This page covers 4 recalls, 35 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2016 Nissan Leaf.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
For the 2016 Nissan Leaf, brake-related complaints make up the largest share of what owners report. The most common pattern involves the brakes failing to engage normally, particularly after the vehicle has been parked, owners describe pressing the pedal fully with little or no stopping response, sometimes needing to pump the brakes repeatedly or rely on the parking brake to stop. A smaller cluster of electrical system complaints describes sudden loss of drive power, in some cases accompanied by loss of power steering, with little or no warning beforehand. The propulsion system draws a handful of reports as well, with owners describing the car unexpectedly shifting into neutral while moving, leaving them without drive power mid-trip. The brake engagement issue, especially after a cold start or following a period of sitting, appears across multiple reports and tends to resolve temporarily after cycling the vehicle off and back on.
35
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
By System
The 2016 Nissan LEAF has 4 recalls, the most serious involving the front passenger airbag, which may fail to deploy in a crash due to a wiring connector that can disconnect or an inflator defect, leaving the front passenger with reduced protection.
A separate recall addresses the passenger seat sensor, which can misread occupant status and cause the front passenger airbag to deploy incorrectly or not at all in a crash. The remaining recall involves an error in the owner's manual: the defroster instructions are incorrect, which can reduce windshield clearing performance in certain conditions and limit forward visibility while driving.
At a glance
What can fail
The Owner's Manual contains incorrect defroster operation instructions that may reduce defroster performance under certain conditions.
What the fix does
Nissan will mail an addendum with corrected defroster operating instructions at no cost to owners.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A manufacturing error in the passenger front air bag inflator may prevent it from deploying properly during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The wiring harness connector for the dual-stage passenger air bag may disconnect, potentially preventing the air bag from deploying.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the connector for proper engagement and replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger seat's occupant detection system may incorrectly identify an adult as a child or miss an occupied seat. This can cause the passenger airbag to stay off during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram or replace the occupant detection and airbag control units to ensure proper airbag operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
