What 81 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Nissan Leaf Plus (60 Kwh Battery)

THE ISSUE: FROM PARKED AND POWERED OFF I APPLY THE FOOT BRAKE AND POWER ON - PUT IN GEAR (FORWARD OR REVERSE) AND GO - APPLY BRAKES AND THERE ISN'T ANY (AS IN NONE) - PANIC - PUSH PEDAL HARDER WHILE PANICKING - PEDAL RAPIDLY PULSES AS IT SINKS SEVERAL INCHES TO THE FLOOR BOARDS AND ALL FOUR TIRES SUDDENLY LOCK-UP AND THE CAR SKIDS. ALL THE WHILE MAKING A LOUD NOISE THAT SHAKES THE CAR AND SOUNDS LIKE A DRYWALL SCREW GUN THAT HAS SUNK THE SCREW ALL THE WAY IN. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH LIGHTS UP (ALL OF THEM). I HAD THIS ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES 11 MONTHS AGO AND TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THE ISSUE WAS SOMEHOW RESOLVED HOWEVER THE DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. NOW A YEAR LATER IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A CINDER-BLOCK WALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES AND DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED UNKNOWN REPAIRS AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT THEN COASTED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND OBSERVED THE FLOORMATS WERE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE THREE BRAKE CODES PRESENT. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,670.

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I WAS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH WHEN I WAS FORCED TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP DUE TO THE SCHOOL BUS IN FRONT OF ME STOPPING ABRUPTLY. I ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THEY WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE IN ANYWAY. I SWERVED BUT ENDED UP HITTING THE REAR OF SCHOOL BUS. *TR

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THERE IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE LEAF'S BRAKES GRABBING TO QUICKLY WHEN AT LOW SPEEDS AND APPROACHING A STOP DURING COLD CONDITIONS. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO JERK. IT ALSO CREATES AN ISSUE WITH THE TRAFFIC BEHIND US AS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLES BEHIND ALMOST CRASH INTO US AS THEY DO NOT EXPECT THE CAR TO BREAK SO SUDDENLY. *TR

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BAKING CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND STARTED MOVING FORWARD. BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION. ROLLED CAR INTO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE AND HAD TOWED. ALL HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED WITHOUT ANY OTHER TRAFFIC BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. FAILURE WAS CATASTROPHIC SUDDEN AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MINIMAL BREAK FUNCTION BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE CAR SAFELY FROM ANY SPEED BEYOND 1MPH. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATED, INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG WAS OFF. THIS OCCURRED AND CONTINUES TO OCCUR, REGARDLESS OF THE PASSENGER'S WEIGHT, OR THE ABSENCE OF A PASSENGER. NISSAN SERVICED THE VEHICLE ONCE BEFORE WITH A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" THAT DID NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS VERY SERIOUS DEFECT. HOW MANY VICTIMS NEED TO DIE OR BECOME CRIPPLED BEFORE THIS IS CORRECTED? *JS

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VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN BETWEEN 25-30 MPH WHEN THERE WAS A "POP", VEHICLE JERKED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING IT TO HIT CURB (CRASH) AND DEPLOY TOP CURTAIN AND RIGHT DOOR AIRBAG. VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP, INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND RE-INSPECTED BY NISSAN NORTH AMERICA OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS. RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS PERPENDICULAR TO CAR AND DEFECT WITH TIE ROD / SUSPENSION IS OUR EXPRESSED CONCERN. *TR

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HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE AT LOW SPEEDS, IF THE CAR ENCOUNTERS BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES GIVE OUT AND YOU HAVE TO PUMP A TIME OR TWO TO GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THERE ARE OTHER TIMES AT CITY/HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHERE IF THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED MEDIUM TO MEDIUM-HARD THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK ON AND EVEN WHEN REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE DOESN'T DISENGAGE AND THE CAR WILL SLIDE FOR A COUPLE SECONDS. PLEASE DO A THOROUGH SAFETY REVIEW ON THE BRAKES. *TR

