NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 34 owner complaints for the 2014 Nissan Leaf. Most complaints involve service brakes (18) and electrical system (6). The EPA rates it 114 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.
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."
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.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
“[XXX] - I was on the way to work on a clear and sunny morning. After stopping at a traffic light, vehicles started moving forward through the intersection. Traffic was building and the lady in front of me stopped very quickly. When I pressed the the brake pedal to stop behind her nothing happened. The brakes did not brake! The pedal went all the way to the floor. It didn't even try to slow down. I just rolled right into the back of her. The front end of my 2014 Nissan LEAF sustained significant damage and the rear bumper of her SUV sustained minor damage. Both of us had minor neck/back pain after. I am still recovering from spine surgery and I'm concerned about any long term issues that may be caused from this accident. We were in a very busy area of Atlanta and it is amazing that no one was seriously hurt. After calling 911 and being on hold for close to 30 minutes State Farm advised it was okay to swap info without an official police report. I don't want this accident to count against my accident free/good driver discount with my insurance. There were no warning lights on my dash or audible brake sounds. I have had similar problems in the past with the brakes…”
“The power steering has intermittently been de-activating. There is a warning light that comes on (yellow triangle with an exclamation mark). When this happens it causes the steering wheel to feel like it’s pulls in a direction. After we suddenly lose power steering with no warning we’re left to drive a car with no power steering until it suddenly re-engages. There has been no rhyme or reason to when this happens. The issue has been diagnosed at a factory dealership. The car has not sustained any accident (ever) in the +/- 4 years we’ve owned it”
“THERE IS AN AIR BAG LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES WHEN THERE IS WEIGHT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT BUT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE DEPLOYED, MAYBE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE THINKS THERE IS A DOG, SMALL CHILD, OR INANIMATE OBJECT SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE TROUBLE IS THAT THE "AIR BAG DISABLED LIGHT" OCCASIONALLY TURNS ON WHEN MY TEENAGE SONS SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS BECAUSE MY SONS DO NOT ALWAYS SIT SQUARELY TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT; THAT IS, THEY OCCASIONALLY SLOUCH IN THE SEAT. I HAVE VIDEOS OF THIS BEHAVIOR WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU, SO YOU CAN DETERMINE IT IS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO. NISSAN'S RESPONSE IS AKIN TO STEVE JOBS SAYING OF THE IPHONE 4, "YOU'RE HOLDING IT WRONG." I THINK NISSAN SHOULD BUILD THEIR SENSORS FOR THE WAY PEOPLE SOMETIMES SIT IN THEIR SEATS, NOT AS THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE THEM TO SIT UNDER IDEA CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY PROBABLY HAVE ONE SENSOR AT THE BACK OF THE SEAT, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY NEED ANOTHER IN THE MIDDLE AND MAYBE ONE AT THE FRONT TO BETTER JUDGE THE WEIGHT OF THE OBJECT IN THE SEAT.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf Auto (A1) · Front-Wheel Drive | 126 | 101 | 114 | $700 | — |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tire rotation | 6,000–8,000 mi | 6–12 months | EVs wear tires faster (weight, torque) |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–4 years | Regen braking spares the pads, not the fluid |
| Battery coolant | Per manual | Per manual | Intervals vary widely by maker |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years |
6 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 34 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are service brakes (18), electrical system (6), air bags (4). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2014 Nissan Leaf at 114 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (1 version rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2014 Nissan Leaf 4 out of 5 stars overall.