Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan Leaf, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system123
- Fuel/propulsion system35
- Unknown or other23
- Power train14
- Engine8
- Forward collision avoidance7
- Back over prevention5
- Service brakes3
- Visibility/wiper3
- Vehicle speed control2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2020 Nissan Leaf failed the safety check 1.78% of the time — 51% more often than the average 2020 passenger car (1.18%). Median odometer at inspection: 22,347 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2020
30,702 new Nissan Leaf cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2020; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (8,207), Norway (5,222), Germany (3,595).
- Average mass
- 1,641 kg
- Average CO₂
- 0 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 127 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Electric 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the Netherlands
1,537 first registered in 2020 are on Dutch roads; 12% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €39,841.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde497
- Band onvoldoende profiel269
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht230
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld140
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm134
- Band beschadigd102
- Mistlicht voor onjuist afgesteld28
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd27
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
7,309 cars built in 2020 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 105 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 7,983 of these cars first registered in 2020 took their annual MOT test. 91% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2020 the figure was 88%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.1% | 4.9% |
| Visibility | 2.0% | 2.8% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.5% | 3.0% |
| Brakes | 1.2% | 1.8% |
| Suspension | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Road Wheels | 0.2% | 0.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
375 of these cars first registered in 2020 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 80,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,112 2020 cars are on the New Zealand register; 87% arrived as used imports, 12% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Nissan LEAF (40 KWh Battery) 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.7 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2020 Nissan Leaf.
| 2024542 19 Sept 2024 | High Voltage Issue: On certain vehicles, the high-voltage battery could overheat while using level 3 quick charging. As a result, the battery could create smoke or heat, w… |
| 2024068 5 Feb 2024 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the rearview camera wiring harness could be damaged by movement and vibrations. If this happens, the rearview camera image may not… |
| 2023397 18 Jul 2023 | Powertrain Issue: Under certain conditions, the vehicle may not slow down after you release the accelerator pedal. This problem can only happen after a specific series o… |
| 2023045 8 Feb 2023 | Heater And Defroster Issue: When the temperature is below -10° C, the defroster may not work properly if you follow the instructions in the owner's manual and use the maximum fan … |
| 2020329 20 Jul 2020 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image to disappear on the display. Canadian regulations require the rearvi… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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."
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.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 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 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 LEAF electric vehicles. Under certain circumstances, the images for the back-up camera can disappear while in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Nissan told its dealers about the 2020 Nissan Leaf: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11009069 | LANE CAMERA AIMING VEHICLE REFERENCE VALUES NOT IN ESM SERVICE INFORMATION If the lane camera requires aiming, the values in Table A on page 4 must be used. For all other models/model years, consult the Electronic Service Manual (ESM). |
| 11009068 | DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page) |
| 11004974 | VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND DTCS P31E7 AND P0AA6 STORED IN EV/HEV CONTROL MODULE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11004969 | DTC C1A17-49 OR C2580-49 STORED IN LASER/RADAR This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11004962 | VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11004961 | CAN COMMUNICATION NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11004960 | CAN COMMUNICATION CODES DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11004148 | Subject: REVISION 2 R23D7 2018-2022 LEAF Rear View Camera Inspection - NCIR - Dealer Announcement REVISION 2 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from May 20, 2024 has been revised to include the following: The remedy and parts are now available, please refer to NTB24-034 to remedy any vehicle affected by this campaign Parts for this campaign are on restriction and can be ordered via DBS. The parts restriction will be removed and dealers can order, as needed, via normal ordering process beginning July 19, 2024. Part number 24271-ZW40A (Protector Harness Kit) wi |
| 11004147 | VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2018-2022 LEAF; REAR CAMERA CAMPAIGN ID #: R23D7 APPLIED VEHICLES: 2018-2022 LEAF (ZE1) Check Service COMM or Dealer Business Systems (DBS) National Service History to confirm campaign eligibility. INTRODUCTION Nissan is conducting this voluntary safety recall campaign on certain specific model year 2018-2022 LEAF vehicles to inspect the rear camera operation and either add support to the rear camera harness or, if necessary, replace the rear camera. This service will be performed at no charge to the customer for parts or labor. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Nissan has |
| 11001208 | AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001201 | WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001194 | REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 11001191 | WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10251538 | DTC P18B1 STORED IN THE SHIFT CONTROL UNIT IF YOU CONFIRM DTC P18B1 for CONTROL MODULE is stored in the Shift Control Unit. ACTION Follow the SERVICE PROCEDURE in this bulletin to: 1. Confirm the current Shift Control Unit part number. 2. Reprogram the Shift Control Unit, if applicable. |
| 10251535 | SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin is no longer active. To access infotainment software updates via the Infotainment Software Update Utility: Select SPECIALTY TOOLS, and then select Infotainment Software Updates on the left side of ASIST. Please discard previous versions of NTB23-018. |
| 10249914 | SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin is no longer active. To access infotainment software updates via the Infotainment Software Update Utility: Select SPECIALTY TOOLS, and then select Infotainment Software Updates on the left side of ASIST. HINT: Initially, the Infotainment Software Update Utility will be available only on the CONSULT PC version of ASIST. The Utility will be added to ASIST WEB at a later date. Please discard previous versions of NTB23-018. |
| 10249898 | TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10243708 | DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10242148 | SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10242141 | SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10240538 | HORN INOPERATIVE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10239063 | LIB PACK INTERCHANGEABILITY SERVICE INFORMATION 40kWh Lithium-ion Battery (LiB) Packs are now interchangeable between 2018-2023 vehicles. For Example: 2018-2022 LEAF 40kWh LiB packs can be used on 2023 LEAF 40kWh vehicles and 2023 LEAF 40kWh LiB packs can be used on 2018-2022 LEAF vehicles. IMPORTANT: The LiB modules and the Li-ion Battery Controller (LBC) are not interchangeable between LiB packs. If a LiB module or the LBC requires replacement, do not look up the part number in EPC using the VIN. Use the installed LiB module or LBC part number to determine the correct LiB mod |
| 10239062 | SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components. |
| 10239060 | 12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect Test with DCA and Replace results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. |
| 10235775 | SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR INFOTAINMENT ISSUES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation