Owners have filed 50 complaints
about the 2016 Nissan Leaf with NHTSA between 2016 and 2026.
The largest single group is the brakes.
Across this model's run it ranks 13 of 14 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 24
Against the median year of the Nissan Leaf. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 31
6% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
82% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
1,000 – 9,999 miles
14.5%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
1463.6%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
418.2%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
14.5%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
29.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jul 2016peak 3Jul 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2016 Nissan Leaf
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP22005Opened 27 Jan 2023Closed 7 Aug 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc...
Recalls on the 2016 Nissan Leaf
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20232254,850 units in Canada
Heater And Defroster
Issue: When the temperature is below -10° C, the defroster may not work properly if you follow the instructions in the owner's manual and use the maximum fan speed. As a result, you may not be able to defrost the windshield. Note: This is an expansion of Transport Canada recall 2023-045. Safety Risk: A windshield that cannot be defogged or defrosted can reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nissan will notify owners by mail and supply an addendum to the owner's manual that provides the correct settings for using the defroster when the temperature is below -10° C.
Recall 20190444,580 units in Canada
Brakes
Issue: When the car is parked in very cold temperatures for a long time, a relay in the brake system may freeze. If this happens, multiple brake warnings will stay on in the instrument cluster after the car is started. The driver may also notice a hard brake pedal. If the car is driven, this could cause an increase in stopping distance. Safety Risk: An increase in stopping distance could create the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will mail owners a letter explaining this problem. The letter will describe how the brake warnings work. Drivers should not drive the car if the warnings stay on. Nissan will provide a 4 year/80,000 km warranty extension to repair the problem with relay freezing.
Recall 20172151,567 units in Canada
Airbag
On certain vehicles, the passenger's frontal airbag may not deploy correctly due to an issue in manufacturing. As a result of long-term storage, there could be insufficient compression strength of the coolant within the inflator housing of the passenger's frontal airbag, which may cause the airbag to fail to deploy properly in the event of a crash (where deployment is warranted), which could increase the risk of injury to the front passenger occupant. Correction: Dealers will replace the passenger's frontal airbag inflator.
Recall 2016302165 units in Canada
Airbag
On certain vehicles, the wiring harness connector for the dual stage passenger airbag may not have been manufactured to specification, allowing the connector to become partially disconnected from the airbag. In the event of a crash, this could result in a non-deployment of the second stage of the airbag which could increase the risk of injury to the passenger. Correction: Dealers will inspect for proper connection and replace the passenger airbag module and wiring harness as necessary.
Recall 2016179257,130 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
On certain vehicles, a defect in the occupant classification system could allow an adult sitting in the front passenger seat to be classified as a child or an “empty seat”. This would suppress the airbag, which could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Correction: For affected Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue and Sentra vehicles, dealers will reprogram the airbag control unit and the occupant classification system control unit. For affected Leaf, NV200, Pathfinder, Q50 and JX35/QX60 vehicles, dealers will replace the occupant classification system electronic control unit.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 22,000 milesHonolulu, HIFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
TL* THE CONSUMER OWNED A 2016 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE ASLEEP AT THEIR RESIDENCE, THEY WERE AWOKEN BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED THEM THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. FIRST INSURANCE WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CASE WAS OPENED. AN INVESTIGATION WAS ALSO STARTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, HOWEVER THEY ARE CLAIMING NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURE IS CLAIMING THAT THE FAILURE DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGINAL BATTERY.*AS *LN
NHTSA complaint #11301153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 22,000 milesHonolulu, HIFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TL* THE CONSUMER OWNED A 2016 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE ASLEEP AT THEIR RESIDENCE, THEY WERE AWOKEN BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED THEM THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. FIRST INSURANCE WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CASE WAS OPENED. AN INVESTIGATION WAS ALSO STARTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, HOWEVER THEY ARE CLAIMING NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURE IS CLAIMING THAT THE FAILURE DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGINAL BATTERY.*AS *LN
NHTSA complaint #11301153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 14,000 milesKirkland, WACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
MY 2016 LEAF SL WAS DAMAGED IN A FAIRLY LOW SPEED COLLISION DURING HEAVY OFFICE RUSH TRAFFIC (AROUND 7:30AM IN THE MORNING). WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED, I ALSO BRAKED HARD. AT THAT TIME I HEARD ABS LIKE SOUND BUT THE CAR DID NOT ACTUALLY STOP, IT KEPT ON GOING AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TOO STRESSED OUT AT THE MOMENT THEREFORE I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO THINK. LATER ON, I SPENT SOME TIME SEARCHING INTERNET WITH SEARCH QUERIES LIKE 'NISSAN LEAF BRAKE PROBLEM' OR 'NISSAN LEAF DID NOT BRAKE' ETC. I FOUND MULTIPLE MENTIONS OF EXPERIENCES VERY SIMILAR TO MINE. IF YOU PERFORM GOOGLE SEARCH, YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN. IS THERE A WAY TO LOOK AT THE LEAF ONBOARD DATA TO SEE WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED?
NHTSA complaint #11084606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
LAS Vegas, NV
SERVICE BRAKES
THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME intermittently AT FIRST ... NOW permanently AND CANNOT BE DIAGNOSED BY NISSAN. IHAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WHILE ON THE FWY AT 60MPH, THE DASH LIGHTS FOR ALL BRAKE COMPONENETS CAME UP WITH TIRE AS WELL...ALMOST ALL WARNINGS LIT UP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKES VERY HARD AND CAR WOULD NOT STOP BUT EVENTUALLY DID ON SIDE OF ROAD. VERY BAD LOUD GRINDING MALFUNCTIONING SOUND. WHEN I WAS GETTING IT TOWED I TRIED TO TURN ON JUST TO CONFIRM STILL BROKEN STATUS, HOWEVER CAR RAN PERFECTLY TILL THE NEXT INCIDENT WITH SAME DIAGNOSIS. NISSAN 777 HAS GIVEN ME 4 DIFFERENT DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEMS WITH ESTIMATES AT $5,900 MASTER CYLANDER, $3,800 BRAKE ASSEMBLE AND A VERBAL ONE SAYING IT IS THE ACTUATOR. THEIR PARTS DEPT IS incompetent AS NISSAN HAS BEEN ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR 6 MONTHS NOW. THIS IS BY FAR A TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUE AND NISSAN IS FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS NISSAN LEAF. REDDIT HAS SEVERAL PEOPLE CLAIMING SAME ISSUE AND NISSAN IS IGNORING IT.
NHTSA complaint #11753334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ridgeville, SC
STEERING
When turning left there is a plasticky sticking feeling and sound like a plastic bushing is coming apart. this causes the steering to momentarily bind. this happens most often when making gentle curves on the highway. the feeling causes you to overcorrect the steering wheel. there are many complaints online of similar issues from 2016 Nissan leafs. The issue occurs near daily since purchasing the car back in 2023. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11653891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryans Road, MD
POWER TRAIN
On January 9, a little after 12:30 pm, on Indian Head Highway (MD route 210) northbound near the Manokeek exit, after limiting drive power owing to battery degradation and cold weather (about 30 F) drive power and power steering failed entirely. There was no warning to pull over so I suspect this is an undocumented failure mode. After the car was towed home, it would not charge when plugged in until after I disconnected the 12 v battery and reconnected it after about ten minutes. It would then charge and after a few minutes I checked and it would send power to the wheels and power steering again. The state of charge of the lithium ion battery was about 86% throughout. This was not a failure of the on board 12 v battery charging system or 12 v battery which the tow truck driver tested as good, it is quite new. After the reset of disconnecting the 12 v battery and reconnecting, the terminals show higher voltage when the car is on than when it is off. Attached please find a picture of the warning lights after the car failed. Note that the battery light is for the 12 volt battery but there is nothing wrong with it. Also atteched, voltmeter readings when the car is off and on showing that the 12 volt battery recharging system is working. This car may or may not have an optional battery warmer, but its range of operation is well below the 30 F temperature when the failure occured. The car is more that two years overdue for warranty lithium ion battery replacement owing to manufacture delay.
