2016 Nissan Leaf Safety Report
2016 NISSAN LEAF Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2016 Nissan Leaf. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (4) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (35) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 2 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Service Brakes | Compare service brakes issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2025 | Compare against the 2025 Nissan Leaf with 6 complaints and 0 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2019 | Check the 2019 Nissan Leaf before buying across this generation. |
Nissan Leaf Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Nissan Leaf years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Nissan Leaf | 105 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2018 Nissan Leaf | 61 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2019 Nissan Leaf | 216 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2020 Nissan Leaf | 138 | 6 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2021 Nissan Leaf | 44 | 4 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2025 Nissan Leaf | 6 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2016 Nissan Leaf Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2016 Nissan Leaf, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Service Brakes
14 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Nissan onlyElectrical System
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Nissan onlyFuel/Propulsion System
3 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Fuel/Propulsion System issues Nissan onlyElectrical System,Engine
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System,Engine issues Nissan onlyPower Train,Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train,Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System issues Nissan onlyAir Bags
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Air Bags issues Nissan onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
Reliability Score
The 2016 Nissan Leaf receives a reliability score of 85 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2016 Nissan Leaf:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes 14 reports of brake failure, mostly occurring at around 40,000 miles. |
Medium | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Air Bags Recalled due to potential inflator module and sensor issues, affecting 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014-2017 Sent models. |
High | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Steering Issues Plasticky sticking feeling and sound, and the car occasionally goes into neutral at highway speeds. |
Medium | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Power Train Shifting into neutral at highway speeds and going into turtle mode while on highway. |
Medium | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2016 Nissan Leaf:
14 reports of brake failure, mostly occurring at around 40,000 miles.
Recalled due to potential inflator module and sensor issues, affecting 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014-2017 Sent models.
Plasticky sticking feeling and sound, and the car occasionally goes into neutral at highway speeds.
Shifting into neutral at highway speeds and going into turtle mode while on highway.
Recall Details for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2016 Nissan Leaf by NHTSA:
Summary: 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."
Consequence: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
Summary: 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.
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
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.
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.
Consequence: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Summary: 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 incorrec...
Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Inter...
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2016 Nissan Leaf with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1 complaint involved crashes. 1 involved fires.
When turning left there is a plasticky sticking feeling and sound like a plastic bushing is coming apart. this causes the steering to momentarily bind. this happens most often when making gentle curves on the highway. the feeling causes you to overcorrect the steering wheel. there are many complaints online of similar issues from 2016 Nissan leafs. The issue occurs near daily since purchasing the ...
On January 9, a little after 12:30 pm, on Indian Head Highway (MD route 210) northbound near the Manokeek exit, after limiting drive power owing to battery degradation and cold weather (about 30 F) drive power and power steering failed entirely. There was no warning to pull over so I suspect this is an undocumented failure mode. After the car was towed home, it would not charge when plugged in unt...
On Friday, November 1, at about 3 pm, the brakes failed pulling away from the curb in a forward direction after loading equipment into the vehicle. Really stomping the brakes as though they had a fluid problem did get them to engage. I think the problem occured again backing out of my driveway prior to Monday the 4th when I fixed the problem. Again, really slamming the brake peddle got the brake t...
Drove home at 7PM mild day (65-70 degrees). Stopped the car and turned it off for an hour. Had to leave home at 8PM. Turned on the car and backed up the driveway. Tried to stop but break wasn't working.. Pressed all the way that ABS started trickling. Used the hand break to stop the car. Turned off the car and turned it back on. This is when I noticed all the dashboard lights are on including bre...
While climbing the incline section of the San Mateo Bridge in the fast lane, the Leaf shifted itself into Neutral and would not shift back into Drive. With no power, driver was forced to change lanes to the right with no power, but luckily made it over the top and down the decline to pull over. Vehicle did not want to shut off or shift. Dealer confirmed bad battery. This occured Nov. 27th, 2023. A...
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The brake pedal had to be pushed to the floor to activate the service brakes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed electronically driven intelligently braking unit and the electronic...
Goes into neutral in a matter of seconds while driving at highway speeds and goes into turtle mode while on highway. A scan of the vehicle showed a number of low battery voltage codes (P0AA0, P3180, P3182, P08AF) stored when the battery was disconnected. Nissan gave no ETA on battery replacement.
While driving at highway speeds (65mph) on a cold day (10-20F), the car lost all drive power with no warning. Driver was able to coast to the road margin. In another situation this could have been a catastrophic accident. Driver called 911 for police protection and tow. At this point car was completely unresponsive but still on. The car could not be turned off, turned on, shifted into drive, or an...
On March 8, 2023, my 2016 NISSAN LEAF main EV battery failed at 75% charge power going up an incline on the freeway. The car shut down in the center lane with no warning at 60mph and could not be moved or shifted to be driven off the freeway. The car is available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others was put at EXTREME risk. I could have been killed or rear ended. I called 911 for the...
Car shifted into neutral at highway speeds and would not go back into drive on 3 separate occasions over the past 6 days. Car is an EV and there was no warning and the battery SOC was 50% or more on all occasions. Can can be shifted from neutral to park only, not drive or reverse. Very unsafe to have to cruise to a stop on busy highways without much or any shoulder depending on where the car st...
We were driving the car on a highway (the 405 in Los Angeles) in the midafternoon on December 21. We were going uphill and in the flow of traffic. I'd say the speed was about 60-65. The car was functioning well. Then, the driver accelerated to pass a car and suddenly the car lost all power and went into neutral. Fortunately, we made our way to the freeway shoulder without an accident. But, i...
