2011 Nissan LeafProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 95 owner complaints about the 2011 Nissan Leaf, most often about the air bags. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 17, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Where the 2011 Nissan Leaf has problems
95 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 35 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 29 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 16 | 1 |
| Seats | 7 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 4 | 1 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 |
| Power train | 3 | 1 |
| 5 other systems | 7 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2011 Nissan Leaf recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
When do air bags problems start?
59kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 20 air bags complaints. 90% were reported before 100,000 miles.
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
19 owners mentioned a cost$3,000median
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
2011 vs. every other Leaf year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Leaf median. How we score
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2011 Nissan Leaf safety ratings
2011 Nissan Leaf 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (11.0% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Nissan Leaf, and the recalls they led to.
- Front Occupant Classification System MatNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Front Occupant Classification System MatNo recall
What Leaf owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Car throws a B1018 DTC, which is for the passenger seat occupancy sensor. The seat occupancy sensor failing poses a major safety risk, as it causes the airbags to not deploy properly in the event of a crash. This is a very well known issue for the 2011-2012 LEAF, and the only option Nissan gives to…
Air bag sensor fault, passenger seat warning on dashboard. Confirmed sensor failure at repair shop. Notified by Nissan that sensors are DISCONTINUED parts. No alternative solution suggested. This means all airbags in this vehicle are disabled. Car has less than 40,000 miles and has years of service…
Please see thread: [XXX] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4k for a full seat…
Own a 2011 Leaf?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.