Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti Q70L vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti Q70L 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 Q70L vs FORD F 150: The Q70L has 20 complaints over 8 years (2.5/year) and 6 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 and 297 injuries, versus 1 each for the Q70L. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti Q70L or FORD F 150 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, averaging 2.5 per year. Owners report a mix of serious power train issues like driveshaft vibration and stalling, plus air bag sensor failures that can disable the passenger airbag. Recalls focus on the driveshaft, suggesting a known defect. Overall, it's a niche car with fewer complaints but some potentially costly problems.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a high-volume pickup with 11,621 complaints over 10 years, averaging 1,162 per year. Owners frequently report transmission problems, electrical glitches, and rear window shattering. With 151 recalls and 330 crash-related complaints, it's clear that many owners experience significant issues. The sheer number of complaints means you're more likely to encounter problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti Q70L | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 20 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 1 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 2.5 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 Q70L
- 01POWER TRAIN7
- 02AIR BAGS5
- 03STEERING3
- 04VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
- 05VISIBILITY/WIPER2
Owners report violent shaking from under the vehicle, stalling during turns, and surging forward unexpectedly. These issues can lead to loss of control and costly repairs, and there are multiple recalls for the driveshaft.
The passenger seat occupant classification sensor can fail, disabling the airbag. Owners report sporadic failures, often due to moisture, which means the airbag may not deploy in a crash.
The heated steering wheel can get 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 resumes after sitting. In one case, the vehicle surged forward and crashed. This unpredictable behavior is a safety concern.
“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…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Transmission issues are common, including limp mode, getting stuck in 5th gear, and lead frame failures that can cause sudden loss of power. These problems can leave you stranded or cause accidents.
The lead frame issue also affects the electrical system, causing transmission problems. Additionally, rear window defroster shorts can cause the back window to shatter unexpectedly.
The rear window can explode outward due to a short in the defroster, posing a risk of injury from flying glass. This is a frightening and unexpected failure.
While not detailed in the sample, exterior lighting complaints are numerous. This could mean lights failing or malfunctioning, affecting visibility and safety.
“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 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.
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 Q70L or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti Q70L has far fewer complaints per year (2.5 vs. 1,162 for the F-150), but both have serious issues. The F-150's high volume means problems are more widespread, while the Q70L's low volume doesn't guarantee reliability. In practice, you're more likely to face frequent repairs with the F-150, but the Q70L's issues can be severe when they occur.
Key differences
- The Infiniti Q70L has 20 complaints over 8 years, while the Ford F-150 has 11,621 over 10 years, showing a massive difference in reported issues.
- The Q70L's top complaint is power train (7), often related to driveshaft recalls; the F-150's top complaint is also power train (3,648), but includes transmission limp mode and lead frame failures.
- Air bag sensor failures are a notable issue for the Q70L, while the F-150 has electrical system complaints including rear window shattering.
- The F-150 has 330 crash-related complaints and 297 injuries, compared to 1 crash-related and 1 injury for the Q70L, indicating a higher reported safety risk.
- Check for driveshaft vibration or shaking, especially at startup or during turns, as this is a common complaint and recall subject.
- Test the passenger seat occupant classification system: sit in the passenger seat and see if the airbag indicator shows it's enabled; if not, the sensor may be faulty.
- Test drive the truck and pay attention to transmission behavior: look for harsh shifting, getting stuck in gear, or limp mode, which are frequently reported.
- Inspect the rear window for any signs of defroster malfunction or previous shattering, and test the defroster to ensure it works without issues.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the Q70L's driveshaft and the F-150's transmission software.
- Have a mechanic inspect the transmission and drivetrain on both vehicles, focusing on the Q70L's driveshaft and the F-150's lead frame and output speed sensor.
- For the Q70L, test all air bag sensors and the heated steering wheel function; for the F-150, test the rear defroster and all electrical components.
- During a test drive, simulate various driving conditions: for the Q70L, make turns and accelerate; for the F-150, drive at highway speeds and check for transmission slipping.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any repairs related to the reported issues, and consider a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic.
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 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 0 | 44 |
| 2019 | 2 | 52 |
| 2018 | 3 | 79 |
| 2017 | 0 | 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 Q70L or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti Q70L vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti Q70L total complaints
- 20
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Infiniti Q70L total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Infiniti Q70L avg complaints/year
- 2.5
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti Q70L
- Infiniti Q70L top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN