The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 123 of 167 complaints (74%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 260 in 2019 to 167 in 2020.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 167
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $700–$750
- Combined MPG
- 104–111
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 electric vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 700 | 700–750 | 700–750 | 700–750 | 700–750 | |
| Combined MPGe | 112 | 104–112 | 104–111 | 104–111 | 104–111 | |
| City / Highway MPGe | 125 / 100 | 114–124 / 94–99 | 114–123 / 94–99 | 114–123 / 94–99 | 114–123 / 94–99 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Complaints filed | 68 | 260 | 167 | 58 | 96 | |
| Recalls issued | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
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 2020 Nissan Leaf have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Nissan Leaf?
Electrical: 123 of 167 NHTSA complaints (74%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Nissan Leaf get?
EPA rates it 104–111 MPGe combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Nissan Leaf?
EPA estimates $700–$750 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| 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 | 123 MPGe (high) | 99 MPGe (high) | 111 MPGe (high) | $700 (low) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Midsize Cars | 118 MPGe | 97 MPGe | 108 MPGe | $700 (low) | 0 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (A1) | — | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Electricity | Midsize Cars | 114 MPGe (low) | 94 MPGe (low) | 104 MPGe (low) | $750 (high) | 0 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 123 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 23 | 1 | 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 (6)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:MODULE:SOFTWARE
- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 LEAF vehicles equipped with a Level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 charging.
- Consequence
- A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 3, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R24B2, P4A38, and P5A22.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
- Defect
- 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."
- Consequence
- A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
- Defect
- 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."
- Consequence
- Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
- Consequence
- Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 LEAF electric vehicles. Under certain circumstances, the images for the back-up camera can disappear while in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Consequence
- The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. This recall began August 31, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.