and tow trucks to come help me get the car moved (no one knows how to put the car into an emergency Neutral position including the 2 officers, 4 tow truck drivers and an Infiniti mechanic that was driving by). Eventually the tow truck came and I was able to drop it off at the dealership, who have told me there is "a chunk of bearing material in pan with copper particulates." I'm currently around 40,000 miles.

CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE UPON PRESSURE OF THE GAS PEDAL PLACING DRIVER IN IMMEDIATE DANGER. DRIVER PULLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES, SHIFTED CAR INTO PARK AND TURNED CAR OFF, PROCEEDED TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AGAIN. AFTER FOURTH TIME, THE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE RESPONDED. THIS CAR WAS RETURNED TO AUTONATION INFINITI OF TUSTIN TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THEY WOULD PLACE THE CAR BACK ON THE LOT WITHOUT INSPECTION, THIS CAUSES GREAT CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF ANY FUTURE DRIVERS OF THE CAR. *TR