2021 Nissan Leaf reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Nissan Leaf holds 55 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 4 per year. Leaf years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 4 complaints per year. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Traction battery, Camera, and Speed control.

2012 Nissan Leaf — Photo by Vauxford, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (32 of 55), then Fuel and propulsion system (9) and Engine (6). The most filings arrived in 2026 (23 of 55). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Leaf has 165 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Nissan Leaf. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (4)

Recall electrical system, propulsion system, traction battery 2025-10-01 · NHTSA campaign 25V655000

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.

Remedy 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.

Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2024-02-02 · NHTSA campaign 24V071000

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."

Remedy 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.

Recall Speed control 2023-07-17 · NHTSA campaign 23V494000

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.

Remedy 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.

Recall Owner's manual 2023-02-02 · NHTSA campaign 23V048000

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."

Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (55 total)

Electrical system

Fuel and propulsion system

Engine

Visibility and wipers

Back-over prevention

Forward collision avoidance

Powertrain

Air bags

Exterior lighting

Lane departure

Service brakes

Wheels

Show 4 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Incident Summary & Ineffective Recall Remedy: I am reporting an acute high-voltage battery cell collapse on my 2021 Nissan LEAF (VIN: [XXX]). The vehicle previously received the software update for NHTSA Recall #25V655…"
Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-13
"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…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-31
"A recall fix was done for the back up camera about a year ago. That was a national recall for an issue with the system. My car started the same exact issue about 3 weeks ago. No back up camera, pink or blue screen,…"
Unknown or other, Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-24
"Our vehicle was affected by recall 25V655 for defective battery. The vehicle was serviced at the Nissan dealer and the software update to resolve the recall was applied. Yesterday the vehicle spontaneously combusted…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-26
"Recall for FAST CHARGE LEVEL 3 CHADEMO has been issued for over 6 months. I am advised not to fast charge due to risk of devastating fire. Very dangerous to continue to use this car in an urban setting. Buyback was…"
Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-06-22

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Nissan LEAF (40 KWh Battery) 5 HB FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2021 Nissan LEAF PLUS (62 KWh Battery) 5 HB FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Leaf (40 kW-hr battery pack)	—	Automatic (1-speed)	Front-wheel drive	123	99	111 MPG / 149 mi range	$700
Leaf (62 kW-hr battery pack)	—	Automatic (1-speed)	Front-wheel drive	118	97	108 MPG / 226 mi range	$700
Leaf SV/SL (62 kW-hr battery pack)	—	Automatic (1-speed)	Front-wheel drive	114	94	104 MPG / 215 mi range	$750

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (ZE1), 2018–present

Body styles Hatchback

Tire size 205/55R16, 215/50R17 (trim dependent)

Compare

Previous year 2020 Nissan Leaf See every Nissan Leaf model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Nissan Leaf reliable?

What are common problems with a 2021 Nissan Leaf?

Is the 2021 Nissan Leaf more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Leaf has 165 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Nissan Leaf been recalled?

The 2021 Nissan Leaf has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Nissan Leaf?

Owners have filed 55 complaints about the 2021 Nissan Leaf with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Nissan Leaf get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Nissan Leaf is 107.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

Does the Nissan Leaf use engine oil?

Battery-electric versions have no conventional engine oil change; follow the owner's manual for reduction gear and other fluids.

What generation is the 2019 Nissan Leaf?

2nd generation / ZE1 (2018-on).

What tire sizes does a Nissan Leaf use?

Common US sizes include 205/55R16 and 215/50R17 depending on trim.