Nissan Leaf Complaints

1,117 consumer complaints on file.

#10573261March 18, 2014
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
GOODNESS MY 2013 NISSAN LEAF WAS PARK IN THE RECREATION. THE CAR WON'T START BECAUSE THERE ARE EV SYSTEMS WARNING ICON DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAD TO TOW MY NISSA LEAF TO BROADWAY NISSAN DEALER. EVERYDAY THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE WAITING FOR LEAF ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS A NON-COMMENT PROBLEM. I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISER THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. EVERYDAY THEIR EXCUSE STILL WAITING FOR LEAF SPECIALIST TO COME AND LOOK AT IT AND THEY CANNOT FIND THE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568917March 12, 2014
STEERING
THE NISSAN LEAF REPRESENTATIVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LEAF MECHANIC HERE IN MIDLAND. I ARRIVED AT MY APPOINTMENT AND ASK THE MECHANIC IF HE WAS THE LEAF MECHANIC THAT I HAD THE APPOINTMENT WITH. HE ANSWERED YES. I TOOK HIM FOR A TEST DRIVE WHERE HE EXPERIENCED THE FRONT END PROBLEM. WHEN WE GOT BACK, THE SHOP MANAGER WANTED TO SEE THE PROBLEM FOR HIMSELF. THEN I TALKED TO THE GENERAL MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THAT NEITHER WAS A CERTIFIED LEAF MECHANIC. WHEN I CALLED THE LEAF REPRESENTATIVE HE AGAIN TALKED TO ME. AFTER SEVERAL MORE CALLS TO HIM HE SAID THAT THE MECHANIC AND MANAGER SAID THAT IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ERRATIC EVEN WHEN I TOOK IT OUT ON THE LOOP AND THE HIGHWAY. THAT WAS A PURE LIE BY SOMEONE. I DID NEITHER. I ONLY DROVE IT AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE TEST DRIVE. THEN THE LEAF REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO DRIVE TO ODESSA TO HAVE A LEAF MECHANIC TO CHECK IT OUT. THAT IS WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY TOLD ME ABOUT GOING TO MIDLAND FOR MY APPOINTMENT. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT MY CAR WILL NO LONGER MADE IT TO ODESSA AND BACK ON A CHARGE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE OVER THERE AND RENT A CAR TO GET BACK TO MIDLAND AND THEN I COULD DRIVE BACK TO ODESSA THE NEXT DAY. I SUGGESTED THAT THEY SEND THE LEAF MECHANIC OVER TO MIDLAND TO CHECK MY CAR. THEY WOULD NOT DO IT. IT IS OK FOR THEM TO HAVE ME SPEND TWO DAYS OF MY TIME BUT IT IS NOT OK FOR THEM TO SPEND A HALF DAY. NOW THEY SAY THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING ELSE UNLESS I DO IT THEIR WAY. I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY EVER FIXED THE STEERING PROBLEMS BUT I KNOW THAT I HAVE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE STEERING. I NOW HAVE TO DRIVE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. I DO NOT KNOW IF I COULD AVOID AN ACCIDENT IF I HAVE TO SWERVE FAST TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. NOW THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE 2011 AND 2012 MODELS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10563036February 5, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TWO MONTHS AGO I WAS BRAKING MODERATELY WHEN THE CAR SHUTTERED, THERE WAS A BUMP AND THE CAR BEGAN COASTING. I SAW THAT IT HAD POPPED INTO N (NEUTRAL) EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T TOUCH THE GEAR SHIFT. I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK INTO D (DRIVE) BUT IT WOULDN'T RESPOND. I PUSHED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO SHUT IT DOWN. FINALLY, IT RESPONDED, THEN RESTARTED AND DROVE NORMALLY. AFTER THAT, THERE WOULD BE INTERMITTENT SHUTTERING AND BUMPING WHILE BRAKING. THE RECHARGING LIGHTS WILL PULSE AND I CAN FEEL THE REGENERATIVE FEATURE GRAB AND THEN RELEASE. ONE MORNING RECENTLY, ALONG WITH THESE SYMPTOMS THE RANGE PLUMMETED QUICKLY, BY ABOUT 1 MILE PER SECOND. AFTER DRIVING ONLY 20 MILES I HAD 17 MILES OF INDICATED RANGE. THEN, YESTERDAY, THE FIRST PROBLEM REAPPEARED: THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND BRIEFLY WOULDN'T RESPOND. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10558977January 8, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
I NEEDED TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR. THE ABS LIGHT AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549016October 22, 2013
SEAT BELTS, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
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 FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR STRAP (LATCH WEBBING) ROUTED THROUGH THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. NO WEBBING IS ROUTED THROUGH THE FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. THIS ILLUSTRATION MAY SUGGEST TO USERS THAT THIS IS HOW TO ROUTE THE "LATCH WEBBING" IN A FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT ILLUSTRATION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO INJURY. THIS ILLUSTRATION IS COMMON TO MANY MODELS OF 2003 AND LATER NISSAN VEHICLES, NOT JUST THE LEAF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547501October 10, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, SO I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. I WAS SWITCHING LANES WHEN THE CAR I WAS MOVING BEHIND SUDDEN SLOWED (IT DID NOT STOP). I QUICKLY HIT MY BRAKES SO I COULD SLOW DOWN AS WELL, BUT MY CAR'S BRAKES LOCKED-UP AND THE CAR STARTED TO SKID. I LET-OFF THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR CONTINUED THE SKID AND STOPPED. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR (ACTUALLY NISSAN IS THE LUCKY ONE TO ESCAPED LITIGATION). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547445October 9, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BATTERY CAPACITY HAS DROPPED 1 BAR. NISSAN CASE NUMBER [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10546822October 5, 2013
SEAT BELTS
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 THAT THEY SERVICE SEVERAL LINES OF CARS, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, AND OCCASIONALLY SEE SEATBELT RETRACTORS LOCKED UP IN SEVERAL LINES OF CARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544062September 17, 2013
VISIBILITY/WIPER
DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, WHETHER IN THE SUN OR IN THE SHADE, BOTH SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SHOW ONLY THE IMAGE OF THE DASHBOARD. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE REFLECTION OF THE DASHBOARD UNLESS YOU ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. IF YOU EMAIL ME I'LL SEND YOU PICS OF THIS CONDITION IN BOTH SUN AND SHADE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE LEAF CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE AT NISSAN SEEM TO CARE. THEY CLAIM THERE ARE COMPARATIVELY FEW COMPLAINTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10543170September 11, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, SEATS
PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOWS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IN THE SEAT IS A TYPICAL ADULT, ~130 POUNDS. THE UNDERSEAT SENSOR (ODS OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM) IS NOT CALIBRATED - NEEDS ABOUT 160 POUNDS TO SENSE A PERSON IN THE SEAT. NISSAN HAD A RECALL (MARCH 2013) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NISSAN HOTLINE ([XXX]) SAYS TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAYS CALL NISSAN. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542337September 6, 2013
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 NISSAN LEAF ON MY MORNING COMMUTE TO WORK, ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM FREEWAY AND 3 MILES AWAY FROM HOME WHERE I STARTED, THE CAR GAVE A ALARM BEEP, AND STARTED DECELERATING. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO THAT. NOTICED THE DASH SAYING "I KEY SYSTEM FAULT" THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. I QUICKLY TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND TRIED TO TURN OFF/ON THE CAR BUT IT KEPT ON SAYING "I KEY SYSTEM FAULT", AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF TRYING THIS I DECIDED TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A DRIVEWAY TO NOT CAUSE A TRAFFIC JAM, HERE I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO TURN OFF /ON THE CAR BUT IT DID NOTHING HAPPENED, IT BEHAVED LIKE THAT AS OVER AN HOUR AND HALF, EVEN THE SAME WAY WITHOUT THE FOB, EVENTUALLY THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP STILL ON AND IS STILL BEING LOOKED AT BY THE TECHNICIANS THERE. PRETTY SCARY TO HAVE THE CAR BEHAVE LIKE THIS WHILE DRIVING. CANT IMAGINE WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS FAILURE AND WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE ON THE FREEWAY. WILL TRY AND UPDATE WITH WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH THE CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538582September 3, 2013
WHEELS, STEERING, TIRES
VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. MY SPOUSE STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO LOOK FOR A PROBLEM. SHE FOUND THAT AIR WAS ESCAPING THE FRONT LEFT TIRE OUT OF THE SIDEWALL. SHE THEN DROVE THE CAR TO A SAFE STOPPING POINT AND CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD BLOWN OUT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS REPLACED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIM WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE SIDEWALL OF THE BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA TIRE HAD FAILED AFTER 5,800 MILES. WE WERE CHARGED $183 FOR THE REPAIR DESPITE THE CAR BEING LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538155August 30, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 NEIGHBORS YARD / ROCK. TORE CHARGING STATION OFF THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE. CAUSED BREAKER TO TRIP AND RUINED THE UNIT COMPLETELY.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538157August 30, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR INTO MY DRIVEWAY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND I GET OUT OF THE CAR WHILE ITS IN DRIVE AND THE CAR IS ON, THE CAR REMAINS STABLE AND DOES NOT MOVE. THE CAR IS EXTREMELY QUIET. IF I PLUG THE CHARGER INTO THE CAR, THE CAR IMMEDIATELTY DROPS OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL BACKWARD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10537862August 29, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY NISSAN LEAF WAS PLUGGED INTO 220V CHARGING STATION AT MY HOME. IT WAS CHARGING FOR OVER AN HOUR. MY SPOUSE WENT TO LEAVE AND WHEN ENTERING THE GARAGE SHE SMELLED A STRONG BURNING SMELL. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE CHARGING STATION PLUG WHERE IT PLUGS INTO THE CAR. SHE TURNED OFF THE POWER AT THE BREAKER BOX AND THEN PROCEEDED TO UNPLUG THE CHARGER FROM THE CAR. TWO OF THE TERMINALS ON THE PLUG WERE DAMAGED AND 2 TERMINALS ON THE RECEPTACLE ON THE CAR WERE DAMAGED. THE CONNECTION HAD GOTTEN HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC AND CREATE SMOKE INDICATING A FIRE. NISSAN HAS DETERMINED BY PICTURES THAT THE CAR WAS NOT TO BLAME FOR THE INCIDENT. THEY ARE BLAMING THE CHARGING STATION FOR THE FAILURE. THEY HAVE DENIED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE BURDEN OF THE BILL HAS BEEN PLACED WITH THE CUSTOMER. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10534176August 8, 2013
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WASHER FLUID NOZZLES SPRAY AIMED TOO LOW. CANNOT CLEAN WINDSHIELD EFFECTIVELY. ONLY THE LOWER PORTION OF WINDSHIELD IS SPRAY LEAVING THE MIDDLE TO TOP PORTION NOT CLEAN. VERY DANGEROUS DURING WINTER AS THE SALT FROM ROAD WILL BLOCK VISION. WIPER WITH POOR SPRAYED FLUID AMOUNT/LOCATION WILL ONLY SMEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSE POOR VISIBILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10531552July 24, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN STARTING THE CAR, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED AND CAR WOULD DO NOTHING. SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND EVERYTHING WAS CLEAR. PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE AND HAD NOMINAL BRAKING. IT TOOK 10 FEET OF SLAMMING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP AT 2 MPH IN REVERSE. IT LITERALLY FELT LIKE NO BRAKE PRESSURE. STOPPED AND RESTARTED AGAIN AND THINGS WERE SEEMINGLY BACK TO NORMAL. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP WHO BLAMED IT ON LOW 12V BATTERY. BRAKING WAS PATHETICALLY WEAK AT THE ONE TIME... IT WAS NOT JUST THE TYPICAL LACK OF REGENERATIVE AND MOTOR ASSISTED BRAKING YOU WOULD GET DURING A FAULT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10524169July 10, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
DRIVING MY 2012 LEAF ON A SECONDARY ROAD ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, AT 45 MPH, I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO TURN RIGHT ON TO ANOTHER STREET. AFTER MODERATELY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKES LOCKED, BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE ROADWAY. MY FOOT HAD NOT BEEN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR AT LEAST A FULL SECOND WHILE MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ABRUPTLY STOP. A VEHICLE BEHIND ME REAR-ENDED THE LEAF. I AND MY TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED NECK INJURIES. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. I CONSIDER NISSAN AT FAULT AND NOT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THAT REAR ENDED US. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10522239June 28, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
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 FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 1/2 TO 1 SECOND. I HAD TO STEER OFF THE ROAD TO PREVENT THE CAR BEHIND FROM HITTING ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE BUT I DID NOT RECORD ALL THE DETAILS UNTIL TODAY. THIS IS TWICE NOW THAT I HAD TO MAKE A MEDIUM SPEED EMERGENCY DIVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID IMMEDIATE COLLISION FROM THE REAR. IN MY FIRST INCIDENT I WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON I25. THIS IS FRIGHTFUL DANGEROUS BRAKING BEHAVIOR. I LOVE MY LEAF BUT IN MY OPINION THIS AUTOMOBILE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON A FREEWAY. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WILL TAKE THE CAR IN TOMORROW BUT I WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO NISSAN NOTES ON THIS FAILURE MODE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10522140June 27, 2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RE-CHARGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SOFTWARE WOULD NEED TO BE UPDATED BUT IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Nissan Leaf