Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti Q70L vs Chevrolet Silverado
How the Infiniti Q70L and Chevrolet Silverado compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Infiniti Q70L vs Chevrolet Silverado: The Q70L has 20 complaints over 8 years (2.5/year) and 6 recalls, while the Silverado has 8,227 complaints over 10 years (822.7/year) and 101 recalls. The Silverado also has 233 crash-related reports, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti Q70L or Chevrolet Silverado more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti Q70L
The Infiniti Q70L is a low-volume luxury sedan with only 20 complaints over 8 years (about 2.5 per year) and 6 recalls. Owners report a mix of serious and nuisance issues: driveshaft problems that can cause violent shaking or stalling, airbag sensors that disable the passenger airbag, and a heated steering wheel that gets uncomfortably hot. With so few complaints, it appears to have fewer reported problems per year than many vehicles, but the ones that exist can be safety-related.
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup with 8,227 complaints over 10 years (about 823 per year) and 101 recalls. Owners frequently report engine problems (rough running, diesel particulate filter issues), power train failures (sudden neutral, stalling), electrical glitches (brake loss, engine shutoff), and brake issues. The high volume of complaints and recalls suggests a higher rate of reported problems, including 233 crash-related reports, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti Q70L | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 20 Better | 8,227 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 101 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 233 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.5 Better | 822.7 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 160 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
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 Q70L
- 01POWER TRAIN7
- 02AIR BAGS5
- 03STEERING3
- 04VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
- 05VISIBILITY/WIPER2
Owners report violent shaking from under the vehicle, stalling during turns, and sudden loss of acceleration. A driveshaft recall exists, but some owners still experience failures, which can be dangerous if the vehicle stalls in traffic.
The passenger seat occupant classification sensor can fail, disabling the airbag. Owners report sporadic issues even at low mileage, meaning the passenger airbag may not deploy in a crash.
The heated steering wheel can become too hot to hold comfortably, forcing drivers to turn it off while driving. The switch is awkwardly placed, which could distract the driver.
Some owners report the car stops accelerating without warning, then may surge forward after being left for an hour. One owner reported a surge that caused a crash into a parking barrier.
“Violent shaking coming from under the vehicle occurred when I started it last week. The car turned off and I have not tried to turn it on again for fear of catastrophic failure. I searched open recalls for this vehicle and saw that the drive shaft was recalle…”
“The contact owns a 2015 Infiniti Q70. The contact stated while making a left turn, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that an unknown yellow warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his reside…”
Chevrolet Silverado
- 01ENGINE2,521
- 02POWER TRAIN2,347
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1,513
- 04SERVICE BRAKES1,222
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER858
Owners of newer Silverados report engine shutdowns while driving, rough running, and diesel particulate filter soot accumulation requiring dealer service. These issues can leave you stranded and may be expensive to fix.
Complaints include the vehicle suddenly shifting into neutral and losing power, even at low speeds. This can happen in parking lots or on the road, increasing crash risk.
Owners report sudden loss of braking assistance, engine shutoff while driving, and warning messages like 'Return to Neutral.' These electrical glitches can be unpredictable and dangerous.
Some owners experience a firm brake pedal but reduced braking effect, making it hard to stop. This has occurred shortly after starting a trip, which is alarming.
“I purchased the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2L motor "new" from the dealer with 5700 miles on XXX. Roughly a month and 2500 miles later, my family and I were in the vehicle, 750 miles from home, returning from a vacation to [XXX] from the [XXX]/[XXX] ar…”
“My 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 with the 6.6L Duramax diesel has experienced three separate P2463 Diesel Particulate Filter excessive soot accumulation events at approximately 4,300, 5,500, and 10,280 miles. Each event required a Chevrolet dealer to perform…”
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 Q70L — 6 recalls
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. (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 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.
Chevrolet Silverado — 101 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles may not have received an owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, “Child Re…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will provide the owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2025. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252532020. Vehicle Identifi…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and GMC Sierra 3500 vehicles with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks (RPOs L8T and N2N). The rear fuel pump may not transfer adequate fuel to the front tank, causing an engine stall.
The risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The vehicle's engine control module (ECM) will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782…
The defect: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Cou…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-970…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with the enhanced towing option and 20-inch accessory tire/wheel package. The tire information label may state the incorrect rear tire pressure, resulting in underinflated tires an…
The risk: Driving with underinflated tires can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, update the engine control module (ECM) software, apply a tire label overlay, inflate tires to the correct pressure, and perform a tire pressure monitor system (TPMS) re-learn process as necessary, free of charge. Owne…
Buyer analysis
Infiniti Q70L or Chevrolet Silverado: which should you buy?
The Infiniti Q70L has far fewer complaints per year (2.5 vs. 822.7) and fewer recalls (6 vs. 101). In practice, this means you are much less likely to encounter frequent, serious problems with the Infiniti, though the Silverado's issues are more numerous and include more crash-related reports.
Key differences
- The Infiniti Q70L has 20 complaints over 8 years; the Silverado has 8,227 over 10 years—a massive difference in reported problem volume.
- Silverado complaints include 233 crash-related reports, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths; the Infiniti has 1 crash-related and 1 injury, with 0 deaths.
- Infiniti issues often involve driveshaft shaking, airbag sensor failure, and hot steering wheels; Silverado issues more often involve engine shutdowns, sudden neutral, and brake loss.
- The Silverado has 101 recalls versus 6 for the Infiniti, meaning more frequent trips to the dealer for safety fixes.
- During a test drive, listen for violent shaking or clunking from under the car, especially when starting or turning—this could indicate a driveshaft problem.
- Check that the passenger airbag indicator shows 'ON' when someone sits in the passenger seat; if it stays off, the occupant sensor may be faulty.
- Test the brakes at low speed and feel for a firm pedal with reduced stopping power—this could signal an electrical or brake assist issue.
- Ask if the engine has ever shut off while driving or if the truck has ever popped into neutral unexpectedly; these are common complaints.
Before you buy
- For the Infiniti Q70L, obtain a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the driveshaft, airbag sensors, and heated steering wheel function.
- For the Silverado, check for open recalls by VIN and confirm all have been performed, especially for fuel pump and brake-related recalls.
- Test drive both vehicles in conditions that mimic your daily routine: highway merging, stop-and-go traffic, and parking lot maneuvers.
- Ask for service records to see if the Infiniti has had driveshaft or airbag sensor repairs, and if the Silverado has had engine or electrical fixes.
- For the Silverado, consider a diesel particulate filter check if it's a Duramax, as soot accumulation is a reported issue.
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 Q70L | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 1390 |
| 2021 | 0 | 961 |
| 2020 | 0 | 868 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2003 |
| 2018 | 3 | 597 |
| 2017 | 0 | 1154 |
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 Q70L or Chevrolet Silverado in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti Q70L vs Chevrolet Silverado
- Infiniti Q70L total complaints
- 20
- Chevrolet Silverado total complaints
- 8,227
- Infiniti Q70L total recalls
- 6
- Chevrolet Silverado total recalls
- 101
- Infiniti Q70L avg complaints/year
- 2.5
- Chevrolet Silverado avg complaints/year
- 822.7
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti Q70L
- Infiniti Q70L top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Chevrolet Silverado top complaint area
- ENGINE