2012 Nissan LEAF
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 99 MPGecombined; city 106, highway 92; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $4,670U.S. average; Ohio $4,970 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA electricity prices for Jul 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 57filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 LEAF. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 22 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
3 more parts
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 LEAF. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 129 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 LEAF, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (47), equipment (36), wheels (12), back over prevention (8), structure (8).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
| Investigation | Part | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes | Electrical system | Jan 27, 2023 | Closed Aug 7, 2023 Petition withdrawn NHTSA's record and documents |
| Preliminary evaluation PE19015 Front Occupant Classification System Mat | Air bags | Oct 9, 2019 | Closed Jun 1, 2020 NHTSA's summary names recall 16V244000 NHTSA's record and documents |
| Defect petition DP19002 Front Occupant Classification System Mat | Air bags | Aug 16, 2019 | Closed Oct 16, 2019 NHTSA's summary names recall 16V244000 NHTSA's record and documents |
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf Front-Wheel Drive | 80 kW DCPM | Automatic (A1) | Electricity 73 miles of range | 106 / 92 / 99 MPGe |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data