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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

106 reports
255,700 miles · Aug 29, 2017
Service Brakes

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW/HIGH SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL JUST TURN ON UNEXPECTEDLY. ALSO, THE ABS BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL WHERE YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO TEMPORARILY FIX THIS IS TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT TO GO AWAY. AGAIN, THIS WILL OCCUR AT LEAST 1-2 TIMES …

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WHILE DRIVING AT LOW/HIGH SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL JUST TURN ON UNEXPECTEDLY. ALSO, THE ABS BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL WHERE YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO TEMPORARILY FIX THIS IS TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT TO GO AWAY. AGAIN, THIS WILL OCCUR AT LEAST 1-2 TIMES A DAY AND/OR 28 TIMES IN A MONTH WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO PUT A DRIVER IN ON THE HIGHWAY OR OTHER ROADWAYS.

NHTSA ODI #11020305

5 miles · Aug 19, 2017
Service Brakes

WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION THE RED BRAKE LIGHT WILL TURN ON AND WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR SLOWS DOWN BUT MAKES A LOUD THUMPING NOISE, AND YOU CAN FEEL LIKE A SPRING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATING, IF YOU TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, IT RESETS FOR A WHILE BUT NOW IT IS HAPPENING CONSTANTLY. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE NEW.

NHTSA ODI #11016363

12 miles · Apr 29, 2017
Service Brakes

AS I WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET, THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 INFINITI QX56 STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKE LIGHT ON DASH BOARD WENT ON MAKING IT HARD TO COME TO A STOP. I DON'T KNOW WHATS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME REASON (BRAKES) BUT I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER

NHTSA ODI #10981387

93,313 miles · Nov 6, 2016
Service Brakes

THE FIRST TIME I HAD ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PARKED. I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND TRIED TO RELEASES THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT THE LIGHT WOULDN'T DISENGAGE. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. THEN THE VEHICLE MADE A SEVERE GRINDING NOISE. I THEN T…

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THE FIRST TIME I HAD ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PARKED. I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND TRIED TO RELEASES THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT THE LIGHT WOULDN'T DISENGAGE. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. THEN THE VEHICLE MADE A SEVERE GRINDING NOISE. I THEN TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. I THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID "NO". THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED TO ME I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. I NOTICE THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNED ON, SO I SLOW APPLIED PRESSED TO THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP AND BEGAN TO SHAKE FURIOUSLY AS IF IT WAS SKIDDING ON THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THEIR WASN'T ANYONE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I TRIED PRESSING THE PARKING BRAKES TO RELEASE THE LIGHT BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK SO I TRIED SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF. I TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON AND THE LIGHT WAS GONE. I SLOWLY BEGAN TO DRIVE AND TEST THE BRAKES AND THEY WORK AGAIN. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME AGAIN THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE ISSUE AT HAND. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT COULD BE THE BRAKE BOOSTER BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND AN ISSUE WITH IT SO THEY DIDN'T REPLACE IT.

NHTSA ODI #10924534

68,000 miles · Oct 17, 2016
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES PULSATED AND MADE AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES PULSATED AND MADE AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000.

NHTSA ODI #10916600

139,000 miles · Aug 8, 2016
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IPDM BOX FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IPDM BOX FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURERS RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

NHTSA ODI #10893911

116,000 miles · Jul 14, 2016
Service Brakes

WHILE DRIVING THE EMERGERCNY BRAKE DASH LIGHT WILL BECOME LIT AND ALL BRAKING ACTIONS HAVE DRASTICALLY REDUCED POWER. A AN AUDIBLE GRINDING NOISE IS OBSERVED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE HAS LITTLE TO NO RESISTANCE. A RESTART OF THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THE ISSUE HAS REOCCURED NUMEROUS…

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WHILE DRIVING THE EMERGERCNY BRAKE DASH LIGHT WILL BECOME LIT AND ALL BRAKING ACTIONS HAVE DRASTICALLY REDUCED POWER. A AN AUDIBLE GRINDING NOISE IS OBSERVED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE HAS LITTLE TO NO RESISTANCE. A RESTART OF THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THE ISSUE HAS REOCCURED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY.

NHTSA ODI #10884713

183,000 miles · Jul 11, 2016
Air BagsService Brakes

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT AND DASH LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10884114

183,000 miles · Jun 26, 2016
EngineService Brakes

EMERGENCY BRAKE: E-BRAKE APPEARS TO ENGAGE ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR COMES ON. THERE'S ALSO A GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKE IS PRESSED. GRINDING SOUNDS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THIS ISSUE COMES UP. EXHAUST MANIFOLDS: WAS NOTIFIED BY THE DEALER UPON A SERVICE INSPECTION THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFO…

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EMERGENCY BRAKE: E-BRAKE APPEARS TO ENGAGE ON ITS OWN AND THE BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR COMES ON. THERE'S ALSO A GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKE IS PRESSED. GRINDING SOUNDS ONLY OCCURS WHEN THIS ISSUE COMES UP. EXHAUST MANIFOLDS: WAS NOTIFIED BY THE DEALER UPON A SERVICE INSPECTION THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. IS THIS A NORMAL THING? AND SHOULD THIS BE A RECALL ITEM AS IT COULD THROW OFF ANY SMOG CHECK TESTING. IN ADDITION HOW ABOUT THE EXHAUST IN THE CABIN ISSUE? MAYBE THEY USED TOO THIN OF A METAL FOR THE MANIFOLDS.

NHTSA ODI #10876675

115,000 miles · Jun 20, 2016
Steering

ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY BECAME COMPLETELY LOOSE, MOVING UP AND DOWN (WHILE UNDERWAY, STOPPED, OR WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF). THE ENTIRE COLUMN FROM ALL THE WAY INTO THE DASH, THRU THE COLUMN TO THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES (UNCONTROLLABLY) UP AND DOWN CAUSING SERIOUSLY UNSAFE STEERING AND LOOSE OF CONTROL AND RISK OF A CR…

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ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY BECAME COMPLETELY LOOSE, MOVING UP AND DOWN (WHILE UNDERWAY, STOPPED, OR WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF). THE ENTIRE COLUMN FROM ALL THE WAY INTO THE DASH, THRU THE COLUMN TO THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES (UNCONTROLLABLY) UP AND DOWN CAUSING SERIOUSLY UNSAFE STEERING AND LOOSE OF CONTROL AND RISK OF A CRASH. BEARING AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS WITHIN STEERING COLUMN LOOSE/SHEERING AND COMING APART. CONTACT ME FOR INFINITI/NISSAN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AT INFINITICLASSACTIONLAWSUIT AT GMAIL.

NHTSA ODI #10875156

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.