What 95 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Leaf Plus (62 Kwh Battery)

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND DANGER SYMBOL BEGAN FLASHING RECENTLY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNTIL THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS VEHICLE HAS UNDER 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE REPAIR PART COSTS NEARLY $3000 WHICH IS ABOVE THE KBB VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT TO REPORT, JUST A FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE.

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ILLUMINATED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS FOR FRONT PASSENGER SEATS, DIAGNOSED BY NISSAN DEALER AS A FAILED SENSOR. WAS TOLD THE WHOLE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLAED (ESTIMATE $3,185.61). ALSO TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR MEANT THAT ALL AIRBAGS WERE DEACTIVATED.

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2011 NISSAN LEAF. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE OCCUPANT SEAT SENSOR. *LD *DT *DT *JS*DT *JS*DT CONSUMER STATED I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HEARD FROM THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP LAST NIGHT (THURSDAY) AND AM TOLD THE REPAIR HAS BEEN COMPLETED. I PLAN TO PICK UP THE CAR TONIGHT. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT SURE WHAT BECAME OF THE DEFECTIVE SEAT/SENSOR AND SAID STAFF FROM NISSAN DID ALL THE WORK, NOT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP.*JB CONSUMER UPDATE, I HEARD FROM MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE SEAT.*JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR*JB

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THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS FAILING. THIS CAUSES THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO TURN OFF AND THE WARNING LIGHTS TO FLASH ON THE DASH. THIS CONDITION MAY ALSO DISABLE THE DRIVERS AIRBAG. NISSAN ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IS OVER $3200, THE ENTIRE SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. THIS IS OVER HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. NISSAN HAS RECALLED OTHER YEARS AND MODELS FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE, BUT NOT THE 2011 MODEL. THIS SERIOUS, KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. THE OCS SYSTEM CAN BE RESET, BUT THE TROUBLE APPEARS AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS. IT USUALLY APPEARS ON VEHICLE START-UP. THE PASSENGER SEAT MAY BE OCCUPIED, OR NOT.

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PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED. SAME ISSUE AS OTHER COMPLAINTANTS. VEHICLE STATIONARY. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE AS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR LATER YEAR MODELS. WHEN IS THIS RECALL GOING TO BE EXTENDED TO EARLIER YEARS? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NISSAN IS TRYING TO CHARGE OVER $2K TO FIX.

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THE LIGHT FOR MY SENSOR FOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG (OCS SENSOR) IS ON ALL THE TIME AND FLASHING RED WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. SEEMS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS I WAS TOLD ALL AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED WHEN THE LIGHT IS FLASHING. COST INVOLVES REPLACING PASSENGER SEAT TOO AND TOTAL WOULD BE $4,800. THIS IS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF WITH 78,000 MILES AND ALL 12 BARS OF RANGE STILL REMAINING (ONE REPLACEMENT BATTERY TWO YEARS AGO). I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED DUE TO COST AND IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL OF THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2013+ LEAFS. NO 2011 RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM!

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THE RANGE METER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DASH SHOWS INCORRECT RANGE. I UNDERSTOOD WHEN PEOPLE WOULD SAY IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU DRIVE, BUT NO MATTER HOW I DRIVE THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR ME TO GET THE RANGE THE CAR SAYS I HAVE. IF IT SHOWS 55 MILES I CAN BE SURE TO GET BETWEEN 20 AND 35 MILES BEFORE BEING STRANDED. I CONTACTED NISSAN FOR A WARRANTY OR SERVICE CONCERN AND THEY CLAIMED IT NOT TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

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WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. A CHECK OF THE DIAGNOSTIC CODES SHOWED THAT THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILED. THEY RESET THE CODE AND IT CLEARED FOR 2 WEEKS, THEN RE-APPEARED. WAS INFORMED THAT REPAIRS TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR WAS $2700 + LABOR. THIS SAME PART WAS RECALLED IN 2013+, BUT NOT RECALLED ON 2011/2012. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE NISSAN WILL NOT SELL JUST THE AIRBAG SENSOR--YOU MUST PURCHASE AN ENTIRE SEAT.

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THE LIGHT FOR MY SENSOR FOR MY PASSENGER AIRBAG (OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM OCS SENSOR) IS ON ALL THE TIME AND FLASHING, EVEN WHEN THERE IS AN ADULT PASSENGER SITTING IN THE CAR. AFTER A SEARCH ONLINE, I FOUND THAT NISSAN LEAFS FROM 2013 TO 2018 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THAT OCS PART, BUT MY 2011 NISSAN LEAF HAS NOT. ONLINE, MANY OTHER OWNERS OF MY SAME YEAR NISSAN HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DEALER TOLD ME, IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, SINCE IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY, IT WILL REQUIRE REPLACING THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $2700, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. I CALLED NISSAN, WHO TOLD ME THAT IT IS TOO FAR OUT OF THE WARRANTY, AND THEY CANNOT HELP ME. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT TRIED TO GET ME A COURTESY REIMBURSEMENT, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONVINCE THE HIGHER-UPS, AND ALSO COULDN'T EVEN CONVINCE THEM TO REIMBURSE THE AMOUNT I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE DEALER CONFIRM WHAT I ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART (ANOTHER $145). I AM NOW FORCED TO RIDE WITHOUT AIRBAGS FOR MY FRONT PASSENGER. IT SEEMS UNCONSCIONABLE FOR NISSAN TO ALLOW A SENSOR (A PART INTEGRAL TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT AFFECTED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF THE CAR) TO NOT BE PART OF A RECALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY OTHER VEHICLES (NISSAN AND OTHERWISE) HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT'S BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS TOO DIFFICULT TO REPLACE CHEAPLY. THEY LIKELY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF THE CAR'S MANUFACTURE AND CHANGED THE LOCATION OF THE SENSOR - HENCE THE REASON THEY WOULD AGREE TO REPLACE THOSE IN LATER MODELS AND NOT THEIR EARLIEST MODELS.

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PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM DISABLED BY OCCUPANT SENSOR FAILURE. THIS HAPPENED ON STARTUP. DTC B1018 AIR BAG OCCUPANT SENS [UNIT FAIL] I WANT MODEL YEAR 2011 NISSAN LEAF TO BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING RECALL FOR MODELS 2013 NISSAN LEAF.

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STARTING ON 12/03/2018, THIS 2011 NISSAN LEAF BEGAN RELEASING SMOKE AND A NOXIOUS BURNING-PLASTIC SMELL INTO THE CABIN DURING 240V AND 125V ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND THE IGNITION IS OFF. THE SMOKE ORIGINATES FROM THE ON-BOARD CHARGER (PART 296A0-3NA8A) LOCATED BEHIND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, WHICH IS RIGHT BEHIND WHERE THE CHILD SEAT USUALLY GOES. DESPITE THIS, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO CHARGE FROM ELECTRICAL SOURCES AND DRIVE NORMALLY. AN INSPECTION BY STEVENS CREEK NISSAN (4855 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SANTA CLARA, CA 95051) ON 12/12/2018 FOUND THE SAME BURNING SMELL AND REPORTED THAT A "FUSE IN THE ON-BOARD CHARGER (IS) FUSING". THEY OFFERED NO FURTHER EXPERTISE ABOUT THE CAUSE EXCEPT TO RECOMMEND A REPLACEMENT OF THE ON-BOARD CHARGER. ON THE SAME DAY, NISSAN NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AND ASKED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND REPLIED THAT THEY REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM ON 01/11/2019. THE ATTACHED IMAGES INCLUDE THE TECHNICIAN'S REPORT FROM NISSAN STEVENS CREEK AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE THERMAL DAMAGE AND COMBUSTIBLE SOOT BUILDUP WITHIN THE ON-BOARD CHARGER, WHICH NOT ONLY CHEMICALLY CORRODES ELECTRONICS, BUT ALSO CAUSES OVERHEATING AND PRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD.

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OCCUPANT SENSOR FAILURE IS PREVENTING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING. THE CODE IS REPORTED AS A B1013. AS THIS MODEL WAS DESIGNED WITH A SENSOR WITHIN THE SEAT, THE OFFICIAL ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT, FOR AN ESTIMATE OF $3133.51. THIS IS HIGHLY COST PROHIBITIVE FOR A SAFETY FEATURE THAT SHOULD NOT PREVENT AN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.

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THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND INDICATES THE AIRBAGS ARE OFF AS I UNDERSTAND IT. WENT TO NISSAN AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $5,000.00 TO REPAIR AND REFUSED TO CORRECT THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE! WE ARE STUNNED AND HAVE NOT USED THE CAR FOR A LONG TIME NOW, TERRIFIED THAT WE MIGHT BE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED...HELP!! DATE IT HAPPENED I DO NOT RECALL BUT PUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO....

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RECENTLY I GOT A NISSAN LEAF. BATTERY HAS BEEN ACT INCORRECT MILES .I DROVE 2 MILES IT COUNT AS 5 MILES. CHARGING WAS INCORRECT. I WAS CHARGE ON QUICK CHARGE TOOK ME 40 MUNITE FOR 30 MILES.

