Nissan · Leaf · 2011
2011 Nissan Leaf
0
Recalls
95
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2011 Nissan Leaf has no recalls and 95 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags (28 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
Research Context
The 2011 Nissan Leaf page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is air bags with 28 reported complaints.
Best Research Moves
- Use the complaint log to understand what owners were actually reporting instead of relying only on the raw complaint total.
- Review the recall section even if the total is smaller, because a limited number of recalls can still point to meaningful safety actions.
- This page is primarily a complaints-and-recalls research surface, so compare nearby model years before treating the complaint total as a standalone verdict.
Key Takeaways
- The 2011 Nissan Leaf currently shows no active NHTSA recalls listed on this page and 95 owner-reported complaints.
- This page currently shows no linked NHTSA investigations.
- This page reflects complaint volume, recall history, and NHTSA test data, but it does not diagnose causes or rank reliability by itself.
- Safety data currently shows 5/5 overall NHTSA safety rating.
- The most frequently reported complaint categories on this page are air bags (28), electrical system (18), service brakes (14).
- Vehicle
- 2011 Nissan Leaf
- Recalls
- 0
- Complaints
- 95
- Safety Rating
- 5/5
How to Interpret This Page
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
NHTSA Crash Test Performance
Frontal Crash Test
Side Crash Test
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
11.0% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
ESC: StandardForward Collision Warning: NoLane Departure Warning: No
Owner Complaints
95 totalAIR BAGS,SEATS
Apr 17, 2025
Car throws a B1018 DTC, which is for the passenger seat occupancy sensor. The seat occupancy sensor failing poses a major safety risk, as it causes the airbags to not deploy properly in the event of a crash. This is a very well known issue for the 2011-2012 LEAF, and the only o...
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AIR BAGS
Aug 30, 2024
Air bag sensor fault, passenger seat warning on dashboard. Confirmed sensor failure at repair shop. Notified by Nissan that sensors are DISCONTINUED parts. No alternative solution suggested. This means all airbags in this vehicle are disabled. Car has less than 40,000 miles and h...
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AIR BAGS,SEATS
Jun 25, 2024
Please see thread: [XXX] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4...
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
Dec 16, 2023
When applying brakes, at a point in the pedal travel the vehicle deceleration goes from too little to vastly too much. This makes the vehicle challenging to drive in traffic without colliding into the vehicle in front and not stopping so quickly as to cause the trailing vehicle ...
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AIR BAGS,SEATS
Sep 24, 2023
Supplemental air bag warning light started blinking on 9/24/2023. It blinks regardless of whether the front passenger seat is occupied. The OCS sensor for the passenger seat failed. This should have been covered by a recall. The dealer wants over $3,000.00 to replace the seat ...
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VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jul 14, 2023
Vehicle doesn't slow down when taking foot of the acceleration pedal. Same both power settings. It will continue to move at slow speed on level ground. It behaves as though the minimum pedal.motor speed is too fast. My concern.is that it might get very fast without any pedal. Tha...
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AIR BAGS
Jun 14, 2023
My airbag sensor light went off for no reason. I took it into the dealership and was told that it would cost $3,700 to get it repaired/replaced since the seat needs to be removed. I am concerned that this safety issue is not taken care of and have read that many 2011 Leaf's are...
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VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRASHMay 28, 2023
On 05/28/23 while i was trying to park my 2011 Nissan Leaf in a parking lot, the car accelerated unexpectedly and hit a pole and fence and scratched an already parked car. Applying break did not slow down my car. I own this car since 2011 and never had an experience like this.
AIR BAGS
Jan 1, 2023
The airbag warning light has come on. An independent shop and the dealer say the repair is $4500 or more -- greater than the value of the vehicle, because Nissan only sells the complete passenger seat as a repair part, and requires the airbag be paired with the car at the dealer...
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AIR BAGS,SEATS
Aug 23, 2022
Air bag occupant sensor in front passenger seat failure causing air bag system shut off. DTC Code: B 1018 Description: Air Bag Occupant Sensor (Unit Fail). Well documented common failure of this critical safety component on the Nissan Leaf Forum. Sensor is not available to replac...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 95 total
View Full Complaint LogCompare Related Vehicles
Why Compare These Pages
The strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2011 Nissan models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
Quick Compare
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many recalls does the 2011 Nissan Leaf have?
The 2011 Nissan Leaf has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
How many complaints have been filed for the 2011 Nissan Leaf?
NHTSA has received 95 owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Nissan Leaf.
What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2011 Nissan Leaf?
The 2011 Nissan Leaf received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Nissan Leaf?
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2011 Nissan Leaf are air bags (28 reports), electrical system (18 reports), service brakes (14 reports).
Does the 2011 Nissan Leaf have any recalls?
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2011 Nissan Leaf. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Check Another Vehicle
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.