2016 Nissan Leaf — Known Issues & Recalls

Your brakes weren't responding normally while driving—the pedal had to be pushed all the way to the floor to get the vehicle to stop. The dealer found that your electronically controlled braking unit (part of the regenerative braking system) had failed. This is a critical safety issue that requires replacement of the braking control unit.

Your 2016 Nissan Leaf's brake system failed without warning while parked, forcing you to use the emergency brake to stop. Both the brake control light and ABS indicator came on at the same time. Two Nissan dealerships identified faulty brake control and actuator assemblies as the cause, with repair estimates ranging from $3,854 to $5,000, and both advised the vehicle is unsafe to drive. The repair involves replacing the brake control assembly and possibly the actuator assembly in the electronically controlled braking system.

While driving downhill at about 25 mph approaching a red light, your brakes didn't respond normally when you pressed the pedal. You had to push the brake pedal all the way to the floor before the vehicle slowly stopped, and it coasted about 10 feet past the red light into an intersection. When you tested the brakes again, the same thing happened, and your spouse confirmed the same issue. By the time the vehicle was towed to the Nissan dealership, the brakes worked normally and passed their inspection, but the dealership couldn't reproduce the problem or find a cause. This may require diagnostic testing of the brake system's electrical components, sensor calibration, or brake fluid circulation to identify intermittent failures.

When your 12V battery is running low on charge—but not so low that the car won't start—your brakes may occasionally fail to work even after the vehicle starts and shifts into Drive or Reverse. This is a dangerous condition that happens specifically during this window of low 12V battery voltage. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and replacing the 12V battery or addressing any electrical connections that supply power to the brake system.

Your brake pedal went completely to the floor when you tried to back out of your garage, with no braking response. This happened at startup with no prior warning, even though you had driven the car 20 miles the night before without issues. The problem likely involves the brake system losing pressure or failing to build proper hydraulic pressure, and may require inspection of the brake master cylinder, brake fluid level, or brake lines.

Your brakes stopped working while driving on the highway, forcing you to shift into Park and apply the manual brake to bring the car to a stop. The car had to be towed to the dealership for repair. The issue may involve inspecting and servicing the brake system components, including the brake fluid, brake lines, or electronic brake control system.

Your brake pedal stopped working after you turned the car back on in the evening, forcing you to use the parking brake to stop. Your dashboard showed warning lights for the brake system and ABS. After turning the car off overnight and restarting it the next morning, the brakes worked normally again and all warning lights cleared. This issue may involve the brake system's electronic controls or a temporary sensor malfunction that resolved on its own.

Your 2016 Nissan Leaf's main EV battery suddenly failed while driving on the freeway at 60 mph, causing the car to shut down completely in traffic with no warning. The battery had already been diagnosed as degraded in December 2022 and was under warranty, but you were told it was safe to drive while waiting for a replacement. The only symptom you noticed beforehand was a loss of power going uphill, but the car never displayed a warning light on the dashboard. The fix will require a complete replacement of the main EV battery pack.

Your car's engine shut off completely while you were driving at 70 mph on the highway, forcing you to pull over. This is a serious safety hazard since you lose all power and control of the vehicle. The electrical system may be failing to maintain power to the engine, and this needs immediate professional diagnosis to identify the root cause.

Your car's battery management system is falsely displaying a "Low Battery Mode" warning even when the battery is fully charged, causing your vehicle to automatically slow down while driving. This problem has happened again even after the dealer replaced a capacitor and three battery cells. The manufacturer is aware of the issue and recommends further diagnostic testing to identify and fix the underlying cause.

Your Leaf unexpectedly lost all driving power while traveling at highway speed on a cold day, forcing you to coast to safety. The car became completely unresponsive—you couldn't turn it off, shift gears, or perform any other functions, even though it remained powered on. This has happened at least 3 other times in cold weather at highway speeds, with various issues like reduced power mode, display failures, and sudden power loss.

Your Leaf unexpectedly shifted into neutral while driving on the highway at about 60 mph on three separate occasions, and wouldn't shift back into Drive or Reverse — only into Park. This happened with no warning and with at least 50% battery charge remaining each time. You were forced to coast to a stop on busy highways with limited shoulder space, creating a serious safety hazard, and the car had to be towed both times. Even after replacing the 12-volt battery, the problem happened again, suggesting it's not a simple battery issue.

While driving in cold weather (around 30°F) with a reduced battery charge, your car's drive power and power steering suddenly stopped working with no warning. After being towed home, the car wouldn't charge until you disconnected and reconnected the 12-volt battery. The main lithium-ion battery was at 86% charge and appears to be the source of the problem, not the 12-volt battery itself. The fix will likely involve diagnostics of the battery management system and possibly a battery replacement or software reset.

Your brake pedal required extremely hard pressure to engage when pulling away from the curb and backing out of your driveway, creating a dangerous situation with pedestrians nearby. You discovered the issue was a failing 12-volt battery with a bad cell, which appears to have caused confusion between the regenerative and hydraulic braking systems in your electric vehicle. Replacing the 12-volt battery resolved the problem. The fix involves replacing the vehicle's 12-volt battery.

While driving up the San Mateo Bridge in the fast lane, your Leaf unexpectedly shifted itself into Neutral and wouldn't shift back into Drive, leaving you with no power. You had to carefully change lanes to the right without power assistance, but were able to coast down the other side and pull over safely. Your dealership confirmed the battery had failed and needs to be replaced.

Your Leaf is unexpectedly shifting into neutral while you're driving at highway speeds and activating turtle mode (reduced power). A diagnostic scan found multiple low battery voltage error codes, indicating a serious problem with your battery's ability to hold and deliver power. The issue requires a battery replacement, though your dealer hasn't provided a timeline for when one will be available.

While driving on a highway at 60-65 mph, your Nissan Leaf suddenly lost all power and shifted into neutral when you accelerated to pass another car. The battery showed plenty of charge (47 miles), but the car wouldn't shift back into drive until a jump start got it working. The dealership found an error code and determined that part of the lithium battery is malfunctioning and the car is unsafe to drive, though no warning lights appeared beforehand. The fix will require replacement of the faulty lithium battery module or complete battery pack, which the dealership says will take several months even though the car is under warranty.

Your 2016 Nissan Leaf caught fire while parked at your home, causing the vehicle to be completely destroyed. The fire department extinguished the flames and no one was injured. Nissan opened an investigation but claims the fire resulted from a defective battery installation rather than a manufacturing defect. The vehicle had approximately 22,000 miles when the fire occurred.

When you turn left, your steering wheel feels stiff and makes a plastic creaking sound, which causes the steering to momentarily bind up. This happens frequently on highway curves and makes you want to overcorrect the wheel. The issue occurs almost daily and suggests a plastic bushing in the steering system may be deteriorating. The fix likely involves inspecting and replacing worn steering bushings or related components.

Your driver's side door handle broke and won't open. This is a safety concern because you or emergency responders wouldn't be able to open the door in an emergency without breaking the window. Based on reports from other owners, this part tends to break again even after being fixed. The repair will likely involve replacing the door handle assembly.