What 88 owners told NHTSA about the 2022 Nissan Leaf Plus

I was driving on the highway when the car in front of me applied their breaks - I took my foot off of the accelerator but the car did not slow down. I applied the breaks but they did not work - in fact, the car seemed to accelerate. I heard the collision alarm sound but the automatic emergency braking system did not engage or stop the car, so I crashed into the car in front of me. Air bag deployed and then the car filled with smoke from the batteries but I couldn't get out as the power locks didn't work or allow me to open the door. The EMT's had to break the rear window to get me out of the car

NHTSA ODI 11546660

I had an accident that totaled the Leaf the day after I bought it. It was dark. The road was more congested than usual and a dog ran out into the road. According to eye witnesses, three vehicles including two Honda SUVs (the first vehicle that stated the whole mess didn't stay) managed to brake to a complete stop without rear ending one another. The Nissan Leaf could not brake quickly enough and I rear ended a CR-V with enough force that the Leaf airbags deployed and I could tell the Leaf was totaled at the scene. The emergency braking system never engaged and the brake pedal felt the same from beginning to end. I was not tailgating. The Leaf felt enough like my 2020 Kia Niro that I made the mistake of not being more cautious with a vehicle that was new to me. Bottom line: I expected the Leaf to behave in an emergency the same as a vehicle I had been driving without incident for 18 months and it didn't. My 2020 Kia Niro does not have emergency braking and I hadn't planned to test it out with the Leaf. Being dark, I saw the instant the vehicle in front of me slammed on their brakes and slammed on mine, but it felt the Leaf wasn't slowing down fast enough. Not nearly as quickly as the Honda.

NHTSA ODI 11447113