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Light NHTSA footprint — 34 owner complaints and 6 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2014 Nissan Leaf has 34 NHTSA owner complaints and 6 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is brakes at 15 complaints (~$450 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Leaf | 95 | 0 |
| 2012 Leaf | 57 | 0 |
| 2013 Leaf | 81 | 5 |
| 2014 Leaf (this page) | 34 | 6 |
| 2015 Leaf | 110 | 4 |
| 2016 Leaf | 36 | 4 |
| 2017 Leaf | 0 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2014 Nissan Leaf 5 HB FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 6 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is airbags (~$1,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
As I was driving my car the breaks started to make some noises when activated . I change my route to take it to the dealership for a revision and as I was getting there the brakes started to fail to a point that, by the time I got to the dealership 9a couple of miles away) , it…
After disconnecting charge port, the vehicle start displayed the warning light, ABS and brake light. Major electric problem. The vehicle was stationary, at the vehicle charge station. The consumer stated the manufacturer claimed to have completed the recall, but the failure…
Brake Failure - ABS noise, there is zero brake action. Pedal goes all the way to the floor and nothing happens. Car makes an ABS noise but there is zero brake action. I reported this to Nissan dealer twice at first, they couldn't find a problem now their saying it maybe the ABS…
My Nissan leaf has had major issues with the windshield wiper motor. If there is any amount of accumulated snow, even a small amount, an amount on other cars I have driven does not stop the wipers or break the wiper's motor. In less than one year my wiper's motor has broken…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2014 Nissan Leaf is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2014 Nissan Leaf is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 6 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the brakes first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 15 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 34 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is brakes. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is brakes, with 15 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop.
The brakes is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 34 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $450, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.