RoadVitals

2017 Nissan Leaf

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Jun 25, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Apr 26, 2023
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 17 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 Nissan Leaf, most frequently naming the electrical, airbags and fuel system categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 76 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical416.7%
  • Airbags416.7%
  • Fuel system312.5%
  • Powertrain (other)312.5%
  • Visibility28.3%
  • Body & structure28.3%
  • Brakes28.3%
  • Driver assistance28.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

Apr 26, 2023
94,343 units potentially affected
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
The risk: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
Nissan North America, Inc.Manufacturer number R23A1View on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS

Apr 13, 2017
30,038 units potentially affected
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
The remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Nissan North America, Inc.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 25, 2026

The manufacturer-installed 40kWh replacement battery has suffered an internal high-voltage isolation short to the vehicle chassis (Codes P0AA6/P31E7), creating an immediate fire and shock hazard. The component failed just 2 years after installation in 2024. Nissan is refusing to repair this severe safety defect because the vehicle's original body frame is past its warranty window.

NHTSA ID
11746566
Incident
May 19, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 8, 2026

The reduction gear/transaxle failing. Metal in fluid leads to increased noise. Drivetrain will eventually fail and unsafe to drive. Case #56669999 was filed with Nissan Consumer Affairs and they have denied assistance for out of warranty repair. While the car is outside the number of years in the warranty, at 37K miles it is still well within the 60K mileage warranty. A drivetrain should not fail with such low mileage despite years in service.

NHTSA ID
11736530
Incident
Apr 15, 2026
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Feb 9, 2026
Crash reported

My son and I were in a major crash on a freeway, we were hit by a semi-truck, sent into a spin, hit by another vehicle and stopped by slamming into freeway guardrail. The car was totaled. My son was driving and airbags on the drivers side all deployed but nothing deployed on the passenger side at all.

NHTSA ID
11716717
Incident
Jan 22, 2026
Airbags
Filed Apr 23, 2024

Airbag light flashing. Airbag might not deploy in event of accident. Nissan service stated "code B00A0 triggered in SRS control unit. Failure within OCS circuit. Recommends replacement of OCS SENSORS and Control Unit." Stated my VIN is not included in all the other OCS recalls.

NHTSA ID
11584827
Incident
Apr 23, 2024
Airbags
Filed Jun 8, 2023

My Nissan LEAF's airbag warning light is flashing, so I took it to the local dealer called Mike Rezi Nissan in Atlanta, GA area. They inspected it, and came back with the OCS control unit & sensor failure report, and wanted a thousand dollars to replace them. While there is a OCS recall for multi Nissan models, and my car is left out, and the VIN# is not included in this recall... ** also called Nissan custome affair, and I was told the same thing about my VIN# has no OCS recall, and was provided no explanation ** ** the LEAF's been driving normal, no accidents, and clean record **

NHTSA ID
11525957
Incident
Jun 8, 2023
Visibility
Filed May 12, 2023

My vehicle (VIN [XXX] )remains listed as subject to a recall on the NHTSA website even though the remedy/repair was executed on April 3, 2023 by an authorized dealer/service center: Nissan of Downtown LA. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID
11521774
Incident
Apr 3, 2023
Airbags
Filed Apr 24, 2023

SRS Airbag light flashing. Code reader shows B00A0 0009 code indicating a problem with the OCS / Occupancy sensor. I believe this puts all passengers in the front seat at risk since the airbag may not operate in an accident. The car is available for inspection. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer or others.

NHTSA ID
11518677
Incident
Apr 1, 2023
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Aug 1, 2022

7/21/22 -we left our property, brakes working fine, drove 1/2 mile, no brakes. Dash lights lit up, brake, abs, ! And anti skid. Finally jammed parking brake and regular brakes on, creating a grinding noise and car stopped. 7/22/22-Towed car to mechanic in Sonora, Ca…he said brakes working now. 7/23/22- drove car to Central Valley Nissan. New intelligent brake control unit was installed. Car has less than 36,000 miles on it. This part should not have failed. Part is available for examination. 7/23/22-I called Nissan Consumer Affairs to discuss the issue with the part, they said the car was no longer under warranty, so to bad, so sad.

NHTSA ID
11476870
Incident
Aug 1, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

NTB09-131C

STRUCTURE:BODY

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. · The “VIN Plate/Label” (metal plate or vinyl label) is attached to the instrument panel or body on the driver side at the base of the windshield (see Figure 1). · The “Certification Label” (vinyl adhesive label) is located on the lower area of the driver side B-Pillar (see Figure 1).

NTB09-131C

STRUCTURE:BODY

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides an application form for such replacements. · The “VIN Plate/Label” (metal plate or vinyl label) is attached to the instrument panel or body on the driver side at the base of the windshield (see Figure 1). · The “Certification Label” (vinyl adhesive label) is located on the lower area of the driver side B-Pillar (see Figure 1).

NTB19-071D

AIR BAGS

DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)

NTB13-027D

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

NTB10-066C

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

NTB13-107G

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Nissan Leaf by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026220
2025700
2024500
2023193064.0
2022894170.0
2021524171.9
20201606166.5
20192525167.9
2018664167.5
2017Viewing172164.6
2016364153.5
20151084159.9
2014346363.3
2013815362.5
2012570349.3
2011950342.2
2010100

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.