2012 Nissan Leaf: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 57 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
57
Complaints
0
Recalls
6
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
6
Injuries
126.3
Severity index
Severity index 126.3 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Nissan Leaf ranks 15 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 88% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | 22 | 38.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 15 | 26.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 11 | 19.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 | 7.0% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 | 5.3% |
| SEAT BELTS | 3 | 5.3% |
| ENGINE | 2 | 3.5% |
| SEATS | 2 | 3.5% |
The single most-reported system is SERVICE BRAKES, cited in 22 of 57 complaints (38.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.