2014 Infiniti QX70 Problems: 4 Known Issues

On the 2014-2017 Infiniti QX70, the QX70's RE7R01A seven-speed automatic draws consistent owner complaints for delayed engagement when selecting drive or reverse, rough or clunky shifts between the lower gears, and a shudder felt during light acceleration at low speed. The transmission is generally durable, and most of these complaints trace to fluid condition and to the torque converter lock-up clutch rather than to hard parts: the factory positions the fluid as lifetime fill, which it is not, and degraded fluid makes the converter clutch chatter as it modulates. Left in service long enough, shudder that started as a fluid problem does become a converter problem.

On the 2014 Infiniti QX70, the heater core on this chassis develops leaks that push coolant into the cabin through the HVAC case. The signature is unmistakable once you know it: a sweet syrupy smell inside the car, an oily film that fogs the inside of the windshield and will not wipe clean, and damp or soaked front carpet on the passenger side. Coolant loss is gradual enough that owners often top up the reservoir for months without connecting it to the interior symptoms, and the slow loss eventually risks overheating. The repair is dominated by labor because the heater core sits deep in the dash — the full dashboard has to come out, which can exceed twelve hours.

On the 2014-2017 Infiniti QX70, aWD-equipped FX/QX70 models develop transfer case output shaft seal leaks, allowing gear oil to seep onto the exhaust and create a burning smell. The seals harden and crack from heat exposure over time.

On the 2014-2017 Infiniti QX70, the QX70 carries over the S51 chassis sunroof drain design, in which a tray around the glass panel collects water and routes it through tubes running down the A- and C-pillars. Debris packs the drain nipples at the tray corners, the tray overflows, and water enters the headliner and runs down the pillars into the cabin. The characteristic finding is a soaked passenger footwell, since the drain routing on this body tends to dump on that side first. Because the water passes wiring and body modules on the way down, the complaint often surfaces as unexplained electrical behavior before anyone notices damp carpet, and the water eventually reaches the modules under the front seats.