Is the 2019 Nissan LEAF reliable?

The 2019 Nissan LEAF has 309 complaints filed with NHTSA (4.1x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: ELECTRICAL problems.

What are common problems with the 2019 Nissan LEAF?

Top problems: ELECTRICAL (163 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (49 complaints, avg repair $500); FUEL SYSTEM (33 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2019 Nissan LEAF?

Yes, there are 5 recall(s): BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY. Contact any Nissan dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to charge a 2019 Nissan LEAF?

The 2019 Nissan LEAF has an EPA rating of 112 MPGe. At the current US average residential electricity rate, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $686. State rates vary significantly — see the interactive calculator on this page.

How much does it cost to insure a 2019 Nissan LEAF?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2019 Nissan LEAF is approximately $1,975/year (ev-mainstream class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

Does the 2019 Nissan LEAF qualify for tax credits?

The federal EV tax credit (Section 30D) expired for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025. If purchased before that date, the 2019 Nissan LEAF may still qualify on the 2025 tax return. State-level incentives remain active in 13+ states — see the incentives section on this page for details.

2019 Nissan LEAF

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Nissan LEAF has 309 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.1x the segment average of 76. The most common issue is electrical problems (53% of all complaints), specifically: leaf backup screen turns pink when in reverse. unable to backup safely!!! called and drove leaf to dealer who inspected the leaf.. dealer said there would be a 'box delivered next week' and they would call me. *tr. There are 5 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 5 crash reports 10 injuries

309

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

ELECTRICAL

163 complaints

53%

• LEAF BACKUP SCREEN TURNS PINK WHEN IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO BACKUP SAFELY!!! CALLED AND DROVE LEAF TO DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE LEAF.. DEALER SAID THERE WOULD BE A 'BOX DELIVERED NEXT WEEK' AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. *TR
• I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY GOING ROUGHLY 70MPH WITH PRO PILOT CRUISE CONTROL ENABLED. THE CAR SENSED A CAR AHEAD AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, BUT THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A CAR GOING 70+ MPH ON I5 . *TR
• Vehicle suddenly loses power while driving, no warnings prior to power loss. 1st incident vehicle lost power and all check engine lights came on. Unable to shift gears or accelerate. Towed to Nissan. This has happened twice again in the past week. Complete power loss while driving, have to coast to

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

“LEAF BACKUP SCREEN TURNS PINK WHEN IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO BACKUP SAFELY!!! CALLED AND DROVE LEAF TO DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE LEAF.. DEALER SAID THERE WOULD BE A 'BOX DELIVERED NEXT WEEK' AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2019 Nissan LEAF

Based on 34 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 28K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

VISIBILITY

In line with typicalmedian 7K mi · 6 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 10K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

High-mileage issuemedian 86K mi · 14 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (5)

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA12/09/2019

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

Charging Cost Calculator for 2019 Nissan LEAF

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local electricity price)

Per year

$680

Per month

$57

Per mile

5.7¢

kWh/mi

0.30

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2019 Nissan LEAF

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,975

Full coverage / month

$165

Liability only / year

$679

vs US avg

+18%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (ev-mainstream)1.18x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1975

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Nissan LEAF Service Intervals

Oil change

5K mi / 6 mo

Tire rotation

5K mi

Brake fluid

24 months

Transmission fluid

60K mi

Engine coolant

105K mi

Spark plugs

105K mi

Cabin air filter

15K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

60K mi

CVT-equipped models (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) MUST use Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid, not conventional ATF. Frequent CVT service extends life significantly.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Nissan New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Nissan. If you're buying a used 2019 LEAF, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Nissan dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

EV Incentives for 2019 Nissan LEAF

Updated 2026-07

Federal Tax Credit (Section 30D) — Expired 2025-09-30

Section 30D new clean vehicle credit ($7,500 max) expired for vehicles acquired after Sept 30, 2025 per Public Law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Vehicles acquired on or before that date remain eligible on the buyer's 2025 return. No federal purchase credit exists for post-9/30/2025 acquisitions.

State-Level Incentives (Still Active in 14 States)

CaliforniaUp to $12,000

Clean Cars 4 All

ColoradoUp to $5,000

Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit

ConnecticutUp to $4,250

CHEAPR (Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate)

DelawareUp to $2,500

Clean Vehicle Rebate

IllinoisUp to $4,000

Illinois EV Rebate Program

MarylandUp to $3,000

Excise Tax Credit for Plug-in Electric Vehicles

MassachusettsUp to $3,500

MOR-EV

New JerseyUp to $4,000

Charge Up New Jersey

New YorkUp to $2,000

Drive Clean Rebate

OregonUp to $7,500

Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate

PennsylvaniaUp to $3,000

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Rebate Program

Rhode IslandUp to $2,500

DRIVEEV

TexasUp to $2,500

Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive

VermontUp to $5,000

Incentive Program for New Electric Vehicles

See full state-by-state EV incentive details

Source: US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center + state DOR / DEQ program pages. Program details and eligibility limits change frequently — always verify with the linked source before purchase.

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 309 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: LEAF BACKUP SCREEN TURNS PINK WHEN IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO BACKUP SAFELY!!! CALLED AND DROVE LEAF TO DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE LEAF.. DEALER SAID THERE WOULD BE A 'BOX DELIVERED NEXT WEEK' AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN STOP AND GO OR HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THROTTLES ITSELF BACK TO CONSERVE POWER IN THE TRACTION BATTERY. COMBINED WITH THE FACT THERE ARE NO REAR SEAT VENTS (EITHER IN THE CONSOLE OR THE FLOOR), IT GETS DANGEROUSLY HOT IN THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE BACK O
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: Vehicle suddenly loses power while driving, no warnings prior to power loss. 1st incident vehicle lost power and all check engine lights came on. Unable to shift gears or accelerate. Towed to Nissan. This has happened twice again in the past week. Complete power loss while driving, have to coast to
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: LEAF BACKUP SCREEN TURNS PINK WHEN IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO BACKUP SAFELY!!! CALLED AND DROVE LEAF TO DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE LEAF.. DEALER SAID THERE WOULD BE A 'BOX DELIVERED NEXT WEEK' AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 5 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)