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2004 Nissan Armada

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Armada years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Nissan Armada are substantially higher than the model-year median of 23.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

378 reports with mileage · 86 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 157 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

157 reports
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49,000 miles · Jun 23, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

EXTREME BRAKE JUDDER CAUSING SEVERE LOSS OF STOPPING EFFECTIVENESS: 1) WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA EXTREME BRAKE JUDDER OCCURRED DURING NORMAL APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. 2) THIS IS THE SECOND TIME BRAKE JUDDER HAS OCCURRED WITH OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA AND BOTH TIMES THE EFFECT HAS BEEN SEVE…

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EXTREME BRAKE JUDDER CAUSING SEVERE LOSS OF STOPPING EFFECTIVENESS: 1) WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA EXTREME BRAKE JUDDER OCCURRED DURING NORMAL APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. 2) THIS IS THE SECOND TIME BRAKE JUDDER HAS OCCURRED WITH OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA AND BOTH TIMES THE EFFECT HAS BEEN SEVERELY REDUCED STOPPING CAPABILITY. 3) IF SCENARIO OCCURRED DURING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP IT'S EVIDENT THAT THE 2004 NISSAN ARMADA WOULD OF EASILY ENTERED THE INTERSECTION POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10194041

45,000 miles · May 20, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM ON OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA SINCE EARLY 2006. PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE BRAKES ARE VERY SPONGY. WHEN RELEASED IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH A BIG SPRING IS RELEASED. EACH TIME (APPROX 8 PREVIOUSLY) W…

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WE HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM ON OUR 2004 NISSAN ARMADA SINCE EARLY 2006. PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE BRAKES ARE VERY SPONGY. WHEN RELEASED IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH A BIG SPRING IS RELEASED. EACH TIME (APPROX 8 PREVIOUSLY) WE'VE DRIVEN VERY SLOW TO A SAFE LOCATION, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK WHICH RESETS THE SYSTEM. THE OCCURRENCE HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM 25-70 MPH. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP DURING MALFUNCTION. ALTHOUGH OBSERVED, THE WEEKEND TECHNICIAN FAILED TO PROPERLY RELAY THE SITUATION TO THE REGULAR TECHNICIAN RESULTING IN NO ACTION TAKEN. EACH TIME WE WERE ASSURED IF NORMAL BRAKES FAILED, WOULD STILL HAVE BRAKES WITH ABS. THE SYSTEM ALSO MALFUNCTIONS ON INITIAL START UP, WHEN TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE SYSTEM IS RESET. MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS 5/11/2007, I CONTACTED MY CURRENT DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. ON 5/14/2007, THEY FOUND THE DTC C1179 DELTA SENSOR OUT OF PROGRAM, IT WAS REPROGRAMMED UNDER NTB06-040 PROGRAM. MALFUNCTION OCCURRED AGAIN DURING INITIAL STARTUP OF VEHICLE ON 5/19/2007, TAKING VEHICLE BACK FOR SERVICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10191289

46,000 miles · May 18, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN ARMADA AND WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE STOPPING. JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING IT FELT LIKE THE ABS WAS TRYING TO ENGAGE, BUT THE PAVEMENT WAS NOT SLIPPERY. I DROVE SLOWLY AND TRIED THE BRAKES A FEW MORE TIMES AND EVERY TIME IT FELT LI…

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I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN ARMADA AND WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE STOPPING. JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING IT FELT LIKE THE ABS WAS TRYING TO ENGAGE, BUT THE PAVEMENT WAS NOT SLIPPERY. I DROVE SLOWLY AND TRIED THE BRAKES A FEW MORE TIMES AND EVERY TIME IT FELT LIKE THE ABS WAS KICKING IN, BUT THE BRAKING WAS SEVERLY DIMINISHED. I DROVE THE VEHICLE SLOWLY)ABOUT 1 MILE TO A DEALERSHIP. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND WHEN WE TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN , THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. THE TECH NICIAN DID A CODE SCAN AND FOUND THAT THE ABS NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED, WHICH WAS BEING DONE NOW. I DOD A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND THIS SEEMED PREVELANT IN THE 2004 ARMADAS AND TITANS. MY CONCERN THAT THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ SHOWED THAT THIS CONTINUEDC TO RECUR EVEN AFTER THE REPROGRAMMING. IF THIS HAPPENED UNEXPECTEDLY AT HIGH SPEED AND A PANIC STOP THE RESULTS WILL BE CATASTROPHIC. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10191179

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REPEATED BRAKE ISSUES; ABS COMPUTER SHUTDOWN; BRAKE JUDDERS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN 2004. VEHICLE HAS HAD AT LEAST 5 DIFFERENT BRAKE KITS INSTALLED AND THE ABS COMPUTER HAS MALFUNCTIONED TWICE IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189467

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

RIGHT AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS CAR, THE PROBLEM STARTED, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, I HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TURN IT OFF START IT BACK TO GET IT TO QUIT. THE BRAKES GRAB BUT THE CAR DOESN'T STOP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM UNLESS IT WAS DOING IT WHEN WE TOOK IT IN. I HAV…

