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#BS-2013-NISLEA-58F22013 Nissan Leaf
Based on reports from 120 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 120 complaints, 17 crashes, 2 fires, and 5 recalls.
Top reported problems
brakes locked up
2 complaints • Severity 8/10
heater stopped working
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
range is diminished dramatically with low tempertures
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
32 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 29K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (47 reports) • Median: 29K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Brakes (32 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2013 Nissan Leaf: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 27% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Leaf, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 29,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 29K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Leaf, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Leaf, with 17 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Wheels & Tires Issues
Wheels & Tires complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2013 Nissan Leaf, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2013 Nissan Leaf. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
AIR BAGS
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
SERVICE BRAKES
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Nissan Leaf is the 2015 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.
2013 Nissan Leaf vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
120
Class avg
378
Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 120 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Nissan Leaf Model Years
View all Nissan Leaf years →2013 Nissan Leaf: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Nissan Leaf?
Is the 2013 Nissan Leaf reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2013 Nissan Leaf problems?
Does the 2013 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
What mileage do Nissan Leaf problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2013 Nissan Leaf Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 120 owner reports. Know before you buy.