Problems · NHTSA complaints

2014 Nissan Leaf problems

Owners filed 34 complaints about the 2014 Nissan Leaf with NHTSA between May 2014 and Jul 2024. The most-cited component is service brakes (18).

Complaints
34
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes18
  2. Electrical system6
  3. Air bags4
  4. Steering2
  5. Vehicle speed control2
  6. Visibility2
  7. Seats2
  8. Seat belts1
  9. Fuel/propulsion system1
  10. Power train1
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  12. Structure1
  13. Latches/locks/linkages1
  14. Other / unknown3

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 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20143
20156
20164
20173
20184
20194
20201
20214
20223
20231
20241

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes

18 reports1 crash1 related recall
“[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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2024Electrical system, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11600609

Electrical system

6 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2022Steering, Electrical systemODI 11456836

Air bags

4 reports1 related recall
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2015Air bags, SeatsODI 10723424

Steering

2 reports1 crash
“TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 22 MPH HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN CRASHED INTO A POLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIGHT KNEE AND HAND, REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 400. UPDATED 06/19/14 AFTER HE CRASHED INTO THE POLE, THE VEHICLE CAME TO A HALT MAKING ALMOST A 75 DEGREE ANGLE IN THE ROAD. AS THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STARTED DRIFTING TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE, HE TRIED VERY HARD TO STEER IT BACK TO MAKE IT STRAIGHT, BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. UPDATED 06/26/14”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2014SteeringCrash reportedODI 10593665

Vehicle speed control

2 reports1 crash
“My car suddenly accelerated out of my control and my car was totaled in a supermarket parking lot. Amazingly no serious injuries though two other cars were damaged by this event. No warnings and no time to act. I demanded that Nissan do an inspection. The email I got from them this morning said they found nothing wrong with the vehicle BUT that the accelerator was at 100% at the time of the accident. I was parked and getting out of my car when this occurred but Nissan did not think it suspicious that my car accelerated to 100% without any reason for me to accelerate and my foot not on the power pedal. Their letter to me claimed no responsibility for the malfunction. In fact. They are claiming no malfunction at all. I have requested in writing to get all the data they collected and although they had previously agreed to provide it to me. They are now backpedaling on that now that I’ve posed legitimate questions. This happened TWICE in a 15 month period and the last accident destroyed my car. Everyone was eager to blame me for the first accident that did thousands of dollars damage, which I know for a fact I was parked in my own driveway and not even driving. It…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 28, 2021Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11418938

Visibility

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DEFROSTER DID NOT GENERATE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF HEAT TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2017VisibilityODI 10944366
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.