Infiniti Recalls 7,222 Cars For Driveshafts That Could Snap

Cars can break down for various reasons, but one piece of equipment that seldomly fails is the driveshaft. When it does, it can completely immobilize a vehicle or allow it to roll away if parked. That potential risk has now led Infiniti to recall 7,222 cars over defective driveshafts.

The recall includes the M56 from 2011 through 2013, the M35 Hybrid from 2012 and 2013, the Q50 from 2014 through 2018, the Q70 and Q70 Hybrid from 2014 through 2018, and the Q70L from 2015 through 2019. Notably, the problem only affects rear-wheel drive vehicles, so if your Infiniti has AWD, you’re in the clear here.

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The automaker hasn’t said exactly how it figured out the problem. Interestingly, there aren’t many complaints on the NHTSA’s website about the issue. All Infiniti says about the cause is that it’s related to a “supplier specification change” and that the result is a driveshaft with “reduced fatigue strength.” Of course, a broken driveshaft will stop the engine from being able to power the rear wheels.

If the car is parked without the parking brake effectively engaged, it could roll away. Interestingly, Infiniti recalled similar cars (possibly the same ones) in 2020 for a similar issue. That recall, dubbed R20B8, involved Q70s, M35 Hybrids, and M56s for driveshaft replacements. Therefore, this new recall seems to be an extension of the previous one.

This new action requires owners to bring their cars in for repair. Infiniti states that the repair should take about one hour and, of course, parts and labor will be free of charge. Infiniti will notify owners about the issue no later than August 12, and dealers should already be informed. Those who want to know if their car is affected can contact their dealer or search for their VIN on NHTSA.gov.