2016 Nissan Leaf Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2016 Nissan Leaf.

20152017
Complaints
49
per 10K Sold
35.0
US Sales
14,006
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Fatalities
Recalls
4

Worst 2016 Nissan Leaf Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#115 complaints

Brakes

Avg mileage:27,947 mi
Crash-related:1
#211 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:30,397 mi
#38 complaints

Fuel System

Avg mileage:16,057 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2016 Nissan Leaf.

Brakes
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
27,947
Electrical Faults
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
30,397
Fuel System
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
16,057
Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine Problems
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Transmission / Drivetrain
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2016 Nissan Leaf. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2016 Nissan Leaf

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,425,683 vehicles.

23V296000Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
~94,343 affected

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."

17V253000Airbags
~30,038 affected

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.

16V436000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module · Electrical System:wiring
~4,355 affected

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.

16V244000Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
~3,296,947 affected

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.

Other Nissan Leaf Years

2016 Nissan Leaf — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2016 Nissan Leaf reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2016 Nissan Leaf has 49 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash-related, and 4 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Brakes with 15 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
Top reported problems: Brakes (15 complaints, avg 27,947 mi); Electrical Faults (11 complaints, avg 30,397 mi); Fuel System (8 complaints, avg 16,057 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 25,942 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
NHTSA complaints for the 2016 Nissan Leaf include 1 crash-related reports, 2 fire reports, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2016 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,425,683 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2016 Nissan Leaf?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Nissan Leaf reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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