Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti Q70 vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti Q70 and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Infiniti Q70 vs FORD F 150: The Q70 has 19 complaints over 9 years (2.1/year) and 8 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,621 complaints over 10 years (1,162/year) and 151 recalls. The F-150 also has 330 crash-related complaints versus 1 for the Q70. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti Q70 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti Q70
The Infiniti Q70 is a luxury sedan with a low complaint rate—only 19 complaints over 9 years, averaging 2.1 per year. Owners most often report power train hesitation, air bag warning lights or unexpected deployment, and speed control issues where the car stops accelerating. Recalls include driveshaft and backup camera problems, so while overall complaint volume is low, the few issues reported can be serious and hard to diagnose.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup with a very high complaint rate—11,621 complaints over 10 years, averaging 1,162 per year. Owners frequently report power train problems like limp mode and stuck gears, electrical glitches such as lead frame failures, and rear window shattering. With 151 recalls and 330 crash-related complaints, the F-150 has a much larger and more varied set of reported issues.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti Q70 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 19 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 8 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.1 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 297 |
| 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 Q70
- 01POWER TRAIN6
- 02AIR BAGS4
- 03VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
- 04ENGINE3
- 05VISIBILITY/WIPER3
Owners report hesitation and slowing to about 5 mph when accelerating, often in the morning or when passing. One dealer claimed the vehicle was 'designed' that way, leaving drivers without a fix and at risk of accidents.
Complaints include air bag warning lights that cannot be diagnosed and a driver-side airbag deploying unexpectedly during a turn, causing lacerations and a busted lip. This is a critical safety concern for any buyer.
The car may stop accelerating without warning, then resume after sitting for an hour. The engine light often does not come on during the incident, making it hard for mechanics to diagnose and repair.
Engine-related complaints mirror the power train hesitation, with owners reporting the same morning acceleration lag. This suggests a persistent drivability issue that can affect daily driving.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 INFINITI Q70. WHEN THE CONTACT FIRST DROVE THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, IT HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. INFINITI OF CORAL GABLES (2701 S LE JEUNE RD, CORAL GABLES, FL 33134, (786) 619-3009) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT M…”
“While attempting to accelerate my car hesitates and slows down to about 5 miles an hour. This mostly happens in the morning, but does happen in the afternoon while attempting to accelerate to pass. This issue has almost caused me to get in accidents on severa…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Owners describe a 'lead frame' issue that has persisted for over a decade, causing near collisions and limp mode. A 2017 F-150 V8 with 6-speed automatic reportedly went into limp mode and stuck in 5th gear almost daily.
The lead frame problem also appears as an electrical fault, and one owner reported a 2017 F-150 entering highway limp mode due to an output speed sensor failure after a recall software update. Electrical gremlins can leave the truck undrivable.
A rear window defroster short caused the back window to explode outward and shatter, with no external impact. This is a surprising and dangerous failure that buyers should be aware of.
Engine complaints are among the top components, though the sample text focuses on power train and electrical. The high volume of engine-related complaints suggests buyers should check for recurring engine codes and performance issues.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
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 Q70 — 8 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2011-2013 M56, 2012-2013 M35 Hybrid, 2014-2018 Q50, Q70 Hybrid, 2014-2019 Q70, and 2015-2019 Q70L two-wheel drive vehicles. The driveshaft can fatigue and break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power, or a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 13, 2024. Owners may contact INFINITI's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's numbers for this recall are R24A5 and R24A7.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Infiniti M56, 2012-2013 M35 Hybrid, and 2014 Q70 and Q70 Hybrid vehicles. These models, equipped with 2WD and with a hybrid or VK56 powertrain, have a driveshaft that may break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash, or may disable the parking brake, increasing the risk of a rollaway and injury.
The fix: Infiniti will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2021. Owners may contact Infiniti customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (INFINITI) is recalling certain 2011-2013 M56, 2012-2013 M35 Hybrid, 2014-2018 Q50, Q70 Hybrid, 2014-2019 Q70, and 2015-2019 Q70L two-wheel drive vehicles. The driveshaft can fatigue and break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power, or a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 13, 2024. Owners may contact INFINITI's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's numbers for this recall are R24A5 and R24A7.
FORD F 150 — 151 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Buyer analysis
Infiniti Q70 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti Q70 has far fewer issues per year—2.1 complaints annually versus 1,162 for the Ford F-150. In practice, that means a Q70 buyer is much less likely to face frequent repair visits, while an F-150 owner may deal with recurring power train, electrical, and structural problems. However, the Q70's low complaint count still includes serious air bag and acceleration failures.
Key differences
- The Infiniti Q70 averages 2.1 complaints per year, while the Ford F-150 averages 1,162 per year—a massive gap in reported problem frequency.
- Q70 owners report hesitation and unexpected air bag deployment; F-150 owners report lead frame failures, limp mode, and rear window shattering.
- The F-150 has 151 recalls and 330 crash-related complaints, compared to 8 recalls and 1 crash-related complaint for the Q70.
- Both have power train complaints, but the F-150's are tied to limp mode and stuck gears, while the Q70's are tied to acceleration hesitation.
- Check for any air bag warning light and ask if the air bag system has been inspected or repaired, as owners report undiagnosable warnings and unexpected deployment.
- Test drive from a cold start and during acceleration to feel for hesitation or slowing to 5 mph, especially in the morning, which owners frequently report.
- Scan for transmission codes like P0722 and ask about the lead frame and output speed sensor, as owners report limp mode and stuck gears.
- Inspect the rear window and defroster for cracks or prior replacement, since one owner reported the window exploding after defroster use.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed, especially driveshaft and backup camera recalls on the Q70 and engine/seat belt recalls on the F-150.
- Have a mechanic scan for stored trouble codes, focusing on transmission and air bag codes for both vehicles.
- Test drive the Q70 from a cold start and at highway speeds to check for acceleration hesitation or speed control dropouts.
- Test drive the F-150 through all gears and at highway speeds to check for limp mode, harsh shifting, or stuck gears.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and specifically inquire about any prior repairs to the transmission, electrical system, or air bags.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Infiniti Q70 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 0 | 44 |
| 2019 | 2 | 52 |
| 2018 | 1 | 79 |
| 2017 | 2 | 59 |
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 Q70 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti Q70 vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti Q70 total complaints
- 19
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Infiniti Q70 total recalls
- 8
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Infiniti Q70 avg complaints/year
- 2.1
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti Q70
- Infiniti Q70 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN