Direct Adaptive Steering: A Real First, With a Real Cold-Weather Quirk
When Infiniti introduced Direct Adaptive Steering on the Q50, it was a genuine industry first for a production vehicle: a true steer-by-wire system with no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels during normal driving. Instead, sensors read exactly what the driver is doing with the wheel, and three redundant computer modules send electronic signals to motors on the steering rack that actually turn the wheels. It's an impressive piece of engineering, genuinely years ahead of most of the industry at the time.
It also came with a real, documented weak point. Early Q50 models developed a pattern of losing power steering assist during cold-weather startup, tied to a transient low-voltage condition, with owners reporting the steering wheel feeling disconnected from the road right when they needed it most. Infiniti took it seriously enough to issue a voluntary recall to reprogram the system, but a meaningful number of owners have reported the issue recurring even after that repair was performed. If your Q50 or Q60 loses steering feel or assist specifically in cold weather, that's a real, known pattern worth having properly diagnosed rather than dismissed. Before any repair, it's essential to confirm whether your vehicle actually has DAS or the standard mechanically-linked power steering system, since the components and repair procedures are completely different and not interchangeable. Checking the Drive Mode Selector's steering customization options on the infotainment screen is the quickest way to tell.
The VQ Timing Cover Gasket
Separately from the steering, Infiniti's VQ37VHR and VQ35HR V6 engines, used across the G37, older Q50, Q70, and other models, have a well-documented timing cover issue. These engines use a paper oil gallery gasket at the timing cover that degrades over time and develops a leak, and it's systemic enough to affect a large share of these engines rather than being a rare occurrence. In less common but real cases, worn timing chain guides or tensioners, extended oil change intervals that let soot accumulate and wear the chain, or repeated hard, sudden RPM changes can lead to more serious timing chain problems, including full breakage in rarer cases. A proper repair replaces the chains, guides, and tensioner as a set rather than a single worn part, and upgrades the timing cover seal to a silicone RTV gasket instead of reinstalling another paper one, addressing the actual root cause rather than just the symptom.
The genuinely good news for anyone shopping a newer Infiniti: the 3.0L twin-turbo VR30DDTT engine, used in 2016 and newer Q50 and Q60 models, does not share this systemic flaw. Timing cover issues on that engine are typically standard oil leaks from age rather than a design-level problem.
Why American & Import Auto Repair for Your Infiniti
Infiniti owners across Johnson City choose us because we understand the specific engineering, steer-by-wire included, that sets these vehicles apart. Every qualified repair is backed by our 36 month, 36,000 mile nationwide warranty on parts and labor, and for bigger jobs we offer financing options. Learn more about what sets our shop apart or head back to our home page.
