2012 Nissan LeafProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 57 owner complaints about the 2012 Nissan Leaf, most often about the service brakes. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Where the 2012 Nissan Leaf has problems
57 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 22 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 2 |
| Air bags | 11 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 1 |
| 5 other systems | 5 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2012 Nissan Leaf recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
2012 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
2012 Nissan Leaf safety ratings
2012 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 2012 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 service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The brakes on the vehicle jerk alot when going under 15, causing everyone in the vehicle to get jerked forward multiple times and are touchy resulting in almost being in an accident. Airbag sensor for front passenger also no longer works and Nissan refuses to repair any defect
When applying the brakes at low speed the brakes grab suddenly causing the car to lurch to a stop. The problem is intermittent, and therefore difficult to predict, but occurs frequently. This behavior is an ongoing hazard to the driver and passengers while also increasing the risk of a rear end…
As I am approaching a stop, and the car is under ~15mph, and I touch the brakes, the will grab strongly and slam the car to a stop; people in the car lurch forward, and the driver behind me is surprised by the sudden stop and has to slam on their brakes. I notice there are 2 campaigns for this…
Own a 2012 Leaf?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.