2021 Nissan Leaf

Photo: Mr.choppers / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

2021 Nissan Leaf: common problems and reliability

One of the weaker Leaf years.

60 owner complaints, most about electrical system. 4 recalls.

Should I buy a 2021 Leaf?

The 2021 Nissan Leaf has 60 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and fuel/propulsion system.

Safety record for the 2021 model year

60
Owner complaints
4
Recalls
2
Crash reports
7
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2021 Nissan Leaf vehicles (US, public record).

The Year Score compares this year with other Leaf years only. How we score it

Is 2021 a good year for the Leaf?

Across the 17 Leaf model years we track, complaint volume runs from 1 (2010) to 383 (2019). With 60 complaints, the 2021 Leaf sits about the same as 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

electrical system
34
fuel/propulsion system
10
engine
7
visibility/wiper
6
back over prevention
4

Recalls affecting the 2021 Leaf

equipment:other:owners/service/other manual

Campaign 23V048000

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."

vehicle speed control

Campaign 23V494000

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.

back over prevention: sensing system: camera

Campaign 24V071000

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."

electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery

Campaign 25V655000

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.

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 2021 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Leaf against its rivals

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