CarRecallWatchThe 2013 Nissan Leaf has 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA, including 11 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries.
The most-reported problem area is Service Brakes (32 reports).
2013 Nissan Leaf recalls
Defroster Instructions Error Can Reduce Windshield Visibility
Certain 2013-2017 Nissan LEAF vehicles have incorrect defroster operating instructions in the Owner's Manual.
Passenger airbag may stay off in a crash
The front passenger occupant classification system can wrongly read an adult as a child, or read an occupied seat as empty.
Brake Relay May Freeze in Cold, Requiring More Pedal Effort
In very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster on certain Nissan Leaf vehicles from the 2013 to 2015 model years may freeze.
Most common 2013 Nissan Leaf problems
Problem areas named in the 81 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 32 |
| Electrical System | 18 |
| Air Bags | 17 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 |
| Wheels | 4 |
| Steering | 4 |
| Seat Belts | 4 |
What owners report
On 3 occasions the brakes have randomly failed when traveling. In 2 cases, stopping ability was non-existent except for the use of the parking brake. In the other case, stopping was significantly decreased. 13-Jan-2025, when traveling straight on a 40mph road towards a busy intersection, when the brakes were applied to slow to the intersection they failed and a red indicator light came on. Stopping ability was significantly reduced, but not completely gone. The car was able to safely divert into a parking lot without incident. When the car was powered off then on, the error went away and the brakes functioned. There were 2 other incidents prior to this, traveling at low speeds in resi
I put the car in park as I was pulling in without turning it off to grab trash from the curb and take it to the car, but the car keep accelerating. I jumped in and slammed on the bricks but it hit the brick wall to the house. I see more recent years were recalled for "unintended acceleration" and "brake issues"
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a whistling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was unofficially diagnosed as a failed air condition hose or a failed air condition line connector. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however, the contact declined to pay the diagnostic fee. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to have the vehicle diagnosed by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
The car suddenly lost power during freeway driving. The brake system appeared compromised. Turning off 12v accessories - which includes safety critical functions such as the defrost blower - was necessary to restore functionality. This is caused by a defective DC-DC converter that fails to properly charge the 12V battery, risking and repeatedly causing sudden loss power, loss of braking, and loss of safety critical functions. This is not the result of damage to the DC-DC converter or other such damage. This is proven by the fact that activation of the wipers triggers the DC-DC converter to temporarily raise the charging voltage to a level sufficient to restore power and charge the 12v batt
The Nissan Leaf has a 6,600 watt charger that is attached to the top of the 26,000 watt electrical motor. A 30 Amp Nissan charging cord connects the 220 volt electrical outlet (dryer) to the Leaf via a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1772 Plug. Unknown to me a desert rat had chewed the insulation down to the wires of the charging cord, leaving the wires bare. The desert rat was not electrocuted because the onboard charger safety system in the vehicle turns off the 220 volts AC before it reaches the car using the control box that is part of the the charging cable. But when I plugged the J1772 Plug into the Leaf Nissan's "safety system" sent 220 volts form the dryer plug to the Nis
2013 Nissan Leaf questions
Does the 2013 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for the 2013 Nissan Leaf: Defroster Instructions Error Can Reduce Windshield Visibility; Passenger airbag may stay off in a crash; Brake Relay May Freeze in Cold, Requiring More Pedal Effort; Air Bags:Frontal; Electrical System:Software; Air Bags. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Leaf?
Based on 81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Service Brakes (32), Electrical System (18), Air Bags (17).
How do I check if a recall on my 2013 Nissan Leaf has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.