The 1st Generation Nissan Leaf has a lot of “issues.” If you’re looking for a used car, it might be best to pass on this one and go for the 2nd Gen. Here are the most common and most frequent problems Nissan Leaf 1st Generation has.
Nissan Leaf Common Problems
Complaints, lawsuits and generally annoying non-features have gotten the Nissan Leaf 1st Generation owners complaining! Here is what they are reporting.
AEB
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has taken on a life of its own. The AEB is causing the 1st Generation to brake suddenly when there is no obstruction in the path before it. This issue is causing a lot of rear-end collisions. It also deactivates itself, which is a whole other annoying problem. Lawsuits have been filed in a few states.
Cold Weather Mileage Shortage
Your 1st Gen has difficulty in colder temperatures. When it gets cold outside you can expect a loss of 57% of your normal mileage.
Avoid the 2013 Model
Any of the years of the 1st Gen have their issues, but the 2013 model is particularly troublesome. There are 8 different complaints listed on carcomplaints.com and there were 37 service bulletins issued by Nissan for needed repairs.
Needed Repairs Recognized by Nissan
It is good that Nissan issues service bulletins, but 37 of them is a lot. The service bulletins issued for the 1st Generation range from many repairs needed for the electrical system and a wide variety of repairs needed for airbags, seats, cruise control and other miscellaneous issues.
Recommendation
You should probably pass on taking on this car that has so many problems, but if you simple must have it, make sure you pay a fair price for having to deal with all the headaches. It would be better to purchase a used 2nd Generation Nissan Leaf.
