2020 Nissan Leaf Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan Leaf, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical11861.8%
- Fuel system3116.2%
- Powertrain (other)136.8%
- Driver assistance126.3%
- Engine73.7%
- Visibility31.6%
- Brakes31.6%
- Suspension21.0%
- Body & structure10.5%
- Airbags10.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
This recall appointment does not take 2 hours to complete. The dealer quoted me 1-2 days with an inability to offer a loaner vehicle. Several Leaf owners have completed the recall appointment and subsequently been left stranded because the car went into an undrivable mode leaving the owner stranded and incurring towing and rental fees for weeks without resolution. Nissan Consumer Affairs has denied to consider a buyback without taking the vehicle in for the recall notice even though the recall notice successfully being applied does not guarantee the car will not stop abruptly after that visit. Without the recall appointment, Nissan has limited my ability to safely fast‑charge, preventing me from using the full functionality of the vehicle. Nissan is conditioning buyback eligibility on my willingness to undergo the recall inspection, even though the recall remedy has repeatedly resulted in battery failure and sudden loss of power for other Leaf owners. This effectively forces me to expose myself to a known safety hazard in order to qualify for a remedy Nissan itself acknowledges may be required. I am being denied both safe vehicle operation and access to the promised buyback unless I accept a repair that may leave me stranded or without a functioning battery. Nissan recognizes the potential risk of the recall remedy by issuing a second notice dated 6/17/2026 that if the vehicle experiences this battery specific condition within 12 months after the date the software reprogram remedy was completed on the vehicle. Nissan will replace the battery or offer to re-purchase the car. Nissan has also recognized that batteries are rare at this time. I thought that a manufacturer must offer a remedy that was deemed Safe and this does not seem like it’s guaranteeing safety.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I own a 2020 Nissan Leaf affected by recall 24V-700 (Nissan R24B2). The recall opened in September 2024 because the high-voltage battery can overheat and catch fire during Level 3 fast charging. Owners were told not to use fast charging until a remedy is available. The recall has been open since September 2024 and there is still no available remedy. Nissan has pushed the fix date repeatedly, first to November 2024, then Spring 2025, and now an unspecified point in 2026, with no firm date and no working repair at the dealer. I bought this vehicle more recently and understood there was an open recall, but a recall is supposed to mean a fix is coming, not a safety defect left unresolved for over a year and a half. In the meantime I am paying for a vehicle whose fast-charging capability I cannot safely use. This is well past any reasonable time to remedy a known safety defect. I am asking NHTSA to hold Nissan accountable for delivering an actual fix on a real timeline.
My 2020 Nissan Leaf is affected by recall R24B2 / NHTSA recall 24V-700 involving the high-voltage battery and Level 3 DC fast charging system (CHAdeMO). Nissan and NHTSA instructed owners not to use Level 3 quick charging because the battery may rapidly overheat and potentially create a fire risk. The recall remains incomplete and the remedy is still unavailable. This issue has existed for a prolonged period and materially impacts the vehicle’s usability, charging capability, long-distance travel capability, and safety confidence. The vehicle’s Level 3/DC fast charging capability was effectively removed or severely restricted due to the recall. Nissan dealerships confirmed the recall status and lack of available repair remedy. The issue was documented during service visits and remains unresolved. The battery system and charging system are available for inspection upon request.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Regarding Nissan Safety Recall 24V-700 / Campaign R24B2. After the recall remedy was performed on my 2020 LEAF in June I experienced the "Service EV System" message during normal highway driving on 8/1/26. I have an invoice from the dealership that documented logged safety recall code P33ED along with EV system codes P317E-97 and P3180-97. The dealership improperly cleared the recall safety codes, charged me a diagnostic fee, and released a vehicle that is subject to an active safety hold under Recall 24V-700 / Campaign R24B2. The dealership released an unsafe vehicle back to me that remains a documented thermal and fire risk. The Nissan Nissan Safety Recall 24V-700 / Campaign R24B2 states that vehicles that experience this situation after the recall remedy was performed will have the battery replaced or vehicle repurchased.
My 2020 Nissan Leaf is affected by recall R24B2 / NHTSA recall 24V-700 involving the high-voltage battery and Level 3 DC fast charging system (CHAdeMO). Nissan and NHTSA instructed owners not to use Level 3 quick charging because the battery may rapidly overheat and potentially create a fire risk. The recall remains incomplete and the remedy is still unavailable. This issue has existed for a prolonged period and materially impacts the vehicle’s usability, charging capability, long-distance travel capability, and safety confidence. The vehicle’s Level 3/DC fast charging capability was effectively removed or severely restricted due to the recall. Nissan dealerships confirmed the recall status and lack of available repair remedy. The issue was documented during service visits and remains unresolved. The battery system and charging system are available for inspection upon request.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving with cruise control set to a certain speed (i do not recall the exact speed it was set to) I pressed the button that lowers the current speed it is set to, but instead of lowring by one mph it raised the speed, pressing again raised the speed again. this continued a few times until i turned off cruise control. The system has been buggy in the past, for example not responding to a button or raising by 2 or 3 mph instead of one (the Leaf goes one by one, not jumps like some vehicles). But this was the first time i saw it actually raise speed in response to a button that should lower it and that seems dangerous. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It has not been inspected by anyone since the incident occurred. There were no warning lamps or messages. The overall bugginess has been noticeable for a long time (perhaps always?) but this occurred (raising the speed instead of lowering it) for the first time yesterday.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V700000 (Electrical System) and 24V071000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am unable to use my 2020 Nissan Leaf because of the recall (R24B2) on the battery preventing fast charging. My child has the vehicle and now lives in an apartment and there is no place to plug in my car overnight. So the only option for my child is to fast charge it. I'm frustrated that this recall is almost 1 and a half years old and there is still no remedy.
NHTSA ID: 24V-700 Was announced September 2024. It is now January 2026 without a fix nor can I fast charge, preventing me from using this car for daily travel. What is NHTSA’s recommendation for this recall? Nissan keeps extending the date for a fix.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The defrost in my Nissan Leaf with does not function at all when the temperature is below around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. I found this out by having my windshield rapidly frost over while driving down the highway at over 65 MPH, almost causing a multi-vehicle accident because I could not see out of any of my windows. When I departed for my trip the vehicle had defrost functionality, but the ambient temperature must have dropped during my trip to the point where I can only assume the heat pump became disabled by the vehicle control systems, leaving only the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater to supply defrost functionality. I assume that my PTC heater is somehow inoperative and thus resulted in the rapid frosting without any warning or indication to the driver. I see this as a critical safety concern as it affects vehicle visibility and defrost performance to where the vehicle no longer meets FMVSS Standard 103. Driving in ambient temperatures around the point at which the heat pump becomes disabled can cause rapid frosting of the vehicle windows with zero warning or indication of the defrost functionality being compromised. Since it only happens in extreme cold, I assume the issue is related to the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater that is supposed to kick in when the vehicles heat pump becomes ineffective below a specific ambient temperature. I tried the process outlined in NTHSA recall 22V-048, but it still does not supply any defrost functionality. Conducting a quick internet search has resulted in numerous other Leaf owners experiencing similar issues with their loss of defrost functionality and vehicle heat in extreme cold ambient temperatures. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealer or the manufacturer. I was lucky and did not get into an accident, but other owners of this vehicle may not be so lucky. I feel that Nissan is hiding a known defect here since there was already a recall related to Defrost performance.
Nissan claims that a previous recall for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, Rear Visibility could be fixed with a system update (recall 20V412000). This does not appear to be the case. I had the system update run already in December 2022 and it didn't fix the problem. The rear backup camera still goes pink and is not visible. I believe this is a hardware issue and should be fixed because it is a major safety problem.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
On Monday, I was departing from the supermarket parking lot. As I was waiting at the stop sign to exit the parking lot, my 2020 Nissan Leaf SV vehicle shuttered and there was a blinking notification on the dashboard stating: TM System Malfunction EPedal Failure Suddenly my ability to stop the vehicle was compromised. I turned onto the surface street and continued to pump the brakes with no response. I turned back into the supermarket parking lot and continued to pump the brakes but there was no engagement. I slowly drove around the parking lot trying to stop with no success. I eventually had to turn on the emergency brake and then force the vehicle into park. It was a very scary scenario. I called the dealership to explain the situation and the service advisor suggested that I have the vehicle towed to the dealership for a diagnostic evaluation. After sitting in the car for 30 minutes with it turned off, I turned it back on and drove the vehicle on surface streets to the dealership with no breaking incident. The next day, the service department performed a diagnostic inspection and determined that the 12 volt battery was the cause and needed to be replaced. I was relieved that this was the issue. The technician kept the vehicle one more day to drive it and be sure it was operational. In the end, I purchased a new battery. I am writing your organization to report this incident to try to avoid any injuries or deaths in the future. This incident happened to me without any warning and could have been very dangerous if I was at a busy intersection or on the freeway. There was no warning on the dashboard about the battery or maintenance warning to see the dealer. This needs to researched with Nissan Motor Company. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Hello. I have a 20/20 Nissan Leaf SV Plus. This morning I had a total brake failure for lack of a better term. The E-Pedal system, which I always use, suddenly failed while I was driving, showing a warning on screen that said E-Pedal system malfunction... Please use pedal to break. When I went to use the pedal to break nothing happened except for this horrible sound and feel in the pedal. It barely just finally grabbed a little bit enough to stop before I hit the car ahead of me. But it was nothing short of a total brake failure, both E-Pedal and manual pedal. Extremely distressing. What I want to know is how on earth when the E-Pedal fails, the normal manual brake pedal doesn't work either. One thing to note, I let it sit almost all day while I was at work, went out and tried it, and it suddenly was working. I drove around the parking lot, turned it off...back on ..and then The E-Pedal warning came up again. I then went and purchased a 12 volt battery, as I read in some forums that it's possibly due to that. That also did nothing. Got the same E-pedal malfunction. The main reason I'm letting your agency know, is because I would consider this a total break failure, and completely unacceptable. By sheer luck I was only going about 5 mph when it first happened, and I could still barely break in time. Any help on the Federal level...would be great. Thank you so much for your time.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Rear motor Mount failed, causing a clunking noise with changes in acceleration and on bumpy roads
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS A THUMPING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER HARBOR NISSAN LOCATED AT 4336 TAMIAMI TRAIL, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL 33980 WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT AND CV JOINT WAS FAULTY AND THE AXLE NUT NEEDED TO BE RETORQUED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT YET RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND WAS CONCERNED THAT THE REPAIR FAILED TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 720.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
"AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO ENGAGE" ON A OFFRAMP LANE FROM FREEWAY 5 SOUTHBOUND TO CROWN VALLEY PARKWAY OFF RAMP WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25MPH I REAR ENDED A VEHICLE THAT WAS AT DEAD STOP AND THAT VEHICLE REAR ENDED A SECOND VEHICLE. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CALLED AND REPORT WAS DOCUMENTED WHICH IS ATTACHED. THIS HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 22,2020 AT ABOUT 7PM, DARK CLEAR EVENING IN THE CITY OF MISSION VIEJO. IT WAS ON THE STRAIGHT FREEWAY LANE LEADING TO THE OFFRAMP WITH OTHER LANES ON THE FREEWAY MOVING FREELY. UPON DISCUSSION WITH NISSAN INVESTIGATION (CLAIM NO. 42994813) 615 725 7590, THEY SUMMARIZED 10 PAGE DISCLAIMER FROM OWNERS MANUAL STATING THAT BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT 100%. ITS UNDERSTANDABLE IF THE VEHICLE WAS OLD BUT THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE WITH WHAT IS ADVERTISED AS A AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM AND THAT SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. I MANUALLY BRAKED TO A CRASH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH in the rain, a tree branch fell and struck the passenger’s side of the vehicle causing the air bags to deploy. The contact stated that he lost control of the vehicle when the air bags deployed. Additionally, the vehicle lost steering and braking functionality. There was an unknown warning light illuminated during the failure. The vehicle then lost electrical and motive power and rolled to a complete stop. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was still awaiting the needed repairs. Neither a dealer nor the manufacturer had been contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .