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2012 Nissan Leaf problems & recalls

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 Nissan Leaf and owners have filed 57 complaints. The most-reported area is service brakes (22 complaints). 6 complaints describe a crash.

Recalls
0
Complaints
57
Crash reports
6
Fire reports
0
Injuries
6

Recalls (0)

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 Leaf.

Owner complaints (57)

What owners reported to NHTSA, by component. One complaint can name several components.

  • Service brakes22
  • Electrical system15
  • Air bags11
  • Vehicle speed control4
  • Visibility/wiper3
  • Seat belts3
  • Engine2
  • Seats2
  • Unknown or other2
  • Electronic stability control (esc)2
  • Fuel/propulsion system1
  • Hybrid propulsion system1

Complaints over time

Jul 2012: 1 complaintAug 2012: 1 complaintSep 2012: 1 complaintOct 2012: 0 complaintsNov 2012: 0 complaintsDec 2012: 1 complaintJan 2013: 0 complaintsFeb 2013: 2 complaintsMar 2013: 1 complaintApr 2013: 1 complaintMay 2013: 0 complaintsJun 2013: 2 complaintsJul 2013: 1 complaintAug 2013: 2 complaintsSep 2013: 1 complaintOct 2013: 2 complaintsNov 2013: 0 complaintsDec 2013: 0 complaintsJan 2014: 0 complaintsFeb 2014: 0 complaintsMar 2014: 0 complaintsApr 2014: 0 complaintsMay 2014: 2 complaintsJun 2014: 0 complaintsJul 2014: 0 complaintsAug 2014: 2 complaintsSep 2014: 1 complaintOct 2014: 0 complaintsNov 2014: 1 complaintDec 2014: 1 complaintJan 2015: 0 complaintsFeb 2015: 1 complaintMar 2015: 1 complaintApr 2015: 1 complaintMay 2015: 0 complaintsJun 2015: 0 complaintsJul 2015: 0 complaintsAug 2015: 1 complaintSep 2015: 1 complaintOct 2015: 0 complaintsNov 2015: 0 complaintsDec 2015: 0 complaintsJan 2016: 0 complaintsFeb 2016: 0 complaintsMar 2016: 2 complaintsApr 2016: 0 complaintsMay 2016: 0 complaintsJun 2016: 2 complaintsJul 2016: 0 complaintsAug 2016: 0 complaintsSep 2016: 0 complaintsOct 2016: 0 complaintsNov 2016: 0 complaintsDec 2016: 0 complaintsJan 2017: 0 complaintsFeb 2017: 0 complaintsMar 2017: 1 complaintApr 2017: 1 complaintMay 2017: 0 complaintsJun 2017: 0 complaintsJul 2017: 0 complaintsAug 2017: 0 complaintsSep 2017: 0 complaintsOct 2017: 0 complaintsNov 2017: 0 complaintsDec 2017: 0 complaintsJan 2018: 0 complaintsFeb 2018: 0 complaintsMar 2018: 0 complaintsApr 2018: 0 complaintsMay 2018: 0 complaintsJun 2018: 0 complaintsJul 2018: 2 complaintsAug 2018: 0 complaintsSep 2018: 0 complaintsOct 2018: 0 complaintsNov 2018: 1 complaintDec 2018: 0 complaintsJan 2019: 0 complaintsFeb 2019: 1 complaintMar 2019: 0 complaintsApr 2019: 1 complaintMay 2019: 0 complaintsJun 2019: 0 complaintsJul 2019: 0 complaintsAug 2019: 0 complaintsSep 2019: 1 complaintOct 2019: 1 complaintNov 2019: 1 complaintDec 2019: 1 complaintJan 2020: 1 complaintFeb 2020: 0 complaintsMar 2020: 1 complaintApr 2020: 0 complaintsMay 2020: 0 complaintsJun 2020: 0 complaintsJul 2020: 0 complaintsAug 2020: 1 complaintSep 2020: 0 complaintsOct 2020: 0 complaintsNov 2020: 0 complaintsDec 2020: 0 complaintsJan 2021: 0 complaintsFeb 2021: 0 complaintsMar 2021: 0 complaintsApr 2021: 0 complaintsMay 2021: 0 complaintsJun 2021: 0 complaintsJul 2021: 0 complaintsAug 2021: 2 complaintsSep 2021: 0 complaintsOct 2021: 0 complaintsNov 2021: 0 complaintsDec 2021: 0 complaintsJan 2022: 0 complaintsFeb 2022: 0 complaintsMar 2022: 1 complaintApr 2022: 0 complaintsMay 2022: 0 complaintsJun 2022: 0 complaintsJul 2022: 1 complaintAug 2022: 0 complaintsSep 2022: 0 complaintsOct 2022: 0 complaintsNov 2022: 0 complaintsDec 2022: 0 complaintsJan 2023: 0 complaintsFeb 2023: 0 complaintsMar 2023: 0 complaintsApr 2023: 1 complaintMay 2023: 0 complaintsJun 2023: 1 complaintJul 2023: 0 complaintsAug 2023: 2 complaintsSep 2023: 0 complaintsOct 2023: 0 complaintsNov 2023: 0 complaintsDec 2023: 0 complaintsJan 2024: 0 complaintsFeb 2024: 0 complaintsMar 2024: 0 complaintsApr 2024: 0 complaintsMay 2024: 0 complaintsJun 2024: 0 complaintsJul 2024: 1 complaintAug 2024: 0 complaintsSep 2024: 0 complaintsOct 2024: 0 complaintsNov 2024: 0 complaintsDec 2024: 0 complaintsJan 2025: 1 complaintFeb 2025: 0 complaintsMar 2025: 0 complaintsApr 2025: 0 complaintsMay 2025: 0 complaintsJun 2025: 0 complaintsJul 2025: 0 complaintsAug 2025: 0 complaintsSep 2025: 0 complaintsOct 2025: 0 complaintsNov 2025: 0 complaintsDec 2025: 0 complaintsJan 2026: 0 complaintsFeb 2026: 1 complaint2013201520172019202120232025
Complaints filed per month. Peak: 2 in Feb 2013. Hover a bar for its count.
Complaints filed per month
MonthComplaints
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Recent owner reports

