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Rearview Camera Settings Retained After User Adjustment — Recall 19V654000 (2018-2019)
backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted
Safety2018-2019
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3 recalls, oil consumption, harsh shifts, and infotainment failures on the 2018-2024 Infiniti QX80. Know your California lemon-law rights.
You spent $80,000 or more on an Infiniti QX80. The badge promised you a full-size luxury SUV — body-on-frame toughness wrapped in premium finishes, a thundering 5.6L V8, and technology befitting a flagship. What many owners received instead was a different story: an infotainment system that automotive journalists from Edmunds to MotorTrend described as belonging in a previous decade, a V8 engine that drinks oil between service intervals, a seven-speed transmission prone to unsettling lurches, and backup cameras that federal safety regulators had to recall — twice. The Infiniti QX80 (Y62 generation, 2018-2024) is a vehicle of genuine strengths: it tows 8,500 lbs, seats eight, and rides on a platform proven over decades of Nissan Patrol service. But those strengths coexist with a documented pattern of recurring defects that have sent thousands of owners back to dealers — often multiple times, often without a durable fix. Three federal recalls cover the 2018-2021 model years alone. Owner complaints filed with NHTSA document transmission harshness, engine oil consumption, hydraulic suspension actuator failures, power liftgate malfunctions, and infotainment freezes that no software update has fully resolved. For California owners, these patterns matter: the state's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — commonly known as the lemon law — provides meaningful protections when a defect requires multiple repair attempts within the warranty period. This page documents what owners and federal regulators have found.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted
engine stalls while driving; vehicle will not start; loss of power; fuel pump recall
backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted
consumes 1-2 quarts of oil between oil changes; low oil warning light; cold-start ticking or rattling (cam phaser noise); blue smoke at startup; engine knocking at idle after extended intervals
harsh upshift jolt between 1st and 2nd gear; abrupt downshift lurch on deceleration; transmission hunting between gears at steady highway speed; shudder at low-speed throttle application; delayed engagement from Park; clunk on deceleration
upper or lower touchscreen goes blank mid-drive; navigation freezes or reboots; Apple CarPlay or Android Auto drops connection repeatedly; volume control unresponsive; screen requires vehicle restart to recover; audio cuts out spontaneously; backup camera image lost outside of recall scope
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted
This recall (NHTSA 19V654000) addresses a software defect allowing drivers to accidentally blank the backup camera image permanently via a settings adjustment — violating FMVSS 111 rear-visibility requirements. Under Song-Beverly, a safety-recall repair that a California dealer cannot complete within 30 days, or that recurs, qualifies for the safety-defect one-repair presumption (Civ. Code § 1793.22(e)(1)). Owners who experienced camera blackout before the recall remedy was applied should document all dealer visits and the date recall work was performed.
Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
engine stalls while driving; vehicle will not start; loss of power; fuel pump recall
Fuel pump failure causing engine stall at speed is a safety-critical defect under Song-Beverly's one-repair presumption (Civ. Code § 1793.22(e)(1)), which applies when a defect 'is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven.' If a 2020-2021 QX80 owner experienced a highway stall before NHTSA 21V373000 remedy was applied, or if the replacement pump module subsequently failed, the one-repair threshold may be met regardless of how many times the dealer attempted the fix. Owners should preserve all fuel pump work orders and any tow or roadside assistance records.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21A2. Owners may contact INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200. INFINITI's numbe
backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted
Recall 21V599000 covers a software error in the AV control unit that completely prevents the rearview camera image from displaying — a distinct defect from iss-01's settings-retention issue. The AV unit software failure renders the vehicle non-compliant with FMVSS 111. Under Song-Beverly § 1793.22(e)(1), a safety defect that recurs after a single recall repair attempt may be sufficient to trigger buyback rights. 2021 QX80 owners who returned to the dealer for the same camera-blank symptom after the recall remedy was applied have a strong one-repair argument.
Dealers will update the control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 14, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21A9.
consumes 1-2 quarts of oil between oil changes; low oil warning light; cold-start ticking or rattling (cam phaser noise); blue smoke at startup; engine knocking at idle after extended intervals
Under Song-Beverly, powertrain defects that require two or more repair attempts within the 18-month / 18,000-mile presumption period — or that persist after a single repair attempt for a condition that could cause death or injury — can trigger buyback eligibility. Recurring oil consumption on the VK56VD, supported by TSB NTB18-016, establishes manufacturer acknowledgment of the defect; if the dealer cannot achieve a durable fix over multiple visits, the pattern satisfies the Song-Beverly repair-attempt threshold. Owners should retain all oil-top-up receipts and dealer visit records.
