2015 Nissan LEAF

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Nissan LEAF has 141 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (59% of all complaints), specifically: my 2015 leaf s is 3 weeks old with less than 700 miles. i was descending an 8% grade hill in b mode with a sharp bend at the bottom. as i went to apply the brakes, the pedal went to the floor and b mode cut out. the car was now rolling down the hill and accelerating under gravity with no brakes a.

9 crash reports 3 injuries

141

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.8x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

83 complaints

59%

• MY 2015 LEAF S IS 3 WEEKS OLD WITH LESS THAN 700 MILES. I WAS DESCENDING AN 8% GRADE HILL IN B MODE WITH A SHARP BEND AT THE BOTTOM. AS I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND B MODE CUT OUT. THE CAR WAS NOW ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND ACCELERATING UNDER GRAVITY WITH NO BRAKES A
• BRAKE FAILURE. CAR BARELY STOPPED WHEN BACKING OUT OF GARAGE. SYSTEM DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN BRAKES IN CASE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE DID NOT FUNCTION. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED BUT NO CAUSE WAS IDENTIFIED. STILL NOT REPAIRED AS OF 2/18/15 BECAUSE BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN A
• THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AS NORMAL ON A COLD SNOWY DAY. THE TIRES DID NOT SLIDE AND IT WAS NOT A HARD BRAKING SITUATION. MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THE BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY. THE CONDITION WENT AWAY THE NEXT DAY; A WARMER DAY. IT HAPPENED AGAIN 2 WEEKS LATER AND I CAN NOW R

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

“MY 2015 LEAF S IS 3 WEEKS OLD WITH LESS THAN 700 MILES. I WAS DESCENDING AN 8% GRADE HILL IN B MODE WITH A SHARP BEND AT THE BOTTOM. AS I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND B MODE CUT OUT. THE CAR WAS NOW ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND ACCELERATING UNDER GRAVITY WITH NO BRAKES A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

16 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE F
• I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 MONTHS, AND THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED REPEATEDLY, ONCE ABOUT EVERY 5 DAYS ON AVERAGE. EVERY TIME THEY HAVE FAILED, IT WAS WHEN I START UP THE CAR, AND PUT IT IN EITHER FORWARD OR REVERSE. I USUALLY PULL FORWARD INTO A PARKING SPOT, SO I GO IN REVERSE MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY A
• WHEN THE 12-VOLT BATTERY FAILED ON MY 2015 NISSAN LEAF, THE CAR WOULD STILL TURN ON AND WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK EITHER. THIS HAPPENED TO ME BOTH IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AT NIGHT AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. SIMILA

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE F”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

10 complaints

• 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
• 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.
• 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 W

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

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

8 complaints

• THE LEAF OFTEN SHOWS THAT MY PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DISABLED, EVEN THOUGH MY SON WHO IS OVER 100 POUNDS IS SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT BELT ON. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME AT ALL SPEEDS WHEN HE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SENSORS IN THE PASSENGER SE
• THE PASSENGER AIR BAG TURNS ON AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN A PASSENGER (OVER 140 POUNDS) IS IN THE SEAT. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY, BUT CONSISTENTLY. WE'VE TRIED DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS; GETTING IN THE SEAT AFTER THE CAR HAS STARTED, HOPING UP AND DOWN (TRYING TO TRIGGER THE WEIGHT SENSOR), CHANGING OCCUPANTS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END THREE VEHICLE COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS ON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THE LEAF OFTEN SHOWS THAT MY PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DISABLED, EVEN THOUGH MY SON WHO IS OVER 100 POUNDS IS SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT BELT ON. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME AT ALL SPEEDS WHEN HE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SENSORS IN THE PASSENGER SE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

8 complaints

• MY 2015 LEAF S IS 3 WEEKS OLD WITH LESS THAN 700 MILES. I WAS DESCENDING AN 8% GRADE HILL IN B MODE WITH A SHARP BEND AT THE BOTTOM. AS I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND B MODE CUT OUT. THE CAR WAS NOW ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND ACCELERATING UNDER GRAVITY WITH NO BRAKES A
• WHENEVER WE COME TO A STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, AND THE SPEED OF THE CAR IS < 3 MILES , WE NOTICED THAT WHEN WE APPLY BRAKES, THEY DO NOT GET APPLIED IMMEDIATELY. THERE IS A SUDDEN SURGE IN ACCELERATION BEFORE THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS VERY NOTICEABLE ESPECIALLY WHEN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHICH RESULTED IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WITHOUT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~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 141 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: MY 2015 LEAF S IS 3 WEEKS OLD WITH LESS THAN 700 MILES. I WAS DESCENDING AN 8% GRADE HILL IN B MODE WITH A SHARP BEND AT THE BOTTOM. AS I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND B MODE CUT OUT. THE CAR WAS NOW ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND ACCELERATING UNDER GRAVITY WITH NO BRAKES A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: THE LEAF OFTEN SHOWS THAT MY PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DISABLED, EVEN THOUGH MY SON WHO IS OVER 100 POUNDS IS SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT BELT ON. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME AT ALL SPEEDS WHEN HE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SENSORS IN THE PASSENGER SE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)