Total Complaints
101 filings
INFINITI QX56 · model year
101 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005INFINITIQX56 carries 101 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 QX56 is service brakes with 22 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (12) and fuel system, gasoline (11). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 7 investigation files overlapping the 2005 QX56. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
101 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | 22 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 12 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 11 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 7 |
| AIR BAGS | 5 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 5 |
| STEERING | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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 REDU
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
NISSAN IS RECALLING 180,664 MY 2005-2006 TITAN, ARMADA AND INFINITY QX56 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER MARCH 17, 2005, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A VISTEON AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAN MOTOR. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SEALED ALLOWING EXCESSIVE WATER INTRUSION AND INADEQUATE DRAINAGE OF MOISTURE.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
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, ARM
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2009 TITAN, ARMADA, AND INFINITI QX56 VEHICLES. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE MAY INACCURATELY DISPLAY THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS SOME FUEL, TYPICALLY ABOUT ONE QUARTER TANK, WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.
I started to break saw a major traffic jam . And my steering started shaking and my breaks did not Stop like they're supposed to.almost was i huge crash w I th my [XXX] and [XXX] old INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I started to break saw a major traffic jam . And my steering started shaking and my breaks did not Stop like they're supposed to.almost was i huge crash w I th my [XXX] and [XXX] old INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2005 Infiniti QX56. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence where it was discovered that no fuel was present although the fuel gauge indicated that there was a quarter tank of fuel in the tank. After adding fuel, the vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle operated as designed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number 10V074000 (Fuel System, Other). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Mileage: 150,000
THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER TO THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS YOU WILL LOSE POWER STEERING AND PRESSURE TO BRAKING SYSTEM. ALSO THE DRIVER HID HEADLAMP GETS MOISTURE IN IT WHENEVER IT RAINS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HID BULB ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. ALSO THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE ONBOARD COMPUTER THAT CAUSES THE TACHOMETER TO NOT WORK OR READ CORRECTLY.
Mileage: 155,000
THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER TO THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS YOU WILL LOSE POWER STEERING AND PRESSURE TO BRAKING SYSTEM. ALSO THE DRIVER HID HEADLAMP GETS MOISTURE IN IT WHENEVER IT RAINS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HID BULB ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. ALSO THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE ONBOARD COMPUTER THAT CAUSES THE TACHOMETER TO NOT WORK OR READ CORRECTLY.
Mileage: 155,000
THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER TO THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN PROBLEM OCCURS YOU WILL LOSE POWER STEERING AND PRESSURE TO BRAKING SYSTEM. ALSO THE DRIVER HID HEADLAMP GETS MOISTURE IN IT WHENEVER IT RAINS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HID BULB ABOUT 6 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. ALSO THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE ONBOARD COMPUTER THAT CAUSES THE TACHOMETER TO NOT WORK OR READ CORRECTLY.
Mileage: 155,000
DRIVING 30 MPH IN MANHATTAN NEW YORK CAME TO A RED LIGHT PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL FELT NO BRAKES PUMPED BRAKES FELT LIKE THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO BRAKING ABS LIGHT CAME ON SO DID BRAKE LIGHT RAN THROUGH THE RED THANK GOD NO CARS WHERE I FRONT OF ME ,EVENTUALLY STOPPED PULLED ASIDE THEN TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND THEN ON THE BRAKES WORKED FINE TOOK IT TO STRAIGHT TO MECHANIC BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE TRUCK . HE SAID EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE YOUR BRAKE PADS ROTORS FLUID LEVELS AND TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION HE CONNECTS HIS SCAN TOOL AND SAID HE DIDN'T FIND ANY CODES .I TOLD HIM TO KEEP THE CAR DRIVE IT UNTIL HE COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM 1 WEEK AFTER HE CALLS ME AND SAID HE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH IN BROOKLYN NEW YORK AND THE BRAKE LIGHT ABS LIGHT CAME ON THEN HE HAD NO BRAKES TOLD ME 'IT FELT AS IF HE WAS DRIVING ON ICE 'HE THEN SCANNED THE CAR WHEN HE GOT BACK TO THE SHOP AND SAID IT HAD A CODE DTC C1179 ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO INFINITI TO GET IT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE IT'S A SER