NHTSA complaint #11635126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryans Road, MD
STEERING
On January 9, a little after 12:30 pm, on Indian Head Highway (MD route 210) northbound near the Manokeek exit, after limiting drive power owing to battery degradation and cold weather (about 30 F) drive power and power steering failed entirely. There was no warning to pull over so I suspect this is an undocumented failure mode. After the car was towed home, it would not charge when plugged in until after I disconnected the 12 v battery and reconnected it after about ten minutes. It would then charge and after a few minutes I checked and it would send power to the wheels and power steering again. The state of charge of the lithium ion battery was about 86% throughout. This was not a failure of the on board 12 v battery charging system or 12 v battery which the tow truck driver tested as good, it is quite new. After the reset of disconnecting the 12 v battery and reconnecting, the terminals show higher voltage when the car is on than when it is off. Attached please find a picture of the warning lights after the car failed. Note that the battery light is for the 12 volt battery but there is nothing wrong with it. Also atteched, voltmeter readings when the car is off and on showing that the 12 volt battery recharging system is working. This car may or may not have an optional battery warmer, but its range of operation is well below the 30 F temperature when the failure occured. The car is more that two years overdue for warranty lithium ion battery replacement owing to manufacture delay.
NHTSA complaint #11635126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryans Road, MD
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On January 9, a little after 12:30 pm, on Indian Head Highway (MD route 210) northbound near the Manokeek exit, after limiting drive power owing to battery degradation and cold weather (about 30 F) drive power and power steering failed entirely. There was no warning to pull over so I suspect this is an undocumented failure mode. After the car was towed home, it would not charge when plugged in until after I disconnected the 12 v battery and reconnected it after about ten minutes. It would then charge and after a few minutes I checked and it would send power to the wheels and power steering again. The state of charge of the lithium ion battery was about 86% throughout. This was not a failure of the on board 12 v battery charging system or 12 v battery which the tow truck driver tested as good, it is quite new. After the reset of disconnecting the 12 v battery and reconnecting, the terminals show higher voltage when the car is on than when it is off. Attached please find a picture of the warning lights after the car failed. Note that the battery light is for the 12 volt battery but there is nothing wrong with it. Also atteched, voltmeter readings when the car is off and on showing that the 12 volt battery recharging system is working. This car may or may not have an optional battery warmer, but its range of operation is well below the 30 F temperature when the failure occured. The car is more that two years overdue for warranty lithium ion battery replacement owing to manufacture delay.
NHTSA complaint #11635126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryans Road, MD
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On Friday, November 1, at about 3 pm, the brakes failed pulling away from the curb in a forward direction after loading equipment into the vehicle. Really stomping the brakes as though they had a fluid problem did get them to engage. I think the problem occured again backing out of my driveway prior to Monday the 4th when I fixed the problem. Again, really slamming the brake peddle got the brake to engage. You may look at the vehicle if you wish. On Friday, I was at a large senior center party and there were many pedestrian with limited mobility near the exit. An out of control vehicle could have been very dangerous. I applied experience from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with brake problems and that fortunately worked, but brake fluid was NOT the problem and there is no clear documentation of the problem in the owner's manual. This problem is an EV problem. I can't really take the vehicle to the dealership because they have failed to perform warranty service and refused to do so in the time required by MD law. To determine the cause of the problem, I checked the brake fluid level which was normal, brake wear, which was little, checked the owners manual in detail (nothing clearly stated) and then searched the internet. By Monday the 4th, I had seem a reditt post that said a dead cell in the 12-volt battery could cause a confusion in the vehicle between the regenerative braking system and the hydrolic braking system. There had been some odd behavior at startup. The dash info would flash up with missing numbers then come on normally. And, at shutdown a few time, the lights left on buzzer would sound even though the lights were off. I checked the 12-volt battery voltage and it was low, about 10 volts consistent with a bad cell. I ordered a NAPA battery said to fit the vehicle, and replaced the defective battey which seems to have fixed the problem. The NAPA store confirmed a bad cell in the old battery. No clear warnings of the problem showed.
