repaired · 2025 Q1
Other: owners/service/other manual
Risk. Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
2015 Nissan LeafProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 111 owner complaints about the 2015 Nissan Leaf, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-253 the manufacturer reports only 67% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 2, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2015 Nissan Leaf has problems
111 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
84Service brakes7 crash/fire/injury
18Electrical system
9Vehicle speed control1 crash/fire/injury
8Air bags
4Power train
3Electronic stability control (ESC)
3Engine
2Wheels
2Fuel/propulsion system
76 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 84 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 18 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 |
| Air bags | 8 | 1 |
| Power train | 4 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 |
| 6 other systems | 7 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2015 Nissan Leaf recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2018 Q3
Air bags
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2017 Q3
Sensor: occupant classification
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Service brakes
Risk. If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
32kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 52 service brakes complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.
23under 30k miles52under 100k miles0100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
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.
Service brakes
9 owners mentioned a cost$4,600median
Middle half: $2,600 – $5,500
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.
Best & worst years
2015 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
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2015 Nissan Leaf safety ratings
2015 Nissan Leaf 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (10.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2015 Nissan Leaf, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
In owners' words
What Leaf owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The electrically-driven intelligent brake unit failed on my 2015 Nissan Leaf. The brakes became inoperative: when pressing the brake pedal there is a loud compression/grinding noise and the pedal goes nearly to the floor with little braking force. The failure appeared suddenly after charging the…
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while reversing at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to engage while the brake pedal was depressed. The brake and master warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions; however, the contact stated…
The car was parked in a parking lot, and when we turned it on and pulled out of the space, the brake light, ABS light, and other warning lights came on and the brakes went soft. We pulled back into the space and tried again, thinking it was a fluke and heard a strange noise coming from the car when…
Own a 2015 Leaf?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.