2012 Nissan LEAF

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Nissan LEAF has 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (31% of all complaints), specifically: during extreme braking on uneven surface, loose gravel, or slick surface, the anti-lock braking system (abs) engages (as expected). however, once the brake pedal has been released, abs fails to release the brakes promptly. the additional release delay causes greater-than-intended braking, and potent.

9 crash reports 6 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

22 complaints

31%

• DURING EXTREME BRAKING ON UNEVEN SURFACE, LOOSE GRAVEL, OR SLICK SURFACE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) ENGAGES (AS EXPECTED). HOWEVER, ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED, ABS FAILS TO RELEASE THE BRAKES PROMPTLY. THE ADDITIONAL RELEASE DELAY CAUSES GREATER-THAN-INTENDED BRAKING, AND POTENT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUF
• I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN A FAST REDUCTION IN SPEED. I RAPIDLY APPLIED MY BRAKES TO THE POINT OF FULL STOPPING POWER. SHORTLY AFTERWARD I RELEASED THE BRAKE AS I WAS CONFIDENT I WOULD NOT HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKES KEPT THEIR FULL STOPPING FORCE F

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“DURING EXTREME BRAKING ON UNEVEN SURFACE, LOOSE GRAVEL, OR SLICK SURFACE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) ENGAGES (AS EXPECTED). HOWEVER, ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED, ABS FAILS TO RELEASE THE BRAKES PROMPTLY. THE ADDITIONAL RELEASE DELAY CAUSES GREATER-THAN-INTENDED BRAKING, AND POTENT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

15 complaints

21%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN ECO- MODE, SHE NOTICED THE BATTERY MILEAGE COUNT SUDDENLY DECREASED FROM 77 MILES TO 55 MILES AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY A MILE. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER CHARGING THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, THE BATTER
• CAR DOES NOT DRIVE THE NUMBER OF MILES THE ELECTRIC CHARGE STATES AND DEALERSHIP REPORTS. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS CAUSE TO DRIVE AT POSTED SPEED LIMITS OF MAJOR HIGHWAYS THE CHARGE IS USED UP VERY QUICKLY LIKE 3 TIMES WHATEVER SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING IF OVER 50 MPH. *TR
• DROVE CAR INTO DRIVEWAY WITH SLIGHT INCLINE, PRESSED BUTTON TO ENGAGE CAR INTO PARK, GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, PLUGGED IN CAR TO CHARGE IT. WALKED UP 2 STEPS TO HOUSE, CAR ROLLED BACK NEARLY STRIKING 9 YEAR OLD. RUSHED TO THE CAR TO TRY TO STOP IT. CAR STOPPED WHEN ROLLED BACK ACROSS STREET AND INTO NE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN ECO- MODE, SHE NOTICED THE BATTERY MILEAGE COUNT SUDDENLY DECREASED FROM 77 MILES TO 55 MILES AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY A MILE. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER CHARGING THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, THE BATTER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

11 complaints

15%

• DESPITE AN ADULT OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED INDICATOR CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED WITH TWO DIFFERENT FULL SIZED ADULTS. DEALER COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ATTEMPT A REPAIR. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND CONTINUED TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS RESET. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR AND C
• PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR (OCS) HAS FAILED. ONLY REPAIR OFFERED BY NISSAN IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CUSHION SEAT ASSEMBLY, WHICH INCLUDES A SIDE AIRBAG AND SEAT HEATER, FOR OVER $4000 - THIS IS APPROXIMATELY THE VALUE OF THE CAR ON THE USED MARKET! A SIMILAR FAILURE FOR LATER MODEL YEARS (2013-

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“DESPITE AN ADULT OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED INDICATOR CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED WITH TWO DIFFERENT FULL SIZED ADULTS. DEALER COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ATTEMPT A REPAIR. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

5 complaints

• THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLES REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES PROHIBITS SUCCESSFUL BUCKLING OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS. *TR
• WITH THE CAR PARKED AND ALL SEATS UPRIGHT, I FOUND THE CENTER REAR SEATBELT RETRACTOR LOCKED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO USE THE SEATBELT. I FOLDED THE SEAT DOWN, THEN BACK UP, AND IT WAS LOCKED TIGHTER. MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER REPLACED THE BELT FREE OF CHARGE THE NEXT WEEK. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID
• PAGE 1-21 OF THE 2012 NISSAN LEAF OWNER MANUAL HAS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INCORRECTLY INSTALLED, WITH THE CAPTION "LATCH WEBBING-MOUNTED ATTACHMENT". THE ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLED WITH THE LOWER ANCHORAGE FLE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLES REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES PROHIBITS SUCCESSFUL BUCKLING OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

4 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A BUSH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSP
• DRIVER AND DRIVER'S YOUNG CHILD WERE IN VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND SLIGHTLY INCREASED SPEED TO CROSS INTERSECTION. ACCELERATOR PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN SHARP ACCELERATION AT FULL POWER TOWARDS THE NEXT INTERSECTION. THE NEXT INTERSECTION CONTAINED OTHER V
• BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND IGNITION STARTED AND THRUSTED CAR FORWARD. IT SEEMED LIKE THE BRAKE GOT SOFT AND THEN WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED THE CAR TO DAMAGE PRIVATE PROPERTY AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A BUSH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 71 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: DURING EXTREME BRAKING ON UNEVEN SURFACE, LOOSE GRAVEL, OR SLICK SURFACE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) ENGAGES (AS EXPECTED). HOWEVER, ONCE THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED, ABS FAILS TO RELEASE THE BRAKES PROMPTLY. THE ADDITIONAL RELEASE DELAY CAUSES GREATER-THAN-INTENDED BRAKING, AND POTENT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN ECO- MODE, SHE NOTICED THE BATTERY MILEAGE COUNT SUDDENLY DECREASED FROM 77 MILES TO 55 MILES AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY A MILE. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER CHARGING THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT, THE BATTER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: DESPITE AN ADULT OCCUPYING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED INDICATOR CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED WITH TWO DIFFERENT FULL SIZED ADULTS. DEALER COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ATTEMPT A REPAIR. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLES REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES PROHIBITS SUCCESSFUL BUCKLING OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)