KnownCarProblems2021 Nissan Leaf Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Nissan Leaf, most often about the electrical (57% of complaints). It is 9th of 17 Leaf model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
Most common 2021 Nissan Leaf problems
Electrical
32 complaints · 57%The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The vehicle was taken to a charging station, and while driving at 5 MPH, entering the driveway, the battery burst into flames. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was similar to NHTSA campaign number: 24v700000 (electrical system). The…
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while charging the lithium battery, the message that the battery had overheated was displayed. While driving on the freeway, the battery rapidly lost charge without warning. The vehicle decelerated to 5 MPH before stalling in the middle of the road. The…
Other or unspecified
13 complaints · 23%Fuel system
9 complaints · 16%Visibility and wipers
6 complaints · 11%Engine
6 complaints · 11%The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system). The contact stated that while at a dealer charging the vehicle for approximately 15- 20 minutes, there was a fire coming from the front of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the fire…
Driver assistance
5 complaints · 9%Parts named most often: warnings, automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection.
Transmission
3 complaints · 5%Backup camera
3 complaints · 5%Parts named most often: warnings.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v071000 (back over prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2021 Nissan Leaf recalls
Electrical: software
Risk: A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to use level 3 quick charging until the remedy is completed. Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed june 16, 2026. Owners may contact nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is r25c8. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning october 4, 2025.
Full defect summary
Nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2022 leaf vehicles equipped with a level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during level 3 charging.
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."
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 2021 Nissan Leaf
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Nissan Leaf?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (32 complaints); other or unspecified (13 complaints); fuel system (9 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2021 Nissan Leaf have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 30, 2025 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2021 a bad year for the Nissan Leaf?
- It is 9th of 17 Leaf model years by number of complaints, with 56 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.