Table 1 shows one common electrical system related problems of the 2021 Nissan Leaf.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Electrical System problems |
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 denied and told to wait for a fix. No fix yet! I can't get out of philadelphia in this car. Tesla wouldn't let this happen!.
I own a 2021 Nissan Leaf subject to open recall r25c8 (NHTSA campaign 25v655) for fire risk during level 3 DC fast charging. The recall was issued October 2025. Nissan’s stated remedy target was late March 2026. As of today, April 6, 2026, no remedy has been provided. The affected component is the lithium-ion battery pack and its charging system. The vehicle is equipped with a chademo DC fast charging port, which I cannot safely use due to the documented fire risk. I am not avoiding this feature by choice – I am avoiding it because Nissan’s own recall identified it as a safety hazard. On April 6, 2026, I encountered a DC fast charging station and chose not to attempt charging due to the active recall warning, and due to reports that charging networks have begun refusing sessions on recalled vehicles. Diagnostic software shows my battery’s internal resistance index (hx) at 71%, disproportionately low relative to state of health at 87. 5%. The vehicle is also consuming battery charge at an accelerated rate during highway driving, with approximately 50% of charge depleted over 30 to 40 miles. I am concerned that a software-only remedy will be inadequate for a battery with this level of internal resistance degradation, as software cannot compensate for the absence of active thermal management hardware. No dealer has confirmed the condition. I am filing to document loss of vehicle functionality, Nissan’s missed remedy deadline, and concern about remedy adequacy.
This vehicle is subject to NHTSA recall 25v-655 involving the high-voltage traction battery. The recall restricts the vehicle from using DC fast charging (level 3), which significantly limits the safe and practical operation of the vehicle for its intended use. My household must routinely complete 300+ mile one-way trips on a weekly basis. Without DC fast charging capability, the vehicle cannot reliably complete these trips, creating a risk of being stranded or unable to safely reach destinations. Reliance on level 2 charging requires extended delays of 6+ hours, which makes the vehicle impractical for its intended use and inconsistent with reasonable consumer expectations for normal operation. I contacted Nissan north America consumer affairs and was directed to work with the local dealer. I then contacted dick hannah Nissan in gladstone, or, who redirected me back to consumer affairs. As a result, no party is taking responsibility and no remedy or interim solution has been provided. The manufacturer has issued a safety recall but is unable to provide a repair, timeline, or mitigation. The vehicle’s primary propulsion system is effectively restricted, and the vehicle cannot be used as intended for necessary travel. I have requested a loaner or comparable replacement vehicle while awaiting a remedy, but this has not been provided. This unresolved recall creates an ongoing safety and usability issue, and the manufacturer has failed to provide a reasonable interim solution.
I want to be clear about why I opened this case. Per Nissan’s own recall documents, the software update does not repair the defective battery cells, it only detects the issue and may disable the vehicle to prevent a thermal event. Level 3 charging remains unusable, and the underlying defect is still present. Because of this, I am requesting a repurchase or a replacement vehicle. If they say the software will “fully correct the condition”.
See attached document for complaint. I purchased a certified pre-owned Nissan Leaf sv plus on 2/1/2022 specifically for the larger battery capacity and the ability to use a DC fast charger, as this would allow me to drive my electric vehicle wherever I needed to go, including regular trips to seattle from mount vernon. I was notified by Nissan in September 2024 that, due to the possibility that the battery could catch fire while using a DC fast charger, that my vehicle’s battery had been recalled and was instructed not to use a DC charger. They stated a remedy would be available in October 2024. When the date came and went, I contacted Nissan about the issue and the date was pushed to November 2024. Then December 2024, then spring 2025, then fall 2025. After numerous contact attempts to replace my battery, I initiated a buyback with Nissan on 10/16/25. I unexpectedly required medical treatment in October and contacted the Nissan rep on 10/28/25 to inform them of my medical issue and asked they contact my husband. My husband also attempted to contact the rep w/ no response. After coming back home, I found out that my claim was closed—Nissan said I failed to respond. Now, my doctors want me to receive further medical treatments in seattle 3-5 times per week. At this time, my vehicle cannot transport me to the required appointments since I cannot use the fast charger. My medical treatment is delayed until Nissan resolves this!.
