2021 Nissan Leaf recalls and problems

The 2021 Nissan Leaf has 4 safety recalls and 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Nissan dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
59
Crashes / fires
2 / 5
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2021 Nissan Leaf vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2021 Nissan Leaf recalls

Recall 25V-655: Electrical System

Reported Sep 30, 2025 · 19,077 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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.

Risk: A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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 24V-071: Back Over Prevention

Reported Feb 2, 2024 · 57,914 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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."

Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 23V-494: Vehicle Speed Control

Reported Jul 17, 2023 · 66,159 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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.

Risk: Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 23V-048: Equipment, Visibility

Reported Feb 2, 2023 · 64,732 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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."

Risk: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

2021 Nissan Leaf problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Electrical System34
Unknown or Other14
Fuel/Propulsion System10
Visibility/Wiper6
Engine6
Forward Collision Avoidance4
Power Train4
Back Over Prevention3
Air Bags2
Exterior Lighting2
Lane Departure1
Wheels1

Most reported parts

  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings — 2
  • Back Over Prevention › Warnings — 2
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 2
  • Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 30,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2021 Nissan Leaf complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Electrical System · reported Nov 5, 2026
I purchased a 2021 Nissan Leaf used on 9/9/2026 from CarMax Burbank with unrepaired NHTSA recalls 25V-655 and 24V-700 documented in my sale paperwork. The salesman told us they were simple recall repairs, nothing to worry about. When I took the car in, the authorized dealer's service advisor warned that the recall reprogramming could likely leave the vehicle inoperable if a battery fault code appeared, and recommended returning the car to CarMax because it was on a stop sale with no batteries available. A CarMax service consultant dismissed the warning as a scare tactic from that specific…
Vehicle Speed Control · reported Oct 21, 2026
So on October 1st, my car, my nissan Leaf went into turtle mode for the first time. And then yesterday, while I was on the highway, it went into turtle mode, dropped down to 50 miles per hour, and I got off the highway, and the car wouldn't move anymore. I had to turn off the car, wait a couple minutes, and turn it back on, and then it worked again. I was told to contact the dealer to get a car rental. The dealer said that they don't have any loaners available and that other customers are waiting. I contacted Nissan, and Nissan is using a third party called Morley to handle this, and Nissan's…
Forward Collision Avoidance · reported Sep 29, 2026
The Automatic Emergency Braking system on my 2021 Nissan Leaf S Plus engaged erroneously (phantom braking) twice. One time was on a sunny day in August 2026 when I had just backed out of my driveway onto my residential street. There was a person walking well to the right side of the road about 100 feet ahead of me. I had just finished backing out and put the car in drive and stepped on the accelerator when the AEB system suddenly engaged despite there being nothing at all directly in front of the car. The second incident was in August or September 2026 when I had come to a stop at a stop sign…
Engine · at 25,000 miles · reported Aug 31, 2026
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 minutes, there was a fire coming from the front of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the fire department after several hours. A Police report was not filed. No injuries, medical attention, or damages were reported. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 25,000.
Back Over Prevention · reported Aug 24, 2026
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, glitchy. I contacted Nissan about it and it didn't seem like they wanted to make the repair again or fix the issue at no cost. I was wondering if other owners have had the same issue and if you can intervene. Thank you

Other Nissan Leaf years

Compare all Nissan Leaf years · All Nissan models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2021 Nissan Leaf: 25V-655 (electrical system), 24V-071 (back over prevention), 23V-494 (vehicle speed control), 23V-048 (equipment, visibility). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Nissan Leaf?

Owners report electrical system problems most often (34 reports), followed by unknown or other (14). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 30,000 miles.

Are Nissan recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Nissan dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.