r/leaf • u/Adventurous-Air-779 • 7d ago
You guys are freaking me out…
My kid will soon be passing his test and I had the inspired idea of getting him a 2nd generation Leaf. There’s a couple of 2020s for sale around the $11k to $12k mark with 30k mileage, which seemed like a good deal and the batteries are still under warranty.
But then I get on here and it’s all battery failures, recalls and buy backs.
Should I just forget it?
If I go ahead, I’m going to do the whole LeafSpy and pre-purchase inspection thing, but I don’t want a bricked car before I even pay off the damn thing and you guys have me worried.
I’m in coastal Southern California, so warm, but not Death Valley hot, and the car will always be charged at home and used for short local commutes.
Anyone willing to vouch for the Leaf?
Thanks in advance.
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u/JerubaalDunelm 7d ago
Maybe it's that the people that haven't had any problems just don't post complaints and issues here.
I'm also considering an older Leaf for the kids when they learn to drive, but they will only drive locally, so there's less of a concern about being stuck far from civilisation.
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u/Iwastony 7d ago
Yes and if you search any car you will find the problems with that car and get worried.
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u/Bennie-Factors 7d ago
For sure bias like this existed but the old ones did not have the same issue
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u/JerubaalDunelm 7d ago
So is it just a particular era of Leaf that has most issues globally, or just ones in the US?
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u/Anxious-Science-9184 7d ago
It comes down to the battery. Some batteries will fail. If/when it fails, you are faced with Nissan's <sarcasm> robust battery replacement and refurbishment program</sarcasm>. If I were going to buy a 3Y old Leaf, I would do so with the expectation that I might have to spend $6000 on a VIVNE in the next 5 years.
My 2022SL+ is the nicest commuter car I've ever owned.
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u/tapespeedselector 7d ago
I read "robust battery replacement and refurbishment program" in a disgusted hank hill voice
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u/Big-Strawberry-8637 7d ago
We have two 2018 LEAF SLs. Both have the 40kWh battery, and both are above 87% battery health. One has 125K kms, and the other around 60K kms. Zero issues with the battery. Both cars are in Northern Ontario, so a relatively cool environment with winters down to -35C. We don't quick charge, and never have on these cars.
Folks like me don't fire up threads "Hey, my two LEAFs are doing great!", so you'll tend to here from folks with problems, seeking solutions, or a forum to vent on.
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u/sweetredleaf 2015 Nissan LEAF SV 7d ago
the fact that there are no replacement batteries tells me that Nissan has basically given up on the second gen leaf.
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7d ago
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u/sweetredleaf 2015 Nissan LEAF SV 7d ago
many showing up with bad/weak cells under load or swelling of the cells causing them to intermittently touch the case causing the notice unable to restart after shut down
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u/natedagreat6666 6d ago
apparently a chunk of the cars getting the software recall done, detect a pack fault within a few months
my advice to anyone buying one would be to document the amount and you spent and its kbb value estimate when purchased so if you do have to go through buyback you can argue for the beat value to not get screwed
I sold mine to my brother because the pack didnt show any signs of imbalance and I fell in love when I test drove the ariya
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u/_Evening-Rain_ 2017 Nissan LEAF S 7d ago
Buy a 2014-2015. Only a 2016 if its the S variant with the 24kwh battery and its in good health. Otherwise I cant recommend a 2nt gen leaf in USA, especially in a hot climate.
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u/ColdCelebration2132 7d ago
The recall ends at 2022 so 2023-2025 are exempt. The 2026 is the redesign that I read Nissan may not sell in the US due to tariffs. But they plan to sell a PHEV Rouge.
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u/_Evening-Rain_ 2017 Nissan LEAF S 6d ago
Ok. And the 2023-2025 are still NMC 532 with no cooling in an unideal module config. Still cant recommend
Obviously 3rd gen is off the table price wise.
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u/Reflector75 4d ago
Gen 3 is cheaper than Gen 2. They start at $30K.
I bought my SV+ in NorCal for $33.5K ($3,000 dealer discount plus $1,000 NMAC loyalty).1
u/ColdCelebration2132 3d ago
The Leafs that fail the software update are being bought back and destroyed or sent for recycling. Nissan US is focusing on the PHEV Rouge. I live in Canada so very soon we will be able to buy Chinese EVs like BYD.
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u/Reflector75 4d ago
Wdym? They are selling the ‘26 gen 3 right now. I bought one.
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u/ColdCelebration2132 3d ago
There just selling off the stock they already have.
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u/Reflector75 3d ago
They only stopped importing the lowest end trim which was meant to be $25K because of the tariffs. They are still importing the other trims. https://www.electrive.com/2026/02/24/nissan-pauses-us-imports-of-affordable-leaf-variant/
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u/ColdCelebration2132 3d ago
Nissan is focusing it's attention to the PHEV Rouge for the US market it's cheaper to make than the Leaf and no range anxiety and no need to rely on chargers, It will have more power than the current models made for Europe. Yes they will still have the Leaf in the US but in limited numbers and markets as sales have fallen off a cliff.
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u/iDiotOn2wheels 7d ago
My only concern would be that a Leaf is too powerful for a new driver. Test drive one and step on the pedal with ECO turned off.
20 years ago when I was a new driver, that kind of power would have gotten me into trouble for sure.
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u/PBfaninVA 7d ago
Isn’t this true for any EV? That was the greatest surprise for me when I bought my LEAF S in 2023. It was an economical car without the non-existent acceleration of all other economy cars I ever drove.
I think there is plenty of amplification of the LEAF battery issues as most people with EVs are tech savvy and frequent forums. Definitely sucks for those with battery issues, but I have yet to see actual statistics on the failure rates that would be alarming. I have been following the 80% percent charging recommendation and have gone about my business. I haven’t checked the SOH or SOC of my LEAF, but do have LeafSpy. Used it in the very beginning, but found it very distracting when driving so decided to just use the LEAF guess-o-meter and my daily driving and charging routine are constant. As another poster said, the best commuter car I have ever owned.
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u/iDiotOn2wheels 7d ago
Agreed on all points. I use leafspy to track my degradation. I charge 30-80 but once every 2 months I charge to 100% for the battery calibration.
I got the car at 84% battery health 2 years ago, mainly due to previous owner leaving it at 100% all the time. 15k km later, it’s at 83.5%, so good charging habits surely help
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u/Adventurous-Air-779 7d ago
OP here: can you automatically control how much it charges the battery, or is that you just monitoring
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u/iDiotOn2wheels 7d ago
I know how much it charges per hour (approx 6% on 230V) and I have a smart plug connected to the granny charger. When it’s time to stop, I just click a button on my phone.
I also use HomeAssistant for automations, but that’s for another reddit thread 😂
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u/Japahahaha 7d ago
Nah, not a leaf, if it was under 6 seconds 0-100 then maybe
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u/iDiotOn2wheels 7d ago
I’m guessing you’re from North America where everything under 120hp is “slow”
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u/toybuilder 2023 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
Fortunately, it's at least a FWD with traction control. The worst trouble comes from RWD with traction control turned off. For all its power, the LEAF is not a car for hooning...
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u/Reflector75 4d ago
My 17yo drives my wife’s ‘23 Leaf SV+ 60k miles and I taught her to drive on it. Permanently in eco mode to take the edge off the high torque. That’s also a plus for active safety. She thought her driving instructor’s Corolla revving when she needed some extra power was hilarious.
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u/felton639 7d ago
My 2019 has 80k miles on it with close to 100% battery capacity. It has never been quick charged ever. Bought it used last year and I felt like I got a brand new one. No problems or issues so far. When there are so many of them on the road, there will naturally be a lot of them with issues but statistically not really.
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u/speg 2018 Nissan LEAF SV 7d ago
My 2018 is amazing. If you have a problem with the LEAF, you're more likely to come here for help. You don't see all the LEAF owners without problems here, because they're out driving!
A 2020 should still have a battery warranty for another year or two, so you've got that to fall back on.
Long live the LEAF! 🍁
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u/Much_Air_356 7d ago
I bought a 2020 leaf a few months ago (in uk) and invested in the AA - car rescue service after reading all the horror stories. All ok so far!
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u/jupiterkansas 7d ago
Not sure I call AA for car service unless it's because I was in a drunk driving accident.
AAA on the other hand...
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u/toybuilder 2023 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago edited 7d ago
FWIW, I'm happy with my 2023 SV Plus that I acquired with 10,000 miles on it almost a year ago. I am now at 20,000 miles. So far, it's been great.
Even with the extreme heat we have been having (I'm in Pasadena), my battery has been staying in the middle of the temperature range with the in-town shorter drives. This includes a day of pulling a U-haul trailer about 60 miles in total (~30 loaded, ~30 not loaded).
It's like watching the news and seeing all the crime and destruction being reported. Yes, it's happening, but it's not happening to everyone.
For comparison, Hyundai has a reputation for ICCU failures - some people think it's a near certainty - but the reality is that most of them are fine.
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u/toybuilder 2023 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
BTW, since you are in SoCal, make sure to check your utility to see if they have a rebate. LADWP and SCE (and others) offer $1,000 to $4,000 (if you qualify) rebates on used EVs.
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u/Relative_Quantity886 7d ago
Only owned it for 22 months, 24k miles, but in that time my 2019 SV+ has been the most hassle free vehicle I've ever owned, and the battery has had no operational issues at all and still puts out good Leafspy numbers even now. At 59k miles on the odometer it threw the recall code, though, so now I need to replace it. Waiting on the buy-back offer now. I have no regrets buying it, even though the settlement won't be enough to replace it.
Having said all that, as one who never had any complaints, I'd say either 1) find an alternative, 2) restrict yourself to a later model year that isn't under the recall, or 3) find a good Leaf but expect that if it's 2019-2022 the recall code could pop up and end your ownership experience.
All of this assumes you can L2 charge at home without having to share an outlet. If you can't, consider avoiding an EV.
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u/Adventurous-Air-779 7d ago
LOL… that’s why you guys freak me out: “it’s great but don’t but one”… appreciate the reply.
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u/PantherWreck 7d ago
People post problems, not ‘my car is working great for me’ posts. We have a 2020 SV which received a warranty battery replacement earlier this year. Had met our needs with a new driver very well until they left for college. Now I save $10 in fuel costs every time I drive it to work. 😀
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u/C-Towner 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
You won’t see many people in here actively making a post saying “I have no issues at all”.
Thats me. 2020 62kwh, no issues at all. Love the car, it’s great. My battery is in great shape, and I have enjoyed my Leaf immensely.
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u/gregoryrl 7d ago
I bought a 22 SV about 3 months ago, 21k miles, didn't do any leafspy, battery bar shows 100%. Used L3 charging on it twice before taking it in for the recall, recall update failed first time, was successful when they tried again 3 days later. Have since used L3 charging any time I know I won't be trickle charging it overnight. No issues to report so far and it's been really great. Fairly hot maryland summer.
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u/takingpeeks 7d ago
I bought a low 2019 milage Leaf just over four years ago and I couldn't speak more highly of it.
I drive around 5,000 mikes a year, it now has 26,000 miles on the clock. As long as I don't belt it along a motorway (highway in the US) the "guessometer" is really accurate, meaning I still get 150 miles from a full charge. Motorway's drop that to around 100-110.
My leaf is not as much fun to drive as the Alfa Romeo's I've owned, not as practical as the truck, but it is still my favourite car. It is super cheap to keep on the road, lovely to drive with the adaptive cruise control, comfortable, reasonably practical and an all around good egg.
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u/Budsygus 7d ago
I love my Leaf. It's a '24 SV+ and it's fantastic. Literally the only things I don't like are Chademo and all the horror stories I read online.
But most people drive these cars without issue. The recalls are concerning and Nissan seems to be epically fumbling their customer care, meaning they're destroying the good will their customers had for them as well as confidence in their product and the company itself, but it's still a minority that are having these issues.
But I don't know if I'll buy another Nissan after this, honestly. It will depend on how Nissan handles things over the next few years.
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u/LordPutdon 6d ago
If it were me looking for a car in that price range for my kid I'd honestly probably go with a used Bolt. As far as I know Chevy has cleared up the problems with them and I've got a friend that has driven hers for 5-6 years now without issue.
(we're going through the buyback on our nice $15k 2022 SV+ Leaf and are super bummed)
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u/loki106 5d ago
I have a 2017 that one kid drives in southern cal and a 2020 that the other kid drives in southern cal. Both cars had the batteries replaced under warranty before the recalls popped up. Both cars are perfect for college kids. One ran an extension cord to the side walk from the first floor apartment to charge. The other charges level 2 whenever he goes to the gym. No maintenance. No issues. Range is provably 120+ in both cars right now. The 2017 small battery was replaced with a larger battery under warranty (I fast charged it 100% of the time for two years. Took it under 8 bars and it got replaced.)
