MODELYEARINDEX

Which Nissan Leaf years to avoid

Across 11 scored model years, the 2013 and 2015 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Nissan Leaf Full report
D
Grade 2011–2021
2013 vs model median 1.7×
Model median3× median
Brakes 15
Electrical 10
Airbags & Restraints 7
Avoid

2013 · 2015

Best

2016 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2011
1.09× 45 B
2012
1.06× 37 B
2013
1.73× 62 D
2014
0.66× 22 C
2015
1.60× 69 D
2016
0.53× 24 B
2017
0.32× 15 A
2018
1.00× 42 C
2019
1.19× 54 C
2020
0.68× 33 C
2021
0.80× 30 B
2022 P
3.31× 135 F
2023 P
1.06× 30 C
2025 P
0.16× 10 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2013 D 62 reports · median 8,950 mi

  1. Brakes 15

    When starting the car, all lights on the dashboard illuminated and car would do nothing. Shut down and restarted the car and everything was clear. Put the car into reverse and had nominal braking. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 10

    I was driving in heavy traffic on the 101 freeway in camarillo, ca on the way to work. Car suddenly flashed multiple conflicting diagnostic codes (traction control, brake system, electrical system) and reduced power to… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Airbags & Restraints 7

    Passenger airbag shows off when passenger in the seat is a typical adult, ~130 pounds. The underseat sensor (ods occupant detection system) is not calibrated - needs about 160 pounds to sense a person in the seat. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 2 fire · 2 injuries

2015 D 69 reports · median 12,000 mi

  1. Brakes 37

    My 2015 leaf s is 3 weeks old with less than 700 miles. I was descending an 8% grade hill in b mode with a sharp bend at the bottom. As I went to apply the brakes, the pedal went to the floor and b mode cut out. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Airbags & Restraints 8

    The leaf often shows that my passenger air bag is disabled, even though my son who is over 100 pounds is sitting in the seat with the seat belt on. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Speed Control 5

    Whenever we come to a stop for a traffic light or a stop sign, and the speed of the car is < 3 miles , we noticed that when we apply brakes, they do not get applied immediately. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

6 crash · 2 injuries

The best year for the Leaf

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2017 is the best-scoring Leaf model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2017 0.32× 15 A
2016 0.53× 24 B
2012 1.06× 37 B

Recalls

18 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
16V244000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2013–2016 3,296,947
19V654000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2018, 2019 1,228,830
14V138000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2013, 2014 989,701
23V296000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL 2013–2017 94,343
13V069000 AIR BAGS 2013 82,038
23V494000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2018–2023 66,159
23V048000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL 2018–2023 64,732
24V071000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2018–2022 57,914
16V119000 SERVICE BRAKES 2013–2015 46,859
17V253000 AIR BAGS 2015–2017 30,038
24V700000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY 2019, 2020 25,704
25V655000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY 2021, 2022 19,077

+ 6 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2013 were reported at a median of 8,950 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Nissan Leaf years should you avoid?
2013, 2015 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Nissan Leaf model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Nissan Leaf?
2017 is the best-scoring Nissan Leaf model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Nissan Leaf have?
18 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Nissan Leaf model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 Leaf
Complaints in window
62
Severity-weighted
107
Model median (weighted)
62
vs model median
1.73×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
5
Open investigations
0
Score 44.4 D