2016 Nissan Leaf Reliability - Consumer Reports
GREEN CHOICE
2016
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
GREEN CHOICE

Nissan Leaf

Unlock Ratings
The Leaf is the first widely available and affordable all-electric car. Overall, it's a civilized vehicle with very low running costs. It's very quiet, rides comfortably, and is easy to get in and out of. The Leaf's main drawbacks are a limited driving range of only about 75 miles per charge and long recharge times. That makes it best used as a commuter car or an urban runabout.
Alerts
There are 3 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.
GREEN CHOICE
2016
New 2022
Used 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011

Nissan Leaf

Reliability

We expect the 2022 Leaf will be more reliable than the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019 and 2020 models. Select the used car model year to see reported issues with those similar past models.

Overall Reliability
Most Common Trouble Spots
Common Trouble Spot
Common Trouble Spot
See all 2016 Potential Trouble Spots
The 2016 Nissan Leaf has been recalled 3 times by NHTSA. View Recalls
Research Years * Redesign year
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Overall Reliability Verdict
NA
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NA
POTENTIAL TROUBLE SPOTS
Engine Major
NA
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NA
Engine Minor
NA
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NA
Engine Cooling
NA
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NA
Transmission Major
NA
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Transmission Minor
NA
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Drive System
NA
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Fuel System
NA
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NA
Electric System
NA
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Climate System
NA
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Suspension
NA
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Brakes
NA
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Exhaust
NA
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NA
Paint/Trim
NA
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Body Integrity
NA
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Body Hardware
NA
NA
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NA
Power Equipment
NA
NA
NA
NA
In-car Electronics
NA
NA
NA
NA
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Reliability indicates how models have performed in the past, providing the basis for predicting how the vehicles will hold up in the year ahead. These charts provide the most comprehensive reliability information available to consumers. Based on information received from our latest subscriber survey for over 300,000 vehicles, our reliability history charts give you a rundown on how 2000 through 2021 vehicles are holding up in 17 potential trouble spots, ranging from the engine, transmission, and brakes to power equipment and the electrical system. NA indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.

Learn more about car Reliability.

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2016 Nissan Leaf owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

A/C compressor

"I noticed my A/C had stopped working the first time the local weather reached about 20?, requiring me to use the A/C for the first time this year. Unfortunately, a month ago, while it was still cold, I passed 36,000 mi so the repair wasn't covered under warranty. Yet I have no way of knowing if it failed under warranty or not as I wouldn't be testing my A/C in winter. I am currently trying to negotiate with Nissan to make an exception to the warranty and can't afford to make the repair otherwise. In this region, the summers are swelteringly hot and if Nissan won't honor their warranty, I will have the most sweat-drenched clothes, and the most dehydrated condition when I arrive home each evening."

Jeffrey J., VA (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

"The cabling had become corroded from 2 weeks of non use. Fixed under warranty"

Jeffrey J., VA (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)
Blower (fan) motor

"windshield defroster not working"

Anonymous, CA (2016 Nissan Leaf Electric)
Heater system

"The passenger side heat from the front didn't work (the heated seat was ok). The Nissan dealer installed a new one on warranty"

Anonymous, MA (2016 Nissan Leaf S Electric)
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Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

What Owners Say

Doors or sliding doors

"Door handle wouldn't lock or open. Happened twice."

Anonymous, HI (2016 Nissan Leaf SV Electric)
Locks and latches

"Driver's door handle separated from the mechanism, had to be replaced (under warranty)"

Robert F., AZ (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

"The door handle plastic cover kept coming out of its connection so that then you couldn't touch the button to unlock the door, so it had to keep having to be pushed back in. Every time I opened the door it would pop loose. So I took it and and Nissan replaced it under warrantee"

Anonymous, OR (2016 Nissan Leaf SV Electric)

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

What Owners Say

Electrical failure

"You idiots do not leave me a field to discuss the most important issue regarding the 2016 Nissan LEAF: Battery Capacity Loss, i.e. reduced fuel range! Why isn't this even an option because this is what people need to know: I drive for 21 months, 37,000 mi and have experienced over 75% battery capacity reduction. This is something I think folks need to be aware of as it's an abnormally rapid battery capacity loss curve for such a young vehicle. Please make this front and center when comparing comparable electric vehicles. If this continues, I won't have enough capacity to get home from work in the evenings well before the battery replacement warranty of 66% by 60,000 mi. This will make my evening commute interminable."

Jeffrey J., VA (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

"The charge capacity of the battery pack had decreased to 50 percent. Nissan replaced the batteries at no cost."

Anonymous, HI (2016 Nissan Leaf SV Electric)

In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

What Owners Say

Phone pairing (e.g., Bluetooth)

"I got a new phone and can't resurrect bluetooth."

Anonymous, MD (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)
Speakers

"Began in 2016 and has been getting worse. Sound fades in and out between one or both of the fron speakers. Sometimes they, most of the time they do not."

Anonymous, OK (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Squeaks or rattles

"We get a lot of clicking and rattling noise from the wiring harness in the hatch area."

Keith C., WA (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

What Owners Say

Other/unsure

"Airbag recall required taking it to the dealer for repairs TWICE"

Anonymous, MD (2016 Nissan Leaf S Electric)

Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

What Owners Say

Loose interior trim or moldings

"rubber seal around drivers door loose"

Joseph S., GA (2016 Nissan Leaf S Electric)

Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Antilock system (ABS)

"After driving the car running errands, I started the car and the brakes were not functioning. I turned the car off and had it towed to the dealership. Nissan paid for all repairs."

Anonymous, MN (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

What Owners Say

Heated or cooled seats

"Rear heated seats and switch did not work and needed repaired."

C S., NC (2016 Nissan Leaf SL Electric)

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

What Owners Say

Hybrid/electric system and battery (excluding replacement)

"The battery progressively stopped charging to its fullest capacity. At 100% charge, I had only 20 Kw of charge on a 30Kw battery. Turns out there was a recall of which I did not receive notice. Nissan fixed the issue with a software patch at no cost."

Anonymous, FL (2016 Nissan Leaf SV Electric)

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

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No Data Available
Recalls
PROVIDED BY
AIR BAGS
Apr 13, 2017
In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
Read Recall Details
Summary:
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.
What should you do:
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 17V253000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 30038
Hide Recall Details
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 15, 2016
If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Read Recall Details
Summary:
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.
What should you do:
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 16V436000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 4355
Hide Recall Details
AIR BAGS
Apr 26, 2016
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Read Recall Details
Summary:
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
What should you do:
Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
For more information:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 16V244000
Potential Number of Units Affected: 3296947
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