2017 Nissan Leaf Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
13/100
#14 most-complained of 16 Leaf years
The 2017 Nissan Leaf ranks as the Best year among 16 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 13, 17 complaints, and 2 recalls. Owners mainly flagged airbags and electrical system issues, but severity stayed low compared to years like 2019 and 2015.
- Complaints
- 17
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 112
- 124 city / 101 hwy
Top 2017 Nissan Leaf problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags4 (24%)
- Electrical System4 (24%)
- Fuel System3 (18%)
- Other3 (18%)
- Transmission & Powertrain3 (18%)
- Brakes2 (12%)
- Engine2 (12%)
- Structure & Body2 (12%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (12%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (6%)
What owners report
- Passenger front airbag inflator failed to deploy properly in a crash, part of a manufacturing defect recall covering 2015-2017 Leaf.
- SRS airbag warning light flashed with an occupancy sensor code, raising concern that the front passenger airbag would not fire.
- Brakes reportedly failed to stop the car at low speeds around 20-25 mph on more than one occasion.
- A separate brake incident involved sudden loss of all braking, with dash warning lights for brake, ABS, and anti-skid systems before the driver used the parking brake to stop.
- Electrical system caused sudden loss of propulsion with a turtle warning light appearing at highway speed, forcing the car into creep mode.
- Rear hatch on a nearly new car did not close or latch properly due to misalignment, sometimes popping open while driving.
2017 Nissan Leaf recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- NHTSA 17V253000Apr 13, 2017Airbags30,038 vehicles
Air bags
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.
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.
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.
2017 Nissan Leaf fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 124 MPG
- Highway
- 101 MPG
- Combined
- 112 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $650
- 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.
2017 compared with other Leaf years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 Nissan Leaf reliable?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2017 Leaf is rated Best among the 16 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 13 and only 17 complaints logged.
- What problems does the 2017 Nissan Leaf have?
- NHTSA data shows the top problem area is airbags, accounting for 24% of complaints, followed by electrical system issues also at 24%. Brakes, engine, and structure/body complaints were also reported.
- Does the 2017 Nissan Leaf have a recall?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2017 Leaf: one for a passenger airbag inflator that may not deploy properly, and one covering incorrect defroster operation instructions in the owner's manual.
- How does the 2017 Leaf compare to other Leaf years?
- The 2017 Leaf ranks 14th worst (meaning it's among the best) out of the years tracked, well below 2019 (complaint index 100) and 2015 (complaint index 80), both rated Avoid.
- What is the median mileage for failures on the 2017 Leaf?
- Across all reported problems, the median mileage at failure was 4,400 miles, though individual areas varied, with electrical system failures reported around a median of 45,624.5 miles.