What breaks most · 2004 to 2013 model years
Infiniti QX56 problems by year
Owners have filed 537 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Infiniti QX56 across model years 2004 to 2013. One year stands out: 2004 for brakes complaints. The quietest years are 2009, 2007 and 2010.
- Years to check closely: 2004
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2007, 2010
- Complaints on file
- 5372004 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004106 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 182 fires · 14 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 92kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 30Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 5 | 2 | Brakes (33) | |
| 80 | 2 | 4 | Brakes (22) | |
| 79 | 0 | 4 | Brakes (46) | |
| 21 | 0 | 2 | Brakes (9) | |
| 52 | 5 | 4 | Brakes (18) | |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Suspension (3) | |
| 25 | 2 | 3 | Air bags (6) | |
| 78 | 0 | 2 | Engine (37) | |
| 57 | 1 | 3 | Engine (24) | |
| 32 | 3 | 3 | Engine (19) |
What fails on the 2004 Infiniti QX56
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 31% |
33 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 30% |
32 | 2 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 15% |
16 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Air bags | 9% |
10 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 5% |
5 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 5% |
5 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 5% |
5 | 0 | Shop visibility parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 4% |
4 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
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
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Infiniti QX56 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004 carries the most filings on the Infiniti QX56. The 2004 alone has 106 complaints, led by brakes.
What is the most common Infiniti QX56 problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is brakes with 33 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Infiniti QX56 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Infiniti QX56 complaints that include mileage is about 92,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.