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Infiniti · NHTSA safety record

2010 Infiniti QX56

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 25 safety complaints about the 2010 Infiniti QX56 with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the suspension and the hydraulic brakes.

The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 6 complaints, 24% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 60,122 miles, the median across the 19 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2010 to March 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

25 complaints on file

25

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

2

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
AIR BAGS 6 · 24%
STEERING 6 · 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 · 12%
STRUCTURE 3 · 12%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 8%
SUSPENSION 2 · 8%
WHEELS 2 · 8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 4%
SEATS 1 · 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 4%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 · 4%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 25.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 5.

8 6 4 2
10 11 14 15 16 17 19 20 22 23 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2010 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2010 Infiniti QX56, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4-DR w/SAB
Overall Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash Not rated
Side barrier Not rated
Side pole Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 21.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

NHTSA made its frontal crash test harder for the 2011 model year, and says ratings from before that change should not be compared with ratings after it. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

10V208000 · May 14, 2010

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, QX56, FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 19, 2009 THROUGH MARCH 3, 2010. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.
The risk
IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 41,649 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

10V072000 · March 2, 2010

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND INFINITI QX56, AND MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 NISSAN QUEST VEHICLES. THE BRAKE PEDAL PIVOT PIN END WAS NOT SPIN-FORMED TO SPECIFICATION DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE PIVOT PIN COULD SLIDE AND CAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PARTIALLY DISENGAGE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET.
The risk
THE DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE UNUSUAL AND NOTICEABLE LOOSENESS IN THE PEDAL AND A REDUCTION IN BRAKING FORCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE IF THE PIVOT PIN HAD BEEN FORMED PROPERLY AND WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 179,383 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STEERING

1 injured · crash · 26,000 miles

I OWN 2010 QX56. ON NOVEMBER 16TH I WAS COMING OUT OF PARKING GARAGE AT CHICAGO O'HARE AIRPORT. AFTER I PASS THE PAY BOOTH, WITH IN 15 FEET AT THE SPEED OF 4 TO 5 MILES PER HOUR, I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE OF SOME MALFUNCTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY. STEERING WHEEL MOVED 180 DEGREE IN ONE SECOND AND HIT THE PAY-BOOTH. CAR HIT THE SIDE PAVEMENTS OF THE PAY-BOOTH AND CAUSED THE FLAT TIRE, DAMAGE THE BODY OF THE CAR AND STEERING WHEEL GOT LOCKED. ALL THE POWER-STEERING FLUID GOT LEAKED OUT. I HAD A FRACTURED THUMB BECAUSE OF THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND ENDED UP TOWING TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL

NHTSA complaint 10437726, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 93,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CUTS BY GLASS FRAGMENTS FROM THE AIR BAG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA complaint 10666974. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The passenger airbag restraint system has failed. Specifically, the passenger seat airbag sensor has failed, meaning there is no current airbag functionality for the passenger in my 2010 Infiniti QX56. There was a voluntary safety recall for (R1606) for Infiniti QX56's with years 2014-2016 for the same fault. Obviously, this is a tremendous life and safety risk and should be resolved by the manufacturer.

NHTSA complaint 11562306. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
My airbag light came on and is flashing, I also have no horn

NHTSA complaint 11454712. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
EVERYTHING RECALLED IS WRONG WITH MY CAR

NHTSA complaint 11366911. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

100,000 miles

MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEATBELT LIGHTS AREON AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT PRIOR TO THIS COMING ON. DEALER STATED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT REPAIRED BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL.

NHTSA complaint 11241740. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAGS LIGHT ARE ONE 2 WEEKS NOW FOR NO REASON. MY CAR IS PARK IN MY GARAGE

NHTSA complaint 11220503. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

90,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 INFINITI QX56. THE CONTACT STATED THAT MOISTURE ENTERED THE HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING THEM TO FAIL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA complaint 11189670. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Infiniti QX56

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2013 32 3 —
2012 57 3 —
2011 78 2 —

Other 2010 Infiniti models

G37 77 M35 20

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Infiniti on this site — 52 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst