Research · Midsize Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2019 Nissan LeafRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 260 owner complaints for the 2019 Nissan Leaf. Most complaints involve electrical system (178) and fuel/propulsion system (34). The EPA rates it 104–112 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
104–112mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Sep 2024
Owner complaints
260
Top: electrical system
Fuel cost / yr
$700est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: traction battery

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 LEAF vehicles equipped with a Level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 charging.

Electrical systemReported Sep 20, 2024NHTSA 24V700000

Back over prevention: camera

Free remedy

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."

Back over preventionReported Feb 2, 2024NHTSA 24V071000

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

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.

Vehicle speed controlReported Jul 17, 2023NHTSA 23V494000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

260 complaints filed with NHTSA · Mar 2019 – Oct 2026
  1. Electrical system178
  2. Fuel/propulsion system34
  3. Power train13
  4. Visibility/wiper12
  5. Back over prevention10
  6. Service brakes10
  7. Engine9
  8. Vehicle speed control5
  9. Forward collision avoidance3

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

By model year

Complaints for each Leaf model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
201195
201257
201381
201434
2015110
201636
201714
201867
2019260
2020167
202159
202296
202322
20245
20257
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
5
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Electrical system

178 reports1 crash1 fire
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V700000 (Electrical System); however, the recall service failed to prevent a failure shortly after completion. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, an unknown battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, where diagnosis confirmed an internal battery cell failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed via telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2026Electrical systemODI 11771674

Fuel/propulsion system

34 reports
“MANUFACTURER RECALL CAMPAIGN: Nissan R24B2 / NHTSA Campaign 24V-700 VEHICLE: 2019 Nissan LEAF (13,801 original miles) SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT & REMEDY FAILURE: The manufacturer's safety recall software remedy has failed to stabilize or remedy a known high-voltage battery defect under real-world driving conditions, creating a severe, immediate risk of unexpected vehicle stalling in active traffic. The vehicle was serviced for the R24B2 campaign and returned a baseline "No DTC" stationary scan at 13,801 miles. Immediately upon driving the vehicle into public traffic post-repair, the high-voltage battery pack suffered a severe energy collapse under standard road loads. I documented the failure via an 11-photograph instrument cluster log in real time over a brief 39-minute window: 05:03 PM | 13,801 miles | 100% Battery | 127 mi Range (Trip Start) 05:07 PM | 13,802 miles | 98% Battery | -- mi Range 05:09 PM | 13,802 miles | 96% Battery | 123 mi Range 05:11 PM | 13,803 miles | 94% Battery | 118 mi Range 05:23 PM | 13,807 miles | 89% Battery | 108 mi Range 05:28 PM | 13,808 miles | 87% Battery | 105 mi Range 05:31 PM | 13,809 miles | 85% Battery | 102 mi Range 05:33…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2026Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11747842

Power train

13 reports
“My 2019 Nissan Leaf's battery stopped charging due to a manufacturer defect. Nissan North America confirmed this is covered under NHTSA Recall 24V-700 and agreed to repurchase the vehicle (case #1163589). However, Nissan's repurchase process has been severely delayed by issues connected to the recall remedy itself: Nissan requires a physical title to complete the repurchase, but their own financing arm (NMAC) failed to release a lien for six years after payoff--despite the law requiring them to--and then provided a defective release letter, stalling the process for over a month. Separately, Nissan's own repurchase letter promised a courtesy rental vehicle for up to 30 days during the process, which was never provided despite requesting. They are also refusing to lock in their repurchase price so every day of their delay is benefiting them while costing me. I am raising this because the recall remedy process itself — not just the underlying defect — has been mishandled, leaving an affected consumer without a resolution or a functioning vehicle for an extended period.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2026Power train, Electrical systemODI 11766513
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
Electric motor
Transmissions
Automatic (A1)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Electricity
EV range
226 mi (EPA)

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Leaf (40 kW-hr battery pack)
Auto (A1) · Front-Wheel Drive
12499112$700—
Leaf (62 kW-hr battery pack)
Auto (A1) · Front-Wheel Drive
11897108$700—
Leaf SV/SL (62 kW-hr battery pack)
Auto (A1) · Front-Wheel Drive
11494104$750—
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 28, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2019 Nissan Leaf as of Oct 28, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 28, 2026Vehicle 14115Vehicle 14116
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Tire rotation6,000–8,000 mi6–12 monthsEVs wear tires faster (weight, torque)
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–4 yearsRegen braking spares the pads, not the fluid
Battery coolantPer manualPer manualIntervals vary widely by maker
12V battery—3–5 years
  • Tire rotation6,000–8,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–4 years
  • Battery coolantPer manual
    Per manual
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2019 Leaf questions

How many recalls does the 2019 Nissan Leaf have?

5 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 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.

What are the most common 2019 Nissan Leaf problems?

Owners filed 260 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (178), fuel/propulsion system (34), power train (13). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2019 Nissan Leaf get?

The EPA rates the 2019 Nissan Leaf at 104–112 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 28, 2026