NHTSA complaint #11623624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryans Road, MD
SERVICE BRAKES
On Friday, November 1, at about 3 pm, the brakes failed pulling away from the curb in a forward direction after loading equipment into the vehicle. Really stomping the brakes as though they had a fluid problem did get them to engage. I think the problem occured again backing out of my driveway prior to Monday the 4th when I fixed the problem. Again, really slamming the brake peddle got the brake to engage. You may look at the vehicle if you wish. On Friday, I was at a large senior center party and there were many pedestrian with limited mobility near the exit. An out of control vehicle could have been very dangerous. I applied experience from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with brake problems and that fortunately worked, but brake fluid was NOT the problem and there is no clear documentation of the problem in the owner's manual. This problem is an EV problem. I can't really take the vehicle to the dealership because they have failed to perform warranty service and refused to do so in the time required by MD law. To determine the cause of the problem, I checked the brake fluid level which was normal, brake wear, which was little, checked the owners manual in detail (nothing clearly stated) and then searched the internet. By Monday the 4th, I had seem a reditt post that said a dead cell in the 12-volt battery could cause a confusion in the vehicle between the regenerative braking system and the hydrolic braking system. There had been some odd behavior at startup. The dash info would flash up with missing numbers then come on normally. And, at shutdown a few time, the lights left on buzzer would sound even though the lights were off. I checked the 12-volt battery voltage and it was low, about 10 volts consistent with a bad cell. I ordered a NAPA battery said to fit the vehicle, and replaced the defective battey which seems to have fixed the problem. The NAPA store confirmed a bad cell in the old battery. No clear warnings of the problem showed.
NHTSA complaint #11623624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Altos, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
Drove home at 7PM mild day (65-70 degrees). Stopped the car and turned it off for an hour. Had to leave home at 8PM. Turned on the car and backed up the driveway. Tried to stop but break wasn't working.. Pressed all the way that ABS started trickling. Used the hand break to stop the car. Turned off the car and turned it back on. This is when I noticed all the dashboard lights are on including break and ABS and had the same break not working issue.. Pulled the car into the driveway slowly and turned it off till tomorrow morning.. Started the car tomorrow morning and everything was back to normal and driving without an issue.
NHTSA complaint #11584720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hayward, CA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While climbing the incline section of the San Mateo Bridge in the fast lane, the Leaf shifted itself into Neutral and would not shift back into Drive. With no power, driver was forced to change lanes to the right with no power, but luckily made it over the top and down the decline to pull over. Vehicle did not want to shut off or shift. Dealer confirmed bad battery. This occured Nov. 27th, 2023. And the car is still at the dealership as of March 24, 2024, waiting for a replacement battery.
NHTSA complaint #11579194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 93,000 milesMarietta, GA
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The brake pedal had to be pushed to the floor to activate the service brakes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed electronically driven intelligently braking unit and the electronically driven intelligently braking unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
NHTSA complaint #11578967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Goes into neutral in a matter of seconds while driving at highway speeds and goes into turtle mode while on highway. A scan of the vehicle showed a number of low battery voltage codes (P0AA0, P3180, P3182, P08AF) stored when the battery was disconnected. Nissan gave no ETA on battery replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11567295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
ENGINE
Goes into neutral in a matter of seconds while driving at highway speeds and goes into turtle mode while on highway. A scan of the vehicle showed a number of low battery voltage codes (P0AA0, P3180, P3182, P08AF) stored when the battery was disconnected. Nissan gave no ETA on battery replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11567295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Medford, MA
POWER TRAIN
While driving at highway speeds (65mph) on a cold day (10-20F), the car lost all drive power with no warning. Driver was able to coast to the road margin. In another situation this could have been a catastrophic accident. Driver called 911 for police protection and tow. At this point car was completely unresponsive but still on. The car could not be turned off, turned on, shifted into drive, or any other action performed. The car has shown at least 3 other cold weather failures at highway speeds with various error states (ranging from turtle mode, a complete loss of the info display, and sudden power losses). Our mechanic said "I almost died today, this car is not safe to drive on the highway".
NHTSA complaint #11548956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Medford, MA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving at highway speeds (65mph) on a cold day (10-20F), the car lost all drive power with no warning. Driver was able to coast to the road margin. In another situation this could have been a catastrophic accident. Driver called 911 for police protection and tow. At this point car was completely unresponsive but still on. The car could not be turned off, turned on, shifted into drive, or any other action performed. The car has shown at least 3 other cold weather failures at highway speeds with various error states (ranging from turtle mode, a complete loss of the info display, and sudden power losses). Our mechanic said "I almost died today, this car is not safe to drive on the highway".
