Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Infiniti QX56 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
I am having an issue with the fuel gauge on my 2005 Infiniti QX56. The fuel gauge is not reading correctly. It stops reading correctly once it reaches about half a tank of gas. I was driving on the freeway at night and I ran out of gas. This was a very scary situation because I had my kids in the car with me and at the time I had no idea why the vehicle completely shut off because my meter was showing that I had half a tank of gas. I took the vehicle to a mechanic the next day and he was able to tell me after a few days of me taking it by the shop to get a reading, that their was a problem with the fuel gauge reading which meant that the tank would have to be dropped to fix the problem. I later read up of common issues with the vehicle and saw that this was a common issue and that there was a recall for the same issue. …
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Infiniti QX56. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the fuel gauge displayed half a tank; however, the vehicle ran out of fuel. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V074000 (fuel system,other). The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that the VIN was not included in recall and nothing could be done. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Infiniti QX56. While driving at 60 MPH, the steering wheel seized and all the interior lighting dimmed. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the road. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the sending unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V074000 (fuel system, other). The failure mileage was 85,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Infiniti QX56. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact mentioned that the vehicle restarted after being refueled; however, the fuel gauge displayed that there were three quarts of fuel inside the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V074000 (fuel system, other). The failure mileage was 158,000. ..updated 03/29/17 updated 05/05/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Infiniti QX56. While driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle shut off due to low fuel. The contact mentioned that the low fuel warning light failed to illuminate. The vehicle was refueled and the vehicle functioned as normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 148,000. Updated 6/22/15
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.
I have a 2005 infinity QX56 and recently the vehicle has stalled out while on the freeway because of the running out of gas when the fuel gauge is showing over a 1/4 tank still remaining. Contacted infinity and informed them of NHTSA campaign id number: 10V074000 which says "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" although my vehicle matches identically to the proper make model and year of the recall they state that my VIN is not included with the recall. I do believe this is a major safety issue since my wife was accelerating onto the freeway recently in front of a semi truck when the vehicle stalled out and the semi had to take evasive maneuvers into another lane of traffic which almost caused a serious crash on interstate-94.
I was driving on a very busy street going about 45mph and without warning my car lost power. I tried to accelerate but it did not work and then I tried braking and then I knew I was in trouble. The car did not respond at all, so I pulled off to a side street where the car actually rolled to a stop. I could barley turn the steering wheel. I had to have the car towed to a Nissan dealership. I find out today after a little research there was a recall # 10V074000 on this year and model but it's VIN # specific. Meaning that my VIN was not included. So now I'm stuck with a bill for 969 bucks for this exact recall! Nissan wont be getting my business anymore, my life and safety is way to precious !!!!!! No recourse what so ever! Ugh.
Related recalls
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel sender unit inside the fuel tank with a new improved sender card. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on March 22, 2010.
Fuel System complaints in other QX56 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2005 Infiniti QX56?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2005 Infiniti QX56, 31% of the model year's 80 complaints. The component named most often is storage › fuel gauge system (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Infiniti QX56 fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-074 (fuel gauge system, Mar 3, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Infiniti QX56 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.