IllustrationVisor on driver side fall down on face causing blockage. Paint is pealing off of vehicle.
2015 Nissan Leaf
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Leaf years
Owner complaints for the 2015 Nissan Leaf are substantially higher than the model-year median of 55.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Leaf years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
300–25K
2525–50K
1150–75K
175–100K
1100–150K
0150K+
68 reports with mileage · 42 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. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
9 reportsMy 2015 Nissan Leaf is suffering from advanced battery degradation. The car would only charge to 55 miles per charge. The car also has only 85,000 miles only. Nissan refused to address or fix the issue as the car was past the 7 year warranty (even though the book says 8 year warranty). Battery should still go to 150 miles pe…
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My 2015 Nissan Leaf is suffering from advanced battery degradation. The car would only charge to 55 miles per charge. The car also has only 85,000 miles only. Nissan refused to address or fix the issue as the car was past the 7 year warranty (even though the book says 8 year warranty). Battery should still go to 150 miles per charge. Dealership claimed degradation from charging at super chargers. Car has only ever been charge at home as it is only driven 2 - 3,000 miles per year. Car stopped in the middle of the highway. Police had to come move to the side of the road. No one was injured although many could have been.
Unintended Acceleration: Vehicle continue to accelerate even after the gas pedal is released or not slow down as expected.
Backup camera shows blank black screen intermittently. Shifting into park and back to reverse does not resolve. Several hours later it seems to resolve.
Leaky A/C system results in loss of refrigerant . As a result, windshield can't be effectively cleared of fogging that impairs the driver's visibility of the road.
URBAN STREETS, DRIVING AT 30-40MPH AS POSTED, AT STOPS SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE FELT AS ONE WOULD WHEN SKIDDING ON GRAVEL OR ICE, WHICH CAUSED ME TO HIT THE BRAKE HARDER, THEN THE CAR STOPPED IN A JERKY, FAST WAY.
I WAS DRIVING IN SOMEWHAT HEAVY TRAFFIC IN AN URBAN SETTING AT 25MPH WHEN, UNEXPECTEDLY, I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE EFFORT, INCLUDING SWERVING, TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, AND I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE, AGAIN HAVING GREAT TR…
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I WAS DRIVING IN SOMEWHAT HEAVY TRAFFIC IN AN URBAN SETTING AT 25MPH WHEN, UNEXPECTEDLY, I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE EFFORT, INCLUDING SWERVING, TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, AND I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE, AGAIN HAVING GREAT TROUBLE STOPPING. THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE BRAKES FELT LIKE I WAS SKIDDING ON SNOW OR ICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS A FAIRLY WARM AUGUST DAY. THERE WAS AN ACCOMPANYING LOUD, UNPLEASANT SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN I STOMPED ON THEM. I HAD ALSO NOTICED THAT A NUMBER OF WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH HAD COME ON ALL AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF MANY TIMES, AND EACH TIME, THERE WAS A LOW BUT CLEARLY AUDIBLE THRUMMING SOUND, PLUS A VIBRATION I COULD FEEL IN THE BRAKES. THE SOUND WAS PARTICULARLY SURPRISING TO HEAR, GIVEN THAT THE VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE AN EXTREMELY QUIET (100% ELECTRIC) VEHICLE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ABOUT TEN TIMES, I DECIDED TO LEAVE TO WAIT FOR AWHILE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO START IT AGAIN. AFTER ABOUT 20 MIN., I STARTED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT TROUBLE AND CAUTIOUSLY DROVE IT HOME ON LARGELY EMPTY SIDE-STREETS.
MANUFACTURER HAS EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECALL REPAIR. NTHSA RECALL 16V-244 FOR NISSAN LEAF 2015 RECALL WAS ISSUED OVER A YEAR AGO. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED PARTS FOR REPAIR.
THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) IS DESIGNED TO CLASSIFY THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AUTOMATICALLY TURN OFF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE OCS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO ONLY DEPLOY THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. IN THE AFFECTED …
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THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) IS DESIGNED TO CLASSIFY THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AUTOMATICALLY TURN OFF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE OCS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO ONLY DEPLOY THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE OCS SOFTWARE MAY INCORRECTLY CLASSIFY THE PASSENGER SEAT AS EMPTY WHEN IT IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. IF THE OCS DOES NOT DETECT AN ADULT OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD BE DEACTIVATED. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 2 TIMES IN MY CAR WITH MY WIFE WHICH IS A SHORT LIGHT WOMAN, I WENT TO NISSAN IN GREENSBORO, NC AND THEY GOT THE PARTS IN, TORE APART CAR BUT NISSAN SENT THEM INCOMPLETE PARTS AND NOW IT IS ON BACK ORDER....HAS BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE AUGUST!
Official recalls
423V296000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual ; Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
Apr 26, 2023
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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 May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Consequence: 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 May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Consequence: 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 May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
17V253000 · Air Bags
Apr 13, 2017
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
16V244000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Apr 26, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
16V119000 · Service Brakes
Feb 29, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Intelligent Brake Control Unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service 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
1DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
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 March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.