YearToAvoid

2010 Infiniti QX56 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#4 most-complained of 4 QX56 years

The 2010 Infiniti QX56 ranks best among the 4 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 0 and 25 NHTSA complaints, far fewer than the 78 filed for 2011. It carries 2 recalls, covering suspension and brakes, with no do-not-drive orders.

Complaints
25
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
12 city / 17.5 hwy

Top 2010 Infiniti QX56 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags6 (24%)
  2. Steering6 (24%)
  3. Electrical System4 (16%)
  4. Structure & Body4 (16%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (16%)
  6. Brakes2 (8%)
  7. Seat Belts2 (8%)
  8. HVAC1 (4%)
  9. Other1 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (4%)

What owners report

  • Steering wheel can suddenly turn sharply on its own at low speed, leading to loss of control.
  • Airbags have deployed in crashes causing glass-fragment cuts, and separately the airbag warning light has come on with a cable reported as needing replacement around 54,000 miles.
  • Rear air-leveling suspension sets a fault code and drops the vehicle without warning, sometimes while towing.
  • Brake pedal has a delayed response, requiring more distance to stop.
  • Steering becomes hard to control after hitting a pothole, traced to the rear passenger wheel and not fixed by an alignment.
  • Instrument panel lights up and the vehicle stalls, with dealers sometimes finding nothing wrong or needing to replace a sensor.
2010 Infiniti QX56 complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2010Oct 2011Nov 2014Apr 2015Jul 2016Mar 2019Oct 2020Mar 2026
31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2010 to Mar 2026; peak Oct 2020 (3).

2010 Infiniti QX56 recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V208000May 14, 2010Suspension, Wheels & Tires41,649 vehicles

    Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm

    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.

    Risk: If the collar weld separates, the vehicle handling will deteriorate, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 10V072000Mar 2, 2010Brakes179,383 vehicles

    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. The pivot pin could slide and cause the brake pedal to partially disengage from the brake pedal bracket.

    Risk: The driver will experience unusual and noticeable looseness in the pedal and a reduction in braking force increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

2010 Infiniti QX56 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
12 MPG
Highway
17.5 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other QX56 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best025214
2011Avoid10078216
2012Caution6757316

All Infiniti QX56 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Infiniti QX56 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2010 QX56 is the best-ranked year of the four tracked, with a Complaint Index of 0 and only 25 complaints, well below the 78, 57, and 32 complaints seen in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Infiniti QX56?
Airbags and Steering are tied as the top problem areas, each accounting for 24% of complaints (6 each), followed by Electrical System, Structure & Body, and Suspension issues at 16% each.
Does the 2010 Infiniti QX56 have any recalls?
Yes, it has 2 recalls: one for a suspension lower control link issue (campaign 10V208000) and one for a brake pedal pivot pin manufacturing defect (campaign 10V072000). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
What year Infiniti QX56 should I avoid?
Among the years tracked, 2011 is the year to avoid, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 78 complaints, compared to the 2010 model's Complaint Index of 0.
At what mileage do 2010 QX56 problems typically occur?
The median mileage at failure across complaints is 60,122 miles, though specific areas vary, such as Steering issues showing a median of 16,783.5 miles and Airbag issues at 93,000 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.