NHTSA complaint #11548956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Medford, MA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While driving at highway speeds (65mph) on a cold day (10-20F), the car lost all drive power with no warning. Driver was able to coast to the road margin. In another situation this could have been a catastrophic accident. Driver called 911 for police protection and tow. At this point car was completely unresponsive but still on. The car could not be turned off, turned on, shifted into drive, or any other action performed. The car has shown at least 3 other cold weather failures at highway speeds with various error states (ranging from turtle mode, a complete loss of the info display, and sudden power losses). Our mechanic said "I almost died today, this car is not safe to drive on the highway".
NHTSA complaint #11548956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tujunga, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On March 8, 2023, my 2016 NISSAN LEAF main EV battery failed at 75% charge power going up an incline on the freeway. The car shut down in the center lane with no warning at 60mph and could not be moved or shifted to be driven off the freeway. The car is available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others was put at EXTREME risk. I could have been killed or rear ended. I called 911 for the highway patrol and a county or city tow truck got me off the freeway. Previously, the main EV battery was diagnosed by the dealer as dropping in capacity to 8 bars in December 2022. I was told the car was safe to drive still although they did put in a warranty claim for a new battery which I was told was on back order and could take up to one year. Yet, I was told the car was 100% safe and drove it from December 2022 until this week. After the March 8 incident I had the car towed immediately to the dealer repair facility and the dealer service again confirmed the battery was compromised and told me not to drive the car anymore. So far NISSAN corporate has not asked to inspect the vehicle. The only warning the car gave was it was having a loss of power going up hills from December 2022 to this week but the car never showed a warning or gave a warning light on the dash.
NHTSA complaint #11511218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Eagan, MN
POWER TRAIN
Car shifted into neutral at highway speeds and would not go back into drive on 3 separate occasions over the past 6 days. Car is an EV and there was no warning and the battery SOC was 50% or more on all occasions. Can can be shifted from neutral to park only, not drive or reverse. Very unsafe to have to cruise to a stop on busy highways without much or any shoulder depending on where the car stops with snow banks. Had to have car towed. The incidents happened separately on 1/27, 1/28, and 2/2 all on the highway at ~60mph. I will upload some pictures of the dtc codes and battery stats for the vehicle. After the incident on 1/27, I replaced my 12v battery with a new one (having done some searching for possible cause), but the issue happened again on 1/28 and 2/2 after the 12v replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11505289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Eagan, MN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car shifted into neutral at highway speeds and would not go back into drive on 3 separate occasions over the past 6 days. Car is an EV and there was no warning and the battery SOC was 50% or more on all occasions. Can can be shifted from neutral to park only, not drive or reverse. Very unsafe to have to cruise to a stop on busy highways without much or any shoulder depending on where the car stops with snow banks. Had to have car towed. The incidents happened separately on 1/27, 1/28, and 2/2 all on the highway at ~60mph. I will upload some pictures of the dtc codes and battery stats for the vehicle. After the incident on 1/27, I replaced my 12v battery with a new one (having done some searching for possible cause), but the issue happened again on 1/28 and 2/2 after the 12v replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11505289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Eagan, MN
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car shifted into neutral at highway speeds and would not go back into drive on 3 separate occasions over the past 6 days. Car is an EV and there was no warning and the battery SOC was 50% or more on all occasions. Can can be shifted from neutral to park only, not drive or reverse. Very unsafe to have to cruise to a stop on busy highways without much or any shoulder depending on where the car stops with snow banks. Had to have car towed. The incidents happened separately on 1/27, 1/28, and 2/2 all on the highway at ~60mph. I will upload some pictures of the dtc codes and battery stats for the vehicle. After the incident on 1/27, I replaced my 12v battery with a new one (having done some searching for possible cause), but the issue happened again on 1/28 and 2/2 after the 12v replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11505289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa Monica, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We were driving the car on a highway (the 405 in Los Angeles) in the midafternoon on December 21. We were going uphill and in the flow of traffic. I'd say the speed was about 60-65. The car was functioning well. Then, the driver accelerated to pass a car and suddenly the car lost all power and went into neutral. Fortunately, we made our way to the freeway shoulder without an accident. But, it could have been very different, as we were on a fast-moving highway and there could have been a pile-up. The car had plenty of battery power (around 47 miles) but it would not shift back into drive. We turned the car on and off and it was stuck in neutral. A tow truck came by and suggested a jump start. That worked and we took the car immediately to a Nissan dealership. The dealership found an error code (I believe it's P3398 but I am unsure) and says that a part of the lithium battery is malfunctioning and the car is unsafe to drive. It is under warranty but they say they are unable to replace the battery for many months. I saw no warning lamps prior to the failure (apart from a recurring message about tire maintenance that we had addressed repeatedly). For what it is worth, I had just had the brake pads checked that morning at a local mechanic who said the brakes were in excellent shape.
NHTSA complaint #11498756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa Monica, CA
ENGINE
We were driving the car on a highway (the 405 in Los Angeles) in the midafternoon on December 21. We were going uphill and in the flow of traffic. I'd say the speed was about 60-65. The car was functioning well. Then, the driver accelerated to pass a car and suddenly the car lost all power and went into neutral. Fortunately, we made our way to the freeway shoulder without an accident. But, it could have been very different, as we were on a fast-moving highway and there could have been a pile-up. The car had plenty of battery power (around 47 miles) but it would not shift back into drive. We turned the car on and off and it was stuck in neutral. A tow truck came by and suggested a jump start. That worked and we took the car immediately to a Nissan dealership. The dealership found an error code (I believe it's P3398 but I am unsure) and says that a part of the lithium battery is malfunctioning and the car is unsafe to drive. It is under warranty but they say they are unable to replace the battery for many months. I saw no warning lamps prior to the failure (apart from a recurring message about tire maintenance that we had addressed repeatedly). For what it is worth, I had just had the brake pads checked that morning at a local mechanic who said the brakes were in excellent shape.
NHTSA complaint #11498756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa Monica, CA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
We were driving the car on a highway (the 405 in Los Angeles) in the midafternoon on December 21. We were going uphill and in the flow of traffic. I'd say the speed was about 60-65. The car was functioning well. Then, the driver accelerated to pass a car and suddenly the car lost all power and went into neutral. Fortunately, we made our way to the freeway shoulder without an accident. But, it could have been very different, as we were on a fast-moving highway and there could have been a pile-up. The car had plenty of battery power (around 47 miles) but it would not shift back into drive. We turned the car on and off and it was stuck in neutral. A tow truck came by and suggested a jump start. That worked and we took the car immediately to a Nissan dealership. The dealership found an error code (I believe it's P3398 but I am unsure) and says that a part of the lithium battery is malfunctioning and the car is unsafe to drive. It is under warranty but they say they are unable to replace the battery for many months. I saw no warning lamps prior to the failure (apart from a recurring message about tire maintenance that we had addressed repeatedly). For what it is worth, I had just had the brake pads checked that morning at a local mechanic who said the brakes were in excellent shape.
NHTSA complaint #11498756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Albuquerque, NM
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle is 2016 Nissan Leaf. Odometer reading 42,537. On August 28, 2022 in a shopping center parking lot under fair weather conditions and temperatures in the 80s, upon starting car, brake system control light and ABS indicator light both illuminated. Pulled car back into parking spot. Brakes did not work. Used emergency brake to stop vehicle. 9/11/2022 Inspection by Melloy Nissan. [XXX], Service manager, reported that vehicle has two faulty components: brake control assembly and actuator assembly that require replacement. Stated that technician called Nissan USA. Other vehicle on East Coast had same problem that was fixed with this repair. Cost of parts $4,099. Cost of labor $900. Total repair cost $5,000. Service manager advised owner that vehicle is not safe to drive. 9/27/2022 Inspection by Reliable Nissan. [XXX], Service manager, reported that vehicle has error codes for electrically driven intelligent brake system. Stated that other Nissan Leaf had recently been repaired for same problem at Reliable Nissan. Cost of part (brake control assembly) $2,792. Cost of labor $700. Total cost $3,854. Service manager advised owner that vehicle is not safe to drive. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11490696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
St Joseph, MO
STRUCTURE:BODY
The driver's side door handle broke on my 2016 Nissan LEAF. Investigating the issue online, I found that many owners have had this issue, and the fix often breaks again. It's a safety issue for owner or emergency responders wouldn't be able to get the driver's door open without breaking the glass.
NHTSA complaint #11466187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 54,000 milesBountiful, UT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Low Battery Mode" warning message was displayed while the battery was fully charged, which caused the vehicle to inadvertently decelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer replaced the capacitor and three cells in the battery; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired and had an upcoming appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
NHTSA complaint #11450028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.