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THE CAR HAS ITS GEAR SHIFTER DIRECTLY BEHIND THE 2 CUP HOLDERS. I LEARNED THAT THE SHIFTER IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE LIKE A COMPUTER KEYBOARD. THE DEVICE IS SO UNPROTECTED THAT A SMALL SPILL OF A DRINK, AN OZ OR TWO CAN DRAMATICALLY ALTER ITS ABILITY TO OPERATE SAFELY. I HAVE HELD TWICE TWO BEVERAGES THAT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP EJECTED AN OZ OR SO ONTO THE SHIFTER. NOW THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING OR SLIPS OUT OF REVERSE BACKING UP. ITS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. NISSAN AT THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPT HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY WARRANTY ASSISTANCE YET THE CAR IS NOW UNSAFE. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW, YET THEY TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. THE SHIFTER IS VERY DIFFERENT IN DESIGN THAN OTHER NISSAN SHIFTERS .THIS SHIFTER IS EXPOSED UNLIKE OTHER MODELS. THEIR OTHER VEHICLES AREN'T EXPOSED. THIS IS SO SERIOUS I BELIEVE UPON EXAMINATION A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE FOR ALL OWNERS WHO MAY BE DRIVING AND THEIR CAR WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET RESOLVE AND THEY WILL NOT BUDGE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A PRODUCT DESIGN FLAW.. CAN YOU IMAGINE A COMPUTER WITH A KEYBOARD AND CUP HOLDERS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF IT? ANY LEAKAGE FROM A CUP WOULD RENDER IT USELESS. NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CAR GOING DOWN A HIGHWAY AND SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR OR NOT BEING ABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK OR BACK UP AS IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD HAVE DESIGNED THE SHIFTER TO MAKE IT LIQUID PROOF IF ITS GOING TO BE PLACED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF DRINK HOLDERS. THEY APPARENTLY DON'T CARE ABOUT MY FAMILY NOR MY SAFETY BY THEIR DISREGARD. PLEASE JUMP INTO THIS AND MAKE THEM CORRECT THIS FOR ME AND FOR OTHERS. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE OTHER SITUATIONS LIKE THIS YET NISSAN CLAIMS AT THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS LEVEL ITS NOT KNOWN. PEOPLE COULD GET KILLED FROM THIS. HELP. THANKS *TR

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THIS IS AN ELECTRIC CAR. THE CAR WILL NOT START, EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY HAS PLENTY OF CHARGE. A DASHBOARD MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED, INDICATING THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR IS NOT RECOGNIZING THE KEY. THERE WERE OTHER UNUSUAL ELECTRICAL ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME, SUCH AS ONLY ONE OF THE FOUR WINDOWS WOULD ROLL DOWN, AND THE DOORS TEMPORARILY LOCKED AND REFUSED TO UNLOCK. *TR

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PASSENGER AIRBAG RANDOMLY TURNS OFF, WHILE SOMEONE IS SITTING IN IT. I'VE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW AND STILL HAVE THE ISSUES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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2013 NISSAN LEAF. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ON TWO RARE OCCASIONS, HE ACCIDENTALLY PUSHED THE POWER BUTTON IN QUICK SUCCESSION TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. ALL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN, NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES, ETC, BUT THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD OUT OF THE GARAGE. *JB

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CAR WAS BEING CHARGED AT PEP STATION AT NCSU CAMPUS. WHEN I UNPLUGGED THE CHARGER FROM THE CAR, I SAW FUMES AND THE PLASTIC AT THE CHARGING PORT OF THE CAR WAS MELTED. *TR

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TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS DISTRACTING DURING DRIVING. UPON ACTIVATING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE REVERSING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

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THE 12V BATTERY IN MY LEAF GOES COMPLETELY DEAD ONCE A WEEK. THE DOORS WONT EVEN OPEN WITH THE REMOTE. I HAVE TO JUMP THE CAR AND THEN PLUG IT IN TO MY 220V CHARGER AT HOME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHECKED OUT THE VEHICLE AND SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE! REALLY, A 8 MONTH OLD CAR THAT NEEDS TO BE JUMP STARTED ONCE A WEEK IS NORMAL. I HAVE CHECKED THE WEBSITE FORUM, MYNISSANLEAF.COM AND THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF 2013 LEAF OWNERS. PLEASE HELP AS NISSAN WILL NOT. *TR

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GOODNESS MY 2013 NISSAN LEAF WAS PARK IN THE RECREATION. THE CAR WON'T START BECAUSE THERE ARE EV SYSTEMS WARNING ICON DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAD TO TOW MY NISSA LEAF TO BROADWAY NISSAN DEALER. EVERYDAY THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE WAITING FOR LEAF ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS A NON-COMMENT PROBLEM. I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISER THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. EVERYDAY THEIR EXCUSE STILL WAITING FOR LEAF SPECIALIST TO COME AND LOOK AT IT AND THEY CANNOT FIND THE ISSUE. *TR

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I NEEDED TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR. THE ABS LIGHT AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, SO I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH. I WAS SWITCHING LANES WHEN THE CAR I WAS MOVING BEHIND SUDDEN SLOWED (IT DID NOT STOP). I QUICKLY HIT MY BRAKES SO I COULD SLOW DOWN AS WELL, BUT MY CAR'S BRAKES LOCKED-UP AND THE CAR STARTED TO SKID. I LET-OFF THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR CONTINUED THE SKID AND STOPPED. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR (ACTUALLY NISSAN IS THE LUCKY ONE TO ESCAPED LITIGATION). *TR

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DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, WHETHER IN THE SUN OR IN THE SHADE, BOTH SIDE VIEW MIRRORS SHOW ONLY THE IMAGE OF THE DASHBOARD. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE REFLECTION OF THE DASHBOARD UNLESS YOU ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. IF YOU EMAIL ME I'LL SEND YOU PICS OF THIS CONDITION IN BOTH SUN AND SHADE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE LEAF CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE AT NISSAN SEEM TO CARE. THEY CLAIM THERE ARE COMPARATIVELY FEW COMPLAINTS. *TR

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PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOWS OFF WHEN PASSENGER IN THE SEAT IS A TYPICAL ADULT, ~130 POUNDS. THE UNDERSEAT SENSOR (ODS OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM) IS NOT CALIBRATED - NEEDS ABOUT 160 POUNDS TO SENSE A PERSON IN THE SEAT. NISSAN HAD A RECALL (MARCH 2013) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NISSAN HOTLINE ([XXX]) SAYS TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAYS CALL NISSAN. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. MY SPOUSE STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO LOOK FOR A PROBLEM. SHE FOUND THAT AIR WAS ESCAPING THE FRONT LEFT TIRE OUT OF THE SIDEWALL. SHE THEN DROVE THE CAR TO A SAFE STOPPING POINT AND CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SIDEWALL HAD BLOWN OUT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS REPLACED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIM WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE SIDEWALL OF THE BRIDGESTONE ECOPIA TIRE HAD FAILED AFTER 5,800 MILES. WE WERE CHARGED $183 FOR THE REPAIR DESPITE THE CAR BEING LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD.

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MY NISSAN LEAF WAS PLUGGED INTO 220V CHARGING STATION AT MY HOME. IT WAS CHARGING FOR OVER AN HOUR. MY SPOUSE WENT TO LEAVE AND WHEN ENTERING THE GARAGE SHE SMELLED A STRONG BURNING SMELL. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE CHARGING STATION PLUG WHERE IT PLUGS INTO THE CAR. SHE TURNED OFF THE POWER AT THE BREAKER BOX AND THEN PROCEEDED TO UNPLUG THE CHARGER FROM THE CAR. TWO OF THE TERMINALS ON THE PLUG WERE DAMAGED AND 2 TERMINALS ON THE RECEPTACLE ON THE CAR WERE DAMAGED. THE CONNECTION HAD GOTTEN HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC AND CREATE SMOKE INDICATING A FIRE. NISSAN HAS DETERMINED BY PICTURES THAT THE CAR WAS NOT TO BLAME FOR THE INCIDENT. THEY ARE BLAMING THE CHARGING STATION FOR THE FAILURE. THEY HAVE DENIED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE BURDEN OF THE BILL HAS BEEN PLACED WITH THE CUSTOMER. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES.

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