KnownCarProblems2018 Nissan Leaf Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 67 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Leaf, most often about the brakes (28% of complaints, typically around 12,000 miles). It is 7th of 17 Leaf model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
Most common 2018 Nissan Leaf problems
Brakes
19 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 12,000 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.
Was driving at approx. 30 MPH alone on a local highway with no traffic around, no pedestrians or obstructions in the road, when the accelerator disengaged and the brakes came on. The braking only lasted about one to two seconds and did not stop the car. A triangular warning sign appeared on the dash during the…
Electrical
19 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 38,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-65 MPH uphill, the vehicle went into protective safe mode due to a faulty signal, and would no longer exceed 20-25 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that it was a known failure that occurred in…
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was a rapid battery discharge. There was no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately…
Driver assistance
13 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, warnings.
Was driving at approx. 30 MPH alone on a local highway with no traffic around, no pedestrians or obstructions in the road, when the accelerator disengaged and the brakes came on. The braking only lasted about one to two seconds and did not stop the car. A triangular warning sign appeared on the dash during the…
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.
Fuel system
13 complaints · 19%Speed control
12 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 3,000 miles.
Nissan Leaf with pro-pilot assist package. Intermittently the system warning light for automatic forward emergency braking and/or lane keep assist will flash indicating system unavailable. This has occurred on multiple ovassions and at various locations. Dealer has been unable to isolate cause or effect repair. I also…
The vehicle's blind spot detector turns off at low speeds potentially putting the driver at risk if the driver depends on the blind spot detector. The collision avoidance system is unreliable. When the car in front switches lanes and there is a stopped car in front the vehicle starts to slow down but releases the…
Other or unspecified
7 complaints · 10%Nissan Leaf with pro-pilot assist package. Intermittently the system warning light for automatic forward emergency braking and/or lane keep assist will flash indicating system unavailable. This has occurred on multiple ovassions and at various locations. Dealer has been unable to isolate cause or effect repair. I also…
The vehicle's blind spot detector turns off at low speeds potentially putting the driver at risk if the driver depends on the blind spot detector. The collision avoidance system is unreliable. When the car in front switches lanes and there is a stopped car in front the vehicle starts to slow down but releases the…
Engine
7 complaints · 10%Steering
5 complaints · 8%
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Nissan Leaf recalls
Backup camera: camera
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed august 9, 2024. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is r23d7.
Full defect summary
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."
Speed control: vehicle speed control
Risk: Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (vcm), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed august 30, 2023. Owners may contact nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is r23a6.
Full defect summary
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.
Equipment: owners/service/other manual
Risk: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed april 1, 2023. Owners may contact nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is r22c5.
Full defect summary
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."
Backup camera: camera
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began november 11, 2019 and all affected vins should be activated. Owners may contact nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or infiniti customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 nissan altima, armada, frontier, kicks, leaf, maxima, murano, nv, nv200, pathfinder, rogue, rogue sport, sentra, titan, titan diesel, versa note and versa sedan vehicles, as well as infiniti q50, q60, qx30 and qx80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 nissan gt-r and taxi and infiniti qx50, qx60, q70, q70l vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 111, "rear visibility."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under odi number 11486072. Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Questions about the 2018 Nissan Leaf
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Leaf?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: brakes (19 complaints, typically around 12,000 miles); electrical (19 complaints, typically around 38,000 miles); driver assistance (13 complaints, typically around 500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Leaf have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 2, 2024 (backup camera). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Nissan Leaf?
- It is 7th of 17 Leaf model years by number of complaints, with 67 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.