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2004 Infiniti QX56

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 55.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

92 reports with mileage · 14 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

32 reports
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100,000 miles · Jun 16, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI Q-X56. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AT THAT TIME. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALER AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL NORMAL AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI Q-X56. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AT THAT TIME. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALER AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL NORMAL AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NORMAL AND WOULD FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE UNTIL THEY WERE BROKEN IN. THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT FOOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND ONE THIRD OF HIS FOOT WAS AMPUTATED DUE TO THE INJURY SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE BUT WAS RULED AS INCONCLUSIVE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO ADDRESS THE FAILURE WITH HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10336592

89,000 miles · Jun 11, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TLA* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 INFINITY QUIZ. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, MADE A LOUD NOISE AND FAILED TO OPERATE. THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR FROM FOURTH GEAR TO FIRST GEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. TH…

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TLA* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 INFINITY QUIZ. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, MADE A LOUD NOISE AND FAILED TO OPERATE. THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR FROM FOURTH GEAR TO FIRST GEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A RECALL OR A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,008. UPDATED 10/22/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE SENSOR INSIDE THE BRAKE BOOSTER. UPDATED 10/26/10

NHTSA ODI #10335771

94,000 miles · May 14, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

AT APPROXIMATELY 8K MILES THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS PER THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH SEEMED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE BRAKES BEGIN TO GROAN, ARE SPONGY, HAVE LESS THAN 10% BRAKING PO…

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AT APPROXIMATELY 8K MILES THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS PER THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH SEEMED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN, PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE BRAKES BEGIN TO GROAN, ARE SPONGY, HAVE LESS THAN 10% BRAKING POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 5 TIMES OVER 90K MILES. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT MAKE THE CONNECTION AT THE TIME, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE CAUSE OF A REAR END COLLISION THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN 2008 WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY BUT FELT THAT THE CAR TOOK MUCH TOO LONG TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN I QUICKLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES.THE VEHICLE CONTINUES THESE SYMPTOMS UNTIL THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. WHEN RESTARTED, THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. IT HAS MOSTLY ONLY OCCURRED TO ME WHILE DRIVING AWAY FROM A PARKING SPOT BUT YESTERDAY IT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEED EXCEEDING 50 MPH. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DOWNSHIFTING MY AUTOMATIC TO 1ST GEAR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ON A LEVEL FREEWAY AND NOT GOING DOWN A STEEP INCLINE. AFTER I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER, THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CAR WAS RESTARTED WITH NO BRAKE PROBLEMS. TODAY I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE INFINITI DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A 'COMMON PROBLEM' BUT NOT A RECALL AND THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER. REPROGRAMMING DID NOT WORK AND THEY SAID I WOULD NEED A NEW ABS BOOSTER PUMP AT A COST TO ME OF $925. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON CONSUMER WEBSITES AND FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH BOTH THE 2004 NISSAN TITAN AND ARMADA AND THE INFINITI QX56. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE C1179 CODE. WHAT I DISCOVERED IS THAT ANY CONSUMERS STILL HAD THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER THEY REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER AND REPLACED THE ABS BOOSTER PUMP. A SERVICE BULLETIN REPAIR EXISTS FOR THE 2004 NISSAN TITAN (NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10020026). THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330514

12,138 miles · Nov 6, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES. 6/05 AND 9/05 FOR A SHUDDER AND SQUEAK ISSUE. 4/06, 8/06, 9/06 AND 11/06 FOR A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE. THE DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL. …

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I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES FOR THE BRAKES. 6/05 AND 9/05 FOR A SHUDDER AND SQUEAK ISSUE. 4/06, 8/06, 9/06 AND 11/06 FOR A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE. THE DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10172726

3,000 miles · Apr 22, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I PURCHASED AN INFINITI QX56 IN MAY 2004 HAD BRAKES PROBLEMS AFTER ONLY 3,000 MILES BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER IN AUGUST 2004 THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2004 AT 6,700 MILES, DEALER AGAIN REPLACED ROTORS. AGAIN IN MAY 2005 AT 10,321 MILES BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TH…

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I PURCHASED AN INFINITI QX56 IN MAY 2004 HAD BRAKES PROBLEMS AFTER ONLY 3,000 MILES BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER IN AUGUST 2004 THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2004 AT 6,700 MILES, DEALER AGAIN REPLACED ROTORS. AGAIN IN MAY 2005 AT 10,321 MILES BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE ROTORS AND BREAK PADS, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THESE VEHICLES BRAKING SYSTEM BUT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO UPDATE THE ROTORS AND THAT WILL CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FOR GOOD. IN MAY 2005 BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE UPDATED ROTORS BUT NOW AT 19,000 MILES, I'M STILL HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES OR WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT. CALLED DEALER TODAY TO FILE COMPLAINT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE LEMON LAW APPLIES UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10155869

16,500 miles · Sep 9, 2005
Electrical SystemSeatsService Brakes, Hydraulic

SEVERE BRAKE JUDDER FOR 3 MONTHS, BRAKES HAVE NOW COMPLETELY FAILED , UNABLE TO DRIVE CAR,(2) DRIVER SEAT MEMORY HAS FAILED,(3) REAR WINDOW WASHER HAS FAILED, (4)DRIVER SEAT COMING APART, (5) WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR WILL NOT HOLD WATER. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10135936

6,432 miles · May 24, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

2004 INFINITI QX56 DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: BRAKING DEFECT, AND THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIGOROUSLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE ROTORS HAD WARPED FOR THE THIRD TIME. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10124791

5,945 miles · May 9, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

INFINITI QX56 2004 MODEL PURCHASED NEW FROM ROSEVILLE INFINITI DEALER(ACTUAL DEALER NAME SACRAMENTO INFINITI) NOVEMBER 1, 2004. BY FEBRUARY 16,2005 APPLYING BRAKES CAUSED SEVERE SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL . TAKEN INTO SERVICE AFTER 5,945 MILES. RETURNED WITH BRAKE PADS REPLACED ON FRONT WHEELS AND ROTORS SURFACED. THE …

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INFINITI QX56 2004 MODEL PURCHASED NEW FROM ROSEVILLE INFINITI DEALER(ACTUAL DEALER NAME SACRAMENTO INFINITI) NOVEMBER 1, 2004. BY FEBRUARY 16,2005 APPLYING BRAKES CAUSED SEVERE SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL . TAKEN INTO SERVICE AFTER 5,945 MILES. RETURNED WITH BRAKE PADS REPLACED ON FRONT WHEELS AND ROTORS SURFACED. THE SHAKING/VIBRATION PROBLEM HAS BEGUN AGAIN AT 10,141 MILES MAY 4, 2005. THE VECHILE WILL BE GOING INTO SERVICE ASAP.

NHTSA ODI #10120331

6,000 miles · Apr 25, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT 6,000 MILES THEN AGAIN AT 14,000 MILES AND NOW AGAIN AT 21,500. THE PULSATION WAS SO BAD THAT THE WHEEL SHOOK, AND IT WAS UNSAFE. IT WAS AN ENGINEERING FLAW. BRAKES WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS WEIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10118448

Mileage unknown · Apr 8, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL SHOOK REAL HARD WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE, AND DEALER DETERMINED IT WAS DETERMINED THA TIT WAS WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10117666

Official recalls

1

10V517000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 28, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.