*high voltage battery defect/failure - this is what was believed to be the issue when it was towed to the dealership. What is left of it is available for inspection at the dealership for now, however the insurance may take it to a salvage yard since the fire department finished their investigation. *while at the dealership after they spent the day trying to recreate what happened they parked it and planned to try again the next day, then someone walked by and saw smoke coming from the car and called 911. They called it a thermal runaway and it burned for hours before being moved to a safer, emptier lot where it was covered in thousands of pounds of sand. The night before the mileage range dropped roughly 70%, unaware of the recall in our mail that hadn't been opened we stopped to try to charge so we could get home. Thankfully none of the chargers worked since the recall was for a potential fire if plugged into a level 3 charger. We tried to drive home only to end up on the side of the road in total system failure. Police sent incident management to get us to safety. If we had made it home we are told this could have caught our home on fire and would likely have blown up our house and taken neighbors houses out as well. It could hurt more people or structures while they tried to recreate the problem. I understand the dealership had $20k in damages from the fire on top of which my car is clearly a total loss. Homes & businesses nearby had to be evacuated. , what is left of the car has been inspected by the county fire marshall, insurance CO. Police were called, but no investigation. When I called consumer affairs at Nissan, I spoke to 3 different people who said there was nothing they could do. Had one other time 3 weeks earlier that the range dropped significant, we got home plugged it in and it seemed fine. The only warnings said we were low on miles and to stop to charge which would have made things worse, could have killed us if they had worked.
I can’t charge the car. I live in a city without a garage. I 100% need level 3 chademo charging to use this car. Please pressure the automaker to fix it or buy back the vehicle as I cannot use the car. This is unacceptable from Nissan. Lemon!.
The battery has had a recall since October 2025 with no repair update at all. The battery degeneration has cause serious issues and has almost left me stranded multiple times. I haven’t been able to charge at most charging stations due to the limiting of fast chargers and it is very time consuming when I do.
As described in recall 25v-655, lithium deposited have accumulated in the hv battery of my 2021 Nissan Leaf. I haven't used l3 charging since I received the recall notice, but the car often won't charge even on l1 charging. The state of health of the hv battery is still 86% but the internal resistance of the hv battery is down to 44% due to the lithium deposits. The local Nissan dealership won't touch it because Nissan hasn't provided a remedy. It has been over 5 months since I received the recall notice. That doesn't seem very timely.
Nissan has yet to effectively respond to NHTSA recall 25v-655 concerning a fire hazard when fast charging particular Leaf models including the 2021 model year that I own. As a temporary solution Nissan strongly recommends not to fast charge (level 3 charge) until a solution is provided (anticipated by Dec. 31 2025). Nissan customer service has been unable to respond to my query for a revised date and therefore the safety issue is ongoing for an indeterminable time. Meanwhile the safety issue continues leaving my car in a diminished state of use.
Vehicle battery drains significantly after being charged, passenger wiper will not work impairing visibility, back up camera blurs and fails, bright lights would not turn on, I was in a huge rain storm unable to see. Inability to use level 3 charger is disallowing me to be able to use vehicle due to amount of time to charge and battery drain has caused me to be broken down requiring a tow twice due to inaccurate mileage readings, leaving me stranded at night without access to phone service, placing me in an unsafe area/situation.
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 this time.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure; however, due to the recall, the vehicle was unable to be fully charged using the fast charger.
