Problems · NHTSA complaints
2012 Nissan Leaf problems
Owners filed 57 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Leaf with NHTSA between Jul 2012 and Feb 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (22).
Complaints
57
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes22
- Electrical system15
- Air bags11
- Vehicle speed control4
- Visibility/wiper3
- Seat belts3
- Engine2
- Seats2
- Electronic stability control (esc)2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Hybrid propulsion system1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Equipment1
- Exterior lighting1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
12
7
5
4
2
3
6
3
2
2
4
1
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
22 reports5 crashes
“The brakes on the vehicle jerk alot when going under 15, causing everyone in the vehicle to get jerked forward multiple times and are touchy resulting in almost being in an accident. Airbag sensor for front passenger also no longer works and Nissan refuses to repair any defect”
Electrical system
15 reports2 crashes
“High voltage battery keeps shorting out stalling while driving on interstate almost got hit by 18 wheeler a few times it's a very unsafe car to drive and I keep smelling something like an odor from the battery I've been trying to get help to do the door ship Nissan consumer affairs and seem to be getting nowhere and they're letting me drive a car with a high voltage battery problem that obviously has a short in it help me”
Air bags
11 reports
“Dealer is Mike Erdman Nissan Merritt Island Fl 32953 Airbag warning light flashing red on console. Paid $260 for diagnostic check on July 21, 2024. They cannot fix it as an airbag sensor on the passenger side seat is malfunctioning and the entire passenger side seat must be replaced and part is not available or is no longer in stock. They MAY be able to locate an entire seat Nissan Leaf 2012 somewhere, but if they do (and they said probably not) it will cost $4000.00. The seat is no longer made by Nissan and after market seats would not meet safety standards (they said). There is a published complaint list of well over 2000 Nissan Leaf owners regarding 2011 and 2012 Leaf owners who say there should be a safety recall as this issue has been known by Nissan and the 2013 and later models had safety changes installed for this issue but no safety recall was made for 2011 and 2012 models. I believe a safety recall to fix this issue is imperative.”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports2 crashes
“multiple times when I have been driving, the accelerator pedal has stayed in the depressed position when I remove my foot from the pedal after going up to about 35 MPH When I brake, the accelerator pedal stays in the depressed position and the vehicle resumes acceleration as soon as I remove my foot from the brake. Today the only way I was able to get it back to a normal position was to pull over and turn the car off.”
Visibility/wiper
3 reports
“NHTSA MUST PASS REGULATIONS REQUIRING VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO DRASTICALLY IMPROVE A-PILLAR OBSCURATION ANGLE! THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT OF MANY MODERN VEHICLES THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN MANY ACCIDENTS, THE EXTENT TO WHICH IS PROBABLY UNQUANTIFIED & LARGELY UNKNOWN DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY REMEDY IS FOR THE DRIVER TO MOVE HIS HEAD FROM SIDE TO SIDE EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE STARTS FROM A STOPPED POSITION TO ASCERTAIN THAT THERE ARE NO PEOPLE OR VEHICLES HIDING IN OR TRANSITING THE A-PILAR BLOCKAGE. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE INDUSTRY, AS PROVEN BY THE PAPER PUBLISHED BY PIPKORN BENGT OF AUTOLIV RESEARCH (SWEDEN) ENTITLED SAFETY & VISION IMPROVEMENTS BY EXPANDABLE A-PILLARS (UNDATED), WHICH IS IN THE NHTSA DATABASE/WEBSITE, WHERE A 25% IMPROVEMENT IN A-PILLAR OBSCURATION ANGLE IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE USE OF EXPERIMENTAL EXPANDABLE A-PILLARS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALREADY INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS COMMON MODERN CAR DEFECT WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE KNOWN, WITH THE UNFORTUNATE DRIVERS BEING DISBELIEVED WHEN THEY SAY THEY NEVER SAW ANYONE/THING DUE TO THE OBSCURE NATURE & KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SERIOUS…”
Seat belts
3 reports
“PAGE 1-21 OF THE 2012 NISSAN LEAF OWNER MANUAL HAS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INCORRECTLY INSTALLED, WITH THE CAPTION "LATCH WEBBING-MOUNTED ATTACHMENT". THE ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLED WITH THE LOWER ANCHORAGE FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR STRAP (LATCH WEBBING) ROUTED THROUGH THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. NO WEBBING IS ROUTED THROUGH THE FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. THIS ILLUSTRATION MAY SUGGEST TO USERS THAT THIS IS HOW TO ROUTE THE "LATCH WEBBING" IN A FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT ILLUSTRATION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO INJURY. THIS ILLUSTRATION IS COMMON TO MANY MODELS OF 2003 AND LATER NISSAN VEHICLES, NOT JUST THE LEAF. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.