Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti Q40 vs Toyota Camry
How the Infiniti Q40 and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Infiniti Q40 vs Toyota Camry: the Q40 logged 8 complaints over 2 years (about 4 per year) with 0 recalls, while the Camry logged 2,056 complaints over 10 years (about 206 per year) with 31 recalls. The Q40's reports center on air bag sensors and sunroof-drain water damage; the Camry's on power train and brake faults. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti Q40 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti Q40
The Infiniti Q40 is a low-volume luxury sedan with only 8 complaints over 2 years (about 4 per year) and no recalls on record, so the data pool is thin. The reported problems cluster around air bag occupant sensors, a sunroof drain that lets water into the cabin and electrical components, and a stability-control complaint. Living with one means watching for water intrusion and confirming the passenger air bag actually arms for smaller occupants.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a high-volume sedan with 2,056 complaints over 10 years (about 206 per year) and 31 recalls, so its record is far larger simply because far more were sold. Owners report power train trouble like a stuck ignition key and shuddering with the check engine light, plus brake issues including an electronic parking brake that won't release and ABS clicking. It is a mainstream car with a broad, well-documented set of failure patterns rather than a narrow one.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti Q40 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 8 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 4.0 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Infiniti Q40
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
- 02AIR BAGS3
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
- 05STRUCTURE1
Owners report the passenger 'air bag off' light staying on even with an adult passenger (one about 105-109 lbs, another about 165 lbs), meaning that seat may not get air bag protection. A buyer should test the passenger seat with a range of occupants.
One owner describes the VDC stability system flickering and apparently contributing to loss of control on the highway, and another reports ringing ears and hearing loss after months of driving a noisy car. These are hard-to-pinpoint complaints, so a thorough test drive matters.
A clogged sunroof drain is reported to let moisture under the flooring and into right-side panels, damaging electrical parts such as the BCM. Water damage like this can be expensive and hard to trace later.
The same sunroof-drain moisture complaint is linked to exterior lighting problems, suggesting water intrusion can affect more than one system. Check for damp carpets and odd light behavior.
“I BOUGHT THIS NEW 2015 INFINITI Q40 AWD FROM INFINITI DEALER ON FEB 28, 2015. AFTER DRIVING THIS NOISY CAR FOR THREE MONTHS(3000MILES), I STARTED HAVING RINGING IN BOTH EARS (TINNITUS). I HAVE TROUBLE TO SLEEP AND START LOSING MY HEARING IN BOTH EARS. I HAVE…”
“WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY THE VDC (AUTO HYDROPLANE CORRECT FUNCTION) IS SUSPECTED TO HAVE CAUSED INCREASE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE THAT THE VDC LIGHT WAS FLICKERING ON AND OFF. IT DID INITIALLY COME ON TO AUTO CORRECT BUT THEN ABRU…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report an ignition key that gets stuck and won't come out even with the dash showing Park, sometimes requiring a battery disconnect, plus hesitation and shuddering with the check engine light. These can strand a driver or point to costly repairs.
Owners describe a several-second delay between pressing the accelerator and the car moving, and shuddering with the check engine light at various speeds. A lag like this is a safety concern in traffic and worth reproducing on a test drive.
The electronic parking brake reportedly failed to disengage and required a tow, and one owner was told a new switch didn't fix it. Others hear clicking and vibrating from the brake pedal area that the manufacturer calls a common ABS trait.
One owner reports multiple systems — smart stop, stability control, electric power steering, blind spot monitoring, collision braking and lane keeping — malfunctioning at once. That pattern suggests shared electronics can fail together.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Infiniti Q40
No recalls on record.
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Infiniti Q40 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Infiniti Q40 has far fewer complaints per year (about 4 versus about 206 for the Camry) and no recalls, but that partly reflects its much smaller sales volume. In practice the Q40's record is narrow and water/air-bag focused, while the Camry's is broad and includes power train and brake faults that can leave you stranded.
Key differences
- Complaint volume: about 4 per year for the Q40 versus about 206 per year for the Camry, though the Camry sold in far greater numbers.
- Recalls: the Q40 has none on record; the Camry has 31, including air bag occupant-classification sensor and seat recalls.
- Failure style: Q40 complaints center on sunroof-drain water damage and passenger air bag sensors; Camry complaints center on stuck ignition keys, shuddering, and electronic parking brake/ABS issues.
- Crash and injury reports: the Q40 shows 1 crash-related complaint and 1 injury; the Camry shows 171 crash-related, 158 injuries and 1 death, again in a much larger population.
- Check for a clogged sunroof drain: look for damp carpets, musty smells, and moisture in right-side panels or around electrical components.
- Test the passenger seat with different weights and confirm the 'air bag off' light behaves correctly, and listen for excessive road noise on the test drive.
- Try removing the ignition key repeatedly in Park and watch for hesitation or shuddering with the check engine light during a test drive.
- Test the electronic parking brake engagement and release, and listen for clicking or vibration from the brake pedal area.
Before you buy
- Pull a full vehicle history and confirm any open recalls were completed, especially air bag occupant-classification recalls on the Camry.
- On the Q40, inspect under the floor mats and side panels for water stains and check that all lights and electronics work.
- On the Camry, start and stop the car several times to check key removal, and scan for stored check engine codes.
- Test the passenger air bag indicator with a range of occupant weights on either car.
- Take a highway test drive to feel for hesitation, shuddering, or stability-control warning lights.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Infiniti Q40 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti Q40 vs Toyota Camry
- Infiniti Q40 total complaints
- 8
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Infiniti Q40 total recalls
- 0
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Infiniti Q40 avg complaints/year
- 4.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti Q40
- Infiniti Q40 top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN