2015 Nissan Leaf Driver assistance Problems

I am reporting a serious and progressively worsening safety issue involving a 2015 Nissan LEAF with approximately 61,759 miles. The problem involves sudden, unintended jerking and apparent repeated braking while driving, accompanied by a forceful steering pull to the left. The exact cause has not yet been determined. Several years ago, the vehicle experienced a serious braking malfunction in which pressing the brake pedal did not stop the vehicle as expected. No warning light appeared during that incident. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Nissan dealership, where the 12-volt battery was identified as the problem and replaced. The braking issue appeared to be resolved at that time. Beginning in early 2026, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent jerking while driving. Initially, the episodes were brief and infrequent. Over time, they became more frequent, violent, and unpredictable. The malfunction typically occurs while traveling straight on dry roads at approximately 35–50 mph. Without warning or driver input, the vehicle begins rapidly jerking as though the brakes are repeatedly engaging and releasing. At the same time, the steering wheel pulls forcefully to the left, requiring immediate corrective steering to maintain control. The jerking sometimes continues even after the accelerator pedal is released. During some episodes, the brake pedal pulsates when subsequently applied. On October 30, 2026, the front-right tire blew out during one of these violent jerking episodes. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a tire retailer, where the tire was replaced. The retailer did not identify or report any unusual condition. It is UNKNOWN whether the tire failure was caused by the underlying malfunction or was a separate event. These incidents create a serious risk of losing control of the vehicle, colliding with another vehicle, or leaving the roadway. The unexpected steering movement and apparent braking behavior are particularly dangerous at highway speed

NHTSA ID

11775295

Incident

Nov 2, 2026

Unintended Acceleration: Vehicle continue to accelerate even after the gas pedal is released or not slow down as expected.

NHTSA ID

11612465

Incident

Sep 3, 2024

I was driving with one passenger going at very low speed. I began to turn into parking area and suddenly the car accelerated at an alarming speed. I applied total pressure on the brake to no avail, it did not override the acceleration. I steered into the back of another parked vehicle. The impact pushed the large heavy vehicle down into a ditch and deployed the airbags for both myself and passenger. 911 was called, Police arrived, tow trucks. My vehicle was totalled, and insurance now has the claim. If this has occurred on a highway or busy city street, many lives would have been at risk.

NHTSA ID

11499319

Incident

Dec 28, 2022

WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING TO 60MPH FROM A STOP LIGHT ON US 287 AND ISABELLE ROAD IN BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLED TO OVER 70. ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEEMED TO NOT WORK AT ALL. I BRAKED AND SLOWED DOWN BUT IT WAS FIGHTING THE MAXIMUM ACCELERATION. I TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKES AND KEPT SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR LOST ALL ENGINE POWER AND SEEMED TO BRAKE ITSELF. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. TURNED IT BACK ON AND ALL SEEMED NORMAL. I AM CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MAY PANIC IN THIS SITUATION AND NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE 2015 NISSAN LEAF I DRIVE HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND HAS HAD ALL UPDATES AND SERVICES.

NHTSA ID

11343036

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

31,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND SEIZED IN POSITION AS THE RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE BLOCKS. FINALLY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE MORE THE SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. LUTHER NISSAN OF INVER GROVE (LOCATED AT 1470 50TH ST E, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN 55077, (952) 479-4974) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED, WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. PIIR=Y. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11234129

Incident

Jul 21, 2019

Mileage

25,000 mi

BRAKES FAILED UPON STARTING THE CAR. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD (BRAKE, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND BRAKE SYSTEM) RESULTING IN TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE - CANNOT STOP THE CAR WITH NORMAL BRAKING EVEN WHILE JUST PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE/REVERSE FROM PARK. STARTED HAPPENING ~3 WEEKS AGO. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS THE CAR IS THE EMERGENCY / PARKING BRAKE. IF PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY, JUST BEFORE HITTING THE FLOOR THERE IS A LOUD POPPING / GRINDING NOISE AND THE PARKING BRAKE (?) ENGAGES. THE FIRST TIME, TURNING THE CAR OFF/ON FIXED IT. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL NISSAN DEALER, THEY SAID "COULD NOT FIND THE ISSUE IN THEIR SYSTEM" AND SAID IT WAS A "FLUKE" AND WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER AND TURNING THE CAR OFF/ON DIDN'T HELP, AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN OUR DRIVEWAY. TRIED REPLACING THE 12V BATTERY, WHICH FIXED THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY. HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT AND HAD TO GET IT TOWED BACK TO NISSAN. *NOW* THEY FOUND THE ISSUE IN THEIR SYSTEM AND THINK IT'S THE "DRIVEN INTELLIGENT BRAKE UNIT" AND COSTS $2600+ TO FIX. THEY ALSO SAY THE "MAIN ENGINE HARNESS" MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR SOME REASON AS WELL, COSTING ANOTHER $2400+. HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN USA, THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T HAVE A RECORD OF THIS BEING A PROBLEM WITH LEAFS (EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON HERE) AND REFUSES TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THIS BRAKE SYSTEM IS *EXTREMELY UNSAFE* FOR THE DRIVER & PASSENGERS, AND EVERYONE AROUND IT. MY KIDS COULD HAVE BEEN NEAR THE CAR WHEN IT STARTED MOVING ON ITS OWN EVEN THOUGH I WAS PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. NO ONE NEEDS TO DIE OR GET GRAVELY INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

