2015 Nissan Leaf

This is the third time my brakes have failed while driving, which seems to have something to do with the 12-volt battery. At least at first, I disconnected my 12-volt battery and reconnected it; this fixed the issue, at least for a while. The other day, I was driving down a road near my house and the brakes failed right before I came around a bend. I had to quickly press the e-brake to slow down, or I would have run right off the road. This is definitely a dangerous issue. Please issue a recall for this because I've noticed many other people complaining about the same issue—the same sound, feeling, and symptoms. It appears the brakes are malfunctioning due to a communication error, or a low voltage issue to the brake computer systems?

Reported

Apr 2026

Incident date

Apr 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Visor on driver side fall down on face causing blockage. Paint is pealing off of vehicle.

Reported

Apr 2026

Incident date

Apr 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Was driving the car in a neighborhood setting only going 20 mph, ABS light turned on the dashboard, traction control light or some other light regarding traction came on as well, brakes failed. Had to use parking brake to stop the vehicle.

Reported

Dec 2025

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving normally, yellow brake warning lights came on but I arrived home without incident. Next time I drove, the warning lights were all off, but suddenly the brakes failed almost completely. I pushed the pedal to the floor and heard a grinding/clicking sound, and barely any stopping power. I was only going 25 mph, and was able to stop after 5 seconds of high foot pressure. At the same time, red brake warning light came on. I was able to get the car home very slowly, and strangely I had adequate braking power for the remainder of the short trip (although red and yellow brake warning lights remain on). I am happy to provide the car for inspection. This was extremely dangerous to the nearby pedestrians because I could not have stopped the vehicle had one been crossing in front of me. Had this happened at highway speeds, my passenger and I would have been in great danger, as would have other vehicles.

Reported

Dec 2025

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My Intelligent Brake Unit failed. I was slowing down at a major intersection to stop. The ABS system activated and the brakes did not respond appropriately. The pedal went soft. Multiple lights on the dashboard lit up. My two year old child was in the vehicle with me, and we are still recovering from this traumatic experience. I considered the car disabled and had it towed to a mechanic. I then brought it to a Nissan dealership who identified that the entire intelligent brake unit needs replacing for $5,500, which is more than half of what I paid for the vehicle.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

My 2015 Nissan Leaf is suffering from advanced battery degradation. The car would only charge to 55 miles per charge. The car also has only 85,000 miles only. Nissan refused to address or fix the issue as the car was past the 7 year warranty (even though the book says 8 year warranty). Battery should still go to 150 miles per charge. Dealership claimed degradation from charging at super chargers. Car has only ever been charge at home as it is only driven 2 - 3,000 miles per year. Car stopped in the middle of the highway. Police had to come move to the side of the road. No one was injured although many could have been.

Reported

May 2025

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was driving about 30mph and suddenly out of nowhere my brakes went out. They went out for about 1 second and some lights went out - then I slammed on the brakes, skidded to a halt and stopped in the. middle of the road, nearly crashing. We took it to the garage and they ran two codes and told us to take it to the dealer. The dealer quoted us about $8,000 and said it needed to "replace electrically driven brake control unit AND e-harness (engine room harness) (240123nh1d)". This makes the car dangerous to drive due to failures beyond our control or regular maintenance. This is a car failure and should be covered by a recall. It is simply not safe to drive. Looking online, this has happened to other Nissan Leafs of the same year/model as well.

Reported

Apr 2025

Incident date

Mar 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was driving my vehicle and the brakes suddenly stopped working. Upon failure, the ABS warning light as well as the braking system warning lights came on. I had to use my emergency brake to stop the vehicle. I had my vehicle towed to Nissan. The Nissan dealership mechanic said it was a Master Cylinder Brake Controller malfunction. It is currently at the dealership and available for inspection. The cost to repair the brake system exceeds the value of the car. This put my safety at risk because I could not safely stop my vehicle. I was minutes away from merging onto the freeway. Had I been traveling at high speeds without any braking system, my life and others would have been at risk.

