VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Infiniti QX41997–2003
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Infiniti QX4
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Infiniti QX4 Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 46 complaints
1 reported injury
Top issue: STRUCTURE:BODY
5 recalls · 21 complaints
Top issue: SUSPENSION
1 recall · 15 complaints
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Infiniti QX4 — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 81 | 38 | 66 | Good |
| 2002 | 5 | 21 | — | — | 54 | 38 | 48 | Avoid |
| 2001 | 2 | 46 | 1 | — | 60 | 38 | 52 | Avoid |
| 2000 | 1 | 15 | — | — | 80 | 38 | 65 | Good |
| 1999 | 1 | 25 | — | — | 70 | 38 | 59 | Caution |
| 1998 | 1 | 20 | — | — | 75 | 38 | 62 | Caution |
| 1997 | 1 | 33 | 2 | — | 64 | 38 | 55 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Infiniti QX4 Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the QX4 compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year QX4 to buy?+
The 2003 Infiniti QX4 scores highest on our Buyer Score (66/100) — combining a reliability score of 81/100 with a value score of 38/100. It has 3 recalls and 4 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which QX4 years have the most problems?+
The 2001, 2002, 2000 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2001 QX4 leads with 2 recalls and 46 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common QX4 problems?+
The most frequently reported Infiniti QX4 issues involve: SUSPENSION, STEERING, STRUCTURE:BODY, SUSPENSION:FRONT. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.