11172483

Incident

Jan 6, 2019

Mileage

51,000 mi

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOUSE. I TURNED IT ON LIKE I DO NORMALLY AND I THEN I SEE THE RED BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. I DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH OF IT AS I WAS RUSHING TO GET SOMEWHERE. MY DRIVEWAY IS SLOPED DOWN SO WHEN I PUT IT ON DRIVE, I HAD TO STEP ON THE BRAKES. I NOTICED IT DIDN'T WORK AS I DEPRESSED IT ALL THE WAY DOWN. THEN I QUICKLY USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES SINCE MY CAR WAS SLOWLY ROLLING DOWN. MY CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD, HAS ABOUT 35,000 MILES AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11141540

Incident

Oct 6, 2018

Mileage

35,000 mi

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 WAS ABLE, AGAIN HAVING GREAT TROUBLE STOPPING. THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE BRAKES FELT LIKE I WAS SKIDDING ON SNOW OR ICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS A FAIRLY WARM AUGUST DAY. THERE WAS AN ACCOMPANYING LOUD, UNPLEASANT SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN I STOMPED ON THEM. I HAD ALSO NOTICED THAT A NUMBER OF WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH HAD COME ON ALL AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF MANY TIMES, AND EACH TIME, THERE WAS A LOW BUT CLEARLY AUDIBLE THRUMMING SOUND, PLUS A VIBRATION I COULD FEEL IN THE BRAKES. THE SOUND WAS PARTICULARLY SURPRISING TO HEAR, GIVEN THAT THE VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE AN EXTREMELY QUIET (100% ELECTRIC) VEHICLE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ABOUT TEN TIMES, I DECIDED TO LEAVE TO WAIT FOR AWHILE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO START IT AGAIN. AFTER ABOUT 20 MIN., I STARTED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT TROUBLE AND CAUTIOUSLY DROVE IT HOME ON LARGELY EMPTY SIDE-STREETS.

NHTSA ID

11122973

Incident

Aug 25, 2018

Mileage

12,000 mi

LOST POWER AND COAST TO A STOP AND THEN STARTED UP OVER 12 TIMES IN A 2 DAY PERIOD NEW CAR HAD TO TURN ROTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED

NHTSA ID

10783489

Incident

Oct 13, 2015

Mileage

116 mi

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 WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,062.

NHTSA ID

10781127

Incident

Oct 8, 2015

Mileage

6,062 mi

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 WE APPLY BRAKES TO SLOW THE CAR BEFORE A TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR STOP SIGN AND ALSO IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. AS A RESULT, WE TEND TO STOP THE CAR ATLEAST COUPLE OF METERS BEFORE THE STOP LINE OR THE CAR IN FRONT TO BUFFER THE ACCELERATION BY THE CAR. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10695491

Incident

Mar 16, 2015

Mileage

4,000 mi

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 AND WITHOUT B MODE SLOWING THE CAR. I WAS EXPECTING TO HIT A BRICK WALL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WHEN SUDDENLY, AFTER NO MORE THAN TWO SECONDS, THE BRAKES AND B MODE CAME BACK ON AND I SAFELY STOPPED. ON REFLECTION AFTER THE INCIDENT, IT WAS AS IF THE WHOLE COMPUTER/ELECTRONICS MOMENTARILY SHUT DOWN AND THEN REBOOTED. I DIDN'T NOTICE IF THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OFF OR NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678538

Incident

Jan 20, 2015

Mileage

700 mi