Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 3 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

3 total · 3 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V494000 · Jul 2023

Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A6.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Brakes recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V362000 · May 2023

A brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the right-hand brake tube, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC976.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V048000 · Feb 2023

Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

20 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
8

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 5 mention a crash.

unintended acceleration 5transmission slipping 1sudden stalling 1
A recent report: My Nissan Leaf entered turtle mode on the freeways 8 times over the course of about a week and a half. This causes the car to slow itself down, and severely limit acceleration. The first time was on…
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My Nissan Leaf entered turtle mode on the freeways 8 times over the course of about a week and a half. This causes the car to slow itself down, and severely limit acceleration. The first time was on August 16th, 2026. This is incredibly dangerous, especially on the interstate. No one expects a car to be going 35mph on I-10, or any highway, therefore, this could have easily caused a severe rear end accident. I took it to Nissan of Mission Hills in Los Angeles for inspection after the first 4 times, they claimed that they couldn’t touch it without permission from corporate, and the next day said everything is fine. Due to severe safety concerns, I didn’t want to be driving it any longer and had to give it up for bank repossession. I have attached the photo of the slip from the dealer that did not fix the issue and a photo of the warning light.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762055 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
5

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 3sudden stalling 1
A recent report: The image displayed on the dashboard when backing up is, occasionally, blank. This only happens sporadically. When it does happen, it is annoying and dangerous.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11744473 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
2

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: I pulled into a parking spot and to ensure I stopped when I wanted to, I braked. The car accelerated, smashing into a building. I always drive in eco mode and generally use the e-pedal which was on…
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I pulled into a parking spot and to ensure I stopped when I wanted to, I braked. The car accelerated, smashing into a building. I always drive in eco mode and generally use the e-pedal which was on at the time. I’m not sure if either or a combination of those may have been a factor in what happened. The car is available for inspection upon request. I was fine, but very shaken. The car is driveable, but the front bumper is mangled and the left blinker no longer works. The headlights are functional. The charger panel releases and I can pry it open, though it no longer pops up. No airbags were deployed. The car was going slow enough, there seems to be no damage to the building. I'm concerned what could happen when we drive into our garage or, worse, if there is a car or pedestrian in front of our car and rather than braking the car accelerates. I have seen several reports of similar experiences, though no resolutions or suggestions. I can imagine this being a one-time occurrence, but I am deeply concerned it is not. I've been at a loss in who and how this can be addressed. I have called several Nissan dealers. The service people that I spoke with were not optimistic about what they could discern and, more importantly, did not seem concerned. As a result, I called my long-time car mechanic who did some initial diagnostics, but they were inconclusive. There have been no other inspections. I have reported this to Nissan USA and have opened a case/claim. I don’t recall any warnings at the time. All recalls have been updated.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11578514 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: This car was delivered with no plastic panel covering the area above the driver's feet. The steering column, insulation, wiring, diagnostic port, and structural elements are visible. The selling…
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This car was delivered with no plastic panel covering the area above the driver's feet. The steering column, insulation, wiring, diagnostic port, and structural elements are visible. The selling dealer's initial reaction was that there should be a panel there, but they had not noted it as missing in their inspection. Another, closer, dealer saw photos and agree to install the panel, but did not have the correct part, and told me that another similar car on their lot did not have this panel, so perhaps it was supposed to be missing. My assumption is that it is not safe for these things to be exposed, especially the steering column. I will attach a photo of the area.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11525356 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: The windshield of my Nissan Leaf spontaneously cracked without being hit by anything externally. Upon inspection, it's pretty clear that the windshield didn't crack because of anything hitting it…
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The windshield of my Nissan Leaf spontaneously cracked without being hit by anything externally. Upon inspection, it's pretty clear that the windshield didn't crack because of anything hitting it from the outside (which is what the dealer claimed), since the outside of the windshield is still completely smooth. The crack somehow started from the bottom of the inside of the windshield and propagated itself across the entire windshield. When the car was purchased, my dealer recommended warranty purchase because of the fragile windshield, which suggested that the windshield design may be faulty.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11538218 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
3

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: Heat from HVAC system stops working at temperatures below 20 degrees F. It starts blowing cold air and cannot keep up with the cold, to the point that it becomes dangerously cold in the car…
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Heat from HVAC system stops working at temperatures below 20 degrees F. It starts blowing cold air and cannot keep up with the cold, to the point that it becomes dangerously cold in the car, especially for my young children.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11700046 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 20 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2022 and 2026, roughly 5 a year, which is fewer than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2023 has 20 complaints on file, fewer than the 2022 (93). Of the 13 model years of the Nissan Leaf we cover, the 2019 has the most (255). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.