Before you buy a used Nissan Leaf (ZE1).

2018–2025 · Electric · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

The essentials.

4 documented, sourced faults across its 2 engines.
They all depend on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
2 official recalls on record: ask for the chassis number (VIN) and confirm they have been done.
According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 40 kWh (Electric).

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

A front door will not open from inside or outside although the handles and latch are fine (Leaf of 2018–2021)Bodywork
Period mentioned
2018–2021
Mileage mentioned
The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: US bulletin for the Leaf; ask a Nissan dealer whether it applies to your car.
Clicking or popping from the front axle area when pulling away, accelerating or slowing down (Leaf of 2018–2023)Suspension and steering
Period mentioned
2018–2023
Mileage mentioned
The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: US bulletin for the Leaf; ask a Nissan dealer whether it applies to your car.
Horn not working because of a pinched ground wire in the horn pad (Leaf of 2018–2023)Electrical and electronic systems
Period mentioned
2018–2023
Mileage mentioned
The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: US bulletin for the Leaf; ask a Nissan dealer whether it applies to your car.

40 kWh

Electric

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

e+ 62 kWh

Electric

The car will not start with codes P31E7 and P0AA6 because of a battery module with a bent retention plate (Leaf e+ 62 kWh)High-voltage battery
Period mentioned
2019–2025
Mileage mentioned
The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: US bulletin for the Leaf with the 62 kWh battery; ask a Nissan dealer whether it applies to your car.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Nissan Leaf (ZE1)
Engine	Documented faults	Recalls
40 kWhElectricFewest documented	33 with conditions	2
e+ 62 kWhElectric	44 with conditions	2

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 40 kWh (Electric).

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
Ask an official Nissan dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.

Park may not lock the car because of a poor weld in the park lock actuator (Leaf of 2019)Transmission

How to check it: When parking, always apply the parking brake as well. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car. They fit a countermeasure plate.

View full entry

Unintended acceleration after switching off cruise control because of the vehicle control module (Leaf of 2017–2023)Electrical and electronic systems

How to check it: Until you have the update, pay attention when switching off cruise control and brake if the car accelerates. Ask a Nissan dealer, with the VIN, whether the recall is outstanding on your car.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 4 checked

Bodywork

A front door will not open from inside or outside although the handles and latch are fine (Leaf of 2018–2021)
Look out for: One or both front doors will not open with the inside or outside handle, although the handles, cables and latch work and the door is not damaged.
Ask them to check: Ask the garage to adjust the latch gap as the bulletin describes before replacing handles or latches.

Suspension and steering

Clicking or popping from the front axle area when pulling away, accelerating or slowing down (Leaf of 2018–2023)
Look out for: A click or pop from the front axle area when pulling away, accelerating or slowing down.
Ask them to check: First have the wheel nuts tightened to the bulletin’s torque (113 Nm, diagonally); it is the cheapest step and comes before looking for other causes.

Electrical and electronic systems

Horn not working because of a pinched ground wire in the horn pad (Leaf of 2018–2023)
Look out for: The horn does not sound.
Ask them to check: Do not remove the centre of the steering wheel yourself: it holds the airbag. Have the horn ground wire checked as the bulletin describes. Without a horn the car can fail the MOT or periodic inspection.

High-voltage battery

The car will not start with codes P31E7 and P0AA6 because of a battery module with a bent retention plate (Leaf e+ 62 kWh)
Look out for: The car does not start and has codes P31E7 (restart inhibition) and P0AA6 (high-voltage system isolation) stored.
Ask them to check: Do not keep trying to start it: it is a high-voltage fault. Call for assistance and have a Nissan dealer follow the bulletin’s diagnosis to see whether a battery module is the cause.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P31E7 P0AA6

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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