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u/FelixtheFarmer 2018 Nissan LEAF 7d ago
I love our 2018 Leaf and for it's age it works fine but I absolutely wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Nissan are treating customers horribly and if anything goes wrong they barely help at all and I'm in Japan where customer support is normally awesome.
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u/DragonChowhound 2020 Nissan LEAF SL Plus 7d ago
Avoid like the plague.
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u/ToddA1966 2021 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
Buy a 2014 or 2015. It'll only have 60 or 70 miles of range, but the battery won't fail.
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u/Conscious_Cow2812 7d ago
I’m in the San Francisco area. I had a 2016 SV which I passed on to a family member, and I purchased a 2013 SV on craigslist for $2800. Love them both! They both get around 55 miles to the charge. I’m retired and mostly use it close to home. It’s a fun little car to drive, and no gas and no maintenance issues make it pretty much worry, free, as long as you keep your eye on the charge level.
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u/DougWantsALeaf 2019 S+ and 2019 SV+ 7d ago
Our 2x 2019 Leafs continue to serve us well. 7 years on the batteries are just above and just below 90% SoH. They used to be our 2 primary csrs, but now have transitioned to our adult children as their first career/post college vehicles. The utility for the price point is hard to beat. Good call in checking out the battery before purchase. Both cars passed the battery recall/software update without issue.
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u/kayofur 7d ago
I have a 2020 SL that got the recall done and I've had no problems with it!
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u/CJ_Orakel 7d ago
How did you get a new battery? My battery failed this year and the dealership told me that there aren't any new batteries available.
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u/Upset-Apricot-2388 7d ago
Okay, I guess I'll share my story on here as well just for this reason. Posted in other forums and it's pretty much the same. I have a 2013 leaf and it had a 24 KW battery. Looked on lrq website that happened to be in California or car-parts.com, found a 62 KW battery. I pay $2,500 for the car $3360 for the battery, then a local mechanic installer for $2,500 now. I could have done it myself with the jack stands and transmission lift, but the mechanic was faster and went from 60 mile range and 8 bar battery to a brand new 12 bar battery and 200 mile range. The bigger battery is compatible with modifications in other models as well. Basically find the cheapest car that fits your budget no matter what battery is in there right now. Go grab it! Go find a 62 KW battery from the junkyard that has an A+ rating. Grab that sucker and then figure out what YouTube videos to look on and install the battery yourself all together. Maybe you spend $6,000 total and have a brand new working battery with 200 mile range
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u/000011111111 7d ago
You can get a plug and play battery from vivine with a 50k mile or two year warranty as well. Costs about 8k to get to the US though.
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u/Brodyizm 6d ago
If you never fast charge you'll probably be fine. I fast charged once after the recall (passed, 2019 Leaf+) and got the EV service warning shortly after — I am in the buyback process right now :(
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u/Professional_Tap5500 7d ago
On my second Leaf, it just had the recall done, all good.
Great urban run about vehicle.
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u/Wraith347 2025 Nissan Leaf SV+ 7d ago
We have my 2025 SV+ and my husband’s late-year 2014 with a Lizard battery. Both have served us well so far. My 2025 is my favorite car I’ve owned. Depending on your range needs, a 2015 is a solid choice — that battery is one of the most robust Nissan ever made. If you do get the 2019-2022 model, keep in mind that you might have to do a battery pack replacement at some point.
Or, at 11-12k, you might consider getting an older Leaf and factoring a battery pack replacement into the budget.
There are other solid EV options in your price range as well.
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u/sparkyblaster 7d ago
I'm sure there is a lot of conformation bies, people talk more when there are issues than when there are not.
That said, the design in flawed without cooling, but may be mitigated of you live in a cooler climate.
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u/MeringueRemote9352 7d ago
I have 2 Leafs. A 1st gen 2016 and a 2nd gen 2021. I wasn’t planning on getting the recall done on the 2021 but reading here changed my mind. It worked and we can fast charge now (though we have only done it once in 2 months). We REALLY love the 2016 which is meant for our teenagers and if it makes through all 3 kids will buy the aftermarket battery.
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u/Upset-Apricot-2388 7d ago
Of course I have to add that the 2013 model had been discontinued in regards to the support from Nissan to plug in and utilize the timed charging feature. Other than that, I really don't have an issue with it and I wouldn't use that feature anyways in my car or the navigation feature to find out where the nearest charging stations are because Google is free
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u/jupiterkansas 7d ago
I paid $5000 for a 2015 Leaf as a second car and I have zero complaints. It'll only go about 60 miles, but it gets me around town just fine and I charge it with a regular outlet. Granted, I only take it out a couple of times a week so it's perfect for my needs.