Mileage: 5
WHILE DRIVING IN RESIDENTIAL/BUSINESS AREA MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF. I DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING. TRIED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD START BUT WOULD IMMEDIATELY DIE-WOULD NOT IDLE. AFTER RESTING APPROX 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN AND CONTINUE HOME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I ALSO CANNOT KEEP THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WORKING. BULBS CONSTANTLY BLOW OUT AT OVER 300.00 DOLLARS EACH. *TR
Mileage: 270,000
WHILE DRIVING IN RESIDENTIAL/BUSINESS AREA MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF. I DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING. TRIED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD START BUT WOULD IMMEDIATELY DIE-WOULD NOT IDLE. AFTER RESTING APPROX 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN AND CONTINUE HOME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I ALSO CANNOT KEEP THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WORKING. BULBS CONSTANTLY BLOW OUT AT OVER 300.00 DOLLARS EACH. *TR
Mileage: 270,000
WHILE DRIVING IN RESIDENTIAL/BUSINESS AREA MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF. I DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER STEERING. TRIED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD START BUT WOULD IMMEDIATELY DIE-WOULD NOT IDLE. AFTER RESTING APPROX 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN AND CONTINUE HOME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I ALSO CANNOT KEEP THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WORKING. BULBS CONSTANTLY BLOW OUT AT OVER 300.00 DOLLARS EACH. *TR
Mileage: 270,000
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SEEMINGLY AFTER SLOW DRIVING WHERE THERE ARE MANY STOP SIGNS NOT TOO FAR APART, THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, THE BRAKE PEDAL WEAKENS AND BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHEN THE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THEN I TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTART IT AND ALL IS BACK TO NORMAL UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, CAN BE DAYS OR SOMETIMES WEEKS.
Mileage: 212,000
WHEN DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON FOR NO REASON AND CAUSES THE BRAKES TO WORK INAPPROPRIATELY. IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO BRAKE. THE BRAKES SEEM TO FALL THROUGH AND THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND FROM THE BRAKES. IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THEN BACK ON IT WORKS FINE. THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN SPARATICALLY.
Mileage: 216,000
WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON INTERSTATE I-95 DURING RUSH HOUR AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES/HOUR, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL DROPPED DOWN AND STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE (LIKE GRINDING SOUND) AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. THE ABS LIGHT TURNED ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, THE PEDAL LOST PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. I ENDED UP IN A CRASH, REAR-ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR HAS NOW BEEN REPAIRED FROM DAMAGES FROM CRASH BUT MECHANIC FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SYSTEM. ABS SENSORS, CALIPERS, DISKS AND PADS WHERE CHANGED AS PRECAUTION BUT PROBLEM REAPPEARS FROM TIME TO TIME AND SEEMS TO RESET WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN (BRAKE PETAL RAISED BACK UP, GRINDING SOUND DISAPPEARS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT SHUT OFF). I VISITED TWO INFINITY DEALERS AND BOTH OF THEM MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND THE PROBLEM WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER'S DESIGN.
Mileage: 55,000
FUEL GAUGE SHOWS 1/4 TANK BUT IT IS EMPTY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION COULD HAVE OCCURRED. WAS ABLE TO FIND SAFETY BESIDE THE HIGHWAY BUT THANKFUL IT DID NOT HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY.
Mileage: 145,000
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND THAT OCCURS AS WELL WHEN I'M DRIVING. I'M CONCERNED IF I'M INVOLVED IN A COLLISION MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. I CONTACTED INFINITI AND WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO RESET IT AND WILL COST $800.00 AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER IT AND WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL LIST. THE IPDM ECM RELAY SWITCH CAUSES MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGE TO GO IN AND OUT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, MY TRUCK JERKS TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS, IT WILL SOMETIMES START UP AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, IT CAUSES THE RPM'S TO READ OVER 7 WHEN I'M ONLY DRIVING 60 MPH. IT SHOULD READ BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. I'M CONSTANTLY SWITCHING THE ECM RELAY PLUGS TO START MY TRUCK. THE AIR BAG AND IPDM ECM RELAY WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED IT 4YEARS AGO.
