2004 Infiniti QX56: common problems and reliability

The 2004 Infiniti QX56 has 106 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are service brakes and hydraulic. Owners most often flag premature catalytic converter failure — very expensive repair ($1,700-$6,000 for parts), often occurs shortly after warranty expiration, can cause misfires and running rich. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2004 model year

106
Owner complaints
2
Recalls
5
Crash reports
1
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2004 Infiniti QX56 vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

service brakes
65
hydraulic
32
electrical system
16
air bags
10
engine and engine cooling
5

Recalls affecting the 2004 QX56

suspension:front:control arm:lower arm

Campaign 10E019000

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 A…

engine and engine cooling

Campaign 10V517000

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 ENGIN…

What owners say across generations

Mixed sentiment with a clear generational divide. The first-generation QX56 (2004-2010) is generally viewed as a robust, reliable, and capable full-size SUV with a "bulletproof" V8 powertrain, offering significant value on the used market due to high depreciat

  • Premature catalytic converter failure — Very expensive repair ($1,700-$6,000 for parts), often occurs shortly after warranty expiration, can cause misfires and running rich. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Timing chain system failure — Causes loud whistling/whining noise, loss of power, can lead to catastrophic engine damage with metal in oil; repair costs extremely high ($4,000-$13,500). Frequency: very frequent.
  • Excessive fuel consumption — Real-world mileage reported as low as 11-12 MPG. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Electrical/battery drain issues — Batteries reported to die every 24 months; parasitic drain suspected; issues with starting, voltage fluctuations, and various electronic component failures (HVAC, dashboard lights, navigation). Frequency: recurrent.
  • Transmission concerns — Includes torque converter shudder at highway speeds, slipping, and isolated reports of TCM (Transmission Control Module) failures that are expensive and difficult to repair. Frequency: recurrent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the QX56.

Typical used price

Used QX56 listings typically run $9,199–$11,195 across 2009 to 2013 model years.

Other QX56 model years

2007 QX56
Full Infiniti QX56 owner reportCompare against another car