What breaks most · 2004 to 2013 model years
Infiniti QX56 problems by year
Owners have filed 402 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Infiniti QX56 across model years 2004 to 2013. One year stands out: 2004 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints. The quietest years are 2009, 2007 and 2010.
- Years to check closely: 2004
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2007, 2010
- Complaints on file
- 4022004 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004100 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 141 fires · 9 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 89kMedian 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 5 | 2 | Brakes (hydraulic) (32) | |
| 70 | 1 | 4 | Brakes (17) | |
| 65 | 0 | 4 | Brakes (37) | |
| 18 | 0 | 2 | Brakes (8) | |
| 39 | 4 | 4 | Brakes (13) | |
| 5 | 0 | 3 | Suspension (2) | |
| 19 | 2 | 3 | Steering (4) | |
| 47 | 0 | 2 | Engine (23) | |
| 31 | 0 | 3 | Engine (15) | |
| 8 | 2 | 3 | Brakes (2) |
What fails on the 2004 Infiniti QX56
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 32% |
32 | 2 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 30% |
30 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
16 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
| Air bags | 10% |
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 |
| 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 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
4 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2004 Infiniti QX56 |
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.
-
Poor braking with my qx56 sometimes i have to slam them just to get them to work. Constant vibration even with new rotors and pads. This is seriously a horrible safety issue.
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 30, 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 100 complaints, led by brakes (hydraulic).
What is the most common Infiniti QX56 problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is brakes (hydraulic) with 32 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 89,000 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.