10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
22,951 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Nissan Leaf brakes problems

brakes problem

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2015 Nissan Leaf Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #63

Dec 282022

Leaf

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving with one passenger going at very low speed. I began to turn into parking area and suddenly the car accelerated at an alarming speed. I applied total pressure on the brake to no avail, it did not override the acceleration. I steered into the back of another parked vehicle. The impact pushed the large heavy vehicle down into a ditch and deployed the airbags for both myself and passenger. 911 was called, Police arrived, tow trucks. My vehicle was totalled, and insurance now has the claim. If this has occurred on a highway or busy city street, many lives would have been at risk.

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #62

Dec 052022

Leaf

  • miles
I was driving down the road and applied pressure to the brakes. The brakes did not respond and the dash lights lit up indicating several failures. It took 15-20 feet before I was able to completely stop. If this had happened on a busy street or freeway, the results would have been catastrophic. The vehicle is currently located a Nissan dealership and is available for inspection.

- West Valley City, UT, USA

problem #61

Nov 142022

Leaf

  • miles
On Monday, 11/14/2022, while driving at 25 mph in approximately 28 degree temperatures, the brakes completely failed on my 2015 Nissan Leaf and the parking brake light, ABS light and traction control warning light suddenly illuminated on the dashboard. I glided to a stop in the breakdown lane, and while in both Drive and in Park when I pressed the brake pedal to the floor there were odd buzzing/knocking sounds towards the front of the vehicle (where the motor, etc. are located) and a vibration under foot accompanied by a clicking noise similar to that experienced during anti-skid braking. I turned the ignition on and off several times but the system malfunction was still present. I was able to drive 100 yards into a parking lot with minimal braking ability (the emergency brake served as a backup). I left the car parked, and when I returned two hours later to meet the tow-truck, the vehicle started normally with no lights on the dash. Brake functionality had returned, at least temporarily. I thus drove very carefully three miles home without incident. (However, had this occurred on the highway or while in traffic, a fatal accident could have occurred.) I have since found many reports from others who have experienced the same issue, which seems to be common enough to justify a recall, particularly as the brake failure reoccurs (see https://). Tomorrow I bring the car to the dealer to diagnose the problem.

- Louisville, CO, USA

problem #60

Oct 032022

Leaf

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Complete brake failure due to the intelligent brake unit. Driving on the freeway when multiple warning lights flashed at once and I lost brake functionality. I used to emergency brake to slow to a stop. This is an intermittent failure because after it sat for 30 minutes brake functionality returned. I'm very concerned about this issue and have seen multiple people reporting this issue for Nissan Leafs.

- Santa Barbara, CA, USA

problem #59

Aug 252022

Leaf

  • miles
The intelligent brake control unit has gone bad. I was driving home and I was preparing to stop at a stop sign. I pressed on the brake pedal and the would not stop. Luckily there were no other cars or else I would have been involved in a car accident. I had the car towed home then I drove it to the Nissan dealership. They ran a diagnostic and they said that they found multiple codes for the brake booster. They recommend that the intelligent brake control unit be replaced. At the time of the incident, the abs light went on, and the traction motor light went on. When I pressed on the brake there was a squealing noise coming from the pedal. That was the first time that ever happened. I reached out to nissanconsumeraffairs.com for assistance to help with the cost of the part. They said that they could not help. My case number is [XXX] and the person that was my contact was [XXX]. Her number is [XXX]. I have read various accounts of where the same part has failed on many Nissan LEAFs. This should be a recall where this part should be fixed for free. It is putting many lives in danger. I hope that you can help me out as well as the many people that drive this car make and model. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Empire, CA, USA

problem #58

Jun 162022

Leaf

  • miles
I was driving my 2015 Nissan Leaf and attempted to decrease my speed for an upcoming right turn. When I put my foot to the pedal i realized it became stiff and my vehicle was unable to slow or come to a stop. I was able to make the turn safely as I was not at an itial high speed, however, as I approached a red light, i continued to observe the spottiness of my brakes before ultimately pulling over at the nearest gas station about 10 ft further from the right turn where my brakes first failed.

- Santa Ana, CA, USA

problem #57

Mar 042022

Leaf

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is to update my report from earlier this month, NHTSA ID Number: 11455211, because I don't see any way to revise it. The dealer repaired the brake failure at a cost to me of $4329, in addition to the $155 I had paid when they could not find the cause of the problem two weeks before. So my total cost is almost $4500 for what certainly appears to be a well-known manufacturing flaw affecting drivers around the world. The dealer told me in no uncertain terms that the car was unsafe to drive, and they knew of no other fix than to replace the entire Intelligent Braking Assembly, so I had no choice. I believe a recall is in order before there is a serious accident, if there hasn't already been one. Consumer stated he did not qualify to be part of that recall. Car has been repaired.

- Middletown, CT, USA

problem #56

Mar 132022

Leaf

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated his wife was driving approximately 30 MPH as she was slowing for a traffic signal, the vehicle lost all brake function. The contact's wife safely steered the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that he observed that the brake light, ABS light, and the traction control warning light were illuminated. Additionally, the contact noted that when he stepped on the brake pedal there was only a clicking sound and the pedal was depressed to the floorboard. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #55

Mar 042022

Leaf

  • miles
On Feb. 16, in about 25 degrees F, my wife pressed the brake pedal and the car did not react at all. She then jammed the brake pedal to the floor and it seemed that the anti-lock brakes stopped the car. She turned the car off and on again, and drove right back home, only about a mile away. I drove the car carefully that day without incident. We took it to Middletown Nissan as soon as they could get us in, the next day. They could not duplicate the problem and tested various components. Everything passed their tests, so we assumed the problem was isolated. Then, today, March 4, at 29 degrees F, the brakes failed for me on a very busy road. Again, it was at a slow speed, as I was approaching a red light. Again, it took pushing very hard to the floor to get the car to stop. All the warning lights on the dash lit up, and there was an odd buzzing sound coming from under the hood. I drove the 3 miles home very slowly and carefully, and the brakes failed in this same way every time I tried them. I called Nissan customer service and they (Lydia) indicated that they had no information about this problem and suggested I go back to the dealership for further investigation. This is what I will do. I am waiting for a call back from them now, but it's Friday afternoon and I am not hopeful that they will be able to get my car in there today. It's very frightening and unsafe when you don't know if your brakes are going to work. I mention the outdoor temperatures because I've seen some information about 2015 Leafs being recalled for a cold-weather brake failure. It's not been in extreme cold that we have had the issue.

- Middletown, CT, USA

problem #54

Jan 222022

Leaf

  • miles
In minus 12 degree temperature, I traveled to a store without incident and parked. Upon returning to the car and starting it, several warning lights went on, including the brake warning light was red, the electric shift control icon was red, VDC indicator light was on, master warning light was red. (may have been other warning lights on). Message was displayed to use parking brake to stop the car.Before applying the parking brake I tried to drive cautiously as I was on a small slope and the display showed my battery level was ok, and ample for the miles to go home, When I tried the brake there was a clicking sound somewhere underneath the car. There was no brake action so I stopped by using the parking brake. I tried this slow roll out two or three times to confirm I could stop the car if I used the parking brake, and there seemed to be no other cautionary problems showing. I was able to drive home with my caution lights, driving on the side of the road, going no more then 15 miles per hour, and using the parking brake when I needed to stop. It was extremely unsafe but most of my ride was uphill going home, and on a Saturday morning at 9am, in sub zero weather, traffic was very calm. The realization of my drive coming into town with most of the trip downhill set in and realized how lucky I was, and how I could have put myself or others in severe danger. I am researching now and will need to find a dealer or independent service center to review the vehicle.

- Cooperstown, NY, USA

problem #53

Jan 162022

Leaf

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brakes fail cause as a wreck while parking

- Paulina, LA, USA

problem #52

Nov 052021

Leaf

  • miles
I was at Ralphs parking lot ready to leave last Friday (11/5/2021), as I turned on the car, BRAKE'S light got lit up and when I pressed my foot on Brakes and put it on R (Reverse), I realized the Brakes were not working and the car was going backwards beyond my control. I immediately pressed the button and turned the car off. I left the car at Ralphs parking lot and towed the car to Glendale Nissan (California) next morning. They checked and said the Brakes are running on a very low battery and it needs to be fixed. My car has a very very low mileage and this must be a manufacturing defect. Since there was no recall on my vehicle for this issue, they are charging me $450.0 to replace the battery, plus more for other adjustments, for the total cost of $1,200, As I searched the internet, it seemed that there were recalls for this exact issue for 2015 Nissan Leaf ( I have the same). How come my vehicle never received any recall notice for the same issue. I was lucky that this happened in a parking lot. If this had happened while I was driving or picking up my grandchildren, it would end with a devastating results. Please contact Glendale Nissan and let them know not to charge the customer for a manufacturing defect.

- Glendale, CA, USA

problem #51

Jul 032021

Leaf

  • miles
I backed my car out of the parking space in front of a building, and drove on a 300+ ft long driveway. I stepped on the brake before entering the main road perpendicular to the driveway, but the car didn-€™t slow down. I almost hit the incoming car on the main road. As I maneuvered my car to avoid the other car, my foot was on the brake the whole time, but I couldn-€™t feel the brake at all. I panicked and forgot to use the emergency brake. I saw -€œBrake-€ on the display screen, with several other warning signs, including the yellow and red triangle exclamation marks. My car cruised for another 500 ft or so and finally stopped. I put the emergency stop flash light on. I called the police to report that my car was blocking half of the lane, before calling my insurance. Luckily it was not a very busy street. A police officer came after 30 minutes and he helped me move my car to the side of the road. He said the brake responded to him. After over an hour, the towing company came to tow my car to the nearest Nissan Dealer/Service Center (about 8 miles away). The guy from the towing company said he could feel the brake fine. It was less than 10 minutes before closing so l left my car at Nissan Service Center. This morning the Service Center called me and said they hadn-€™t found anything wrong during the initial diagnose yet. They called the Nissan North America to request them to send technicians to check my car. I have found on an online forum several threads discussing the same experience like me - no brake while driving a Nissan Leaf. The dates of those posts range from 2011 to 2014 to 2018. They also had the yellow and red triangle warning signs on, and some of them found their brakes work again after they waited a while and restarted the car. Although the cause hasn-€™t been identified yet, I wanted to report this incident because it is so dangerous. Imagine what happens if I would be on a highway (using the emergency break would also be dangerous).

- Mountain View, CA, USA

problem #50

May 132021

Leaf

  • 68,000 miles
Car started as normal in the morning. As soon as I placed the car in reverse, the car started moving even though I had my foot on the brake and the emergency brake was engaged. I pressed the brake pedal all the way to the floor and then the car came to a halt. There was lot of strange, loud clunking and chattering noises while trying to brake. I then put the car in forward gear and again the car started moving forward without any pressure on the accelerator and I had to push the brake pedal all the way to the floor to get car to stop. I turned off the car and performed a visual inspection under the car and under to bonnet to see if anything is leaking or visually broken - nothing found. Restarted the car and there was a yellow "brake system warning light" but brake function was restored and no more strange sounds. I came to work and turned off the car. After 30 mins turned on the car again and yellow "brake system warning light" had cleared and car was again operating as normal.

- Sugar Hill, GA, USA

problem #49

May 072021

Leaf

  • 37,548 miles
While I was driving on a city street at about 40mph, the ABS light came on and the brakes became completely unresponsive. Pushing on the break pedal would not slow the car down. After being able to come to a stop using the emergency brake I notices that the brake would keep rumble but still unable to keep the car at a stand still. This is the second this happens in about 8 weeks. This time I am reporting it. The car has 37,000 miles.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #48

Mar 162021

Leaf

  • 55,530 miles
I drove my vehicle to my children's daycare a few miles from my home, parked, and turned off the car. When I went to start the car to leave, I heard a strange buzzing type sound at startup, and then got a bunch of warning lights for the brakes and traction control. I turned the vehicle off and on a few times to try to get the warnings to clear. I noticed the buzzing sound was coming from when I pressed the brake pedal. I tried to get the vehicle to go into neutral but it wouldn't. then I tried putting it in drive, and it did go into drive, but started drifting backwards because I was parked on a slope. This is the scary part that could have injured someone. I was in a daycare parking lot and someone could have walked behind my car at the time it drifted back. Thankfully that did not happen. I mashed on the brake to stop the car, and it did stop but required more brake travel and made some grinding noises, like the ABS was operating. After I realized I had a major problem, I searched the internet and found some people on forums with similar issues. I tried disconnecting the 12V battery for a few minutes, a couple of times, but couldn't get the brake alarms to go away. So I got it towed to my dealer. Dealer was busy and didn't get to look at the car for two-three days. They said that when they turned on the car they didn't see anything wrong. I asked them if they saw any codes, and they checked and they found codes for the can communication and intelligent brake system. The service advisor called this a "fluke" and said that the car was safe to drive. However, I am reading that there are many reports of the same problem with this model year Leaf. I do not feel safe driving this car, especially not with my children in it. What if the "fluke" comes back while I am driving down the road and can't safely stop in time?

- Allentown, PA, USA

problem #47

Jan 302021

Leaf

  • 32,500 miles
Car was driven about 3.5 miles to the store and parked. After shopping, when the car was started the ABS braking system had completely failed with no resistance to pressure on the brake pedal. A clicking sound was heard and pulsing was felt with no braking provided. Later in the day, the car was started again and the brakes appeared to work normally. Outside temperature at the time of the incident was between 0 & 10 degrees F.

- Worcester, MA, USA

problem #46

Feb 122021

Leaf

  • 40,000 miles
When applying the brakes while moving in any forward direction and the vehicle rolls over a pothole (or similar feature) the brakes instantly become soft. The vehicle doesn't slow at the anticipated rate and additional pressure needs to be applied to the brake pedal to slow or not increase speed.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #45

Jan 272021

Leaf

  • 58,000 miles
Primary brakes malfunction while coming to a stop on city street. Brake warning dash light illuminated. Brake peddle depressed to floor with very diminished effect. Loud clicking nose coming from under hood when brake peddle is depressed. Emergency brake required to hold car stopped when shifting into forward or reverse.

- Troutdale, OR, USA

problem #44

Oct 092020

Leaf

  • 34,500 miles
Electronic brake assist failed while driving in traffic, October 9th, 2020. Braking distance was extended and the brake pedal depressed much farther than normal, causing driver to stop car with emergency brake. Emergency lights illuminated on the dash. Errors codes indicate faults with the electronic driven intelligent brake control unit, the subject of safety campaign 16V119000. Subsequent Nissan recall, which applied 3nf9B firmware to the edib, had been applied 5/13/16. Failures re-occurred in cold weather in November 8th, 2020. Problem is sporadic and dealer cannot reproduce. However, a video of the failure was recorded and has been shown to them. Replacement part carries yet a new firmware, 4np3E. This firmware should be made available under the safety campaign if it more fully addresses the problem with the brakes.

- Portland, OR, USA

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