Nissan Leaf Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Nissan Leaf across 14 model years. The 2015 model year has the most (84). The words owners use most often: “brakes failed” (12% of reports).
- 234service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 35mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $3,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 11%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brakes failed: mentioned in 28 of 234 complaints (12%)
- Emergency brake: mentioned in 22 of 234 complaints (9%)
- Pedal depressed: mentioned in 16 of 234 complaints (7%)
- Control unit: mentioned in 12 of 234 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the Nissan Leaf at $3,300, and half of them between $2,650 and $5,300.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 153 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 234 complaints, 35 mention a crash, 9 an injury.
Nissan Leaf service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Leaf | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2022 Leaf | 8 | 8% | 24,795 |
| 2021 Leaf | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Leaf | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2019 Leaf | 10 | 4% | 5,715 |
| 2018 Leaf | 19 | 28% | 12,000 |
| 2017 Leaf | 2 | 12% | 4,800 |
| 2016 Leaf | 16 | 44% | 20,000 |
| 2015 Leaf | 84 | 76% | 32,307 |
| 2014 Leaf | 18 | 53% | 41,000 |
| 2013 Leaf | 32 | 40% | 36,000 |
| 2012 Leaf | 22 | 39% | 19,400 |
| 2011 Leaf | 16 | 17% | 25,000 |
| 2010 Leaf | 1 | 100% | 14,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Model years: 2023
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 LEAF vehicles. The right-hand brake tubes may have been damaged during production and could corrode, possibly causing a hole in the brake line and a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the right-hand brake tube, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC976.
Service brakes
Model years: 2013, 2014, 2015
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.
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.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Intelligent Brake Control Unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
vehicle brakes went out on the driver during normal operation.
vehicle was being driven like normal with no warning lights or icons. vehicle was bring driven at 35 miles an hour when suddenly the ABS fault message appeared on the dash, the dash started beeping and brakes became very hard to press.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Leafs have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 234 owner complaints about service brakes for the Nissan Leaf. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Nissan Leaf service brakes?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the Nissan Leaf?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,300 (half paid between $2,650 and $5,300), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Nissan Leaf?
The most frequent phrase is “brakes failed”, in 28 of 234 complaints, followed by “emergency brake” (22).
Other Nissan Leaf problems
See all Nissan Leaf problems.