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT AT AROUND 35 MPH, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. SUBSEQUENT DIAGNOSIS SHOWED A B1018 CODE THROWN BY THE LEAF, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAS FAILED. THE CODE WAS RESET AND STAYED OFF, BUT AGAIN ABOUT 5 DAYS LATER, THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED. THIS TIME, THE CODE WOULD NOT RESET. I WAS QUOTED $2700 IN PARTS AND $300 LABOR BY THE DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS UNECONOMICAL AND MORE THAN HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 53,000 MILES AND IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. I CONTACTED NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE PRICE OF THE REPAIR AT ALL. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT NOT REPAIRING THE SENSOR WOULD RESULT IN ALL AIRBAGS BEING DISABLED, SINCE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. IT SEEMS LIKE A BIG SAFETY ISSUE THAT IF THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILS, ALL AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED. WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR AND CANNOT AFFORD A $3000 REPAIR TO A $5500 CAR. THIS SAME PART IS RECALLED ON 2013-2015 LEAFS AS WELL AS MILLIONS OF OTHER NISSAN CARS. IF THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED ON THE 2011-2012 LEAF AS WELL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 31686373. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

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PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR FAIL. PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATE WHEN FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPIED THE SEAT ALSO FLASHING AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD. ERROR CODE B1018. DEALER WANTS WHOLE SEAT REPLACEMENT COST $3000. NO NISSAN WARRANTY OR RECALL ON 2011 NISSAN LEAF.

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SO, APPARENTLY THE 2012 - 2014 NISSAN LEAF HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR AND IS COVERED BY RECALL, BUT NOT THE FIRST YEAR MODELS, 2011. IS THIS TO ASSUME THAT THE SENSOR IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TO THESE SUBSEQUENT YEARS.

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I BELIEVE THE BATTERY WAS RIGGED INTO RUNNING LOW RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT

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INTERMITTENTLY, LITTLE OR NO BRAKING FORCE MAYBE BE AVAILABLE WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN GEAR AFTER INITIAL KEY-ON FOLLOWING ABOUT 10 MINUTE KEY-OFF AFTER A 20-30 MINUTE DRIVE CYCLE. THE FAULT IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN WARM WEATHER. PUMPING THE BRAKES ONCE BEFORE PUTTING THE CAR IN GEAR WILL CLEAR THE PROBLEM. IF THE BRAKES ARE NOT PUMPED THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL DUE TO THE RESIDUAL TORQUE FROM THE ELECTRIC DRIVE THAT EXISTS EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS NOT DEPRESSED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER WHO CHARGED $209 FOR ANALYSIS AND TO APPLY A, "SOFTWARE UPGRADE," TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER SYSTEM. IT S NOT YET KNOWN IF THE SOFTWARE RESOLVED THE ISSUE DUE TO INTERMITTENT NATURE. THIS ISSUE COULD POSE A HAZARD FOR ITINERANT DRIVERS OF LEAFS WITHOUT SOFTWARE UPGRADE BECAUSE THOSE DRIVERS WOULD NOT KNOW BRAKE PUMPING ALLEVIATES THE PROBLEM. THE NORMAL REACTION IS TO PRESS THE BRAKES HARDER WITHOUT LIFTING, WHICH HAS NO EFFECT ON RESTORING BRAKE FORCE.

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2011 NISSAN LEAF PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT SENSOR OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. I TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO INSPECTED HARNESS AND CONNECTIONS UNDER FRONT SEAT FOR WEAR OR DAMAGE. NO FINDINGS. FOLLOWED INSPECTION PROCEDURES IN ESM. I WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WILL REQUIRE A SEAT CUSHION REPLACEMENT WITH OCCUPANT DETECTION CONTROL UNIT. COST APPROXIMATELY $2,900 AND NO GUARANTEE OF FIX. MAY NEED AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT REPLACEMENT. SEEMS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2013 - 2016 RECALL, BUT 2011 DID NOT GET RECALLED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER (COGGIN NISSAN ON ATLANTIC IN JACKSONVILLE 10600 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225 (904) 302-8231) DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN OCS ERROR FAILURE, IN WHICH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COULD DEACTIVATE OFF OR FAIL TO FUNCTION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER VERIFIED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO AN AIR BAG RECALL, BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHARGED THE ENTIRE NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING INVOLVED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,769.

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I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER TWICE IN THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS TO 'REPROGRAM' THE GRABBY BRAKES. THEY GET VERY SENSITIVE WHEN BRAKING BELOW 25 MPH. THEY GRAB, LET GO, GRAB, AND LET GO. I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME OVER $100 JUST FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THEM A THIRD TIME. I AM TIRED OF THE BANDAID APPROACH AND WANT IT FIXED BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY A PENNY FOR IT. THE CAR JUST TURNED 40,000 MILES. I LOVE IT EXCEPT THIS ANNOYING AND POSSIBLY DANGEROUS BRAKING PROBLEM.

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I ECHO SO MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BRAKES BEING OUT OF ONE'S CONTROL AT LOW SPEEDS. INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR A SMOOTH, SLOW DECELERATION, THE BRAKES ACTIVATE HARD END END UP JERKING THE CAR. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN THIS HAS BEEN REALLY FRIGHTENING. ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS THAT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO! IT'S HARD TO RECALL EXACTLY THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS HAPPENS, BECAUSE IT'S INTERMITTENT, BUT MOSTLY AT LOW SPEEDS.

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