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2011 Nissan LEAF: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

95 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

27,863 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 76 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 35 of 95 complaints (36.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2627.4%
Electrical and battery issues2526.3%
Transmission and shifting44.2%
Steering behavior22.1%
Engine operation11.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
35
Electrical System
28
Service Brakes
16
Seats
7
Vehicle Speed Control
5
Fuel/Propulsion System
4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4
Unknown Or Other
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags35
Electrical System28
Service Brakes16
Seats7
Vehicle Speed Control5
Fuel/Propulsion System4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Unknown Or Other4

Air Bags: 35; Electrical System: 28; Service Brakes: 16; Seats: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
35
25,000 to 49,999
21
50,000 to 74,999
12
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
3
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00035
25,000 to 49,99921
50,000 to 74,99912
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9993
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 21; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 19 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011
7
2012
15
2013
4
2014
10
2015
5
2016
6
2017
6
2018
6
2019
13
2020
6
2021
5
2022
3
2023
5
2024
2
2025
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20117
201215
20134
201410
20155
20166
20176
20186
201913
20206
20215
20223
20235
20242
20252

2011: 7; 2012: 15; 2013: 4; 2014: 10; 2015: 5; 2016: 6; 2017: 6; 2018: 6; 2019: 13; 2020: 6; 2021: 5; 2022: 3; 2023: 5; 2024: 2; 2025: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 25 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10415124 · 2011-07-25 (July 25, 2011)

I WAS ACCELERATING AFTER GETTING ON THE FREEWAY HEADING NORTH AND SLIGHTLY UPHILL I MIGHT HAVE BEEN PEAKING AT 55MPH WHEN THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SLAMMED HIS BRAKES ON. I DID THE SAME AND I HEAR MY TIRES SCREECHING , I PRESUMED THAT THEY WERE LOCKING. HOWEVER I DID MAINTAIN MY DIRECTION AND DIDN'T SEEM TO LOOSE CONTROL. WHEN I REALIZED I WOULD NOT REAR-END THE TRUCK I LEFT MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. I WAS ALARMED WHEN MY TIRES WERE STILL LOCKED AND REMAINED LOCKED FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A VERY LONG HALF SECOND. BY THAT TIME I THINK I WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415124 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10415264 · 2011-07-26 (July 26, 2011)

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING APPROPRIATELY 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SWERVED IN TO MY LANE AND BRAKED HARD IN FRONT OF ME. WITH NO PLACE TO GO ON EITHER SIDE OF ME, I WAS FORCED TO BRAKE FAST AND HARD. THE ABS KICKED IN AS EXPECTED BUT ONCE I HAD DECELERATED TO A POINT WHERE I KNEW A COLLISION WAS NOT IMMINENT AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED BREAKING VERY HARD. IT TOOK THE BETTER PART OF A SECOND WITH MY FOOT NOW COMPLETELY OFF THE BRAKE BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY RELEASED. IN THIS TIME, …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,786 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415264 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10415888 · 2011-07-26 (July 26, 2011)

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY, I HIT THE BRAKES HARD TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I DECELERATED TO ABOUT 30MPH WHILE VEERING TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER CAR. TO INFORM THE RAPIDLY APPROACHING CAR BEHIND ME, I TAPPED MY BRAKES ABOUT 4-5 TIMES A SECOND TO FLASH MY TAILLIGHTS. AT THAT POINT THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND MY CAR RAPIDLY DECELERATED EVEN THOUGH I HAD REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER ABOUT 1/3-1/2 SECOND, THE BRAKES RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CONTINUE DR…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,620 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10422865 · 2011-09-01 (September 1, 2011)

I HAVE DEFINITELY NOTICED THE BRAKING ASSIST DISPLAYING A MIND OF ITS OWN, THOUGH NEVER ON THE FREEWAY AS YET. SOMETIMES I JUST TAP THE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES APPLY MUCH MORE THAN I WAS PUSHING. OTHER TIMES THE BRAKES APPLY NORMALLY, BUT DO NOT RELEASE IMMEDIATELY AFTER RELEASING THE PEDAL. NISSAN...SOMETHING IS UP HERE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10422865 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10428350 · 2011-10-03 (October 3, 2011)

ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY WORKING AS DESIGNED, THE PEDESTRIAN WARNING SOUND ON THE NISSAN LEAF IS INAUDIBLE TO ANY WITH MODERATE HEARING PROBLEMS, INCLUDING A GREAT MANY OF THE ELDERLY. THE PITCH IS TOO HIGH. LIVING IN A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10428350 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10435269 · 2011-11-11 (November 11, 2011)

I BORROWED A LEAF FROM A CO-WORKER TO DRIVE OVERNIGHT. I PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY (NOT BY A PLUG) AND PLUGGED THE 110V CHARGER INTO AN EXTENSION CORD TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. I AWOKE AT MIDNIGHT TO A STRONG BURNED PLASTIC/OZONE TYPE SMELL IN MY BEDROOM, WHICH IS ABOVE THE GARAGE. I WENT TO THE GARAGE AND FOUND THE EXTENSION CORD WAS OVERHEATING, MELTING THE PLASTIC INSULATION FROM THE WIRING. I DISCONNECTED IT, OPENED DOORS FOR A WHILE TO AIR OUT THE HOUSE AND WENT BACK TO BED. GLAD I HAD ENOUGH BATTERY TO GET TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING. MY CONCERN…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10435269 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10437414 · 2011-11-27 (November 27, 2011)

WHILE BRAKING LIGHTLY AND NOT SUDDEN TO TURN INTO A SHOPPING CENTER, THE LEAF APPLIED FULL BRAKES AND DID NOT RELEASE THE BRAKES UNTIL THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10437414 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10444875 · 2012-01-23 (January 23, 2012)

I NOTICED THE BRAKING DEFECT SOON AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF MY LEAF. SIMILARLY TO THE OTHER RESPONDENTS, THE CONTINUANCE TO BRAKING AFTER THE PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED OCCURS AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN AT PARKING LOT SPEEDS, ON THE FREEWAY, AND AT ALL SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DISCERN ANY PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT SEEMS TO 'CAUSE' THE PHENOMENON. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS TO TWO SEPARATE NISSAN DEALERSHIP SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES (AT DOWNTOWN NISSAN OF LOS ANGELES, AND UNIVERSAL CITY NISSAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10444875 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.