Reported

Jan 2025

Incident date

Jan 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Driving normally when the brake light, abs light, and traction control light came on.Brakes were unresponsiveness unless brake pedal was fully depressed causing a the ABS brakes to engage. This caused difficulty stopping and was required to use parking brake to slow down. Restarted vehicle several times but problem persisted. Nissan dealership stated that the intelligent braking system needed to be replaced as that is what their computer stated as all the codes indicated that the module was defective. Codes and diagnostic report attached.

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Oct 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Unintended Acceleration: Vehicle continue to accelerate even after the gas pedal is released or not slow down as expected.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The intelligent braking system control unit failed. The car is available for inspection, it is at the dealership for repair. I was driving downhill, towards a busy intersection and without any warning, there was no braking when I pushed the brake pedal. It was my two young children and myself in the car, we drove straight through a crosswalk (luckily empty), and towards a very busy intersection (luckily slightly uphill so we were able to stop in time). I cannot imagine what could have happened if losing our brakes would have happened any other time. We could have easily been injured or killed, as well as someone else. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the local dealer and service center, same one the vehicle was purchased from. No warnings, messages, or other symptoms whatsoever. Afterwards, the ABS warning lights did come on.

Reported

Aug 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. While in the driveway of the residence, the contact started the vehicle with his foot on the brake pedal; however, the vehicle rolled. The contact depressed the brake pedal to the floor, but the vehicle continued rolling until it struck a rock wall. The failure occurred without warning. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. There were no injuries sustained. There was no Police report filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with an electrical failure, and that the brake booster had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to a dealer not being in the area where the contact resides. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V119000 (Service Brakes) as a possible solution however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Dec 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Brakes did not engage when depressing the brake pedal. No warning lights in the dash. Car was used a few hours prior with no issues. No other warnings of the failure occurred before or during my attempt to brake, aside from the lack of braking action. Occurred at a stop sign cross traffic, I turned into oncoming traffic, cutting off the other car but avoiding a collision. I confirmed the brakes did not work at the subsequent stop light, used parking brakes to stop at the side of the road. Minimal braking action seem to be present when I fully depress the brake pedal. Brakes worked normally the next day. Dealer service center states the intelligent brake control unit needs to be replaced for $5000, which is around the current value of the vehicle.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Brake pedal goes to the floor with no braking power. Grinding sounds, then finally brakes engage, but feels like the emergency brake. Super dangeraous, happened on the freeway. Checked 12v battery, based on what I read on line, battery had and still has strong charge. Next day, brakes work just fine. No problems. Happened again on highway a few days later, again, no braking power until just at the end, cant drive the car at any speed now, battery still fine. No cold weather here (unlike the many other 2015 leaf owners reporting the same issue. All dash warning lamps come on. Again, car drives fine the next day. Nissan denies any recall being needed, despite the hundreds of reports of similar dangerous problems.

Reported

Nov 2023

Incident date

Nov 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Warning lights, abs light and brake light illuminated out of nowhere. Unable to brake. Used a lot of force to get the car to slow down. Dealership inspected and said module short circuited.

Reported

Nov 2023

Incident date

Nov 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The electronic braking system seems to have randomly failed due to some electrical glitch. Mechanically the braking system works fine but during this incident the ABS system kicked in causing the car to shutter and the brake petal went to the floor with 0 braking power. Was forced to put the car in Park and apply the emergency brake in the middle of the road in traffic to ensure it would stop. Cycled the car on and off multiple times to see if that would help reset the car but the problem persisted. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Putting other drivers on the road at risk if we were not able to stop the car could have caused property damage and personal injury to others on the road and my family who was in the car. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem has been reproduced 3 times but the last time being more severe and power cycling the car didn’t correct the issue like the prior two incidents. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle is going to be inspected by myself and possibly the manufacturers dealership depending on my findings. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There was no prior warning all warnings come inline with the brake failure.

Reported

Sep 2023

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

When vehicle is cold, I start driving and the first time I try to brake the brake light comes on, an orange triangle with expalnation mark comes on and the brake pedal pushes to the floor without providing braking power. One time, I was on a hill and the car started rolling backward even though the brake was pushed fully to the floor. I had to turn off the car and turn it back on to reset? the problem. I had to do this twice yesterday. The problem is happening more often over the past 1week.

Reported

Sep 2023

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was almost depressed to the floorboard with the T/M (Transmission-Transaxle) warning light illuminated. The contact called the dealer but was unable to speak with a service tech. The contact was then scheduled an appointment. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V119000 (Service Brakes) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,000

Reported

Aug 2023

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I approached a red light at an intersection intending to make a right turn. As I pressed the brakes to stop before the turn, the car did not slow and I was forced to make the turn against the red light. After the turn I was able to stop the car using the parking brake. After coming to a stop I noticed multiple warning lights on the instrument panel had come on which were not on previously.

Reported

Jul 2023

Incident date

Jul 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Backup camera shows blank black screen intermittently. Shifting into park and back to reverse does not resolve. Several hours later it seems to resolve.

Reported

Jun 2023

Incident date

Jun 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Upon starting the car and putting the vehicle into Reverse or Drive, the brakes fail to work and must be compressed completely to the floor to stop the vehicle. A pulsing sound is heard from the brake system in the engine compartment. The rear brakes make a loud sound when the vehicle is finally stopped. The issue is intermittent, e.g. it happened to me twice within one week of daily driving. The failure is likely to result in a low-speed collision as the vehicle is put into drive or reverse. The Nissan dealer is unable to diagnose the issue and recommended replacing the Braking System.

Reported

Jun 2023

Incident date

Jun 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Just after starting my car, it began moving in reverse on its own even though the car was in 'park' and my foot was firmly pressed down on the brake pedal. It wouldn't stop moving, even with the brake pedal pressed down, until I lifted my foot completely off the brake pedal and then pressed it again. A few days before this happened, a few lights on the dashboard began randomly lighting up, but none seemed related the braking issue. The battery light was one of them. (I don't remember which other ones light up.) So, I tried changing the 12V battery and that fixed the problem. A vehicle moving on it own when it is not supposed to be in motion and the brake pedal not working at the same time is a very serious safety issue. It is not common behaviour for a vehicle to move on its own when the 12v battery is low. This unexpected behaviour could lead to serious accidents. I did not bring this to the dealer since i was able to replace the 12v battery on my own and it resolved my problem.

Reported

Jun 2023

Incident date

Apr 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Leaky A/C system results in loss of refrigerant . As a result, windshield can't be effectively cleared of fogging that impairs the driver's visibility of the road.

Reported

Feb 2023

Incident date

Feb 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was driving with one passenger going at very low speed. I began to turn into parking area and suddenly the car accelerated at an alarming speed. I applied total pressure on the brake to no avail, it did not override the acceleration. I steered into the back of another parked vehicle. The impact pushed the large heavy vehicle down into a ditch and deployed the airbags for both myself and passenger. 911 was called, Police arrived, tow trucks. My vehicle was totalled, and insurance now has the claim. If this has occurred on a highway or busy city street, many lives would have been at risk.

Reported

Dec 2022

Incident date

Dec 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

I was driving down the road and applied pressure to the brakes. The brakes did not respond and the dash lights lit up indicating several failures. It took 15-20 feet before I was able to completely stop. If this had happened on a busy street or freeway, the results would have been catastrophic. The vehicle is currently located a Nissan dealership and is available for inspection.

Reported

Dec 2022

Incident date

Dec 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The car stopped responding to accelerator pedal and eventually stopped in the middle of the road just before a hill. Haven't noticed any error messages and instrument panels seemed normal. Switched off power and then turned on again, the car worked normally. I am going to bring the car to a service center but it seems hard to find an appointment.

Reported

Nov 2022

Incident date

Nov 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

On Monday, 11/14/2022, while driving at 25 mph in approximately 28 degree temperatures, the brakes completely failed on my 2015 Nissan Leaf and the parking brake light, ABS light and traction control warning light suddenly illuminated on the dashboard. I glided to a stop in the breakdown lane, and while in both Drive and in Park when I pressed the brake pedal to the floor there were odd buzzing/knocking sounds towards the front of the vehicle (where the motor, etc. are located) and a vibration under foot accompanied by a clicking noise similar to that experienced during anti-skid braking. I turned the ignition on and off several times but the system malfunction was still present. I was able to drive 100 yards into a parking lot with minimal braking ability (the emergency brake served as a backup). I left the car parked, and when I returned two hours later to meet the tow-truck, the vehicle started normally with no lights on the dash. Brake functionality had returned, at least temporarily. I thus drove very carefully three miles home without incident. (However, had this occurred on the highway or while in traffic, a fatal accident could have occurred.) I have since found many reports from others who have experienced the same issue, which seems to be common enough to justify a recall, particularly as the brake failure reoccurs (see https://www.carproblemzoo.com/nissan/leaf/2015/service-brakes-problems.php). Tomorrow I bring the car to the dealer to diagnose the problem.

Reported

Nov 2022

Incident date

Nov 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Complete brake failure due to the intelligent brake unit. Driving on the freeway when multiple warning lights flashed at once and I lost brake functionality. I used to emergency brake to slow to a stop. This is an intermittent failure because after it sat for 30 minutes brake functionality returned. I'm very concerned about this issue and have seen multiple people reporting this issue for Nissan Leafs.

Reported

Oct 2022

Incident date

Oct 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The intelligent brake control unit has gone bad. I was driving home and I was preparing to stop at a stop sign . I pressed on the brake pedal and the would not stop. Luckily there were no other cars or else I would have been involved in a car accident. I had the car towed home then I drove it to the Nissan dealership. They ran a diagnostic and they said that they found multiple codes for the brake booster. They recommend that the intelligent brake control unit be replaced. At the time of the incident, the abs light went on, and the traction motor light went on. When I pressed on the brake there was a squealing noise coming from the pedal. That was the first time that ever happened. I reached out to nissanconsumeraffairs.com for assistance to help with the cost of the part. They said that they could not help. My case number is [XXX] and the person that was my contact was [XXX]. Her number is [XXX]. I have read various accounts of where the same part has failed on many Nissan LEAFs. This should be a recall where this part should be fixed for free. It is putting many lives in danger. I hope that you can help me out as well as the many people that drive this car make and model. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Reported

Sep 2022

Incident date

Aug 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I was driving my 2015 Nissan Leaf and attempted to decrease my speed for an upcoming right turn. When I put my foot to the pedal i realized it became stiff and my vehicle was unable to slow or come to a stop. I was able to make the turn safely as I was not at an itial high speed, however, as I approached a red light, i continued to observe the spottiness of my brakes before ultimately pulling over at the nearest gas station about 10 ft further from the right turn where my brakes first failed.

Reported

Aug 2022

Incident date

Jun 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This is to update my report from earlier this month, NHTSA ID Number: 11455211, because I don't see any way to revise it. The dealer repaired the brake failure at a cost to me of $4329, in addition to the $155 I had paid when they could not find the cause of the problem two weeks before. So my total cost is almost $4500 for what certainly appears to be a well-known manufacturing flaw affecting drivers around the world. The dealer told me in no uncertain terms that the car was unsafe to drive, and they knew of no other fix than to replace the entire Intelligent Braking Assembly, so I had no choice. I believe a recall is in order before there is a serious accident, if there hasn't already been one. Consumer stated he did not qualify to be part of that recall. Car has been repaired.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Mar 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the engine temperature warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact depressed the brake pedal and pulled up the parking brake; however, both failed to operate as needed. The contact made a right turn safely and ran onto a curb to bring the vehicle to a stop. The contact drove safely to the destination. The warning lights disappeared. The failure recurred twice within two weeks with no warning light illuminated. The contact notified the manufacturer and was informed that a previous recall had been performed. The vehicle had been towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Mar 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated his wife was driving approximately 30 MPH as she was slowing for a traffic signal, the vehicle lost all brake function. The contact's wife safely steered the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that he observed that the brake light, ABS light, and the traction control warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the contact noted that when he stepped on the brake pedal there was only a clicking sound and the pedal was depressed to the floorboard. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Mar 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

On Feb. 16, in about 25 degrees F, my wife pressed the brake pedal and the car did not react at all. She then jammed the brake pedal to the floor and it seemed that the anti-lock brakes stopped the car. She turned the car off and on again, and drove right back home, only about a mile away. I drove the car carefully that day without incident. We took it to Middletown Nissan as soon as they could get us in, the next day. They could not duplicate the problem and tested various components. Everything passed their tests, so we assumed the problem was isolated. Then, today, March 4, at 29 degrees F, the brakes failed for me on a very busy road. Again, it was at a slow speed, as I was approaching a red light. Again, it took pushing very hard to the floor to get the car to stop. All the warning lights on the dash lit up, and there was an odd buzzing sound coming from under the hood. I drove the 3 miles home very slowly and carefully, and the brakes failed in this same way every time I tried them. I called Nissan customer service and they (Lydia) indicated that they had no information about this problem and suggested I go back to the dealership for further investigation. This is what I will do. I am waiting for a call back from them now, but it's Friday afternoon and I am not hopeful that they will be able to get my car in there today. It's very frightening and unsafe when you don't know if your brakes are going to work. I mention the outdoor temperatures because I've seen some information about 2015 Leafs being recalled for a cold-weather brake failure. It's not been in extreme cold that we have had the issue.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Mar 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

In minus 12 degree temperature, I traveled to a store without incident and parked. Upon returning to the car and starting it, several warning lights went on, including the brake warning light was red, the electric shift control icon was red, VDC indicator light was on, master warning light was red. (may have been other warning lights on). Message was displayed to use parking brake to stop the car.Before applying the parking brake I tried to drive cautiously as I was on a small slope and the display showed my battery level was ok, and ample for the miles to go home, When I tried the brake there was a clicking sound somewhere underneath the car. There was no brake action so I stopped by using the parking brake. I tried this slow roll out two or three times to confirm I could stop the car if I used the parking brake, and there seemed to be no other cautionary problems showing. I was able to drive home with my caution lights, driving on the side of the road, going no more then 15 miles per hour, and using the parking brake when I needed to stop. It was extremely unsafe but most of my ride was uphill going home, and on a Saturday morning at 9am, in sub zero weather, traffic was very calm. The realization of my drive coming into town with most of the trip downhill set in and realized how lucky I was, and how I could have put myself or others in severe danger. I am researching now and will need to find a dealer or independent service center to review the vehicle.

Reported

Jan 2022

Incident date

Jan 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Brakes fail cause as a wreck while parking

Reported

Jan 2022

Incident date

Jan 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 1 injuries

I was at Ralphs parking lot ready to leave last Friday (11/5/2021), as I turned on the car, BRAKE'S light got lit up and when I pressed my foot on Brakes and put it on R (Reverse), I realized the Brakes were not working and the car was going backwards beyond my control. I immediately pressed the button and turned the car off. I left the car at Ralphs parking lot and towed the car to Glendale Nissan (California) next morning. They checked and said the Brakes are running on a very low battery and it needs to be fixed. My car has a very very low mileage and this must be a manufacturing defect. Since there was no recall on my vehicle for this issue, they are charging me $450.0 to replace the battery, plus more for other adjustments, for the total cost of $1,200, As I searched the internet, it seemed that there were recalls for this exact issue for 2015 Nissan Leaf ( I have the same). How come my vehicle never received any recall notice for the same issue. I was lucky that this happened in a parking lot. If this had happened while I was driving or picking up my grandchildren, it would end with a devastating results. Please contact Glendale Nissan and let them know not to charge the customer for a manufacturing defect.

Reported

Nov 2021

Incident date

Nov 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the battery warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the residence and the battery was re-charged. The vehicle was restarted however, the failure recurred several times. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle but could not determine the cause for the failure. The contact then took the vehicle to Port City Nissan (120 Spaulding Turnpike, Portsmouth, NH 03801, (603) 431-6500) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the firmware update needed to be performed. The dealer performed the software update however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

Reported

Oct 2021

Incident date

Apr 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I backed my car out of the parking space in front of a building, and drove on a 300+ ft long driveway. I stepped on the brake before entering the main road perpendicular to the driveway, but the car didn’t slow down. I almost hit the incoming car on the main road. As I maneuvered my car to avoid the other car, my foot was on the brake the whole time, but I couldn’t feel the brake at all. I panicked and forgot to use the emergency brake. I saw “Brake” on the display screen, with several other warning signs, including the yellow and red triangle exclamation marks. My car cruised for another 500 ft or so and finally stopped. I put the emergency stop flash light on. I called the police to report that my car was blocking half of the lane, before calling my insurance. Luckily it was not a very busy street. A police officer came after 30 minutes and he helped me move my car to the side of the road. He said the brake responded to him. After over an hour, the towing company came to tow my car to the nearest Nissan Dealer/Service Center (about 8 miles away). The guy from the towing company said he could feel the brake fine. It was less than 10 minutes before closing so l left my car at Nissan Service Center. This morning the Service Center called me and said they hadn’t found anything wrong during the initial diagnose yet. They called the Nissan North America to request them to send technicians to check my car. I have found on an online forum several threads discussing the same experience like me - no brake while driving a Nissan Leaf. The dates of those posts range from 2011 to 2014 to 2018. They also had the yellow and red triangle warning signs on, and some of them found their brakes work again after they waited a while and restarted the car. Although the cause hasn’t been identified yet, I wanted to report this incident because it is so dangerous. Imagine what happens if I would be on a highway (using the emergency break would also be dangerous).

Reported

Jul 2021

Incident date

Jul 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

CAR STARTED AS NORMAL IN THE MORNING. AS SOON AS I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE, THE CAR STARTED MOVING EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THEN THE CAR CAME TO A HALT. THERE WAS LOT OF STRANGE, LOUD CLUNKING AND CHATTERING NOISES WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN FORWARD GEAR AND AGAIN THE CAR STARTED MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AND I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO GET CAR TO STOP. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION UNDER THE CAR AND UNDER TO BONNET TO SEE IF ANYTHING IS LEAKING OR VISUALLY BROKEN - NOTHING FOUND. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THERE WAS A YELLOW "BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT" BUT BRAKE FUNCTION WAS RESTORED AND NO MORE STRANGE SOUNDS. I CAME TO WORK AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. AFTER 30 MINS TURNED ON THE CAR AGAIN AND YELLOW "BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT" HAD CLEARED AND CAR WAS AGAIN OPERATING AS NORMAL.

Reported

May 2021

Incident date

May 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT ABOUT 40MPH, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKES BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. PUSHING ON THE BREAK PEDAL WOULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. AFTER BEING ABLE TO COME TO A STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I NOTICES THAT THE BRAKE WOULD KEEP RUMBLE BUT STILL UNABLE TO KEEP THE CAR AT A STAND STILL. THIS IS THE SECOND THIS HAPPENS IN ABOUT 8 WEEKS. THIS TIME I AM REPORTING IT. THE CAR HAS 37,000 MILES.

Reported

May 2021

Incident date

May 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO MY CHILDREN'S DAYCARE A FEW MILES FROM MY HOME, PARKED, AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR TO LEAVE, I HEARD A STRANGE BUZZING TYPE SOUND AT STARTUP, AND THEN GOT A BUNCH OF WARNING LIGHTS FOR THE BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES TO TRY TO GET THE WARNINGS TO CLEAR. I NOTICED THE BUZZING SOUND WAS COMING FROM WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. I TRIED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO NEUTRAL BUT IT WOULDN'T. THEN I TRIED PUTTING IT IN DRIVE, AND IT DID GO INTO DRIVE, BUT STARTED DRIFTING BACKWARDS BECAUSE I WAS PARKED ON A SLOPE. THIS IS THE SCARY PART THAT COULD HAVE INJURED SOMEONE. I WAS IN A DAYCARE PARKING LOT AND SOMEONE COULD HAVE WALKED BEHIND MY CAR AT THE TIME IT DRIFTED BACK. THANKFULLY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. I MASHED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR, AND IT DID STOP BUT REQUIRED MORE BRAKE TRAVEL AND MADE SOME GRINDING NOISES, LIKE THE ABS WAS OPERATING. AFTER I REALIZED I HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND SOME PEOPLE ON FORUMS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. I TRIED DISCONNECTING THE 12V BATTERY FOR A FEW MINUTES, A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT COULDN'T GET THE BRAKE ALARMS TO GO AWAY. SO I GOT IT TOWED TO MY DEALER. DEALER WAS BUSY AND DIDN'T GET TO LOOK AT THE CAR FOR TWO-THREE DAYS. THEY SAID THAT WHEN THEY TURNED ON THE CAR THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. I ASKED THEM IF THEY SAW ANY CODES, AND THEY CHECKED AND THEY FOUND CODES FOR THE CAN COMMUNICATION AND INTELLIGENT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED THIS A "FLUKE" AND SAID THAT THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, I AM READING THAT THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR LEAF. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR, ESPECIALLY NOT WITH MY CHILDREN IN IT. WHAT IF THE "FLUKE" COMES BACK WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND CAN'T SAFELY STOP IN TIME? THE CONTACT STATED SINCE REPLACING THE INTELLIGENT BRAKE MODULE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED.

Reported

Apr 2021

Incident date

Mar 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

CAR WAS DRIVEN ABOUT 3.5 MILES TO THE STORE AND PARKED. AFTER SHOPPING, WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM HAD COMPLETELY FAILED WITH NO RESISTANCE TO PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. A CLICKING SOUND WAS HEARD AND PULSING WAS FELT WITH NO BRAKING PROVIDED. LATER IN THE DAY, THE CAR WAS STARTED AGAIN AND THE BRAKES APPEARED TO WORK NORMALLY. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS BETWEEN 0 & 10 DEGREES F.

Reported

Feb 2021

Incident date

Jan 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE MOVING IN ANY FORWARD DIRECTION AND THE VEHICLE ROLLS OVER A POTHOLE (OR SIMILAR FEATURE) THE BRAKES INSTANTLY BECOME SOFT. THE VEHICLE DOESN'T SLOW AT THE ANTICIPATED RATE AND ADDITIONAL PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW OR NOT INCREASE SPEED.

Reported

Feb 2021

Incident date

Feb 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

PRIMARY BRAKES MALFUNCTION WHILE COMING TO A STOP ON CITY STREET. BRAKE WARNING DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATED. BRAKE PEDDLE DEPRESSED TO FLOOR WITH VERY DIMINISHED EFFECT. LOUD CLICKING NOSE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD WHEN BRAKE PEDDLE IS DEPRESSED. EMERGENCY BRAKE REQUIRED TO HOLD CAR STOPPED WHEN SHIFTING INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE.

Reported

Jan 2021

Incident date

Jan 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

ELECTRONIC BRAKE ASSIST FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, OCTOBER 9TH, 2020. BRAKING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED MUCH FARTHER THAN NORMAL, CAUSING DRIVER TO STOP CAR WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. EMERGENCY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. ERRORS CODES INDICATE FAULTS WITH THE ELECTRONIC DRIVEN INTELLIGENT BRAKE CONTROL UNIT, THE SUBJECT OF SAFETY CAMPAIGN 16V119000. SUBSEQUENT NISSAN RECALL, WHICH APPLIED 3NF9B FIRMWARE TO THE EDIB, HAD BEEN APPLIED 5/13/16. FAILURES RE-OCCURRED IN COLD WEATHER IN NOVEMBER 8TH, 2020. PROBLEM IS SPORADIC AND DEALER CANNOT REPRODUCE. HOWEVER, A VIDEO OF THE FAILURE WAS RECORDED AND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO THEM. REPLACEMENT PART CARRIES YET A NEW FIRMWARE, 4NP3E. THIS FIRMWARE SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE UNDER THE SAFETY CAMPAIGN IF IT MORE FULLY ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES.

Reported

Nov 2020

Incident date

Oct 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

FREEZING BRAKES. BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK WHEN APPLIED IN MOTION.

Reported

Nov 2020

Incident date

Nov 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

FIRST SIGNS OF A PROBLEM WAS A YELLOW TRIANGULAR WARNING SIGN ON THE DASH WHEN I WAS CLOSE TO HOME, BUT NO DRIVING PROBLEMS. NEXT TIME STARTING THE VEHICLE AT HOME (ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLE) MANY LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASH AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST WENT TO THE FLOOR AS IT JERKED AND JUDDERED DOWN, AND A LOUD WARNING SOUND WAS EMITTED WHICH CONTINUED FOR QUITE AFTER A WHILE AFTER VEHICLE WAS SWITCHED OFF. THE CAR HAS BEEN FLAKY EVER SINCE, WITH EITHER A RED OR YELLOW WARNING SIGN LIGHTING ON THE DASH- OR NOTHING AT ALL. THE MOST SERIOUS EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER, WAS ON SEPTEMBER 15 (2020) WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE - YOU CAN'T START WITHOUT THAT) - I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THE CAR STARTED MOVING BACK EVEN THOUGH I STILL HAD MY FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. I HAD TO USE A LOT OF EXTRA FORCE BEFORE THE VEHICLE FINALLY SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES OF PEDESTRIANS BEHIND ME. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS - WHICH IS QUITE AMAZING CONSIDERING SO RELATIVELY FEW NISSAN LEAFS ARE ON US ROADS.

Reported

Sep 2020

Incident date

Sep 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING TO 60MPH FROM A STOP LIGHT ON US 287 AND ISABELLE ROAD IN BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLED TO OVER 70. ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEEMED TO NOT WORK AT ALL. I BRAKED AND SLOWED DOWN BUT IT WAS FIGHTING THE MAXIMUM ACCELERATION. I TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKES AND KEPT SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR LOST ALL ENGINE POWER AND SEEMED TO BRAKE ITSELF. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. TURNED IT BACK ON AND ALL SEEMED NORMAL. I AM CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MAY PANIC IN THIS SITUATION AND NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE 2015 NISSAN LEAF I DRIVE HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND HAS HAD ALL UPDATES AND SERVICES.

Reported

Aug 2020

Incident date

Aug 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

CAR GOES INTO TURTLE MODE, LOSING ALL POWER. HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES, EACH TIME HAS BEEN COMING OFF A HIGHWAY OR HEADING UP A STEEP HILL AND THEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND ON, CODES RESET. I HAVE A READER FOR THE OBD, IT IS SHOWING FAULT P2138 000A EV/ HEC ACC PEDAL POS SENS 1,2, ERR EVC-196. AS POWER IS COMPLETELY LOST, THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ONCE RESET THE CAR ACTS LIKE NORMAL. EVERY INSTANCE HAS HAPPENED WITH A BATTERY STATE OF CHARGE OF OVER 30%. *TR

Reported

Apr 2020

Incident date

Apr 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

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.

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.

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.

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.