Most common 2017 Nissan Leaf problems
Share of the 17 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 →
2017 Nissan Leaf recalls (2)
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions.
Remedy: Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 26, 2023.
Air bags
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2017 Nissan Leaf:
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.
What 2017 Nissan Leaf owners say
Electrical system
The manufacturer-installed 40kWh replacement battery has suffered an internal high-voltage isolation short to the vehicle chassis (Codes P0AA6/P31E7), creating an immediate fire and shock hazard. The component failed just 2 years after installation in 2024. Nissan is refusing to repair this severe safety defect because the vehicle's original body frame is past its warranty window.
When driving our 2017 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle at about 65 MPH up a steep hill / steep incline, we are experiencing a loud clunk from the battery area when the vehicle climbs over 2000ft elevation within a short distance (16 miles). The clunk always happens within the same 1 mile stretch of road and happens every time we drive the car from salt lake city, ut (4,226 feet) to summit park, ut (6,887 feet). We first noticed it this summer 2019. There is an audible clunk and it can be felt through the passenger foot-well behind the driver's seat. There is a thread on the mynissanleaf.com discussion forum that describes the same issue (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=19883&p=565545#p565545). The contributors think it has something to do with the electric battery case expanding or contracting under pressure. …
Air bags
My son and I were in a major crash on a freeway, we were hit by a semi-truck, sent into a spin, hit by another vehicle and stopped by slamming into freeway guardrail. The car was totaled. My son was driving and airbags on the drivers side all deployed but nothing deployed on the passenger side at all.
My Nissan LEAF's airbag warning light is flashing, so I took it to the local dealer called Mike Rezi Nissan in Atlanta, GA area. They inspected it, and came back with the OCS control unit & sensor failure report, and wanted a thousand dollars to replace them. While there is a OCS recall for multi Nissan models, and my car is left out, and the VIN# is not included in this recall... ** also called Nissan custome affair, and I was told the same thing about my VIN# has no OCS recall, and was provided no explanation ** ** the LEAF's been driving normal, no accidents, and clean record **
Fuel & propulsion system
When driving our 2017 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle at about 65 MPH up a steep hill / steep incline, we are experiencing a loud clunk from the battery area when the vehicle climbs over 2000ft elevation within a short distance (16 miles). The clunk always happens within the same 1 mile stretch of road and happens every time we drive the car from salt lake city, ut (4,226 feet) to summit park, ut (6,887 feet). We first noticed it this summer 2019. There is an audible clunk and it can be felt through the passenger foot-well behind the driver's seat. There is a thread on the mynissanleaf.com discussion forum that describes the same issue (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=19883&p=565545#p565545). The contributors think it has something to do with the electric battery case expanding or contracting under pressure. …
A sudden loss of propulsion with out an audible warning. The vehicle operates at creep speed. I notice it because the can not accelerate. A moment of confusion sets in in trying to figure out what is going on. A tell tale light of a turtle comes on. I have to work my way through traffic to pull on the side of the road. This is a concern on a busy highway. The tell tale light goes away after cycling the power by turning the car off and starting it all over. It gives me the impression that the trouble went away. This issue occurred once a year. I didn't think much of it. It is now happening once a week in the past two months. Someone can get hurt in the worst case scenario. I believe the warning light should remain on until the issue is resolved. I noticed the issue happens when the climate is hot and I am driving with the ac on. The battery temperature is in the safe zone. …
2017 Nissan Leaf engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | FWD | 124 / 101 / 112 MPGe | 107 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Nissan Leaf a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Leaf rates better than average: 69% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Leaf at the same age. It is one of the best Leaf years by this measure. 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 2017 Nissan Leaf?
The electrical system — 4 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (4) and fuel & propulsion system (3).
How many recalls does the 2017 Nissan Leaf have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2017 Nissan Leaf, the most recent from April 26, 2023 (owners/service/other manual). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the 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 2017 Nissan Leaf problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 5,000 miles; 88% 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.