2020 Nissan LEAF: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2020 Nissan LEAF at 104–111 MPGe combined with 149–226 miles of EPA-rated range across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 167 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
6
EPA combined MPGe
104–111
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Nissan dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2020 Nissan LEAF recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 6 safety recalls for the 2020 Nissan LEAF, newest first.
Electrical system: Propulsion system: Traction battery and 1 more component
NHTSA 24V700000Reported Sep 19, 2024
Filed by
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R24B2, P4A38, P5A22)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 LEAF vehicles equipped with a Level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 charging.
Risk
A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 3, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R24B2, P4A38, and P5A22.
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R23D7)
Units affected
57,914 (estimate)
Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2022 LEAF vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk
A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23D7.
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R23A6)
Units affected
66,159 (estimate)
Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The vehicle may accelerate unintentionally if the driving mode is changed ("D" to "B"; e-Pedal "On"; or "ECO" mode) after disengaging the cruise control.
Risk
Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A6.
Equipment: Other: Owners/service/other manual and 1 more component
NHTSA 23V048000Reported Feb 2, 2023
Filed by
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. R22C5)
Components
Equipment: Other: Owners/service/other manual; Visibility: Defroster/defogger/HVAC system
Units affected
64,732 (estimate)
Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 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."
Risk
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 April 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Nissan North America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. PC752)
Units affected
150 (estimate)
Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
Risk
Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 LEAF electric vehicles. Under certain circumstances, the images for the back-up camera can disappear while in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. This recall began August 31, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2020 Nissan LEAF fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2020 Nissan LEAF crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2020 Nissan LEAF NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2020 Nissan LEAF (40 KWh Battery) 5 HB FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
10.7%
Standard
2020 Nissan LEAF PLUS (62 KWh Battery) 5 HB FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
10.7%
Standard
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2020 Nissan LEAF owner complaints
Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan LEAF, most recently on Oct 6, 2026. 1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2020 Nissan LEAF complaints
