2013 Nissan Leaf Brakes Problems

On 3 occasions the brakes have randomly failed when traveling. In 2 cases, stopping ability was non-existent except for the use of the parking brake. In the other case, stopping was significantly decreased. 13-Jan-2025, when traveling straight on a 40mph road towards a busy intersection, when the brakes were applied to slow to the intersection they failed and a red indicator light came on. Stopping ability was significantly reduced, but not completely gone. The car was able to safely divert into a parking lot without incident. When the car was powered off then on, the error went away and the brakes functioned. There were 2 other incidents prior to this, traveling at low speeds in residential areas. Braking was completely gone and I had to use the parking brake pedal to stop the vehicle. Again, after powering the car off then on, the braking system functioned normally.

I was driving and wanted to slow the vehicle to turn on a side street. I pressed the brake and nothing happened. The vehicle did not slow down at all. I pushed harder, still nothing. The brakes completely failed to work. Due to this brake failure, I was unable to make the turn I wanted to make because I was going too fast. I continued going straight, and because the road was slightly uphill, the vehicle eventually stopped and I was able to ease off the road when the vehicle had slowed sufficiently. Fortunately, there were no injuries or accidents. After the vehicle had stopped I looked to see if it was low on brake fluid. It was not. The brake fluid level was at manufactures specification. After I had stopped I did notice several warning lights on the dash, including ABS and other symbols I don't know the meaning of. (I'd have to read the vehicle owner's manual to figure out what they mean). I have not taken the vehicle anywhere to be repaired yet. I thought that maybe the NHTSA might want to inspect it before it was looked at by a mechanic or manufacturer.

WHILE DRIVING ON A WARM DAY AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR ABOUT TWO MILES FROM MY HOME, MY BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AS I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN BEHIND ANOTHER DRIVER. THE OTHER DRIVER DIDN'T STOP IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING HIT. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO USE THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW. BEFORE COMING TO A TURN DOWN A VERY LONG STEEP HILL, I PULLED UP THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. I CALLED AAA. THE AAA TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE BRAKES HAD FAILED, AND TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO LOOK AT THE CAR THE SAME DAY, BUT LOOKED THE NEXT DAY AND SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THEY RECOMMENDED TAKING IT TO AN ACTUAL NISSAN REPAIR SHOP, WHICH I DID. THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG, BUT DID SEE THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAD BEEN REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY. I CALLED NISSANUSA AND THEY SAID OUR VIN SHOWED THAT THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED FOR AN INTERMITTENT SERVICE BRAKE PROBLEM (ON RECALL) A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT USED, AND THAT IT CAN'T BE FIXED AGAIN FOR THAT. IT'S SCARY THAT NOBODY CAN IDENTIFY WHAT WENT WRONG THIS TIME, AND NOBODY IS WILLING TO SEE IF IT'S THE RECALL FIX ACTING UP SOMEHOW, MAYBE UNPREPARED.

I FILED THIS COMPLAINT PREVIOUSLY ON 2/4/19 - CONFIRMATION # ODI 11174255. YOU SENT ME SOME FOLLOW-UP PAPERWORK, BUT I HAVE UNFORTUNATELY MISPLACED IT. ANY WAY TO RESEND THAT PAPERWORK, SO I CAN PURSUE THIS COMPLAINT?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY SOFT AND TRAVELED HALFWAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EVIDENT IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MANCHESTER CITY NISSAN (30 TOLLAND TURNPIKE, MANCHESTER, CT 06042, (860) 643-4165) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V119000 (SERVICE BRAKES). THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. *TT *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A ONE-WAY STREET AT AROUND 25-30 MPH AND NEEDED TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP QUICKLY. I HIT THE BRAKES WITH ALL THE FORCE I COULD WITH MY LEG---THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE AND THE CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME. IT SEEMED LIKE SOME KIND OF WEIRD GLITCH BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CAR HAS ELECTRIC SUPPORT FOR THE BRAKES. AT OTHER TIMES THE BRAKES DIDN'T RESPOND IN THE CORRECT TIME. NOTE I HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES BY A PUENTE HILLS NISSAN AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE FINE. THERE WAS ALSO A STRANGE CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN THEY DISENGAGED. IT SEEMS TO BE SOME KIND OF TIME DELAY IN THE SOFTWARE. I ALSO READ THAT SINCE THE CAR HAS REGENERATE BRAKING IT'S LIKE THE CAR GETS CONFUSED WHEN IT SUPPOSED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND NOT SLOW DOWN FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD TROUBLE BRAKING OTHER TIMES WHEN I WORE LIGHT SHOES OR SANDALS.

BRAKE FAILURE ON A CITY STREET. THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THE HAZARD LIGHT, WARNING LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WERE ALL ILLUMINATED. I RECYCLED POWER TO THE CAR BUT THE ERROR DID NOT RESET. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN MURRAY UTAH FOR AN ASSESSMENT. NISSAN SAID THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT WAS BAD. ALSO THE CAR HAD A CAN BUS ERROR. THE CAR'S WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JULY OF 2018 AND NISSAN REFUSED TO FIX THE CAR. ACCORDING TO NISSAN THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT IS $2000 AND $480 TO INSTALL. I REFUSED TO PAY. I OPENED A CASE WITH NISSAN ELECTRICAL VEHICLE SUPPORT (877 664-2738) TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX THE CAR. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO FIX THE ISSUE.