I own a 2021 Nissan Leaf with an open safety recall (NHTSA recall 25v-655, Nissan recall r25c8) issued on September 30, 2025. The recall involves a battery defect that creates a safety risk during DC fast charging (level 3). As a result, I am unable to use public fast-charging networks such as evgo. The recall currently has no remedy available and has been unresolved for over 7 months. I do not have access to home charging, and without fast charging, the vehicle cannot be used in a practical or reasonable way for daily transportation. This has resulted in a complete loss of use of my vehicle and has impacted my ability to work. Nissan has not provided a timeline for repair or an alternative solution such as a loaner or rental reimbursement. This delay is not reasonable, and I am requesting investigation into the lack of remedy and the impact on vehicle usability.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The high-voltage battery on my 2021 Nissan Leaf is subject to recall 25v-655/r25c8. The recall notice states that the battery cells can develop excessive lithium deposits, which increase electrical resistance and can cause rapid battery heating during level 3 fast charging. Nissan instructs owners not to use level 3 charging at all until a “remedy” is available. I have attempted to have the car fixed at two local dealerships, with both stating that they do not have a fix available. The documented "fix" is a software update that slows or disables level 3 charging, which does not resolve the issue, and only disables the vehicle's intended use.
Took car to dealership to charge. Got home and an hour later the battery ignited into a fire. Car was engulfed with smoke ,fire in front of our house. After 4 hours with fire dept trying to put out the fire within battery. . . It still continued to smoke. Hazmat team came out as well. Total loss after having car less than 30 days that I purchased as dealership.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The vehicle was taken to a charging station, and while driving at 5 mph, entering the driveway, the battery burst into flames. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was similar to NHTSA campaign number: 24v700000 (electrical system). The police department was on the scene. The fire department attempted to extinguish the fire, but the battery continued to ignite. The fire marshal from minnesota was contacted for assistance to resolve the matter, and the fire department had taken the battery to a gravel pit. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the nearest dealer, where it remained for a month. The dealer replaced an unknown battery component. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was seldom driven for short distances after the incident, due to safety concerns. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Nucar Nissan of norwood (525 boston providence hwy, norwood, MA 02062) and quirk Nissan (600 southern artery, quincy, MA 02169) were contacted and confirmed that the recall remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
My 2021 Nissan Leaf battery does not hold charge for more than 80 miles. Its has a chademo charger and my daughter could not get to next charger. The car battery has a system issue. The car main battery cells keep dying. Nissan replaced 4 cells last year and now more cells need replacement. These cars are becoming hazards on road as they loose charge state and its not possible to get to the next charging point even on a 230 mile journey. Nissan is aware of the issue but not willing to help proactively. I have been sold a lemon. I know of atleast 4 other families who have same model year cars and all have faced issue with the battery. I would request you all to please look into the matter and make sure the manufacturer is held accountable for not taking action proactively. They are cheating the consumers.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shifted in turtle mode, preventing the vehicle from exceeding 30 mph. The contact stated that there was a message for the ev battery failure and to take the vehicle to the dealer for further analysis. The turtle mode warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the failure was not identified or replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was possibly notified by the local dealer about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
From time to time the bcm (body control module) is stuck in a mode which disables the electric door locking and unlocking as well as the electric window lifters. This state can be fixed by disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery. This issue happened two times recently. It appears to be a sw related issue as other functions of the bcm are still operational. E. G. , the electric rear view mirror adjustment was still operational. The risk of this issue is that the door locks will not be unlocked automatically in case of a crash. Also the windows cannot be opened as an alternative escape opening in case the doors are blocked after an accident.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while charging the lithium battery, the message that the battery had overheated was displayed. While driving on the freeway, the battery rapidly lost charge without warning. The vehicle decelerated to 5 mph before stalling in the middle of the road. The contact ran across a four-lane highway to safety. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The contact received information about NHTSA campaign number: 25v655000 (electrical system) and was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was charged at the dealer and driven to the residence the following day. The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Around new years this year, I was driving downhill, my car went from about 60/70% unknown to about 12%. This was for about 30 seconds until it went back up. This range drop was both dangerous but also caused emotional distress on my behalf as I worried whether or not I could make it to a charger. At the Nissan dealer service dept, the "technician allegedly wasn't able to verify the issue with the range dropping and then going back up. " now I am unable to fast charge via chademo as per recall causing not just inconviencne, but also a reduction of the capacity I was under the impression I paid for, the diminished utility of my vehicle, my only vehicle to get around, is restricted. Especially as evgo is now not allowing Nissan Leafs to charge at their stations. This significantly reduces opportunities to charge.
Level 3 quick charging was not working, and only level 2 charging is working now. That creates a risk of not working if level 2 charging does not work as well. Nissan issued the letter on 3/18/2026 to recall but not yet provided the detailed repair plan as of today. Please advise. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
The error occurred on 11/3/2023. The car got me to my destination. Error occurred past the 1/2 way point. The next day was busy w/ personal issues. Later in the afternoon, I was by the vehicle, I called the Nissan roadside assistance number. It was at this point that I was informed that no one was available or that my location was out of network. I was then instructed to find my own tow & arranged everything. I did. The vehicle completely died enroute to the Nissan dealership. The ev motor locks the wheels & there is no way to disengage the motors lock on the cv axle. The vehicle is in the Nissan service department at flagstaff Nissan currently. My Nissan Leaf sv plus is currently has 33,258 miles on it. It is currently covered under the basic warranty of Nissan north America. The Leaf was purchased on Saturday, June 12th, 2021. As of11/16/2023, there is no estimated time of repair. I do try & call everyday. The dealership has issued me a loaner to use during the absence of my malfunctioned vehicle. The dealership is solid & I do recommend them. There are several flaws with this 2021 Nissan Leaf sv plus and they are as follows: 1. The Leaf has an outdated level 3 charger that is being fazed out in north America. 2. The Leaf has no active thermal management for the battery. 3. The Leaf’s passive cooling is negated as the battery is too large to enable proper air flow. 4. The Leaf nearly stranded me out in the middle of nowhere. 5. The Leaf’s battery will degrade at a high rate as there is no atm for the battery. Based on the listed evidence, you can see that my confidence in the Leaf has been shattered. I thought the Leaf would be super reliable & would never let me down. After this incident, I realized that the “hate” was actually hard & heavy concerns that I thought was invalid. I have buyers remorse, big time.
The back up camera failed. It shows a blank grey screen. The other side and front cameras work but not the most important camera, the rear, back up camera. This is becoming a more and more frequent problem to the point now where its failing more often than not.
My car got stuck in a snowbank and became unresponsive. I attempted to gently rock it back and forth by putting it into drive and reverse two or three times. The car began to smoke. I took my foot off the accelerator and attempted to exit the vehicle, but the door was locked and did not automatically unlock. I tried to press the child safety lock button in case the child safety lock had been activated, but accidentally pressed the button to open the window. Smoke started coming into the car. I manually unlocked the door, pressed the button to put the car into park. I evacuated the car, and it was engulfed in smoke and making a very loud noise. I had the neighbor call 911 as I left my phone in the car and I was afraid the car would explode. I left the neighbor's house and waited for the fire trucks. My car's wheels were still spinning extremely fast and pieces were coming off of them. A firefighter was able to enter my car in protective gear and turn the car off. The wheels were burned off my car. The car eventually cooled down and I had it towed to the dealership. The dealer does not know why the wheels kept spinning after I was no longer in the car, so we do not know what malfunctioned. My safety was put at risk as I would have been unable to control the car if it had not been stuck in a snowbank. The problem has not been reproduced. The dealer examined the car and has repaired the tires and rims, but still does not give an answer as to why the wheels kept spinning long after I had exited the vehicle. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the incident.
Vehicle showed a message "service ev system - unable to restart after power off". Took to my local Nissan dealer on oct/21 and had the car serviced and message cleared. On my way back home from dealer, same message showed up again and shut off the car. Next morning the same message remained on dashboard and was unable to start the vehicle. Through an internet research, the same issue is happening with Nissan Leaf all over the world (japan, uk, etc).
When placing the vehicle in reverse, the display screen shows either a distorted view or no view at all, or a solid pink color across the screen. This result in zero visibility out the rear of the vehicle.
On June 20, 2021, the electric car front hood section area to charge the vehicle flew open while driving the vehicle on the highway. There was no indication that there was a problem with the charging hood at any time.