Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Infiniti QX56 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Occasionally Brake light turns on in my dashboard then my braking system loses hydraulic pressure and I have troubling braking till I turn car off then resets and goes back to normal but while brake light us on is very troubling and concerning? This has happened on many occasions since purchasing the car if I remember in 2018
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.
My wife was driving her 2008 QX56 and when she tried to brake her foot went to the floor and she heard a grinding noise, she pumped and pumped the brakes but did not notice any measurable slowing down of the vehicle. Fortunately there was no one in front of her and she was evenatually able to safely pull into a parking lot and stop the vehicle. Upon my research this appears to be a know defect. The dealership where I took the car, diagnosed it as a delta stroke sensor defect. Upon researching this there appears to have been a class action suit against Nissan/infinitie that the plaintiffs won. If this is a know defect why hasn't there been a recall? My wife could have been seriously injured or killed or she could have injured or killed someone else due to the catastophic loss of brakes. This is not a wear and tear issue and their is no warning that it will happen. …
When attempting to stop two times in the past few months the brakes suddenly fail allowing us no ability to stop the car almost causing a serious wreck. The brake pedal goes all the way to the floor with the brake light (not ABS) illuminated on the dash. Even though Nissan consumer affairs is aware of this problem they are not being accountable or held responsible for this serious car defect. According to the class action law suit (where there are many others reporting the same problem) the problem is with the active brake booster and vdc control unit. They recommend for me to pay 2-3000 dollars to have the car fixed for a manufacturing defect. Given the severity of this defect in the core brake system across both Nissan and Infiniti cars and the fact this was taken to court there should be a recall for a failing brake system.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Infiniti QX56. 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 failure recurred six times while the contact was traveling at different speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer six different times. The technician stated the brake booster and the master vac assembly would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred and resulted in the contact being involved in a crash. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 48,670.
Brake light comes on while driving, when pressure is applied to brakes under 40mph there is a grinding noise and the brakes skip. You can turn the ignition off and back on and sometimes the brake light goes off and everything is fine and sometimes it is not. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. Some days it never comes on and some days it never goes off. After researching online it appears that it is an issue with the computer module and a software update is needed. Please fix this. The first time it happened it was very scary! I was driving with my 3 kids and thought that my brakes had went out completely. It was months before it happened again but now it seems to be an every day occurence.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Infiniti QX56. While attempting to make a left turn at speeds of 7 MPH, a vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side wheel of his vehicle. He depressed the brake pedal but the brakes would not engage. The contact sustained a minor injury to his wrist. A police report was filed. A local mechanic repaired the wheel, axle, frame and passenger side door. 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.
Just purchased a used 2008 QX56 with 118,000 miles. 2 incidents: while coming to a stop, brakes failed and brake light came on. Dealer says low brake fluid so they filled and all seemed fine. 3 days later, coming to a stop traveling less than 30 MPH same thing. The defect continued as I made my way to my house a block away. I can see why this issue would cause an accident and the issue in no way felt like a pin causing an issue with the pedal and bracket as described in recall listed. Vehicle being towed by dealer to determine cause but from reviewing all the complaints here, there seems to be 2 common themes: a brake defect and Nissan not figuring it out.
I applied brakes with plenty of lead time but the QX56 failed to brake causing me to rear end another SUV; I did minimal damage to the other car but damaged my radiator/front-bumper/hood. I had a similar ABS issue about a week before as described by many for the 2004-2006 Nissan/infinity recall but I didn't research that recall until this current accident. My airbags did not go off. On initially breaking it sounded like the ABS was going to kick in but the car kept moving forward with none of the normal pulsing action that would normally be felt with ABS and no reduction in speed as the brake pedal was fully depressed.
The brakes on my vehicle has a strange reaction when I brake at times and is hesitant to stop. It doesn't happen often but it's scary. Usually after I stop the vehicle, cut it off & crank it again the problem goes away only to do it again on a later date. After going online I find that many others have experienced the same problem with Infiniti QX56 & Nissan armada's. I'm sure whether or not it's a ABS sensor malfunction or what but thankfully it haven't happened while being in heavy traffic because I fear I'll rear end another motorist.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
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.
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.
Brake complaints in other QX56 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2008 Infiniti QX56?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the brakes of the 2008 Infiniti QX56, 43% of the model year's 53 complaints. The component named most often is pedals and linkages (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Infiniti QX56 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-072 (pedals and linkages, Mar 2, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Infiniti QX56 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.