Feb 21, 2026Electrical system

High voltage battery keeps shorting out stalling while driving on interstate almost got hit by 18 wheeler a few times it's a very unsafe car to drive and I keep smelling something like an odor from the battery I've been trying to get help to do the door ship Nissan consumer affairs and seem to be getting nowhere and they're letting me drive a car with a high voltage battery problem that obviously has a short in it help me

Jan 14, 2025Electrical system

Lithium batteries Depletion

Jul 23, 2024Air bags

Dealer is Mike Erdman Nissan Merritt Island Fl 32953 Airbag warning light flashing red on console. Paid $260 for diagnostic check on July 21, 2024. They cannot fix it as an airbag sensor on the passenger side seat is malfunctioning and the entire passenger side seat must be replaced and part is not available or is no longer in stock. They MAY be able to locate an entire seat Nissan Leaf 2012 somewhere, but if they do (and they said probably not) it will cost $4000.00. The seat is no longer made by Nissan and after market seats would not meet safety standards (they said). There is a published…

Aug 28, 2023Air bags

My Nissan Leaf is showing a warning sign that front passenger side airbag is disabled. I see that this is a common complaint from many 2011-12 Nissan Leaf owners. I would like to add my name to the list of owners who had a similar complaint and please update if you make Nissan do a recall for this issue.

Aug 19, 2023Electrical system, Engine

Car stops completely due to a defective battery should be recalled by dealer manufacturer

Jun 27, 2023Air bags, Service brakes

The brakes on the vehicle jerk alot when going under 15, causing everyone in the vehicle to get jerked forward multiple times and are touchy resulting in almost being in an accident. Airbag sensor for front passenger also no longer works and Nissan refuses to repair any defect

Apr 1, 2023Air bags

The passenger occupancy sensor has failed and as a result the passenger airbag is now permanently off, as indicated on the console. The dashboard airbag and general error lights are now constantly flashing as well. The dealer indicated the failure is the mat in the seat, OBD code B1018, and there is no repair for this failure. I see there are mutiple complaints online about this same problem on 2011-2012 LEAFs, and that NHTSA had opened an investigation. Do I have some recourse here? I am concerned to have people ride in the vehicle with no airbag.

Jul 13, 2022Electrical system, Air bags, Seats

I believe my newly purchased 2012 Nissan LEAF is suffering from the same passenger-side airbag faulty sensor problem that has been documented in NHTSA case id: 11234415. I am experiencing the same flashing warning lights when I operate the vehicle. There are no signs of damage or tampering with the passenger-side seat. I will do my best to make the vehicle available for inspection upon request. I am worried that the faulty senor, if unfixed, might be shutting off the whole airbag deployment safety system. If it is doing that, Nissan MUST recall these vehicles for repair! A previous owner to…

Nissan Leaf news

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall and complaint records, updated Oct 1, 2026. Complaints are owner reports and are not verified by NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.