Nissan Leaf Best and Worst Years (2010–2025)
Nissan Leaf years to avoid are 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022, based on complaint indexes of 80, 100, 93, and 87 out of 1,102 total complaints. The best-rated years are 2017, 2024, and 2025, with complaint indexes of 13, 7, and 20.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
Avoid 2015Avoid 2019Avoid 2020Avoid 2022Best 2017Best 2024Best 2025
- Model years
- 16
- 2010–2025
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,102
- Recall campaigns
- 18
- Crashes reported
- 65
- Fires reported
- 12
- Top problem area
- Electrical System
Leaf Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Nissan Leaf problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | No verdict | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | — | — |
| 2011 | Caution | 67 | 95 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Airbags | 99 | 5★ |
| 2012 | Good | 47 | 57 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | 99 | 5★ |
| 2013 | Caution | 53 | 81 | 11 | 1 | 5 | Brakes | 115 | 4★ |
| 2014 | Good | 33 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 6 | Brakes | 114 | 4★ |
| 2015 | Avoid | 80 | 110 | 8 | 0 | 4 | Brakes | 114 | 4★ |
| 2016 | Good | 27 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 4 | Brakes | 113 | 4★ |
| 2017 | Best | 13 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Airbags | 112 | — |
| 2018 | Caution | 60 | 66 | 9 | 1 | 4 | Brakes | 112 | — |
| 2019 | Avoid | 100 | 259 | 4 | 2 | 5 | Electrical System | 108 | — |
| 2020 | Avoid | 93 | 165 | 1 | 0 | 6 | Electrical System | 108 | 5★ |
| 2021 | Caution | 73 | 55 | 2 | 5 | 4 | Electrical System | 108 | 5★ |
| 2022 | Avoid | 87 | 94 | 7 | 0 | 4 | Electrical System | 108 | — |
| 2023 | Good | 40 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 3 | Engine | 110 | — |
| 2024 | Best | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Electrical System | 110 | — |
| 2025 | Best | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Electrical System | 110 | — |
Leaf years to avoid: what went wrong
2019 Nissan Leaf Index 100 · 259 complaints · 5 recalls
The 2019 Leaf has the highest complaint index of any year at 100, with 259 total complaints. Electrical System issues make up 68% of complaints, at a median failure mileage of 86,000. Owners report wiper failures, cabin heat buildup from the air conditioning throttling back to save battery power, and unintended acceleration after switching drive modes. Five recall campaigns apply, including a battery overheating recall tied to Level 3 quick charging and a rearview camera harness recall.
2019 electrical system problems →2019 fuel system problems →
2020 Nissan Leaf Index 93 · 165 complaints · 6 recalls
The 2020 Leaf has a complaint index of 93, with 165 total complaints. Electrical System problems account for 73% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 29,000. Owners report automatic braking systems failing to engage before low-speed collisions, forward cameras overheating and disabling collision avoidance, and battery gauges showing incorrect remaining range. The year has six recall campaigns, including the same Level 3 quick-charging battery overheating recall and the rearview camera harness issue.
2020 electrical system problems →2020 fuel system problems →
2022 Nissan Leaf Index 87 · 94 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2022 Leaf has a complaint index of 87, with 94 total complaints. Electrical System issues make up 65% of complaints, at a median failure mileage of 60,000. Owners describe brakes that would not engage during low-speed maneuvers, airbags failing to deploy in a head-on collision, and unintended full-throttle acceleration in reduced-traction conditions. Four recall campaigns apply, including a Level 3 quick-charging battery overheating recall that advises owners not to use that charging mode until repaired.
2022 electrical system problems →2022 fuel system problems →
2015 Nissan Leaf Index 80 · 110 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2015 Leaf carries a complaint index of 80 out of 100, with 110 total complaints. Brakes dominate, making up 77% of complaints for the year at a median failure mileage of 32,500. Owners describe brakes failing to stop the car, including cases where the pedal went to the floor or the car lurched forward instead of stopping. Electrical System problems account for 16% of complaints, with a median mileage of 31,000. The year has four recall campaigns, including an airbag inflator recall and an incorrect defroster manual instruction issue.
Most common Nissan Leaf problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Electrical System522 (47%)
- Brakes243 (22%)
- Other169 (15%)
- Fuel System136 (12%)
- Engine102 (9%)
- Airbags92 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain61 (6%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras50 (5%)
- Visibility & Wipers42 (4%)
- Structure & Body30 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- What year Nissan Leaf should I avoid?
- NHTSA complaint and recall data point to 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022 as the Nissan Leaf years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 80, 100, 93, and 87 out of 100.
- What is the best year for the Nissan Leaf?
- 2017, 2024, and 2025 are rated Best, with complaint indexes of 13, 7, and 20, the lowest among all 16 model years covered.
- Is the 2019 Nissan Leaf reliable?
- The 2019 Leaf has the highest complaint index of any Leaf year, 100, with 259 total complaints and 68% of them tied to the Electrical System, so it is rated Avoid relative to other Leaf years.
- Does the Nissan Leaf have battery recalls?
- Yes. The 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 Leaf were recalled because the lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 quick charging, part of 18 total recall campaigns across all Leaf model years.
- What are the most common Nissan Leaf problems?
- Across all years, Electrical System complaints are the largest category at 47% of 1,102 total complaints, followed by Brakes at 22% and Fuel System at 12%.