AI Damage2008 Infiniti QX56: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Infiniti QX56 filed 53 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 53
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 43% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 23 complaints (43% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (15% of all).
- Suspension: 7 complaints (13% of all).
- Air bags: 5 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 5.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 53 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My driver's steering wheel airbag did NOT deploy. To my knowledge all the other airbags did deploy. I suffered neck, right shoulder, and lower back injuries from the rollover but remained in the driver's seat as the seatbelt system worked well. My Qx56 was a total loss.
The contact stated that after shifting into park with the engine turned on and exiting the vehicle, the vehicle erroneously rolled away and crashed into a nearby building within ten minutes. The contact indicated that the shifter lever was still engaged in park after the failure.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph and depressing the brake pedal, she noticed a vibration in the pedal and the vehicle would not stop. The brake light, vdc and the abs warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel.
The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 10v072000 regarding service brakes (hydraulic: pedals and linkages) and stated that the failure was directly related to the recall. The failure and current mileages were 44,000. Updated 05/19/2010.
Fuel gauge reads incorrect when it does come on. Dashboard lights stay off until the tank is on E. Unsafe to drive bc you cannot see your speed. When the dashboard randomly flicks on it will show that it is changing the 2WD to 4WD to 2WD WITHOUT anyone actually moving the switch.
There are times when driving under 50 mph brake light comes on and the brakes have goes out which cause me to do an emergency pullover turn off the truck for a few minutes and the brakes reset. This is very concerning for me. This has happened on a few occasions.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly stalled. Additionally, the contact became aware that the vehicle was experiencing inaccurate fuel gauge reading. The contact stated that the fuel gauge indicated that there was fuel in the vehicle while the fuel tank was empty.
There was previous recall on this vehicle, 10V-074 (Infiniti #R1011) for a fuel sender problem, causing the fuel gauge to be inaccurate. Infiniti says it was fixed in 2010. Unfortunately, I am having the exact same problem now, and have run out of gas twice because of it.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,181 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the QX56 has 54 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 53, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Infiniti QX56?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, suspension. Total complaints: 53. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (26%), brake failure (13%), fuel system, fuel smell (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Infiniti QX56?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Infiniti QX56 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.