Head-to-head reliability
Infiniti QX60 vs FORD F 150
How the Infiniti QX60 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 QX60 vs FORD F 150: The QX60 averages 26.3 complaints per year with 15 recalls, while the F-150 averages 1,162.1 complaints per year with 151 recalls. The F-150 also has 297 injuries reported versus 28 for the QX60. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Infiniti QX60 or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Infiniti QX60
The Infiniti QX60 is a luxury midsize SUV that averages about 26 complaints per year over the past decade, with 15 recalls and 28 injuries reported. Owners most often complain about engine and electrical problems, including no-start conditions and sudden electronic malfunctions. There are also reports of a panoramic sunroof shattering and doors locking with the key fob inside. While less frequent than the Ford F-150, these issues can be inconvenient and costly.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that generates a much higher volume of complaints—about 1,162 per year—with 151 recalls and 297 injuries reported. The most common trouble spots are the power train and electrical system, with many owners describing transmission limp mode, lead frame failures, and rear window shattering. These problems can leave the truck stuck in gear or cause sudden loss of power, posing serious safety risks. The sheer number of complaints suggests a wide range of recurring issues across many model years.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Infiniti QX60 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 263 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 15 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 13 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 26.3 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 28 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 QX60
- 01ENGINE59
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM55
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER53
- 04POWER TRAIN50
- 05SERVICE BRAKES31
Owners report electronic malfunctions with warning lights and engine issues after routine service, such as an oil change at around 30,000 miles. These can lead to unexpected breakdowns and expensive diagnostics.
A common complaint is the car failing to start after being parked and locked, requiring a jump start. After jumping, multiple warning lights appear and some features stop working, which can strand you and indicate a persistent battery or charging fault.
Owners describe the panoramic sunroof glass suddenly exploding or shattering while driving, and doors spontaneously locking with the key fob inside. These are frightening and can cause injury or lock you out.
Reports include intermittent jolting while stopping, infotainment and instrument panels turning off and restarting, and unexpected downshift behavior that fails to slow the vehicle. These glitches can distract the driver and affect control.
“Our 2022 Infiniti QX60 was brought in at Infiniti Service Center for regular oil change. The car had 29,564 miles. After the service, I was deciding whether to take the highway or the local route. I thought of stopping by the church, so I decided to take the…”
“The contact owns a 2024 Infiniti QX60. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced electronic malfunctions with unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined t…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Many owners report transmission problems like limp mode, getting stuck in 5th gear, and lead frame failures that can cause sudden loss of power or near collisions. These issues often recur even after repairs, making the truck unreliable.
The lead frame issue also appears here, along with output speed sensor failures that trigger limp mode on the highway. A Ford dealership software update may not fully fix the problem, leaving owners with ongoing risk.
Owners report the rear window shattering outward, sometimes linked to a short in the defroster. This can happen without warning and creates a safety hazard from flying glass and loss of visibility.
With 1,224 complaints, lighting problems are common, though specific failure details are not provided in the sample. Faulty lights can reduce visibility and increase crash risk, especially at night.
“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 QX60 — 15 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. When driving at certain high speeds, the Adaptive Front-Light System (AFS) may incorrectly adjust the headlights downward.
The risk: Incorrectly adjusted headlights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reconfigure the Intelligent Power Distribution Module (IPDM) settings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improper…
The risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD103, PD10…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The lap belt pretensioner in the left-side front seat belt assembly may be improperly secured, due to a missing rivet. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor V…
The risk: An unsecured lap belt pretensioner will not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left-side front lap seat belt pretensioner assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. O…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 INFINITI QX60 and Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The second-row seat track may be missing a mounting bolt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly…
The risk: A missing mounting bolt may allow the seat track to move during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat track and install a new mounting bolt as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numb…
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 QX60 or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Infiniti QX60 has far fewer complaints per year (26.3 vs. 1,162.1) and fewer recalls (15 vs. 151), suggesting a lower frequency of reported problems. In practice, this means a QX60 owner is less likely to face repeated shop visits, while an F-150 owner may deal with more frequent and potentially severe issues like transmission limp mode.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has about 44 times more complaints per year than the Infiniti QX60 (1,162 vs. 26), indicating a much higher rate of owner-reported issues.
- Power train problems dominate F-150 complaints, with reports of limp mode and lead frame failures, while QX60 power train complaints are less frequent but include jolting and screen resets.
- Electrical issues are common in both, but F-150 owners describe highway limp mode from sensor failures, whereas QX60 owners report no-start conditions and battery drain.
- The QX60 has reports of sunroof shattering and door locking with key inside, while the F-150 has rear window shattering and lighting complaints.
- Check for any history of no-start or battery drain issues; test the battery and charging system, and look for aftermarket jump-start wear.
- Inspect the panoramic sunroof for cracks or previous replacement, and test the door locks to ensure they do not spontaneously lock with the key fob inside.
- Scan for transmission trouble codes (especially P0722) and test drive to feel for limp mode, harsh shifting, or getting stuck in gear.
- Inspect the rear window for cracks or signs of shattering, and check the defroster operation for shorts.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models, especially the F-150's lead frame and transmission software updates.
- Have a mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on transmission (F-150) and electrical/battery (QX60) systems.
- Test drive the vehicle extensively, including highway speeds, to check for limp mode, warning lights, or unusual shifting.
- For the QX60, test the sunroof and door locks; for the F-150, test the rear defroster and window integrity.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and any repair invoices related to the known problem areas.
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 QX60 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 35 |
| 2025 | 17 | 345 |
| 2024 | 19 | 638 |
| 2023 | 27 | 1527 |
| 2022 | 23 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 0 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 24 | 44 |
| 2019 | 38 | 52 |
| 2018 | 38 | 79 |
| 2017 | 68 | 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 QX60 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Infiniti QX60 vs FORD F 150
- Infiniti QX60 total complaints
- 263
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Infiniti QX60 total recalls
- 15
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Infiniti QX60 avg complaints/year
- 26.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Infiniti QX60
- Infiniti QX60 top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN