This 2021 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 4 recalls affecting the equipment system.
Key Factor:equipment recalls
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Safety Alert
Safety Alert: This model has a higher recall frequency (4) than the average NISSAN vehicle (1.3). Owners should prioritize checking these components.
4 recalls for this vehicle1.3 avg. recalls per vehicle (brand)
πWhy This Matters
Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.
Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.
Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis
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Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
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Primary Risk Area:Battery
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Vs Brand: Worse than avg (1.3)
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Summary:
Safety & Reliability Score
61/100
Score Breakdown
Recall Impact-32
Complaint Impact-1.6
Investigation Impact-5
Technical Specifications
Key specifications for the 2021 NISSAN Leaf
Model Year2021
MakeNISSAN
ModelLeaf
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle
Safety History Timeline
Scroll for more β
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Jun21
ISSUEFirst Report
Feb23
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Feb24
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan25
RECALLRecall Issued
Consumer Complaint Analysis
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Most Reported Issue
9 complaints (28% of total)
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Complaint Trend
Stable
No trend data
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Safety Incidents
No critical incidents
Complaint Severity Distribution
Breakdown of 32 consumer complaints by severity level.
π High
4(13%)
π‘Medium
5(16%)
π’Low
23(72%)
Mileage Failure Analysis
βοΈEngineering Insight
Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 35,452 miles.
π Mileage data extracted from 5 of 32 complaints (16% coverage)
0-20k
1 reports (20%)
20k-40k
2 reports (40%)
40k-60k
1 reports (20%)
60k-80k
1 reports (20%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.
π οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center
Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).
Primary Risk Areas
EQUIPMENTVEHICLE SPEED CONTROLBACK OVER PREVENTIONELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Official Safety Recalls (4)
Campaign: 23V048000
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
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Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 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."
Consequence
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 April 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V494000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The vehicle may accelerate unintentionally if the
driving mode is changed ("D" to "B"; e-Pedal "On"; or "ECO" mode) after disengaging the cruise control.
Consequence
Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A6.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 24V071000
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2022 LEAF vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23D7.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2022 LEAF vehicles equipped with a Level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 charging.
Consequence
A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to use Level 3 quick charging until the remedy is completed. Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed October 24, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available, anticipated December 31, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's Customer Service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R25C8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 4, 2025.
NHTSA Investigations
1 investigation
Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Leaf.
INV-2021-1000π’ Closed
NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Leaf performance issues.
Opened: Affected Units: 48,430
Consumer Complaints
32 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Leaf.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Battery28%
Warning25%
Display16%
Fire13%
Accident13%
Smoke9%
Blank9%
Burn6%
Stuck6%
Engine/Powertrainβ οΈ High
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
*High Voltage Battery defect/failure - this is what was believed to be the issue when it was towed to the dealership. What is left of it is available for inspection at the dealership for now, however the insurance may take it to a salvage yard since the fire department finished their investigation. *While at the dealership after they spent the day trying to recreate what happened they parked it and planned to try again the next day, then someone walked by and saw smoke coming from the car and called 911. They called it a thermal runaway and it burned for hours before being moved to a safer, emptier lot where it was covered in thousands of pounds of sand. The night before the mileage range dropped roughly 70%, unaware of the recall in our mail that hadn't been opened we stopped to try to charge so we could get home. Thankfully none of the chargers worked since the recall was for a potential fire if plugged into a level 3 charger. We tried to drive home only to end up on the side of the road in total system failure. Police sent incident management to get us to safety. If we had made it home we are told this could have caught our home on fire and would likely have blown up our house and taken neighbors houses out as well. It could hurt more people or structures while they tried to recreate the problem. I understand the dealership had $20K in damages from the fire on top of which my car is clearly a total loss. Homes & Businesses nearby had to be evacuated. *Yes, what is left of the car has been inspected by the county fire marshall, insurance co. Police were called, but no investigation. When I called consumer affairs at Nissan, I spoke to 3 different people who said there was nothing they could do. *We had one other time 3 weeks earlier that the range dropped significant, we got home plugged it in and it seemed fine. The only warnings said we were low on miles and to stop to charge which would have made things worse, could have killed us if they had worked.
Vehicle battery drains significantly after being charged, passenger wiper will not work impairing visibility, back up camera blurs and fails, bright lights would not turn on, I was in a huge rain storm unable to see. Inability to use level 3 charger is disallowing me to be able to use vehicle due to amount of time to charge and battery drain has caused me to be broken down requiring a tow twice due to inaccurate mileage readings, leaving me stranded at night without access to phone service, placing me in an unsafe area/situation.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Electricalπ΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V655000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shifted in Turtle Mode, preventing the vehicle from exceeding 30 MPH. The contact stated that there was a message for the EV Battery failure and to take the vehicle to the dealer for further analysis. The Turtle Mode warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the failure was not identified or replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was possibly notified by the local dealer about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Electricalπ΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V655000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure; however, due to the recall, the vehicle was unable to be fully charged using the fast charger.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Visibilityπ΅ Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The dealership without our knowledge or approval did an update on our car last November that makes the heater and more importantly defroster not work when it's colder than about 17F degrees outside. This causes the vehicle to fog up all over including the windshield making it dangerous to drive. After about 10 minutes it finally starts working. We've told them about it numerous times and even saw other Leafs at the dealership for the exact same thing on the first cold day last winter after the update. They haven't yet gotten a fix for it and said it's on purpose. As far as us owners can tell they aren't looking into any sort of fix. They say we should just start the car for 10 minutes without driving but that doesn't work. You can leave it run for 30 minutes and the heat doesn't turn on. It only works after 10 minutes of dangerous driving. Besides we shouldn't have to run a vehicle for 10 minutes before driving. There are numerous examples of emergencies that require immediate driving. Please look into this as every Leaf owner is dealing with the same dangerous conditions in the northern states and I assume Canada.
Electricalπ΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Around New Years this year, I was driving downhill, my car went from about 60/70% UNKNOWN to about 12%. This was for about 30 seconds until it went back up. This range drop was both dangerous but also caused emotional distress on my behalf as I worried whether or not I could make it to a charger. At the Nissan Dealer Service Dept, the "technician allegedly wasn't able to verify the issue with the range dropping and then going back up." Now I am unable to fast charge via CHAdeMO as per recall causing not just inconviencne, but also a reduction of the capacity I was under the impression I paid for, the diminished utility of my vehicle, my only vehicle to get around, is restricted. Especially as EVGo is now not allowing Nissan Leafs to charge at their stations. This significantly reduces opportunities to charge.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Electricalπ΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I canβt charge the car. I live in a city without a garage. I 100% need level 3 ChadEMO charging to use this car. Please pressure the automaker to fix it or buy back the vehicle as I cannot use the car. This is unacceptable from Nissan. Lemon!
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
ElectricalπΆ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while charging the Lithium battery, the message that the battery had overheated was displayed. While driving on the freeway, the battery rapidly lost charge without warning. The vehicle decelerated to 5 MPH before stalling in the middle of the road. The contact ran across a four-lane highway to safety. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The contact received information about NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V655000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was charged at the dealer and driven to the residence the following day. The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 30,000.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Visibilityπ΅ Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER
After the dealership has checked the rear view camera after manufacturer recall R23D7, the camera image is sometimes not displayed. Sometimes it helps to open and close the rear tailgate to reactivate the display of the rear view camera. The issue also seems to be dependent on ambient temperature. The manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall permanently. Before the recall was checked by the dealership, the vehicle never had an issue with the rear view mirror image not being displayed. When asking the dealership to fix it they told me that I need to pay for the repair of the wiring harness and it is not covered anymore by the recall.
ElectricalπΆ Medium
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
From time to time the BCM (body control module) is stuck in a mode which disables the electric door locking and unlocking as well as the electric window lifters. This state can be fixed by disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery. This issue happened two times recently. It appears to be a SW related issue as other functions of the BCM are still operational. E.g., the electric rear view mirror adjustment was still operational. The risk of this issue is that the door locks will not be unlocked automatically in case of a crash. Also the windows cannot be opened as an alternative escape opening in case the doors are blocked after an accident.
β¨ AI Insight
This complaint matches keywords from official recalls:
Recall #25V655000
*correlation estimated by AI, not an official NHTSA link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any recalls for the 2021 NISSAN Leaf?
Yes, the 2021 NISSAN Leaf has 4 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA.
Is the 2021 NISSAN Leaf safe to drive?
The 2021 NISSAN Leaf has 4 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.
Where can I check if my 2021 NISSAN Leaf has open recalls?
You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local NISSAN dealer.
πYear-over-Year Context
πImproving Trend
Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows improving reliability trends, largely due to manufacturing refinements addressing 2020 issues. Recall frequency decreased 33%.
π―Risk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Equipment
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm equipment recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all equipment recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:23V048000
2
Vehicle speed control
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm vehicle speed control recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all vehicle speed control recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:23V494000
3
Back over prevention
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm back over prevention recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all back over prevention recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:24V071000
π‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your NISSAN dealer to verify recall completion status.
π§What This Means for You
Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
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If You Own This Vehicle
Verify all 4 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your NISSAN dealer.
If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyβrecall repairs are always free.
Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used
Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.