Nissan LEAF Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-655 involving the high-voltage traction battery. The recall restricts the vehicle from using DC fast charging (Level 3), which significantly limits the safe and practical operation of the vehicle for its intended use. My household must routinely complete 300+ mile one-way trips on a weekly basis. Without DC fast charging capability, the vehicle cannot reliably complete these trips, creating a risk of being stranded or unable to safely reach destinations. Reliance on Level 2 charging requires extended delays of 6+ hours, which makes the vehicle impractical for its intended use and inconsistent with reasonable consumer expectations for normal operation. I contacted Nissan North America Consumer Affairs and was directed to work with the local dealer. I then contacted Dick Hannah Nissan in Gladstone, OR, who redirected me back to Consumer Affairs. As a result, no party is taking responsibility and no remedy or interim solution has been provided. The manufacturer has issued a safety recall but is unable to provide a repair, timeline, or mitigation. The vehicle’s primary propulsion system is effectively restricted, and the vehicle cannot be used as intended for necessary travel. I have requested a loaner or comparable replacement vehicle while awaiting a remedy, but this has not been provided. This unresolved recall creates an ongoing safety and usability issue, and the manufacturer has failed to provide a reasonable interim solution.

The 62kWh High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Battery Pack. The vehicle is currently in my possession in Santa Fe, NM, and is available for inspection. It exhibits physical degradation (40.07% Hx) directly linked to the cell defects described in Recall 25V655. The vehicle is a documented fire risk. Per Recall 25V655, internal lithium deposits create resistance that leads to thermal incidents. Because my battery already shows terminal degradation (40.07% Hx and 3.18V sag), the risk of a fire during charging or operation is imminent. Furthermore, Nissan has banned Level 3 Fast Charging, which leaves me with no way to safely recharge the vehicle during necessary travel, creating a risk of being stranded in unsafe conditions. A terminal battery failure was officially diagnosed by an authorized Nissan dealer in Albuquerque in August 2025 at 108,000 miles. However, my local dealer (Fiesta Nissan in Santa Fe) has since refused to intake the vehicle for the recall because they are not EV-certified. Yes, by an authorized Nissan Dealer. As noted, the failure was confirmed in August 2025. Additionally, the vehicle is subject to a formal manufacturer safety recall (25V655 / R25C8) specifically for this battery defect. Symptoms appeared in August 2025 including severe range loss and power turtle mode. LeafSpy Pro diagnostics confirm a terminal 40.07% Hx rating and a dangerous 3.18V cell sag under load. Nissan's March 2026 recall notice confirms there is no current remedy to address these physical symptoms, and the proposed software 'fix' only monitors for failure rather than repairing the defective cells. Car immediately shut down on me on the Highway(around 55mph) and I was able to coast out of traffic and onto the shoulder. Car indicated having battery percentage around 58%(30KWH) still remaining. car also would not shift into neutral because battery was too low so towing was difficult. no neutral overide on car if battery is "dead".

As described in recall 25V-655, lithium deposited have accumulated in the HV battery of my 2021 Nissan Leaf. I haven't used L3 charging since I received the recall notice, but the car often won't charge even on L1 charging. The state of health of the HV battery is still 86% but the internal resistance of the HV battery is down to 44% due to the lithium deposits. The local Nissan dealership won't touch it because Nissan hasn't provided a remedy. It has been over 5 months since I received the recall notice. That doesn't seem very timely.

The high-voltage battery on my 2022 Nissan Leaf is subject to Recall 25V655. The recall notice states that the battery cells can develop excessive lithium deposits, which increases electrical resistance and can cause rapid battery heating during Level 3 fast charging. Nissan instructs owners not to use Level 3 charging at all until a “remedy” is available. The issue is that the remedy described by Nissan is not an actual repair of the battery defect. Nissan states it will install software that monitors for “state-of-charge fluctuation” and, if detected, will prevent the vehicle from restarting or recharging in order to avoid a thermal incident. This means the defect inside the battery cells is still present, and the car may disable itself if the defect begins to appear. The recall materials also state there is no warning before overheating occurs. This creates multiple safety concerns: • The underlying battery defect remains uncorrected. • The vehicle can become immobilized (unable to restart or recharge) if the software detects the condition. • Loss of Level 3 charging capability affects the ability to travel safely or plan charging when needed. • A battery fire risk exists during Level 3 charging if the defect is not detected in time. Nissan’s documents state that the software is meant only to prevent the “progression” of a thermal incident, not to repair the defective battery. I am concerned that my vehicle contains a known hazardous defect that has not been physically repaired and that the software-only response is inadequate to ensure safety. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA is aware that the remedy being offered does not address the internal battery defect itself and may leave owners exposed to continued safety and reliability risks.

The battery has had a recall since October 2025 with no repair update at all. The battery degeneration has cause serious issues and has almost left me stranded multiple times. I haven’t been able to charge at most charging stations due to the limiting of fast chargers and it is very time consuming when I do.

See attached document for complaint. I purchased a certified pre-owned Nissan Leaf SV Plus on [XXX] specifically for the larger battery capacity and the ability to use a DC fast charger, as this would allow me to drive my electric vehicle wherever I needed to go, including regular trips to Seattle from Mount Vernon. I was notified by Nissan in September 2024 that, due to the possibility that the battery could catch fire while using a DC fast charger, that my vehicle’s battery had been recalled and was instructed not to use a DC charger. They stated a remedy would be available in October 2024. When the date came and went, I contacted Nissan about the issue and the date was pushed to November 2024. Then December 2024, then spring 2025, then fall 2025. After numerous contact attempts to replace my battery, I initiated a buyback with Nissan on 10/16/25. I unexpectedly required medical treatment in October and contacted the Nissan rep on 10/28/25 to inform them of my medical issue and asked they contact my husband. My husband also attempted to contact the rep w/ no response. After coming back home, I found out that my claim was closed—Nissan said I failed to respond. Now, my doctors want me to receive further medical treatments in Seattle 3-5 times per week. At this time, my vehicle cannot transport me to the required appointments since I cannot use the fast charger. My medical treatment is delayed until Nissan resolves this! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Car is under a recall-no level 3 charging due to risk of fire since October of 2025 with no remedy in place. The car is not able to be used as advertized-cannot travel outside of 200 miles from my home as level 3 charging is not possible and level 2 charging not feasible for travelling. Of note-the battery in my car is a NEW battery -it was replaced in December of 2025 due to repeated prior failures -including suddenly slowing down drastically on highway which was a safety hazard. Aftee repeated efforts to get this addressed Nissan agreed to replace the battery but the repacement IS UNDER RECALL and the car is not usable for my purposes.

I want to be clear about why I opened this case. Per Nissan’s own recall documents, the software update does not repair the defective battery cells, it only detects the issue and may disable the vehicle to prevent a thermal event. Level 3 charging remains unusable, and the underlying defect is still present. Because of this, I am requesting a repurchase or a replacement vehicle. If they say the software will “fully correct the condition”

Nissan has yet to effectively respond to NHTSA recall 25V-655 concerning a fire hazard when fast charging particular Leaf models including the 2021 model year that I own. As a temporary solution Nissan strongly recommends not to fast charge (Level 3 charge) until a solution is provided (anticipated by Dec. 31 2025). Nissan Customer Service has been unable to respond to my query for a revised date and therefore the safety issue is ongoing for an indeterminable time. Meanwhile the safety issue continues leaving my car in a diminished state of use.

The high-voltage battery on my 2021 Nissan LEAF is subject to Recall 25V-655/R25C8. The recall notice states that the battery cells can develop excessive lithium deposits, which increase electrical resistance and can cause rapid battery heating during Level 3 fast charging. Nissan instructs owners not to use Level 3 charging at all until a “remedy” is available. I have attempted to have the car fixed at two local dealerships, with both stating that they do not have a fix available. The documented "fix" is a software update that slows or disables Level 3 charging, which does not resolve the issue, and only disables the vehicle's intended use.

Brakes problem: During rain season the moisture can get into the brake system. When backing up, the brakes feel partially seized, and make squeeze sound. The problem is more serious when pulling the parking brake during overnight parking. Somehow the sound is coming out of front brakes. The sound will diminish after break several times during normal breaking. Forward Collision warning system: The system only alerts driver with deeps and lights on dashboard. It doesn’t enables the brake system to slow or stop the car.

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the nearest dealer, where it remained for a month. The dealer replaced an unknown battery component. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was seldom driven for short distances after the incident, due to safety concerns. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V655000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Nucar Nissan of Norwood (525 Boston Providence Hwy, Norwood, MA 02062) and Quirk Nissan (600 Southern Artery, Quincy, MA 02169) were contacted and confirmed that the recall remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

I am submitting this letter as a formal safety complaint concerning NHTSA Recall No. 25V655000, which affects my 2021 Nissan LEAF SV and results in the continued restriction of DC fast charging due to a reported fire risk, without an available or timely remedy. Under this recall, Nissan has restricted the vehicle’s ability to safely utilize DC fast charging. While I understand and support actions taken to mitigate fire risk, the absence of a corrective repair or defined resolution timeline has effectively removed a core operational capability of the vehicle on an indefinite basis. DC fast charging is a fundamental feature of the Nissan LEAF and was a material factor in my decision to purchase the vehicle. Since the recall was implemented, the vehicle cannot be used as designed or marketed for time-constrained travel, despite otherwise being mechanically operable. I was advised that a corrective update or repair would be available and, based on that representation, scheduled a service appointment with an authorized Nissan dealer on December 29, 2025. At that appointment, I was informed that no fix currently exists and that the restriction remains indefinite. No interim remedy, alternative accommodation, or estimated timeline was provided. As it stands, the recall has resulted in a vehicle that cannot safely perform a core function for which it was sold, with no effective remedy in place. Owners are effectively required to accept an indefinite loss of functionality to mitigate a safety risk, raising concerns about defect resolution timelines, adequacy of interim measures, and consumer safety implications. I appreciate NHTSA’s role in ensuring vehicle safety and accountability, and I am submitting this complaint to support appropriate oversight and review.

I currently have a recall on my Nissan 2021 Leaf SV Plus. There is an issue with the level 3 charging which can result in fire to the vehicle. As a result, I’m unable to rapid charge. Nissan has failed to remedy the issue or offer any attempts to fix this recall. I’m unable to charge my vehicle at this time.