DRIVING ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM MY HOUSE ON A LOCAL STREET THIS MORNING, I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE LIGHTS WERE ABOUT TO TURN RED, TYING TO BRAKE TO STOP...ALL THE BRAKE LIGHTS LIT UP AFTER I PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKE PEDAL CAME ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, CAR HAD NO BRAKES, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, THREW IT IN NEUTRAL AND SLAMMED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP, THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY ABOUT 42K MILES ON IT. AVOIDED A COLLISION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC BY SWERVING THE CAR.

I CHARGED THE LEAF THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WENT DOWNTOWN. IT WAS WINTER IN MAINE AND AROUND 10 DEGREES. AFTER GOING INTO A STORE AND COMING OUT WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN D THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. I SLAMMED THE PEDAL DOWN TO THE GROUND BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO DO MUCH. I ALMOST HIT THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME BUT I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DOWN AND LUCKILY STOPPED. I TURNED THE CAR ON AND OFF BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL HAPPENING. THE BRAKES MADE A WEIRD CLICKING AND ELECTRONIC NOISE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO CALL AAA AND WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON IT WORKED. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER OWNERS. THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL (P5327?) WHICH WAS ALREADY DONE ON THE VEHICLE BUT THIS STILL HAPPENED. MY LEAFSPY APP SHOWED THE DTC CODES OF C118A 0109 ABS E-DRIVEN INT BRAKE SYSTEM BRC-124 AND C1A61 0109 BRAKE MOTOR POWER SUPPLY BR-46. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT POWER WASN'T BEING SUPPLIED TO THE BRAKES. DANGEROUS! THEY DID NOT REALLY HAVE A FIX FOR IT OTHER THEN PUT IN A $2300 PART AND THEN DO MORE TESTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V119000 (SERVICE BRAKES). NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

OCT 2017, LEAF PULLED OUT OF PARKING LOT FROM SHOPPING TRIP OK, DROVE PASS 1 STOP SING OK (RIGHT TURN, STOPPED) THEN LOST BRAKE FUNCTION AT UP COMING RIGHT LIGHT STOP, NO ABS, NO TRACTION CONTROL, NO NORMAL BRAKE FEEDBACK, NO 'ENGINE BRAKE' (SIMULATION OR RE-GENERATIVE BRAKING), WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE WARNING SUCH AS BEEPING SOUND. PANIC, TRIED TO PRESS 'PARK' NO REACTION, THE CAR FEEL LIKE ACCELERATING TOWARDS UPCOMING STOPPED TRAFFIC, LOOKED DOWN, MAKE SURE FOOT IS ON BRAKE PEDAL, CONFIRM NO BRAKE ACTION BUT IT DIDN'T ACCELERATE THE CAR. TRY HARD BRAKE TO FLOOR AND STEER CAR TO BETWEEN LANE, ALL WHEEL LOCKED WITH SQEEEEKI NOISE, CAR SLIPPED AND STOP BETWEEN 2 STOPPED CAR. SPEED LIMIT OF THE ROAD 35MILES/HR OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE 91F CLEAR SKY. THE CAR WAS AT 49249 MILES. MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR TO ROADSIDE PARKING LOT, CALLED TOW TRUCK TOW BACK TO DEALER I GOT IT FROM JUST 30DAYS AGO, SVC DEPT. CHECKED SAID THEY FOUND NO MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH BRAKE SYSTEM AND 12V BATTERY OK. TURN OVER THE CAR TO AUTONATION NISSAN TEMPE AZ. INITIAL CHECK SAID 12V BATTERY NOT PASSED TEST AND VOLTAGE DROPPED BELOW 10V, THEY SAID DROP OR UNSTABLE 12V MAY CAUSE THIS. I BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION DRIVER WINDOW CONTROL IS ABNORMAL WHICH MAY ALSO CAUSE 12V UNSTABLE, AND ANOTHER DEALER CHECKED THE BATTERY AND IT PASSED. REPLACED 12V BATTERY AS REQUESTED, OLD BATTERY CORE MEASURED WITH VOLT METER AT 12.56V. TECH CAME BACK STATED 'BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM BUS NEED REPLACEMENT. PARTS WILL TAKE 1 WEEKS TO ORDER. NISSAN EV CUSTOMER RELATION INVOLVED. 7DAYS LATER CALLED DEALER AGAIN, TOLD PARTS JUST ARRIVED. CUSTOMER RELATION GUY RELATED DEALER WILL STILL TAKE A LOOK ON WINDOW SWITCH BUT THEY THINK THE NEW BATTERY STABILIZED THE 12V AND WINDOW MOTOR SHOULD NOT AFFECT 12V VOLTAGE. (THEY STILL HAVE NOT PUT IN THE REPLACEMENT PART AND TEST YET?!) WILL UPDATE RESULT IF I CAN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE PUSH START BUTTON AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NISSAN OF ELK GROVE IN ELK GROVE, CALIFORNIA, BUT THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

