Electrical system & Back Over Prevention issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
As an EV, the 2020 Nissan Leaf is supposed to provide a lot of reliability and fun. The newer models claim to offer “electric power, instant thrills.” However, owners of the 2020 model complain about the faulty back over prevention system, defective electrical system and shoddy visibility.
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Today’s advanced safety systems only allow for more protection on the road when working properly. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the 2020 Leaf.
One NHTSA complaint says, “When putting my car in reverse my back up camera intermittently will not work. I have called the dealership that I purchased the vehicle. I have taken the car multiple times, I have called multiple times. Nissan has yet to include my vehicle make and model into the recall. Even though it is a 2020 model. My car is at the dealership today as my camera stopped working last week and was still not working this morning. However the dealership is now telling me ‘it worked when it arrived and they have been unable to recreate the issue.’ This is frustrating and needs to have an official recall PLEASE!”
There’s even a recall for this system. NHTSA Campaign Number 20V412000 says that the backup camera images might disappear while reversing. This is precisely when they are needed the most, leaving many drivers in danger while they try to figure out what is going on. This defect alone could cause countless cars to stop backing out of a parking space, leading people to a false sense of security that is it safe to walk behind it. Those people aren’t in for any “instant thrills” if they end up getting run over because of the malfunction.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
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Unknown Or Other
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Electrical System
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Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
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Back Over Prevention: Camera System
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Visibility/wiper
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Air Bags
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Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
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Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
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Power Train
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Service Brakes
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A faulty electrical system is just one more problem with the 2020 Leaf, which does seem slightly ironic considering it is an EV.
Another NHTSA complain says, “The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that the battery gauge was reading incorrectly. The contact stated that while doing a 70-mile roundtrip with 173 miles battery life, the battery gauge indicated the battery level was at 70 miles remaining. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.”
There’s currently a proposed class-action lawsuit against Nissan because of a defective Forward Emergency Braking System. It turns out this software can engage falsely or fail, leaving people in a lot of danger. It can also slow down abruptly when it shouldn’t, further leaving people in a lot of danger. The car might have some “electric power,” but the thrills provided by Nissan are going to be costly if they have to pay out for the defects.
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Seeing out of the Leaf is essential if occupants want to remain safe, even when everything else seems to be failing. Yet, this is an area that’s causing more problems.
One final NHTSA complaint reveals “Defroster is not working at all. Spoke to dealer, needs new part and Nissan corporate. Nothing moving. Live in Denver, having a working defroster is extremely important.”
NHTSA Campaign Number 20V57000 states that the rear window glass might not have been secured to the vehicle properly. Because of this defect, it can separate and cause an accident. Of all the things that Nissan could get wrong, how uneducated are the technicians that they don’t even know how to install auto glass? Maybe it’s time for these workers to go back to playing with Hot Wheels instead.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Nissan pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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