Most common 2011 Nissan Leaf problems
Share of the 95 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Leaf complaints by model year
Best Leaf years: 2017, 2024, 2014. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2015, 2011. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2011 Nissan Leaf:
Front Occupant Classification System Mat
Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-015 was opened as a result of Defect Petition (DP) 19-002 which alleged that model year (MY) 2011 and 2012 Nissan Leaf were affected by the same defect addressed in an earlier recall, NHTSA Safety Recall 16V-244, but were not included in the scope of that recall.NHTSA 16V-244 involved a defect in the Occupant Classification System, a system intended to suppress deployment of the…
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Front Occupant Classification System Mat
A defect petition (see DP19-002) was received July 23, 2019 alleging that the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor (mat) in model year (MY) 2011 Nissan Leaf vehicles is defective and affects the proper deployment of the passenger front air bag. The petitioner provided a list of potentially related NHTSA reports and noted a Nissan recall involving later MY Leaf vehicles with OCS defect.
What 2011 Nissan Leaf owners say
Air bags all 35 →
Please see thread: [redacted] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4k for a full seat replacement with no ETA as the part is on back order. There is no option to simply replace the OCS alone and there is no workaround from Nissan to re-enable the passenger airbag without paying the $4k for the new seat. Opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs who advised they could do nothing for me. The repair is more expensive than the value of the vehicle. Because Nissan offers no workaround other than paying $4k for a new seat, consumers are incentivized to bypass the airbag sensor using a 3rd-party box (see here [redacted] rather than properly repair it. …
Supplemental air bag warning light started blinking on 9/24/2023. It blinks regardless of whether the front passenger seat is occupied. The OCS sensor for the passenger seat failed. This should have been covered by a recall. The dealer wants over $3,000.00 to replace the seat cushion. I declined the repair. Dealer assured me that driver air bag isn't affected, so I'll operate the car without a front passenger. Dealer Estimate: Denied Repair Step Step Total: $3,687.14 Correction: inspected system, dtc b1018 for occupant sensor unit failure is present. Cleared dtc, when sitting in passenger seat, dtc came back on. Inspected continuity to passenger seat occupant sensor and found ok at this time. Diagnosis says replacement of passenger occupant sensor assembly (lower seat assembly) Labor: $588.00
Electrical system all 29 →
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that the Telematics Control Unit, which locates the nearest charging station, was inoperable and could not be upgraded. Additionally, the 12 Volt battery would not charge, and the doors would not unlock to open. The windows would not roll up, and the gear shifter would not shift out of park into neutral. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. However, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.
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.
Brakes all 22 →
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.
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. …
2011 Nissan Leaf engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | FWD | 106 / 92 / 99 MPGe | 73 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Nissan Leaf a good car?
Based on 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Leaf rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Leaf at the same age. It is one of the Leaf years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Nissan Leaf?
The air bags — 35 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (29) and brakes (22).
How many recalls does the 2011 Nissan Leaf have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Leaf?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2024 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2015 and 2011. See the full Nissan Leaf years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Nissan Leaf problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 30,000 miles; 74% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.