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RIGHT AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS CAR, THE PROBLEM STARTED, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, I HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TURN IT OFF START IT BACK TO GET IT TO QUIT. THE BRAKES GRAB BUT THE CAR DOESN'T STOP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM UNLESS IT WAS DOING IT WHEN WE TOOK IT IN. I HAVE NO WARNING. I HAVE KIDS AND IT AMAZES ME THAT WITH CLOSE TO 100 COMPLAINTS NISSAN WOULD TAKE ACTION. ALL THEY ARE DOING IS PUTTING THE COST OF A VEHICLE ABOVE A HUMAN LIFE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE PURCHASED A NISSAN AND THIS WILL BE MY LAST. I WARN PEOPLE NOT TO BUY THIS TYPE OF CAR. I WILL EVEN GO OUT OF MY WAY TO TELL THEM IF I SEE THEM LOOKING AT THEM ON A LOT. IF NISSAN ISN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM EVEN IF IT MEANS REPLACING THE BRAKE SYSTEM THEN WE AS CONSUMERS SHOULD WARN OTHERS BEFORE SOME ONE LOOSES THEIR LIFE. BUT THAT MAY BE WHAT IT TAKES BEFORE SOME BIG COMPANY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. EVERYONE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM SO FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANT FIGURE OUT WHY THEY WONT LOOK INTO IT.. MAKES YOU WONDER IF THEY WOULD DRIVE ONE OF THESE CARS. THE NUMBER OF FAILURES ARE FAR MORE THEN WHAT I LISTED. IT CAUSED ME TO GO THRU A STOP SIGN AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD NO OTHER CARS WERE AROUND. I REALLY DON'T WANT MY 17 YEAR OLD DRIVING IT WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. THE FUNNY THING IS IF NISSAN WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY MAY HAVE REPEAT CUSTOMERS. NOT ME NOT EVER AGAIN. I AM GOING BACK TO CHEVY THEN NEXT TIME I BUY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10185080

7,000 miles · Mar 3, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER ARMADA. PURCHASED AT 11488 MILES ON 11/5/05. EXPERIENCED VERY SLIGHT VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEED ON WAY HOME. ALSO EXPERIENCED PERIODIC "GROAN OR THUMP" WHEN GENTLY BRAKING, MOSTLY WHILE TURNING. VIBRATION CONTINUED TO INCREASE UNTIL STEERING BECAME UNMANAGEABLE WHILE BRAKING. DIFFICULT TO BE…

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2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER ARMADA. PURCHASED AT 11488 MILES ON 11/5/05. EXPERIENCED VERY SLIGHT VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEED ON WAY HOME. ALSO EXPERIENCED PERIODIC "GROAN OR THUMP" WHEN GENTLY BRAKING, MOSTLY WHILE TURNING. VIBRATION CONTINUED TO INCREASE UNTIL STEERING BECAME UNMANAGEABLE WHILE BRAKING. DIFFICULT TO BE WITHOUT A CAR SO WE COULDN'T TAKE THE CAR IN UNTIL 1/10/07 AT 22030 MILES. OUR MECHANIC SAID THEY WERE THE WORST WARPED ROTORS HE HAD EVER SEEN AND HAD THEM TURNED. HE ALSO REPLACED 50% NISSAN PADS WITH CARQUEST CERAMIC PADS. TWO DAYS LATER, THE VIBRATION WAS BACK AND DRAMATICALLY INCREASED OVER 1000 MILE ROAD TRIP UNTIL WE TOOK CAR TO DEALER ON 3/2/07 AT 24,140 MILES. STEERING NOW COMPLETELY UNMANAGEABLE! DEALER WOULDN'T HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE WE HAD CARQUEST PADS ON CAR. ALSO TOLD US THAT WARRANTY WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON ROTORS AT ABOUT 7000 MILES UNDER ORIGINAL OWNER. DEALER TURNED ROTORS AND INSTALLED NISSAN PADS AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE NOW BACK UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 36000 MILES OR 8/07. DON'T FEEL SAFE ON ROAD, ESPECIALLY AFTER READING POSTS OF COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, YET NEED A CAR TO DRIVE ON TRIPS. PLEASE ISSUE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184103

1,200 miles · Jan 18, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES TO STOP AT A LIGHT. THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE, FORCED TO DRIVE OFF ROAD. MYSELF AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. NOTHING WAS DONE TO FIX!! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10179009

38,000 miles · Nov 16, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ON EIGHT DIFFERENT MY 2004 NISSAN ARAMADA HAD COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. EXECUTIVE JEEP NISSAN DID NOTHING TO FIX PROBLEM. VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. BEEN OFF THE ROAD FOR 3 MONTHS. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WENT TO STOP VEHICLE AND BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND NO STOPPING POWER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX PROBLEM. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS …

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ON EIGHT DIFFERENT MY 2004 NISSAN ARAMADA HAD COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. EXECUTIVE JEEP NISSAN DID NOTHING TO FIX PROBLEM. VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. BEEN OFF THE ROAD FOR 3 MONTHS. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WENT TO STOP VEHICLE AND BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND NO STOPPING POWER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX PROBLEM. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE MANY PEOPLE WITH 04 ARMADA HAVING SAME PROBLEM.. NISSAN REFUSES TO FIX PROBLEM! VERY DANGEROUS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10173626

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES PULSATE AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE APPLYING BRAKE AND TIRES ARE CUPPING AT5919 MILES. DEALER SAID TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. THEN AT 13539 MILES STILL THE SAME THING DEALER TURNED ROTORS PAD KIT,BOLT,BOOT KIT. THEN AT 21985 MILES SAME COMPLAINT DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS,PAD KIT,SLIDE SHIMS, AND TURNED REAR ROT…

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BRAKES PULSATE AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE APPLYING BRAKE AND TIRES ARE CUPPING AT5919 MILES. DEALER SAID TIRES NEEDED TO BE BALANCED. THEN AT 13539 MILES STILL THE SAME THING DEALER TURNED ROTORS PAD KIT,BOLT,BOOT KIT. THEN AT 21985 MILES SAME COMPLAINT DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS,PAD KIT,SLIDE SHIMS, AND TURNED REAR ROTORS. THEN AT 26897 MILES THE DEALER ALIGNED ALL FOUR TIRES AND SAID I SHOULD REPLACE THEM BECAUSE OF THE CUPPING. I COULD NOT FIND ALL OF MY REPAIR INVOICES FOR ALL THE TIME THAT I TOOK IT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ALL FOR THE TIRES CUPPING AND THE BRAKES SHUDDERING .I NOW HAVE IT IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING WAS TOLD CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM WILL HAVE TO HOLD THE CAR ANOTHER DAY. TODAY IS 9-21-06. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10168920

19,673 miles · Sep 20, 2006
EquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE (2004 NISSAN ARMADA) WITH 4,836 MILES...AT 19,673 MILES WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED MY BRAKE & ABS LIGHT COME ON SO I WENT TO PULL OVER..AS I SLOWED I PUSHED MY BRAKE AND IT MADE A LOUD SPRINGING AND GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKES LOST AT LEAST 80% OF ITS POWER "IT FELT VERY SOFT"..TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND TH…

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I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE (2004 NISSAN ARMADA) WITH 4,836 MILES...AT 19,673 MILES WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED MY BRAKE & ABS LIGHT COME ON SO I WENT TO PULL OVER..AS I SLOWED I PUSHED MY BRAKE AND IT MADE A LOUD SPRINGING AND GRINDING NOISE AND THE BRAKES LOST AT LEAST 80% OF ITS POWER "IT FELT VERY SOFT"..TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL, DROVE ABOUT 3 MILES TO THE DEALER AND LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE. THEY CHANGED THE ROTORS, PADS, TORQUE MEMBER ALL WERE NO GOOD!!! NOW AGAIN AT 23,800 MILES THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED AGAIN HAPPENING IN THE SAME ORDER THAT IT DID THE FIRST TIME. THE DEALER TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT THEY THINK IT IS ELECTRICAL.....? SO I ASKED THEM DID YOU PHYSICALLY CHECK THE BRAKES? THEY SAID NO....SO MY HUSBAND ADVISED THEM TO CHECK IT!!! A DAY LATER I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON? I HAD RESEARCHED IT OVER THE INTERNET AND NOTICED THAT I ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM...WHY NO RECALL!!! HAVING BAD BREAKS CAN BE VERY VERY LIFE THREATENING, I NO LONGER FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING MY VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN RANGING IN AGE FROM 14 MONTH TO 7 YRS. OLD. PLEASE HELP ME!!! I WANT TO JUST GET RID OF THIS VEHICLE, BUT DO NOT WANT TO JUST HAND OVER THE PROBLEM SO ANOTHER INNOCENT PERSON!!!*JB

NHTSA ODI #10168794

Official recalls

1

10V517000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 28, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE08004 · Side Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Jan 25, 2008 · Closed May 30, 2008

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE AIR BAGS.ALL VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH STANDARD FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND SIDE AIR CURTAINS.INSTALLATION OF THE INCORRECT SRS DIAGNOSIS SENSOR UNIT DOES NOT IMPAIR DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAG AND SIDE AIR CURTAIN IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.NO REPORTS OF NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SUBJECT SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE AIR BAGS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE MANUFACTURER OR BY NHTSA.THE WARRANTY REPORTS CITED ABOVE REPRESENT VEHICLE INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED UNDER THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN AND SENSOR REPLACEMENT WAS REQUIRED IN 32 OF THESE CASES.THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS A TOTAL OF 151 SENSOR UNITS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR ALL PURPOSES.INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A LOW INCIDENCE OF SENSOR REPLACEMENT REQUIRED UNDER THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO DATE.NO INCIDENTS OF REAL WORLD NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE SUBJECT AIR BAGS WERE IDENTIFIED.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS CLOSED.