Mileage: 100
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND THAT OCCURS AS WELL WHEN I'M DRIVING. I'M CONCERNED IF I'M INVOLVED IN A COLLISION MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. I CONTACTED INFINITI AND WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO RESET IT AND WILL COST $800.00 AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER IT AND WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL LIST. THE IPDM ECM RELAY SWITCH CAUSES MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGE TO GO IN AND OUT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, MY TRUCK JERKS TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS, IT WILL SOMETIMES START UP AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, IT CAUSES THE RPM'S TO READ OVER 7 WHEN I'M ONLY DRIVING 60 MPH. IT SHOULD READ BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. I'M CONSTANTLY SWITCHING THE ECM RELAY PLUGS TO START MY TRUCK. THE AIR BAG AND IPDM ECM RELAY WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED IT 4YEARS AGO.
Mileage: 100
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND THAT OCCURS AS WELL WHEN I'M DRIVING. I'M CONCERNED IF I'M INVOLVED IN A COLLISION MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. I CONTACTED INFINITI AND WAS TOLD THEY NEED TO RESET IT AND WILL COST $800.00 AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER IT AND WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL LIST. THE IPDM ECM RELAY SWITCH CAUSES MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGE TO GO IN AND OUT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, MY TRUCK JERKS TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS, IT WILL SOMETIMES START UP AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, IT CAUSES THE RPM'S TO READ OVER 7 WHEN I'M ONLY DRIVING 60 MPH. IT SHOULD READ BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. I'M CONSTANTLY SWITCHING THE ECM RELAY PLUGS TO START MY TRUCK. THE AIR BAG AND IPDM ECM RELAY WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED IT 4YEARS AGO.
Mileage: 100
RANDOMLY, I WILL STEP ON THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES BEGIN TO PULSATE. THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE GRINDING SOUND AND THE BRAKE PEDAL LOSES PRESSURE. ALMOST LIKE IT HIT A VOID AND DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. I HAD TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. CALIPERS AND PADS WERE ALL CHANGED, PER DEALER FINDINGS. AND IT CONTINUED. I DO NOT GO OVER 40 MPH FOR FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. IT'S CLEARLY AND UNSAFE SITUATION AND THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY ONLY HEAR THIS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE BACK BRAKES. GUESS WHAT, I BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER INFINITI SERVICE CENTER, AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING EVEN THOUGHT THE OTHER SERVICE CENTER REPLACED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. ANOTHER MECHANIC, FROM THE SERVICE CENTER, TOOK ME ASIDE AND SAID THIS IS FREQUENTLY HAPPENING WITH THIS MODEL AND IT IS A MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE FROM DESIGN. COME ON INFINITI, FIX THIS!
Mileage: 183,000
AFTER DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, SLOW SPEED WITH MANY STOPS, THE BRAKE PEDAL LOSES POWER AND BEGINS TO PULSATE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASHBOARD. TURMING THE VEHICLE ON/OFF SEEMS TO RESET THE CAR AND THE ISSUE IS RESLOVED.
Mileage: 163,000
I AM HAVING BRAKE ISSUES WITH MY 2005 INFINITI QX56. THE BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. IT IS ALSO VERY HARD TO GET IT TO COME TO A STOP. JUST YESTERDAY, I ALMOST COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I AM ALSO HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE. I HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE THE GAUGE IS SHOWING BETWEEN 1/2 AND 1/4 FULL. BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017 WE WERE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE LOST POWER AND WE WERE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR. WE WERE IN THE PASSING LANE AND WE LUCKY TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE ALMOST IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. I HAVE RESEARCHED BOTH ISSUES ONLINE. I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THESE ISSUES. WHEN I CALLED INFINITI ABOUT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS IN FACT RECALLS BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. OBVIOUSLY, IF I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH BOTH OF THE THINGS AND THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON BOTH OF THEM, MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE ON THIS RECALL LIST. I
Mileage: 182,000
Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Improper Frontal Air Bag Deployment
Steering column separation
Collision Mitigation System Malfunction
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.