2018 Nissan Leaf problems
Owners have filed 117 complaints about the 2018 Nissan Leaf with NHTSA. Service brakes account for 16.2% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of electrical system at 15.4%.
Complaints117
Crashes19
Fires3
Injuries4
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Service brakes 16.2% · 19
Electrical system 15.4% · 18
Forward collision avoidance 14.5% · 17
Vehicle speed control 10.3% · 12
Fuel/propulsion system 10.3% · 12
Unknown or other 6.0% · 7
Engine 5.1% · 6
Air bags 4.3% · 5
Severity
Of those complaints, 19 describe a crash, 3 describe a fire and 4 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 7 model years of the Nissan Leaf in this data, 2018 draws comparatively few complaints; 2019 is the outlier year.
Filings are rising — 52 in the last three years against 38 in the three before. For a vehicle this age that usually points to a wear-related failure owners are hitting now.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 7,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Twice now - both times on the South Bound Richmond Bridge, the Automatic Emergency Braking lights came on and slammed on my brakes for me, as if I was about to crash when I was going 65 mils per hour, no one in front or behind me and no traffic, accident or reason. I almost lost control of the vehicle and would have caused an accident had anyone been closer to me. Service brakes
I was driving alone at 4:20pm at about 30 mph, with no other cars or pedestrians around when the brakes suddenly activated, and the accelerator went to idle. The braking lasted about one second and did not stop the car completely. This occurred on a city street. These events have been happening several times a month. Service brakes · reported at 19,000 miles
On the street we use to leave our neighborhood, there is one section of the cement that is a little taller than the one before it.Intermittently, the automatic breaking will be set off in this spot for no reason. It is alarming! We are also worried it will happen on a busy street and cause an accident. Service brakes · reported at 12,000 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…