Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 11% | 60,000 miles |
| 2021 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2020 | 6 | 22% | — |
| 2019 | 14 | 18% | 40,000 miles |
| 2018 | 15 | 20% | 32,000 miles |
| 2017 | 13 | 16% | 46,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2013 | 8 | 47% | 50,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 24% | 99,000 miles |
| 2011 | 7 | 18% | 44,000 miles |
| 2010 | 7 | 15% | 45,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 9% | 42,000 miles |
| 2008 | 68 | 42% | 92,000 miles |
| 2007 | 46 | 53% | 80,000 miles |
| 2006 | 192 | 72% | 80,000 miles |
| 2005 | 220 | 59% | 70,000 miles |
| 2004 | 317 | 68% | 60,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
BCI Malfunction - caused brakes to seize up while driving. The first time I received this warning, in August 2022, it only caused my car not to start. After multiple attempts to start the vehicle, I finally was able to get it started and I scheduled repair at Nissan. When I took it in for repair, the Service Advisor said since the warning light was not actively illuminating, they were not able to pull codes and therefore not able to diagnose or repair. They sent me on my way and instructed me to return when the warning was displayed again. During this visit, my car was still under the mfg. warranty. Last week, while driving 50 mph and about to enter the freeway in Southern CA with 75+ speeds, the BCI Malfunction light came on and my brakes immediately seized causing me to stop abruptly. I was able to move to the side of the road and call a tow truck. …
My car has had to be repaired three times because of a BCI malfunction. This is a part the is controlled by the brake pedal. The car will not crank and the ACC issues occur. When the BCI malfunction occurs, the car will refuse to start, will malfunction while you are driving and the car loses the ability to break and/or control the speed. I have had the part replaced three times and it continues to act up. Nissan is aware of this issue because I had a 2019 armada that did the same thing. I have had the vehicle repaired three times. The part/repair will last 12-13 months or 18-20,000 miles before malfunctioning again. I have multiple videos of the car doing this. I have serviced at the dealership. I spoke with two different dealerships and the service managers both stated that they have never seen this part have to be repaired so much and don't know why it is not lasting. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Brakes and front sensor. Yes How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Collisions Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes' , front sensor failure light appeared and brakes failed. On two occasions, the brakes have failed when we are in the drive-through, causing us to rear end the vehicle in front of us. We had the car towed to a Nissan dealer. …
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 50 MPH, all four brakes engaged independently, and the rear brake lights failed to illuminate. The ABS, Lane Assist, Traction Control, Collision, Blind Spot, and BC1 warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ABS module and Brake Control Actuator required replacement. Upon further investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V601000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure via telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 137,479.
BCI (Back-up Collision Intervention) Malfunction. It's random when this comes up on the dashboard warning lights. It lights up several other things as well. It doesn't allow you to use the cruise control, or the 4-wheel drive. It disables the ABS and traction control. I don't know how this is not a recall, because I see several forums talking about this issue for this vehicle specifically in this year. We took it to the dealership, and they brushed it off, and claimed they didn't know how to fix it. It has caused multiple problems and has put my family at harms risk due to it disabling the safety features.
There is a common known issue with the Armadas that Nissan has not addressed, where you will randomly get a "BCI Malfunction" warning, sometimes corresponding to a warning about the ABS System. The car will not shift out of the current gear when this happens, until you turn it off and back on again. If you are really unlucky, like I am, this will progress to the car randomly applying the brakes and initiating hard stops, in traffic. This happened to me two days ago in traffic and I narrowly escaped an accident. I had to get the car towed home and it still intermittently does this. The brakes locked up so badly that the car was covered in smoke and appeared to be on fire. This is terribly unsafe, and Nissan needs to fix it, because it is more likely that an Armada owner WILL encounter this, than that they won't, and people are going to be injured and/or killed, if they have not already. …
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Armada. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the stop lamp switch warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the switch was related to Back Over Prevention feature. The vehicle was taken the local dealer and was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.
Car is has been having BCI Malfunction warning come up. This has happened numerous times since purchasing. It has been taken to the dealership multiple times for this issue. They have replaced brake switch sensors and even the battery and calibrated everything and the problem continues to persist. This has left us stranded on the side the road with the car not starting. It has caused sudden braking while driving on interstate with no warning and nothing to cause this reaction... two Nissan dealerships that have looked it it play it off as nothing meanwhile I keep reading of more people having similar issues with this vehicle. This needs to be further investigated before someone is out in a deadly situation
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Titan and Armada vehicles manufactured February 22, 2013, through May 3, 2013. The affected vehicles have a brake master cylinder which may intermittently reduce the pressure supplied to the front brakes.
Remedy: Nissan has notified owners, and dealers will replace the master cylinder, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Armada years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (317), 2005 (220), 2006 (192), 2008 (68) and 2007 (46) model years. Brake complaints make up 68% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for Nissan Armada brake problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 13V-451 (master cylinder, Sep 18, 2013); 10V-072 (pedals and linkages, Mar 2, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Armada brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 35% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the foundation components › disc › rotor (66 mentions), followed by the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (31).
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.