HAVING UNDERGONE A PREVIOUS RECALL TO FIX A BRAKE ISSUE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AT 50000 MILES ON DECEMBER 23, 2016 THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE NARROWLY AVOIDING A SERIOUS COLLISION. WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET IN TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES AN HOUR THE DRIVER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR IN PREPARATION TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR FOR THE STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD. THE CAR'S REGENERATIVE BRAKING ABILITY WAS ALREADY SLOWING THE CAR WHEN THE DRIVER'S FOOT ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FOUND IT SOLID AND UNMOVING. THE DRIVER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REAPPLIED HIS FOOT, ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS, AND AGAIN FOUND THE PEDAL UNMOVING. WITH THE CAR CONTINUING TOWARD STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD THE DRIVER BEGAN TO REPEATEDLY AND VERY FORCEFULLY ATTEMPT TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL. AFTER 4 OR 5 VERY STRONG KICKS THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE LOOSE, WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT THE DRIVERS PRESSURE, WITH NO RESISTANCE OR RESPONSE. THE DRIVER RETRACTED HIS FOOT AND THE PEDAL DID NOT COME BACK UP. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO BEGIN TO "PUMP THE BRAKES" AND WITH THE FIRST TOUCH ON THE PEDAL WHICH WAS STILL ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE CAR'S WHEELS LOCKED AND CAME SKIDDING TO A STOP WITH NO ABS MODULATION INCHES BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT. THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED, THE BRAKE PEDAL RETURNED TO THE UNDEPRESSED POSITION BUT WHEN DEPRESSED HAD NO RESISTANCE AND WAS INEFFECTIVE AT STOPPING THE CAR (AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE NOT BEING APPLIED). THE PARKING BRAKE WAS UNAFFECTED AND WOULD SLOW/STOP THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A NISSAN DEALER FOR REPAIR, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND HAD TO TALK WITH THE NISSAN ENGINEERS. 1/3/17 THE OWNER/DRIVER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE "BRAKE BRAIN BOOSTER CONTROLLER" WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH A REPLACEMENT PART FROM THE NISSAN FACTORY IN KENTUCKY. *TR

THE ISSUE: FROM PARKED AND POWERED OFF I APPLY THE FOOT BRAKE AND POWER ON - PUT IN GEAR (FORWARD OR REVERSE) AND GO - APPLY BRAKES AND THERE ISN'T ANY (AS IN NONE) - PANIC - PUSH PEDAL HARDER WHILE PANICKING - PEDAL RAPIDLY PULSES AS IT SINKS SEVERAL INCHES TO THE FLOOR BOARDS AND ALL FOUR TIRES SUDDENLY LOCK-UP AND THE CAR SKIDS. ALL THE WHILE MAKING A LOUD NOISE THAT SHAKES THE CAR AND SOUNDS LIKE A DRYWALL SCREW GUN THAT HAS SUNK THE SCREW ALL THE WAY IN. EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH LIGHTS UP (ALL OF THEM). I HAD THIS ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES 11 MONTHS AGO AND TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THE ISSUE WAS SOMEHOW RESOLVED HOWEVER THE DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. NOW A YEAR LATER IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED UNKNOWN REPAIRS AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN LEAF. AFTER HITTING AN OBSTACLE IN THE ROAD, THE POWER BRAKES CEASED TO FUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

I WAS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH WHEN I WAS FORCED TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP DUE TO THE SCHOOL BUS IN FRONT OF ME STOPPING ABRUPTLY. I ENGAGED THE BRAKES AND THEY WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE IN ANYWAY. I SWERVED BUT ENDED UP HITTING THE REAR OF SCHOOL BUS. *TR

THERE IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE LEAF'S BRAKES GRABBING TO QUICKLY WHEN AT LOW SPEEDS AND APPROACHING A STOP DURING COLD CONDITIONS. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO JERK. IT ALSO CREATES AN ISSUE WITH THE TRAFFIC BEHIND US AS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLES BEHIND ALMOST CRASH INTO US AS THEY DO NOT EXPECT THE CAR TO BREAK SO SUDDENLY. *TR

BAKING CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND STARTED MOVING FORWARD. BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION. ROLLED CAR INTO ANOTHER PARKING SPACE AND HAD TOWED. ALL HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED WITHOUT ANY OTHER TRAFFIC BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. FAILURE WAS CATASTROPHIC SUDDEN AND ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME MINIMAL BREAK FUNCTION BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE CAR SAFELY FROM ANY SPEED BEYOND 1MPH. *TR

HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE AT LOW SPEEDS, IF THE CAR ENCOUNTERS BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES GIVE OUT AND YOU HAVE TO PUMP A TIME OR TWO TO GET THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THERE ARE OTHER TIMES AT CITY/HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHERE IF THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED MEDIUM TO MEDIUM-HARD THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK ON AND EVEN WHEN REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE DOESN'T DISENGAGE AND THE CAR WILL SLIDE FOR A COUPLE SECONDS. PLEASE DO A THOROUGH SAFETY REVIEW ON THE BRAKES. *TR