2012 Nissan Leaf
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Brakes
Brakes leads by volume: 23 of 57 complaints (40%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 95 in 2011 to 57 in 2012.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | vs. 2012 electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 750 | 750 | 650 | 700 | |
| Combined MPGe | 99 | 99 | 115 | 114 | |
| City / Highway MPGe | 106 / 92 | 106 / 92 | 129 / 102 | 126 / 101 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Complaints filed | 95 | 57 | 81 | 34 | |
| Recalls issued | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 5 | 6 | 11 | 3 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Injuries reported | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Leaf have?
No NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026.
What is the most common complaint about the 2012 Nissan Leaf?
Brakes: 23 of 57 NHTSA complaints (40%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Leaf get?
EPA rates it 99 MPGe combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2012 Nissan Leaf?
EPA estimates $750 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (1)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Midsize Cars | 106 MPGe | 92 MPGe | 99 MPGe | $750 | 0 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 23 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls
No recalls have been issued for this model-year.