2014 Nissan Leaf Brakes Problems

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while his wife was reversing from the garage, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. The contact noted that the failure mileage was approximately 50,100 and speed was approximately 5 mph.

Complete braking system failure. After putting the car into reverse, only the emergency brake and parking system were functional. Once taken out of park, the vehicle was effectively free-rolling and nearly hit a structure. While in-gear, the brake sensation was that of having ABS actively working, and the brake needed to be smashed to the floor to get any functional braking. The fearful part was the car was still applying powertrain effort, without any accelerator input. Yellow Brake Warning Light, Red BRAKE light, VDC Warning Light, Red/Yellow Master Warning Light were all illuminated. This had not been brought up with the dealer, but a terrifying failure mode of electronic braking systems.

Brake Failure - ABS noise, there is zero brake action. Pedal goes all the way to the floor and nothing happens. Car makes an ABS noise but there is zero brake action. I reported this to Nissan dealer twice at first, they couldn't find a problem now their saying it maybe the ABS Control Unit. They want to replace the ABS Control Unit at $2,200 but does not guarantee that's the problems. The Nissan dealer states that the car is not safe to drive. even if I pay them $2,200 to replace the ABS control unit.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 NISSAN LEAF SL AT A LOW SPEED (5-10 MPH) WHEN THE BRAKES HAD A SUDDEN AND UNANTICIPATED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. WHILE PULLING UP TO A STOPLIGHT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET BEYOND WHERE I HAD INTENDED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS IN MY PATH. THIS EVENT HAPPENED IN DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY. FROM THE POINT OF FAILURE, I WAS ABLE TO PREDICTABLY STOP THE CAR WITH SOME EXERTION. BUT CLEARLY, A FUNDAMENTAL MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE FAILED. IT WAS NOT PART OF THE BRAKES THEMSELVES, OR THE ROTORS, OR WEAR. I DROVE THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO KEN GARFF NISSAN, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 BLOCKS AWAY. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED THAT IT WAS A FAILURE OF A MAJOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT PROVIDES BRAKING TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I CONTACTED NISSAN ABOUT THE ISSUE, AND REPORTED TO THEM THAT AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAD SEEN OTHER REPORTS FROM INDIVIDUALS ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR NISSAN LEAF BETWEEN THE MODEL YEARS 2013-2015. THERE WERE REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM AFFECTING MORE THAN 40 VEHICLES. NISSAN USA EXPLAINED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS FOR THAT ISSUE, AND THAT I WOULD SIMPLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. HOWEVER, I FELT THAT THIS EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT WAS SO DANGEROUS, AND SO SUDDEN, AND WASN'T A RESULT OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR AN ERROR OF ANY SORT, IT SHOULD BE ESCALATED AND EVALUATED FOR RECALL. NISSAN USA SHOWED NO INTEREST OR INTENTION OF MAKING FURTHER INQUIRY INTO THE PROBLEM, SO I FELT I SHOULD PUSH FOR A RECALL. MY CASE NUMBER WITH NISSAN USA WAS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED AS #436-319-65, AND A NEW CASE NUMBER WAS ASSIGNED AS #436-368-82. THE INDIVIDUALS ASSISTING IN THE CASES WERE NAMED PAMELA AND NANCY, RESPECTIVELY.

THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE BRAKES MALFUNCTION WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. ON A CITY STREETS.*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER BRAKE CYLINDER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $3000.00.*JB

AFTER COMING FROM WORK (54 MILE BACK AND FORTH) ON 11/4/2020, PARKED 2014 LEAF SV AT THE DRIVEWAY FOR 40 MINUTES. THEN WENT BACK IN, POWERED THE CAR AND SHIFTED TO REVERSE. THE CAR BACKED-UP FAST BECAUSE THE BRAKE SEEMED NOT WORKING. SO I HAVE TO STEPPED ON THE PEDAL HARDER. I KNOW SOME THING IS WRONG BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES A NOISE A CAN BE HEARD AT THE FRONT. I CHECKED AND IT SEEMED LIKE ITS ACTUATING SOMETHING BUT NOTHING IS HAPPENING. THE PEDAL IS DEEP. THE DASHBOARD BRAKE LIGHT IS ON AND YELLOW WARNING LIGHT. I TURNED IT OFF AND AFTER 1 HOUR I RECHECKED AND IT GOT BACK TO NORMAL OPERATION. BUT THIS WAS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES DURING COLD WEATHER. THIS TIME 11/18/20, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE E-DRIVEN INTELLIGENT BRAKING COMM IS THE DTC CODE THAT CAME UP

UPON STARTING THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT, THE BRAKE PRESSURE DID NOT RELEASE AS USUAL WHEN STARTING THE CAR. WHEN DRIVEN IN THE PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION AS IT SHOULD. THERE IS SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT I CAN ONLY PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN A LIMITED AMOUNT TO MAKE THE CAR STOP. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING THE CAR LESS THAN 10 MILES TOTAL, THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED AND THERE IS LESS ROOM TO PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN WHILE BRAKING. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET THE BRAKES INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD. I AM WORRIED THE ISSUE WILL WORSEN TO THE POINT THAT THE BRAKES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE PRESSED DOWN AT ALL.

DROVE VEHICLE FROM HOME TO DESTINATION 15 MILES AWAY WITH NO ISSUES. STOPPED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. AUDIBLE TONE CAME ON WITH EVERYTHING OFF. STARTED VEHICLE. MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED. TURNED OFF VEHICLE. TURNED BACK ON, BRAKE WARNING APPEARED, CAR IDLED FORWARD AND COULD NOT BRAKE IT TO STOP WITHOUT HARD BRAKING. TURNED OFF VEHICLE.

AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR THE BREAKS STARTED TO MAKE SOME NOISES WHEN ACTIVATED . I CHANGE MY ROUTE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REVISION AND AS I WAS GETTING THERE THE BRAKES STARTED TO FAIL TO A POINT THAT, BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP 9A COUPLE OF MILES AWAY) , IT WAS ALMOST NOT BREAKING AT ALL. MAY THIS HAVE HAPPENED IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS IT ROLLED INTO THE STREET. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND LOUD NOISES WERE HEARD FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, PAID ~$300 TO "REINITIALIZE AND RECONFIGURE" THE BRAKE SYSTEM.

BRAKE FAILURE. PRESSING ON BRAKES WITH NORMAL PRESSURE HAD NO EFFECT. PRESSING ON PEDAL VERY HARD WOULD STOP THE CAR. WHEN DOING SO THERE WAS A NOISE THAT I BELIEVE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS IF THERE HAD BEEN A PEDESTRIAN AROUND. TOOK TO DEALER. THEY SAID THE BRAKING CONTROLLER HAD FAILED. THEY REPLACED AND IT APPEARS NORMAL NOW. THIS VEHICLE HAD THE COLD WEATHER BRAKE CONTROLLER UPDATE APPLIED TO IT APPROXIMATELY A MONTH EARLIER.

LOSS OF ALL BRAKING POWER DUE TO ABS FAILURE.

NISSAN DID NOT NOTIFY ME OF THIS RECALL OF THE LEAF WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 26, 2016. WHEN I CALLED NISSAN REGARDING THEIR LACK OF NOTIFICATION ON THIS ISSUE, THE COMPANY, MOREOVER, DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL CITING A 'SERVICE NOTICE' HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE OCTOBER 15, 2015 OF WHICH I ALSO DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION! COULD YOU PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS RECALL WITH NISSAN AND INFORM ME OF THEIR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 NISSAN LEAF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE ON AN INCLINE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN HILL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,400. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHENEVER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW +/- 38F, THE REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM BEHAVES VERY AGGRESSIVELY IN THE SENSE THAT THE SLIGHTEST USE OF THE BRAKES RESULTS IN A VERY JERKY BEVAHIOUR OF THE CAR, BRAKING VERY ABRUPTLY AND HARD. USUALLY, A SECOND TAP ON THE BRAKE RESOLVES THE ISSUE TEMPORARILY, BUT THE SYMPTOM COMES BACK SOON AFTER. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT ALSO POSES POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS IF A CAR BEHIND THE LEAF IS NOT EXPECTING A HARD BRAKING. CONTACTED THE NISSAN DEALER WITH THE SYMPTOMS, REPLY WAS THAT THIS IS NOT KNOWN TO NISSAN.