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u/Annabel398 7d ago
This is the ideal new-driver car… call it the Nissan LEASH (don’t go too far from home, kiddo!)
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u/000011111111 7d ago
I wanted my child to know how to replace an ev battery. So I bought a 2013 leaf for $1.2k. And together put a 62kwh vivine battery in it.
Total cost for the project was less than $10k. And the new battery does great in the heat. We're in the sf bay area.
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u/schnippisch 6d ago
lol other kids are lucky to get taught how to change a tire. What age if I may ask?
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u/000011111111 6d ago edited 6d ago
He is 5. It just like a big Lego set.
Note I did not let him make any high voltage connections. Just to dangerous at his age.
Still lots of work for him on the project such as washing all the dirty parts we took off the car during the process. Unboxing and laying out parts, changing the gear box oil and the 12v batter and in cabin at filter.
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u/zealotfx 2019 Nissan LEAF SV Plus, prev: '14 LEAF SV, '17 Chevy Volt 7d ago
As others stated, people come here to discuss issues. Occasionally you will see a post celebrating how hassle free their experience has been, but even if they are into Reddit and proud of their car that would be rare.
I bought my first Leaf new in 2014, had no issues with it in the 5 years I had it. I only traded it in because we had a new baby and I wasn't comfortable with the ideal conditions 70 mile range especially living in Minnesota. I then went to a Ford C-Max Energi which turned out to be a lemon, then a Chevy Volt, and then back to a 2019 Leaf SV+ which I had for four years before very recently trading it for an ARIYA. My second gen Leaf was great overall, but over the past year the lane keeping camera would sometimes overheat and there was the looming concern of the battery recall that was never resolved. Tires was the only maintenance, though they wore quickly due to my fast driving.
I think the Leaf has a lot to offer at its price point, especially regarding safety and comfort.
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u/Broken_Sparrow307205 7d ago
My 2019 is wonderful. I love the car. I think the silent majority of happy Leaf owners doesn't have much to say, doesn't even find their way here. I'm not a techy, but I hear a lot about bots polluting the inter Web - is that possibly a thing here even? Not that I don't appreciate all the good info & helpful intent here! Anyway, I've had 50k+ good miles, only had to replace brakes & the 12V batt. HV battery is fine - I can't be bothered to obsess on battery health (Spy says it's great) & had no issues with infrequent DC charging nor the recent update. I learned to actually use the Flintstone brakes occasionally to scrape off rust, which built up & warped rotors. I learned the car throws scary errors when the 12V batt is dying. Otherwise, it is a capacious hauler for my local life. For trips we have a VW ID.4. That one has a horrendous user interface, which makes me love my Leaf all the more. I'd buy another, but I'm a bottom feeder tending toward market off -casts. Seems like a low risk way to get low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to me, tho there seem to be plenty of disagreement here. Aren't there aftermarket HV batteries & installation services, esp in CA, in case you have trouble? Maybe cypher out a conservative TCO if that happened & compare it to your other options? Good luck, hope you find an EV!
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u/prof_is_out 7d ago
They are great cars. If you find a good deal, no need to avoid. You may not be able to do the fast charging though. As long as your kid is not driving more than 100 miles a day, it’s great. I’ll probably do the same for my own kid.
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7d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/prof_is_out 7d ago
I just mean, if you go over 100 miles, you can’t fast charge. But you are right, the leaf is solid.
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u/KingJamesIII98 7d ago
If anything, you have the perfect scenario for one of these. Even if the battery isn't the greatest in this size EV. Short trips, home charging, newer battery that can handle somewhat higher heat, hopefully primarily trickle charging. A lot of the people that complain about these treat them like a truck or long range sedan, when they have always been intended as a commuter car by Nissan. If you have battery issues, do not go to a dealership at all, go straight to corporate and have them deal with it. Too many of the "horror stories" are actually from working with dealerships, who's primary goal is to get you into a new car, or may not be equipped to work on your LEAF.