Perform Nissan TSB NTB18-016 oil consumption measurement test. If consumption exceeds threshold: replace piston rings and/or valve stem seals under powertrain warranty. If cam phaser damage has occurred: replace phaser actuators and timing chain tensioners. Repair cost out-of-warranty: $1,500-$4,000+ depending on scope.
harsh upshift jolt between 1st and 2nd gear; abrupt downshift lurch on deceleration; transmission hunting between gears at steady highway speed; shudder at low-speed throttle application; delayed engagement from Park; clunk on deceleration
Transmission shift harshness that persists after TCU reprogram constitutes a recurring defect under Song-Beverly. If the dealer performs a software update on Visit 1 and the condition returns within 12 months, California's two-repair presumption for a non-safety defect begins. Owners should request a specific work order line for 'harsh shifting / transmission lurch' on each visit to establish the repair history.
TCU/ECM software reprogram per applicable Nissan shift-quality TSB (NTB15-090 series). If reprogram does not resolve: valve body replacement. Severe cases may require transmission rebuild or replacement. Out-of-warranty transmission work: $3,000-$6,000.
upper or lower touchscreen goes blank mid-drive; navigation freezes or reboots; Apple CarPlay or Android Auto drops connection repeatedly; volume control unresponsive; screen requires vehicle restart to recover; audio cuts out spontaneously; backup camera image lost outside of recall scope
While infotainment failures alone carry lower Song-Beverly weight than powertrain or safety defects, California courts have held that defects substantially impairing the vehicle's use, value, or safety can include persistent technology failures in a luxury vehicle where technology is a material part of the advertised product. If an owner returns three or more times for the same screen freeze or navigation failure that dealers cannot durably fix, Song-Beverly's repair-attempt threshold may be met on the infotainment defect alone — or stacked with other concurrent defects.
AV control unit software update (addresses some but not all freeze patterns; see recall 21V599000 for camera-specific subset). AV control unit replacement for hardware-level failures. No single OTA fix addresses the full scope of infotainment freeze complaints.
front brake pads worn below minimum at 15,000-25,000 miles; brake squeal or grinding under light braking; steering wheel vibration / pulsation on braking; brake pedal pulsation; rotor warping recurring after replacement
Premature brake wear that recurs within the bumper-to-bumper warranty period and requires multiple dealer repair visits can support a Song-Beverly claim, particularly when the OEM cannot explain a root cause or provide a durable fix. Owners should document each brake service with specific work order language ('premature wear — not due to abuse') and retain all repair invoices.
Front pad and rotor replacement. Upgraded aftermarket rotors (slotted/vented) may extend service intervals. Factory brake service interval recommendations should be treated as minimums for owners who tow or carry full passenger loads.
power tailgate fails to open on fob or button command; liftgate reverses mid-cycle without obstruction; liftgate stops at intermediate position; latch engages while gate still in motion; liftgate opens unexpectedly while vehicle is parked
Power liftgate failure in a premium family SUV, if requiring three or more repair attempts within the warranty period, meets the Song-Beverly definition of a substantial impairment of use. Owners should ensure each dealer visit is documented with a separate work order specifically identifying the liftgate symptom.
Liftgate control module software update. If unsuccessful: latch mechanism replacement, actuator motor replacement, or liftgate strut replacement.
loud wind whistle or rush at 60+ mph from front door or A-pillar area; door seal or window felt strip visible gap; noise returns after dealer seal replacement; water intrusion at door seal during rain
Wind noise alone is typically classified as a Cosmetic/Annoyance defect and carries low Song-Beverly weight unless accompanied by water intrusion causing interior damage or mold. However, if the defect persists through four or more repair attempts, it can be combined with other concurrent defects in a cumulative Song-Beverly claim to demonstrate a vehicle substantially impaired in its use or value.
Door seal and window felt strip replacement. Dealer may also adjust door alignment or apply adhesive sealant at A-pillar junction. Recurrence is common.
HBMC warning light illuminated on dashboard; harsh / bouncy ride after warning light appears (system defaults to passive mode); suspension knock or clunk over bumps; vehicle body lean exaggerated in corners after HBMC deactivation
HBMC failure that degrades ride quality and handling to an objectively deficient level constitutes a substantial impairment of the vehicle's value and use under Song-Beverly — particularly in a luxury SUV where the HBMC system is marketed as a core differentiating feature. If the failure occurs within warranty and the dealer cannot achieve a durable fix in two or more attempts, the Song-Beverly repair-attempt threshold applies.
Diagnose via dealer scan tool to identify which actuator(s) have failed. Replace failed hydraulic actuator assembly. Flush and refill hydraulic fluid. Out-of-warranty repair cost: $2,000-$5,000 depending on number of corners affected.
fuel gauge reads incorrectly — shows more fuel than tank contains; sudden drop in fuel gauge reading; low fuel warning light illuminates unexpectedly with fuel in tank; vehicle runs out of fuel despite gauge indicating reserve remaining
A fuel gauge that causes an unexpected run-out event implicates vehicle safety and drivability under Song-Beverly. If the sender fails within the warranty period and the repaired unit fails again within 12 months, the recurrence satisfies the two-repair presumption for a defect that may pose a risk to safety.
