Transport CanadaCritical
At a glance
What can fail
The high-voltage battery can overheat during level 3 quick charging, potentially causing smoke or heat that damages the battery and surrounding components.
This page covers 5 recalls, 49 owner complaints and NHTSA crash-test ratings for the 2021 Nissan Leaf.
The 2020 to 2021 Nissan Leaf received an overall rating of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program for US-market vehicles. In frontal crash testing, it earned 4 stars. Side crash protection was rated at 5 stars, while rollover resistance received 4 stars. Side pole crash testing resulted in a 5-star rating. NHTSA applies these ratings across model years until a significant redesign occurs, so this assessment covers the entire 2020 to 2021 range.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Electrical system complaints dominate what owners report for the 2021 Nissan Leaf, accounting for nearly half of all filed complaints. The most consistent theme involves the high-voltage battery pack and charging system, owners describe being unable to use public DC fast-charging networks, the vehicle refusing to accept a charge, or charging stopping unexpectedly before completion. Several owners report the issue renders the car impractical for longer trips or regular daily use. Visibility and wiper complaints form the second-largest named category, with owners describing wiper performance problems and obstructed sightlines in certain conditions. A smaller cluster of propulsion-related complaints describes reduced power output or unexpected changes in driving behavior. The charging and battery complaints are the clearest recurring pattern here, with multiple owners describing a loss of fast-charging capability as the primary symptom.
49
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
1
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Nissan LEAF has 5 recalls, the most serious being unintended acceleration that can occur after disengaging cruise control and switching driving modes, and a battery overheating risk during Level 3 quick charging that can lead to fire or smoke.
The unintended acceleration issue triggers when the driver shifts from D to B mode, turns on e-Pedal, or selects ECO mode after cruise control has been disengaged, causing the car to surge without input. The Level 3 charging concern applies to vehicles equipped with a quick-charge port: the lithium-ion battery can overheat during a fast-charging session, generating heat or smoke that can damage the battery and surrounding components and create a fire risk. On the visibility side, a wiring harness connected to the rearview camera can suffer damage that distorts or blacks out the camera image entirely, leaving the driver without a clear view of what is behind the vehicle when reversing. There is also an error in the owner's manual covering how to operate the defroster; following the incorrect instructions under certain conditions produces reduced defrosting performance, which can leave the windshield partially obscured and limit forward visibility.
At a glance
What can fail
The high-voltage battery can overheat during level 3 quick charging, potentially causing smoke or heat that damages the battery and surrounding components.
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Driver Assistance
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 →
What the fix does
Nissan will update your vehicle's software at a dealership to address the overheating issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The lithium-ion battery may overheat when using Level 3 quick charging on certain 2021-2022 LEAF vehicles with a Level 3 quick charging port.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the battery software at no cost to reprogram the charging system and prevent overheating.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera harness can become damaged, causing the rearview camera display to show distorted or no image.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera and harness if damaged, or apply protective tape and reroute the harness if undamaged.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The vehicle may accelerate unintentionally when you change the driving mode (from D to B, turn on e-Pedal, or select ECO mode) after turning off cruise control.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module at no cost to fix the acceleration issue.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Owner's Manual has incorrect defroster operation instructions that can reduce defroster performance under certain conditions.
What the fix does
Nissan will mail an addendum with corrected defroster operating instructions at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
