Photo: Mr.choppers / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2020 Nissan Leaf: common problems and reliability
One of the worst Leaf years.
One of the Nissan Leaf years to avoid. All Leaf years
330 owner complaints, most about electrical system. 6 recalls.
Should I buy a 2020 Leaf?The 2020 Nissan Leaf has 330 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 6 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and fuel/propulsion system.
Safety record for the 2020 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2020 Nissan Leaf vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Leaf years only. How we score it
Is 2020 a good year for the Leaf?
Across the 17 Leaf model years we track, complaint volume runs from 1 (2010) to 383 (2019). With 330 complaints, the 2020 Leaf sits above the model's median of 57.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2020 Leaf
back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Campaign 20V412000Nissan 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."
visibility:glass, side/rear
Campaign 20V570000Nissan 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.
equipment:other:owners/service/other manual
Campaign 23V048000Nissan 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."
vehicle speed control
Campaign 23V494000Nissan 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.
Show 2 more recalls
back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Campaign 24V071000Nissan 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."
electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Campaign 24V700000Nissan 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.
What owners say across generations
Sentiment is sharply divided by generation and use case.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Leaf. See the full Leaf owner picture and every model year.
Other Leaf model years
Compare every Leaf year side by side to see how 2020 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Leaf against its rivals
Looking at a specific car?
We're building a full check by VIN: the exact trim and engine, its known problems and recalls, what to inspect, a fair price, and how it compares with its rivals. Get an email when it's ready.
One email when it launches. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy