2021 Nissan Leaf Problems, Recalls & Reliability
77 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Nissan Leaf, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 32/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports.
Typical
Where 2021 sits among all Leaf years
What owners report
“I currently have a recall on my Nissan 2021 Leaf SV Plus. There is an issue with the level 3 charging which can result in fire to the vehicle. As a result, I’m unable to rapid charge. Nissan has failed to remedy the issue or offer any attempts to fix this recall. I’m unable to charge my vehicle at…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Leaf
Recalls (4)
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.
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…
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…
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.…
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.
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…
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…
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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
83 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and driver assistance — are on file for the 2021 Nissan Leaf. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2021 Nissan Leaf reliable?
The 2021 Nissan Leaf drew 77 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 32/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2021 Nissan Leaf problems?
The top reported problems for the 2021 Nissan Leaf are electrical (33 complaints), other (12), and fuel system (8).
Does the 2021 Nissan Leaf have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 Nissan Leaf. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.