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 2004 Nissan Armada owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
As I was driving through the canyon at 55 mph I pressed on my brakes to begin to slow down for the construction zone coming up and they felt like air no pressure then there was a grinding sound like something was breaking underneath my vehicle as I let off my brakes the brake light came on and it sounded like a spring releasing under my vehicle. I attempted to use my brakes almost a dozen times attempting to stop with the same grinding and spring sound happening. Once I was finally able to come to a safe stop I turned my vehicle off and once I turned it back on the brake light was off and the pressure was back in my brakes
This issue had been going on for years with my 2004 Nissan Armada. Driving down the freeway at approximately 70mph and the brake light comes on out of no where. When this happens there us no way to safe stop the vehicle because the brakes will not engage. There is this rattling and grinding sound that happens each time. The only way to safely continue is turn the truck off and back on. This needs to be corrected immediately before there is a fatal because of brake failure. Nissan refuse to research all the complaints.
I was driving down the road around 45 to 50 MPH. I looked down and when I looked back up a car was stopped in the road. When I pressed the brake it made a weird noise almost like a spring going boing and air rushing. The noise is very hard to describe. The pedal went almost to the floor. The brakes had a weird grinding sound and a lot of vibration in the pedal. I had the brakes down as hard as I could. The brakes did work a little but nothing like they should have. There was only a very small light in color skid mark. I let the officer know after the crash. After looking into it I discovered this is a known problem. I was not injured but people in the other car were.
In 20017 I was rear ended on i95 by another driver at no fault on my part. I requested the vehicle be fixed but a check of only $384.80 was mailed to me 2 years later. Now the vehicles steering wables, along with the brakes and wheels.
Purchased a new 2004 Armada in August 2004. Had nothing but problems with the car. I recently was involved in an accident because of brake failure. The car was taken to Nissan immediately after the body was repaired for them ,to repair the brakes. Mid city Nissan in chicago informed me that they would not repair the vehicle because the body shop damaged the brakes. This was ridiculous because the car was in the accident in the first place due to brake failure. . Also, the initial inspection revealed, that previous to any body work done, the rotors/ calipers, and the pads were defective. Nissan was well aware of this problem, yet they did nit want to admit it. In addition, the employees of mid city were extremely rude and confrontational. They were not helpful in any way. Driver's side window did not always roll up, and the stereo's volume faded in and out. …
Car involved is a 2004 Nissan Armada. I was pulling up in front of my son's friend's house to drop him off. My foot was on the brake and I was almost stopped when the car suddenly accelerated forward and hit a Chevy truck that was parked in front of me. It lunged forward with such force it pushed the truck forward about 4 feet and the front passenger tire ended up on the curb. There is a lot of damage to both cars. This is the second incident within a 3 month time period. On 1/8/13 while my daughter was pulling into a parking space in a parking garage the car suddenly accelerated and she crashed into a wall. I figured it was a fluke thing and paid my $1000 deductible and they repaired the $8500 worth of damage. I am very concerned because if I would have been slowing down for someone at a crosswalk I would have ran them over. …
Randomly the truck would not stop as I try and apply the brakes , its as is I push petal to the floor and you hear a bad grinding a bad vibration and feels as if the truck is about to drop a mechanical piece from underneath the front end .as I come to a long and rolling stop the brake light turns on,, I try and pump the brake petal and it seems as if its disconnected from the cable, so I turn the truck off wait a minute and turn it back on... Now this has happened about 5,6 times the past time my wife and 3 boys where in the vehicle.. Ive done research and been on many forums and know this is a big issue and very dangerous, as we are now extremely nervous to drive the vehicle especially on the expressway ... Please at least honor the repairs as I can take it to a Nissan by me and have it fixed. I love the truck and have put a lot of money to modifying it and its very dependable. …
Traveling on highway at 65 MPH near my offramp when brake light came on the dash again. This has happened several times in the past few months and it doesn't get driven on a regular basis as it is our 3rd vehicle. As I approached the ramp with brakes even lightly depressed the brakes chattered and felt week. Had to stop on the ramp, shut the engine off and restart so I could continue. At least this time I knew what to do to make go away at least temporarily. We have to always make sure we have plenty of extra space in front of us so we time to react if it happens again. I just hope it doesn't happen in an emergency situation. Also had an incident while towing a small utility trailer early in 2020 when it happened and it was much more extreme and I was afraid I would not be able to stop it at the upcoming stop sign. …
I have had an issue with brakes and lights coming on that says vdo ,antilock etc: when driving the SUV at lower speeds and you try to apply the brakes the whole front end starts shaking and grinding and it is impossible to stop. I have replaced brakes, rotors , wheel hub bearings and still have this problem. It is scary when you can't stop a 7,000lb vehicle! I am in fear of an accident . I have read of others having the same problem. Sometimes when running hyw speeds a lot of lights come on and dingers and this has been happening since I bought the Armada. I want to know what Nissan is gonna do about this problem cause it seems I am not the only one having these issues. I have already had to replace the right rear hub assembly 2 times and they are not cheap. I feel Nissan does not want admit they have a problem. I think this needs to be a recall . …
Doesn't matter the speed of the vehicle, brakes tend to press to the floor, grinding noise and the only way to stop this is to pull over the vehicle, turn off the ignition and restart it. It randomly happens, but I am very concerned that if and when I tow or am on the highway, I don't won't my brakes to not work. Could kill me...I have had an issue with brakes and lights coming on that says vdo ,antilock etc: when driving the SUV at lower speeds and you try to apply the brakes the whole front end starts shaking and grinding and it is impossible to stop. I have replaced brakes, rotors , wheel hub bearings and still have this problem. It is scary when you can't stop a 7,000lb vehicle! I am in fear of an accident . I have read of others having the same problem. Sometimes when running hyw speeds a lot of lights come on and dingers and this has been happening since I bought the Armada. …
Brake complaints in other Armada years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2004 Nissan Armada?
NHTSA has 317 complaints about the brakes of the 2004 Nissan Armada, 68% of the model year's 464 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (53 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Armada brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2004 Nissan Armada, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Nissan Armada brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 12 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries 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.