NHTSA Complaint #10946397 — 2016 INFINITI Q50

THERE IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN/ENGINEERING FLAW IN THE INFINITI STEER-BY-WIRE SYSTEM AND INFINITI REFUSES TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE IT. THE CAR IS INCAPABLE OF DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, IS CONSTANTLY DRIFTING TO EITHER THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT AND REQUIRES A STEERING ADJUSTMENT EVERY FEW SECONDS. ON A LONG DRIVE, ON A HWY, THIS IS NOT ONLY FATIGUING IN THE ARMS BUT FATIGUING MENTALLY, AS WELL, AS THE DRIVER CAN NEVER RELAX. I'VE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER 4X AND WHILE THE SERVICE PEOPLE HAVE PRIVATELY ADMITTED TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS, THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS PEOPLE (CUSTOMER SERVICE) CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND IS PERFORMING CORRECTLY WITHIN ITS DESIGN PARAMETERS. MOST PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE IT AND EVEN I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL I HIT A STRAIGHT-AWAY ON AN INTERSTATE HWY. THE DEALER DID A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, JUST TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP BUT IT DID NOT. THE SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON WHO HAS NOTICED THE PROBLEM BUT THEY CAN'T HELP ANYBODY BECAUSE INFINITI WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTS, SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE FIXED. I TOOK THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR A RIDE AND PROVED TO HIM THE CAR DRIFTS. HE WAS AMAZED. THE DANGER COMES IN THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FATIGUE, PLUS WHILE IN THE PERFECT WORLD WE NEVER GIVE ANYTHING BUT 100% PERFECT CONCENTRATION TO OUR DRIVING, WE CAN'T HELP IT...SOMETIMES OUR MIND WANDERS OR WE'RE DISTRACTED. DOING THAT IN A CAR THAT WILL NOT DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS THE CAR CAN VEER OFF VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS THE FIRST COMPLAINT LIKE THIS I HAVE EVER FILED. IN FACT, THIS IS MY 4TH INFINITI AND UNTIL NOW, THEY ALL HAD PERFECT STEERING BUT NOW I'M STUCK WITH A 3 YEAR LEASE IN A DANGEROUS STEER-BY-WIRE CAR. AT THE VERY LEAST, THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND THE INVESTIGATOR SHOULD NOT BE SWAYED BY INFINITI TELLING THEM THE CAR MEETS ITS DESIGN PARAMETERS. *TR