Vehicle is 2016 Nissan Leaf. Odometer reading 42,537. On August 28, 2022 in a shopping center parking lot under fair weather conditions and temperatures in the 80s, upon starting car, brake system control light and ABS indicator light both illuminated. Pulled car back into parking spot. Brakes did not work. Used emergency brake to stop vehicle. 9/11/2022 Inspection by Melloy Nissan. [XXX], S...
The driver's side door handle broke on my 2016 Nissan LEAF. Investigating the issue online, I found that many owners have had this issue, and the fix often breaks again. It's a safety issue for owner or emergency responders wouldn't be able to get the driver's door open without breaking the glass.
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Low Battery Mode" warning message was displayed while the battery was fully charged, which caused the vehicle to inadvertently decelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer replaced the capacitor and three cells in the battery; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not re...
THE NISSAN LEAF WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A 35 MPH ROAD IN A HILLY AREA. WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A DOWNHILL CURVE COMING UP TO A RED LIGHT THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT ENGAGE WITH NORMAL PRESSURE. THE DRIVER THEN PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDDLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SLOWLY STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO 10 FEET PAST A RED LIGHT INTO AN INTERSECTI...
DURING CONDITIONS OF LOW 12V BATTERY CHARGE, THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY START, GO INTO A DRIVE MODE ("R" OR "D") BUT THE BRAKES WILL NOT OPERATE. I STRESS THAT THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE 12V BATTERY HAS LOW CHARGE, BUT NOT TOO LOW THAT THE VEHICLE WILL REFUSE TO START. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO REPORT THIS. NOTE THE COMMENT ABOUT BRAKES FAILING IN THIS POSTING: HTTPS://WWW.MYNISSANLE...
TL* THE CONSUMER OWNED A 2016 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE ASLEEP AT THEIR RESIDENCE, THEY WERE AWOKEN BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED THEM THAT THEIR VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. NO INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. FIRST INSURANCE WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS ...
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH, MY CAR TURNS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY! I HAVE A VIDEO OF THIS ORDEAL THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND OVER.
NO BRAKES AT STARTUP. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. DROVE 20 MILES NIGHT BEFORE. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE.
BRAKE STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON SAN THOMAS EXPRESSWAY IN SANTA CLARA CITY IN CALIFORNIA; I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED TO "PARK" AND ALSO USED MANUAL BRAKE, EVENTUALLY I MANAGED TO STOP IT; SINCE IT'S BLOCKING A LANE, POLICE CAME AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. MILEAGE IS ESTIMATE SINCE THE CAR IS STILL BEING REPAIRED IN THE DEALERSHIP.
Showing 20 of 35 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
NHTSA Defect Investigations for the 2016 Nissan Leaf
NHTSA defect investigations are higher-signal than ordinary complaints because they indicate the agency opened a formal review of a potential safety defect. Some investigations later connect to recall campaigns; others close without a recall after review.
Component: Electrical System:Propulsion System
Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07
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. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-spe...
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2016 Nissan Leaf
Has the 2016 NISSAN LEAF been recalled?
Yes, the 2016 NISSAN LEAF has 4 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2016 NISSAN LEAF have?
The 2016 NISSAN LEAF has 35 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 1 involved crashes. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
The 2016 NISSAN LEAF received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 4/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2016 NISSAN LEAF involve service brakes (14 complaints), electrical system (4 complaints), fuel/propulsion system (3 complaints). Other affected components include electrical system,engine, power train,electrical system,fuel/propulsion system, air bags.
How many crash reports does the 2016 NISSAN LEAF have?
There are 1 crash reports associated with the 2016 NISSAN LEAF out of 35 total complaints (2.9% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2016 NISSAN LEAF have?
There are 1 fire reports for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF out of 35 total complaints. Fire reports are among the most serious safety concerns tracked by NHTSA.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF.
How many injuries are reported for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
No injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 NISSAN LEAF.
Should I buy a 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 NISSAN LEAF is acceptable with caveats. It has 35 complaints, 4 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
The components with the most failures on the 2016 NISSAN LEAF are: 1. SERVICE BRAKES (14 complaints), 2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4 complaints), 3. FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (3 complaints), 4. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE (2 complaints), 5. POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (2 complaints). SERVICE BRAKES is the single most-reported problem area with 14 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
Be cautious of service brake and air bag issues, and monitor for steering and power train problems. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2016 NISSAN LEAF has 35 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
The 2016 NISSAN LEAF receives a reliability score of 85/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 35 owner complaints, 4 recalls, and 2 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Service Brakes and Air Bags.
What are the known issues with the 2016 NISSAN LEAF?
Known issues with the 2016 NISSAN LEAF include: Service Brakes, Air Bags, Steering Issues, Power Train. These are based on patterns found across 35 NHTSA complaints. 4 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any recalls for the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
Yes, there are recalls for air bags due to potential inflator module and sensor issues.
What are the common steering issues reported?
Steering issues include a plasticky sticking feeling and sound, and the car occasionally goes into neutral at highway speeds.
Are there any power train issues with the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
Yes, there are reports of the power train shifting into neutral at highway speeds and going into turtle mode while on highway.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of service brake and air bag issues, and monitor for steering and power train problems. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2016 Nissan Leaf
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2016 Nissan Leaf. The data includes 35 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 4 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 1 reported crashes, 1 fire incidents, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2016 Nissan Leaf an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 4 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16