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

When applying brakes, at a point in the pedal travel the vehicle deceleration goes from too little to vastly too much. This makes the vehicle challenging to drive in traffic without colliding into the vehicle in front and not stopping so quickly as to cause the trailing vehicle to collide. The dealer has confirmed the behavior. There is a TSB to supposedly address the problem, and a receipt is attached of that TSB software update being applied. However, this has not changed the behavior. This is at least partially a software issue, since the vehicle blends physical brakes with EV regenerative braking.

NHTSA ODI 11591749

THE BRAKES MALFUNCTION AT LOW SPEEDS, BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL PROGRAM. NISSAN HAS NOT HELPED AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO EMAILS OR QUESTIONS ON TWITTER. AT LOW SPEEDS THE BRAKES WILL SPORADICALLY ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE WITH REGENERATIVE BRAKING ENABLED. THEY WILL SOMETIMES CATCH WHICH CAUSES SUDDEN STOPPING OR SKIDDING IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. THEY WILL ALSO NOT ENGAGE UNTIL THEY ARE PRESSED EXTREMELY HARD WHICH WILL ALSO CAUSE SUDDEN BRAKING AND CAN BE HAZARDOUS IN TRAFFIC OR HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. I'VE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO REACH NISSAN TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THEY DO NOT RESPOND. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT MAKES THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11298175

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DOWN A MOUNTAIN, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT BRAKING ABILITY AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE HILL DESCENT ASSIST FAILED TO ENGAGE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY NISSAN OF STAUNTON (297 LEE JACKSON HWY, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA 24401, (540) 213-9600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING WAS NOT RESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ADDITIONAL TESTING SHOULD BE PERFORMED ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11288434

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.

NHTSA ODI 11005959

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.

NHTSA ODI 10885404

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.

NHTSA ODI 10871280

WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE GOES FROM A SOFT BRAKING TO A JOLTING STOP AT SPEEDS BELOW 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE JERKS SEVERLY WHEN BRAKING AND I AM ALSO VERY CONCERNED THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM ON WET ROADS AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT BEING REAR-ENDED AS IT STOPS SUDDENLY. I EXPERIENCE THIS EVERYDAY THAT I DRIVE IT. NOW, THE BRAKES HAVE ALSO BEEN RELEASING WHEN I'M TRYING TO STOP AT HIGHER SPEEDS, GIVING THE FEELING THAT I MAY NOT GET STOPPED IN TIME. AND THIS IS ONLY GETTING WORSE. THE CAR ESPECIALLY JOLTS WHEN CREEPING FORWARD AT A LIGHT OR INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE RELEASING, WHERE I FELT LIKE I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, I HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY ALSO HAPPENED IN THE SAME SITUATIONS. THE CAR WILL ALSO OCCASIONALLY CREEP FORWARD WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STILL DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ODI 10863130

BRAKES DID NOT WORK AFTER ENGAGING DRIVE FROM STATIONARY POSITION. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, NORMAL BRAKE ACTIVITY RESUMED. BELIEVED TO BE RELATED TO DEPLETED 12 V BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI 10819773

THE BRAKES GO FROM A SOFT BRAKING TO A JOLTING STOP AT SPEEDS BELOW 20 MPH. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR, AND THEIR HEADS ARE BEING JOLTED AROUND WHEN THE CAR BRAKES THIS WAY. I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL BE A PROBLEM ON SLICK ROADS AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT BEING REAR-ENDED WHEN IT STOPS SO SUDDENLY. IT DOES THIS EVERYDAY THAT I DRIVE IT, HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. LATELY, THE BRAKES HAVE ALSO BEEN RELEASING WHEN I'M TRYING TO STOP, GIVING THE FEELING THAT I MAY NOT GET STOPPED IN TIME. I WOULD SAY IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR CANNOT SMOOTHLY TRANSITION BETWEEN REGULAR AND REGAIN BRAKES. I HAVE HAD IT AT THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, AND THEY PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE. THE CAR ESPECIALLY JOLTS WHEN CREEPING FORWARD AT A LIGHT OR INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE RELEASING, WHERE I FELT LIKE I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, I HAVE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY ALSO HAPPENED IN THE SAME SITUATIONS. THE CAR WILL ALSO OCCASIONALLY CREEP FORWARD WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STILL DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ODI 10783837

WHILE IN A LINEUP OF CARS AT A STOP SIGN INTERSECTION, I HAD TO START AND STOP REPEATEDLY, AS EACH CAR MOVED FORWARD. VERY SOON, THE BRAKES DEVELOPED A JERKY RESPONSE, GRABBING AND RELEASING. SO THE CAR WAS LURCHING FORWARD AND JERKING TO A STOP. IT WAS QUITE EMBARRASSING, AND THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY REAR-ENDED ME. THIS WAS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, AND THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. THE BRAKES ARE NOT CONSISTENT - SOMETIMES THEY GRAB COMPLETELY AND A COUPLE OF TIMES I HAVE COMPLETELY LOST BRAKING POWER FOR A FEW MOMENTS. THE ISSUE STILL EXISTS, AND I KNOW SEVERAL OTHER LEAF DRIVERS WHO HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED IT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND ONE OF THESE DAYS SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED BECAUSE OF NISSAN'S NEGLIGENCE, UNLESS NHTSA FORCES SOME ACTION ON IT. THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO VERY THOROUGHLY AND FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10640045

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,060.

NHTSA ODI 10637058

BRAKES ON THE NISSAN LEAF WERE PULSING ON AND THE WOULD TURN OFF AND A FEW SECONDS LATER WOULD TURN BACK ON. CYCLE WOULD REPEAT EVERY 3 SECONDS TILL THE CAR CAME TO COMPLETE STOP. LOCAL DEALER INVESTIGATED AND INFORMED ME THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. CAN'T BELIEVE THE BRAKES WOULD SHUT DOWN IF ROTORS WERE WARPED. COULD HAVE LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594659

TWO MONTHS AGO I WAS BRAKING MODERATELY WHEN THE CAR SHUTTERED, THERE WAS A BUMP AND THE CAR BEGAN COASTING. I SAW THAT IT HAD POPPED INTO N (NEUTRAL) EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T TOUCH THE GEAR SHIFT. I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK INTO D (DRIVE) BUT IT WOULDN'T RESPOND. I PUSHED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO SHUT IT DOWN. FINALLY, IT RESPONDED, THEN RESTARTED AND DROVE NORMALLY. AFTER THAT, THERE WOULD BE INTERMITTENT SHUTTERING AND BUMPING WHILE BRAKING. THE RECHARGING LIGHTS WILL PULSE AND I CAN FEEL THE REGENERATIVE FEATURE GRAB AND THEN RELEASE. ONE MORNING RECENTLY, ALONG WITH THESE SYMPTOMS THE RANGE PLUMMETED QUICKLY, BY ABOUT 1 MILE PER SECOND. AFTER DRIVING ONLY 20 MILES I HAD 17 MILES OF INDICATED RANGE. THEN, YESTERDAY, THE FIRST PROBLEM REAPPEARED: THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND BRIEFLY WOULDN'T RESPOND. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10563036

MY NISSAN LEAF HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANY SORT, AND HAS NEVER EVEN BEEN DRIVEN OVER A CURB. IT IS LESS THAN 18 MONTHS, AND LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. FRONT THE DAY I GOT IT, I FELT THAT AT TIMES WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES ON IT, THAT THEY WOULD SLIP, OR NOT GRAB FOR A 1/2 SECOND, BUT THOUGHT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ME. THE CAR FAILED COMPLETELY 10 DAYS AGO, AND WILL NOT START, TELLING ME THAT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE! (A CONDITION FOR STARTING). COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT IT CANNOT SEE THE BRAKES BEING HEAVILY DEPRESSED (FOR STARTING) AND ITS COMPUTER CONTROLLED BRAKES SLIPPING FOR 1/2 SECOND, IT MAKES ME THINK THAT THE COMPUTER HAS SOME REASON FOR NOT SEEING THE BRAKES WORKING. THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND NISSAN USA HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND AFTER 10 DAYS NISSAN USA HAS NOT GOTTEN ANY CLOSER TO A RESOLUTION. IS THIS A COMPUTER/BRAKING DEFECT? IS IT COMMON? IT CERTAINLY AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THOSE RIDING IN A CAR, AS BRAKE FAILURE IS CERTAINLY AS IMPORTANT AS AN ACCELERATOR STICKING. HAS A RECALL BEEN ORDERED FOR THIS, AND HOW MANY CARS ARE INVOLVED IN IT? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10505292

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT 50 MPH. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED QUICKLY, AND I HAD TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE PRETTY HARD TO SLOW DOWN QUICKLY. BUT AS SOON AS I DID THAT, SOME CRAZY EMERGENCY/AUTOMATIC BRAKE SYSTEM KICKED INTO OVERDRIVE AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES LIKE 10 TIMES HARDER THAN I DID, AND CAUSED MY CAR TO PRACTICALLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET HIT BY A CAR, BUT LUCKILY I DIDN'T. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY, AND CLEARLY A DEFECT IN SOME BRAKING OR COMPUTER SYSTEM. I HAVE ALSO HAD A SIMILAR THING HAPPEN WHEN I AM DRIVING SLOWER (LIKE 30 MPH), BUT THE EFFECT IS NOT AS DANGEROUS OR INTENSE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND THEY UPDATED SOME COMPUTER UPGRADES THAT WERE NOT RELATED TO THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER LEAF OWNERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS, AND YET NISSAN DOES NOT SEEM TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10461319

BRAKE APPLICATION IS AT TIMES VERY INCONSISTENT. ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS (<40MPH) SOMETIMES A LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATION CREATES A DISPROPORTIONAL BRAKE FORCE. THIS RESULTS IN SUDDEN INVOLUNTARY STOPS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE HEADS OF PASSENGERS AND DRIVER BEING JERKED FORWARD. THE ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME BUT IS REPRODUCIBLE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10458995

I NOTICED THE BRAKING DEFECT SOON AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF MY LEAF. SIMILARLY TO THE OTHER RESPONDENTS, THE CONTINUANCE TO BRAKING AFTER THE PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED OCCURS AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN AT PARKING LOT SPEEDS, ON THE FREEWAY, AND AT ALL SPEEDS IN BETWEEN. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DISCERN ANY PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT SEEMS TO 'CAUSE' THE PHENOMENON. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS TO TWO SEPARATE NISSAN DEALERSHIP SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES (AT DOWNTOWN NISSAN OF LOS ANGELES, AND UNIVERSAL CITY NISSAN) WHO BOTH SAID IT WAS THE FIRST THEY'D HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. NEITHER SEEMED INCLINED TO LOOK INTO MY CLAIM IN ANY WAY. THE FACT THAT A SERIOUS FREEWAY COLLISION HAS BEEN REPORTED ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER LESS SERIOUS OCCURRENCES DETAILING THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATES THAT THERE IS INDEED A PROBLEM. IS NISSAN WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO BE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? I REALLY LOVE THE CAR, EXCEPT FOR THIS BRAKING PROBLEM, BUT I REALLY HATE NISSAN FOR IGNORING SOMETHING POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING UNTIL SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10444875

WHILE BRAKING LIGHTLY AND NOT SUDDEN TO TURN INTO A SHOPPING CENTER, THE LEAF APPLIED FULL BRAKES AND DID NOT RELEASE THE BRAKES UNTIL THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10437414

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY, I HIT THE BRAKES HARD TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I DECELERATED TO ABOUT 30MPH WHILE VEERING TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER CAR. TO INFORM THE RAPIDLY APPROACHING CAR BEHIND ME, I TAPPED MY BRAKES ABOUT 4-5 TIMES A SECOND TO FLASH MY TAILLIGHTS. AT THAT POINT THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND MY CAR RAPIDLY DECELERATED EVEN THOUGH I HAD REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER ABOUT 1/3-1/2 SECOND, THE BRAKES RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CONTINUE DRIVING. AFTER CHECKING ONLINE FORUMS AND MY LOCAL EV GROUP, IT TURNS OUT THAT TWO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR BRAKING BEHAVIOR WHERE THE CAR DECELERATED RAPIDLY EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED.

NHTSA ODI 10415888

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING APPROPRIATELY 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY SWERVED IN TO MY LANE AND BRAKED HARD IN FRONT OF ME. WITH NO PLACE TO GO ON EITHER SIDE OF ME, I WAS FORCED TO BRAKE FAST AND HARD. THE ABS KICKED IN AS EXPECTED BUT ONCE I HAD DECELERATED TO A POINT WHERE I KNEW A COLLISION WAS NOT IMMINENT AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED BREAKING VERY HARD. IT TOOK THE BETTER PART OF A SECOND WITH MY FOOT NOW COMPLETELY OFF THE BRAKE BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY RELEASED. IN THIS TIME, THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AND HIT ME HARD, CAUSING INJURY TO TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR WHO WERE NOT BELTED IN. THIS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDABLE IF THE LEAF HAD NOT FAILED TO DECREASE THE BRAKING EFFORT WHEN I RELEASED PRESSURE AND THEN ULTIMATELY TOOK MY FOOT COMPLETELY OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT FELT AS IF SOMETHING LIKE THE BRAKE ASSIST FUNCTION WAS MALFUNCTIONING... *TR

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