YearToAvoid

2014 Nissan Leaf Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#11 most-complained of 16 Leaf years

The 2014 Nissan Leaf has 34 NHTSA complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 33, ranking 11th worst out of 16 model years — a Good rating relative to other Leaf years. Brakes account for 53% of complaints.

Complaints
34
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
3 / 2
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
114
126 city / 101 hwy

Top 2014 Nissan Leaf problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes18 (53%)
  2. Electrical System6 (18%)
  3. Airbags4 (12%)
  4. Other3 (9%)
  5. Structure & Body3 (9%)
  6. Engine2 (6%)
  7. Steering2 (6%)
  8. Fuel System1 (3%)
  9. HVAC1 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts1 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe sudden loss of steering control at low speed, with the vehicle veering to the right without warning.
  • Some report the power steering intermittently deactivating with a dashboard warning light, causing the wheel to pull before power steering re-engages.
  • Electrical system failures have included the vehicle catching fire while parked and charging, with smoke starting within minutes of being plugged in.
  • Owners report hard braking failures with ABS, traction control, and brake warning lights illuminating together, making the car difficult to stop.
  • One owner described the front passenger airbag status light showing off despite a passenger being seated, raising concern about airbag deployment readiness.
  • A structural complaint noted the child-lock lever on a rear door could unintentionally prevent occupants from exiting the vehicle.
2014 Nissan Leaf complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2014Apr 2015Mar 2016Jul 2017Sep 2018Sep 2019Apr 2021Mar 2022
43 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2014 to Jul 2024; peak Feb 2015 (3).

2014 Nissan Leaf recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V296000Apr 26, 2023Other94,343 vehicles

    Equipment:other:owners/service/other manual

    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."

    Risk: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 16V244000Apr 26, 2016Airbags3,296,947 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

    Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

  3. NHTSA 16V119000Feb 29, 2016Brakes46,859 vehicles

    Service brakes

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.

    Risk: If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Intelligent Brake Control Unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

See all 6 recalls for the 2014 Nissan Leaf →

2014 Nissan Leaf fuel economy and fuel cost

City
126 MPG
Highway
101 MPG
Combined
114 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Electricity
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2014 compared with other Leaf years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Good4757099
2013Caution73815115
2014Good33346114
2015Avoid801104114
2016Good27364113

All Nissan Leaf years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Nissan Leaf reliable?
Relative to other Leaf model years, the 2014 Leaf rates Good, ranking 11th worst of 16 years with a complaint index of 33 and 34 total complaints.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Nissan Leaf?
Brakes are the top problem area, making up 53% of complaints (18 of 34), with a median mileage at failure of 41,000 miles. Electrical system issues follow at 18% of complaints.
Does the 2014 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2014 Nissan Leaf, covering brakes, airbags, fuel system inverter failure, structural welds, and defroster instructions.
How does the 2014 Leaf compare to the 2019 or 2015 Leaf?
The 2014 Leaf has a complaint index of 33, much lower than the 2019 Leaf (100, Avoid) and the 2015 Leaf (80, Avoid), making 2014 a comparatively better year.
What is the fuel economy of the 2014 Nissan Leaf?
The EPA rates the 2014 Leaf at 114 MPGe combined (126 city, 101 highway) with an annual fuel cost of $700.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.