Fuel sender unit replacement (requires dropping or accessing the fuel tank). Repair cost varies; typically covered under powertrain or comprehensive warranty if failure occurs within the coverage period.
remedy available
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Infinity Q50, Q60, and QX80 vehicles. A software error may deactivate the audio/video control unit screen, preventing the rear-view image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
remedy available
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Nissan Armada and 2020-2021 INFINITI QX80 vehicles equipped with V8 engines. The impeller can swell and bind within the fuel pump module, causing it to fail.
remedy available
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act applies to any new vehicle purchased or leased in California. For the 2018-2024 QX80, several documented defects are directly relevant:
Safety defects — one-repair presumption (Civ. Code § 1793.22(e)(1)): If a defect is 'likely to cause death or serious bodily injury' and one repair attempt fails, California presumes the vehicle is a lemon. The fuel pump stall recall (21V373000) and both camera recalls (19V654000, 21V599000) are FMVSS safety defects. If your camera blanked or your QX80 stalled after the recall remedy was applied, you may already meet this threshold.
Other defects — repair-attempt presumption (§ 1793.22(e)(2)): Song-Beverly presumes eligibility if the same non-safety defect requires 4+ repair attempts within 18 months / 18,000 miles. The QX80's transmission harshness, oil consumption, HBMC actuator failure, and infotainment freezes all involve documented recurring patterns.
30-day out-of-service rule: If your QX80 has spent 30+ cumulative days at the dealer for warranty repairs, Song-Beverly's out-of-service presumption may independently qualify it — regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Remedy: A full buyback (purchase price plus taxes and fees, minus a mileage offset) or a comparable replacement vehicle, plus incidental expenses. The mileage offset is calculated from delivery to first repair attempt — earlier complaints reduce it.
Act within four years of the date you first knew of the defect.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
The QX80's most frustrating defects — transmission harshness, infotainment freezes, camera blanking, HBMC warning lights — are intermittent. Here is what to do when the dealer writes 'cannot duplicate':
1. Film before you drive in. Mount your phone on the dash and record the gear indicator and display during every drive until you capture the symptom. Video timestamps establish the pattern and negate 'unable to replicate.'
2. Specify symptoms precisely on every work order. 'Harsh downshift lurch at 20-30 mph during deceleration' is harder to dismiss than 'transmission concern.' Vague write-ups give the dealer cover for 'NVH normal.'
3. For camera failures, ask the service advisor to confirm in writing whether 19V654000 and 21V599000 remedy work has been completed on your VIN. A camera blank after recall work was done is a separate repair attempt — document it separately.
4. For HBMC warning lights: faults store in the module history even after the light clears. Request a PDF of the full scan-tool report including stored (not just active) fault codes on every visit. A stored code is your evidence.
5. For oil consumption: keep a dated log of every quart added and at what odometer reading. Ask your dealer by name to perform TSB NTB18-016 consumption measurement and leave the vehicle overnight if needed.
6. Track the calendar. Song-Beverly presumes lemon eligibility at: 2+ repairs for a safety defect; 4+ repairs for any defect; or 30+ cumulative out-of-service days — all within 18 months / 18,000 miles. A 'cannot duplicate' visit with an open work order still counts as a repair attempt.
The 2018-2024 QX80 is a vehicle caught between two realities: genuine body-on-frame utility and a documented pattern of unresolved defects across a seven-year generation. Federal regulators had to intervene twice on the backup camera alone. The VK56VD oil consumption pattern appears across the Nissan Armada and Titan — suggesting a platform-level issue, not a random outlier. The InTouch system's failure to keep pace with the market was openly acknowledged by automotive press through MY2024. For owners who made multiple dealer visits for the same unresolved defect within their warranty period, Song-Beverly provides real remedies. This is not a record of a few bad units — it is a pattern documented across a long production run.
— The Margarian Law team
If your 2018-2024 Infiniti QX80 has been back to the dealer for backup camera failure, oil consumption, transmission harshness, or infotainment problems — and the repairs haven't held — you may have options under California's Song-Beverly Act. Margarian Law has handled thousands of lemon-law cases and offers a free case review with no cost to you.
Two separate federal recalls address QX80 backup camera failures. Recall 19V654000 (2018-2019 models) covers a software bug that lets drivers accidentally blank the camera image via a settings menu — and then retains that blank setting permanently, violating federal rear-visibility law (FMVSS 111). Recall 21V599000 (2021 models) covers a different issue: an AV control unit software error that completely prevents the camera image from displaying. Both have dealer software-update remedies. If your camera went black before your dealer completed the applicable recall work, or if it blanked again after the recall repair was done, you should document both events carefully. A camera failure that recurs after a safety-recall repair may satisfy California's one-repair lemon-law presumption under Song-Beverly § 1793.22(e)(1). Contact your dealer to verify which recalls are open on your VIN and whether the remedy has been applied.
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V373000 addresses a genuine stall-risk defect on 2020-2021 QX80 models. The plastic impeller inside the fuel pump module can absorb moisture, swell, and seize inside the pump housing. When this happens, the pump fails to deliver fuel to the VK56VD engine, and the engine can stall — including at highway speeds with no warning. A sudden stall in a 5,800-lb body-on-frame SUV on the freeway is a serious safety event. The remedy under the recall is full replacement of the fuel pump module, performed at no cost at an authorized Infiniti dealer. If your 2020-2021 QX80 experienced a stall before the recall work was done, or if a replacement pump subsequently failed, California's lemon law may provide a remedy: under Song-Beverly § 1793.22(e)(1), a safety defect requiring even one repair attempt that does not resolve the issue can trigger buyback eligibility. Keep your tow records, roadside assistance calls, and all dealer work orders.
Yes. Excessive oil consumption on the VK56VD 5.6L V8 is a documented pattern across the QX80, Nissan Armada, and Nissan Titan — all of which share the same engine. Nissan acknowledged the defect with TSB NTB18-016, which establishes a diagnostic protocol for measuring oil consumption and authorizes piston ring and/or valve stem seal replacement under warranty when consumption exceeds the threshold. Owners report consuming 1-2 quarts between 3,000-mile service intervals. Left unaddressed, low oil levels starve the variable valve timing (VVT) cam phasers, causing cold-start rattling and accelerated engine wear. If you are topping off oil between services, ask your dealer specifically to perform the consumption test under TSB NTB18-016. If the dealer measures consumption above specification and cannot produce a durable fix over two or more repair attempts within your warranty period, California's Song-Beverly Act may entitle you to a buyback or replacement. Keep all receipts for oil you purchase between dealer visits — they are evidence.
The RE7R01H 7-speed automatic transmission used in the 2018-2022 QX80 has a documented harsh downshift behavior, particularly on the 3-to-2 downshift during deceleration. Owners describe the vehicle feeling like it was rear-ended, or lurching unexpectedly in traffic. The root cause involves TCU shift-mapping software that schedules aggressive downshifts and a valve body that can degrade over time, amplifying the harshness. Nissan has issued multiple TCU reprogram bulletins (NTB15-090 series) to address shift quality. If your dealer reprogram did not resolve the lurch, or the condition returned within months of the repair, that constitutes a recurring defect under California's Song-Beverly Act. Two unsuccessful attempts to fix the same transmission symptom within 18 months of delivery can trigger the lemon-law repair-attempt presumption. Document each visit with a specific description of the symptom on the work order — not just 'transmission concern.'
No — it is not normal, and you are not alone. The Gen-1 Infiniti InTouch dual-screen system (used in the QX80 through MY2024) is widely documented as prone to freezing, rebooting mid-drive, dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and going blank without warning. Automotive outlets including Edmunds and MotorTrend identified the system as the QX80's most significant weakness through the end of the first-generation run. NHTSA recall 21V599000 addressed one specific subset — AV unit software preventing the camera image from displaying — but the broader freeze and connectivity failures fall outside that recall's scope. If you have returned to the dealer three or more times for the same screen-freeze, navigation failure, or CarPlay dropout and the problem recurs, California's Song-Beverly Act may apply. In a luxury vehicle sold at $80,000+, persistent technology failures that no dealer can fix can constitute a substantial impairment of the vehicle's use or value under the statute.
The 2018-2024 QX80 has a documented multi-defect history that makes it one of the stronger candidates in the full-size luxury SUV segment for Song-Beverly Act claims. Three separate federal recalls cover 2018-2021 models. Owner complaints to NHTSA document recurring issues with the VK56VD engine's oil consumption, the RE7R01H transmission's shift harshness, the InTouch infotainment system's freeze behavior, the hydraulic body motion control system's actuator failures, and premature brake wear. Under California's Song-Beverly Act (Civ. Code §§ 1790-1795.8), a vehicle qualifies as a lemon if: (1) a safety defect required even one unsuccessful repair attempt; (2) any other defect required 2+ (safety-adjacent) or 4+ repair attempts; or (3) the vehicle was out of service for 30+ cumulative days — all within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery. If your QX80 has been back to the dealer multiple times for the same unresolved issue, the statute may entitle you to a full refund of your purchase price or a comparable replacement vehicle.
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