2013 Nissan Leaf: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2013 Nissan Leaf: 5 recalls, 81 owner complaints and up to 115 mpg combined.
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Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #13V069000 · 2013 · 82,038 vehicles
What's wrong: Sensors within the passenger occupant detection system (ods) May have been manufactured out of specification. This May cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
Why it matters: If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there May be an increased risk of personal injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ods sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013.
Electrical, Airbags Vehicle recall #14V138000 · 2014 · 989,701 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 altima, leaf, pathfinder, and sentra, model year 2013 nv200 (aka taxi) and Infiniti jx35 and model year 2014 Infiniti q50 and qx60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (ocs) software May incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Why it matters: If the ocs does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the ocs software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014.
Brakes Vehicle recall #16V119000 · 2016 · 46,859 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 leaf vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster May freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.
Why it matters: If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the intelligent brake control unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V244000 · 2016 · 3,296,947 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: 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,…
Equipment, Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #23V296000 · 2023 · 94,343 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 4 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Brakes (32): the most common themes are brake failure / soft pedal (11), warning light on (10).
- Electrical (18): the most common themes are electrical failure (10), stalls / loses power (4), warning light on (2).
- Airbags (17): the most common themes are warning light on (4), fails to deploy (3).
- Other / unknown (10): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 2013 Nissan Leaf has 81 owner complaints, ranking #6 of 17 Leaf model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 65). Complaints peaked in 2019 (14 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 3 years old, at a median of 24,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2012 (57 complaints, 0 recalls), 2014 (34 complaints, 6 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric (80 kW DCPM) | Automatic (A1) | Front-Wheel Drive | 129e | 102e | 115e | Electricity |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2013 Nissan Leaf.
Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.
Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yrOEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.
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FAQ
Does the 2013 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2013 Nissan Leaf. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2013 Nissan Leaf problems?
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are brakes (32), electrical (18), airbags (17).
What gas mileage does the 2013 Nissan Leaf get?
EPA ratings run up to 115 mpg combined, across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2013 Nissan Leaf repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.