Model year record

2004 Infiniti QX56 recalls & problems

The 2004 Infiniti QX56 has 2 safety recalls and 106 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (33 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints106filed by owners

Crashes · fires5 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths3 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Engine and engine coolingOct 28, 2010

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 10V517000747,480 vehicles

Problem: 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.
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: 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.

SuspensionMay 20, 2010

Front › Control arm › Lower arm

Recall 10E0190001,873 vehicles

Problem: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.
Risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

QX56 2WD

14mpg combined

City / highway	12 / 18 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.6 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,800/year to fuel

QX56 4WD

14mpg combined

City / highway	12 / 17 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.6 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,800/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc › Rotor; Foundation components › Disc › Pads	33	2	0	2	10,200 mi
Service brakes	33	0	0	0	102,201 mi
Electrical systemWiring; Instrument cluster/panel	16	1	1	0	98,381 mi
Air bagsFrontal › Sensor/control module	10	1	0	1	85,000 mi
VisibilityPower window devices and controls; Windshield wiper/washer	6	0	0	0	90,000 mi
StructureBody › Hatchback/liftgate; Body	5	0	0	0	—
Engine and engine coolingCooling system; Exhaust system	5	0	0	0	68,000 mi
Engine	5	1	0	0	130,000 mi
SeatsFront assembly › Power adjust	4	0	0	0	16,500 mi
SteeringColumn	4	0	0	0	101,500 mi
Power trainAutomatic transmission	4	1	0	0	40,500 mi
Fuel system, gasoline	4	0	0	0	93,000 mi

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Service brakes
My wife was driving home from work, said brake is failing, makes loud grindy, rattling noise when brake is applied. Once the car is turn off and back on, everything is back to normal. When I got home, i took the wheels off to check everything was ok, pads were almost new, which I replaced last year. Drove around for 10 miles no problem. This is a serious safety issue which Nissan/Infiniti should take care of.
Jul 3, 2024
Engine and engine cooling
The contact owns a 2004 Infiniti QX56. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail to start up after multiple attempts with several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. In addition, he stated that the vehicle would intermittently stall while driving at various speeds with several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they informed him that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V517000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was referred to NHTSA for assistance. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage…
Mar 1, 2010 · 68,000 miles
Service brakes
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING MY FAMILY FROM TEXAS TO NORTH CAROLINA WHEN I RAN INTO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC LONG THE WAY. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, THEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING, THERE WAS A LOUND GRIDDING NOISE AS IF THE ENGINE ABOUT TO FALLOUT AND MY BRAKE DIDNOT HOLD IMMEDIATELY WHEN APPLIED.
Aug 7, 2020 · 127,465 miles
Unknown or other
THE EMC RELAY IS BAD. I HAVE A LETTER SAYING IT WAS A RECALL.. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. IF YOU WAITED A LITTLE WHILE IT WOULD START UP AGAIN BUT IT SEEMED THAT WHEN IT GOT HOT IT WOULD SHUT DOWN AGAIN. IT COST ME 102.00 FOR TOW TRUCK AND THE DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING ME 160.00 AN HOUR TO CHECK WHAT IT IS. THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL BUT I HAVE LETTER IN FRONT OF ME.
Dec 3, 2020 · 200,000 miles
Structure › Body
TAKATA RECALL PAINT IS FADING IN DIFFERENT PLACES CLEAR COAT HAS FADED AWAY THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PASS COUPLE OF YEARS
Aug 4, 2016
Service brakes
THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. ROTORS ARE FINE. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL IS HIGH. YET, WHEN I APPLY MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS ALSO A BAD SOUND ON THE FRONT WHEELS THAT SOUNDS LIKE METAL TO METAL (THERE IS A VIBRATION). ONCE I PULL OVER AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A MINUTE OR SO, I AM ABLE TO CONTINUE. HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT COMES BACK ON MOMENTS LATER. THIS IS GETTING VERY DANGEROUS AS IT MAY TRIGGER ME TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN GETTING WORST. THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ALSO COMES AND STAYS ON. PLEASE HELP.
Oct 17, 2018 · 15 miles
Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 INFINITI QX56. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL GAUGE AND OTHER GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYED INACCURATE INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (INFINITI OF ELK GROVE, 8586 LAGUNA GROVE DR, ELK GROVE, CA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
Aug 1, 2018 · 167,000 miles
Service brakes
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING IN A DRY PARKING LOT AND APPLYING MY BRAKES, MY ABS BRAKES KICKED ON FOR NO REASON AND THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND STOP. THE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AND I HEARD ALOT OF GRINDING. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AS BOTH TIMES I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE ONLY WAY TO RESET ABS WAS TO TURN OFF VEHICLE. I AM SO AFRAID THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE AND AM THINKING ABOUT SELLING IT BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
Jun 30, 2018 · 74,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.