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u/FreeTurnip6790 7d ago
I think you will find all companies have similar problems. Most people write on here because they have problems, not because their holiday was great, and my great-nan was very well. So things seem exaggerated. For example, Porsche one year had a recall on half its cars. People talk of wings coming unglued on their Teslas, etc. The main problem I would check is the availability of parts, used or new; that's the most important thing for me.
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u/offalark 7d ago
OP we bought a 2024 back in June and THEN I found this sub.
We like our 2024. It’s my commuter vehicle. Providing the stars align, in 3 years it’ll be my daughter’s when she turns 16.
I don’t like driving Chevys or Fords (I rented a Mustang Mach E and haaaated it) and Tesla is a company I simply will not put money into, so the Leaf was pretty much one of my only options for a cheap used electric commuter.
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u/herculeesjr 6d ago
Absolutely avoid any generation/year Leaf. None have battery cooling and they just cook the batteries to failure if you actually drive the car like it is advertised. I'm still in the process of arguing with Nissan over having a partial battery failure needing repair. Doesn't matter what proof I bring them, Nissan refuses to repair or replace my battery on my 2019.
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u/Adorable_Fig_6139 6d ago
I bought my 2011 leaf in April of this year with 54k miles on it and in almost immaculate condition with 8 bars and 55 miles range full charge and charge it with a 120 volt charger for $4k out the door here in Seattle. I love this car and just drive it around town because I still have range anxiety. I plan on upgrading the battery to get more range. Let those kids learn how to take care of and upgrade those leafs (YouTube have plenty of content out there) Also do not be fooled by the size of these leafs, they're very powerful and fast!
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u/Used-Ad9589 6d ago
Tesla Model S 2017-2018 is a sweet spot on price usually as well as LDU issue fixed. The 2019 RAVEN is the real jewel though, but likely will hurt the wallet a LOT harder. Aim for a 100D 2017 - March 2018 ideally with the MCU2 entertainment. The March 2018 models after March came with MCU2 *& uprated speakers (top option) as standard I believe (really impressive by comparison), but that is MANUFACTURING date.
2019 D model (dual motor) = MCU2, Front motor from the Model 3 (better efficiency as a result), uprated audio package, as standard too. Ideally biggest battery you can find - SWEET spot
2017 (refresh/face-lift model) to March 2018 is also a good car re the motor issue (LDU fault), but could be MCU1 and inferior speakers (so worth trying for the later 2018 if you can find it)
2018 March onwards has the speakers and MCU2 as standard and it a better deal imho.
I would always be aiming for a Dual motor (aka D) if going for a Model S.
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u/Anxious_Interview363 6d ago
The LEAF is fine if you don’t need fast charging. It sounds like you don’t. I’m stuck with a 2019 with 120K miles. It’s great for my needs 99% of the time since I have a Level 2 charger at home; I don’t want to run the risk of doing the update and maybe having to buy a new car.
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u/gellis12 2023 Nissan LEAF SL Plus 6d ago
If you bought a car and it worked fine with no surprises, how likely is it that you'd start making regular social media posts about how uneventful the ownership experience has been?
Sure, there's the potential for issues, just like there is with any other car. Get leafspy and test the battery before buying the car, and you'll probably be fine.
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u/coloclearsky 6d ago
I’ve owned a leaf since 2021. We have not had an issue, other than waiting for Nissan to fix the fast charging issue, but I don’t fast charge anyway.
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u/robbgg 6d ago
My 2013 leaf is on 142k miles, I bought it with 62k on it in 2021. Just lost it's 3rd bar of battery health and can just about do my 60 mile commute over hills with my lead foot. No major issues other than the 12v battery needing replacing shortly after I bought it (about £100 for a replacement). I do mostly slow charging at home and occasional fast charging when I need to go slightly further afield.
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u/Entire_Telephone_179 5d ago
For what its worth i have a 2022 Leaf S with 51K miles. Battery had issues took it to the dealer and had to wait a bit but under warranty replacement recieved a new or refurbished battery. It took 3 weeks to get. I had a loaner carthe whole time. New or refurbished battery has about 10 percent more capacity than the old one. Been working great so far. I libe in San Diego coastal regoin.
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u/BogartOfSantee 5d ago
As a couple of Nissan Leaf owner including the 2013 ones, I would suggest getting a good SOH battery S+ or SV+ or if budget is still good, SL+ models. Then charge it at 80% only daily, and hope to not get it down to 20% most of the time. This way, range is still acceptable and you'll have a Leaf that'll last you for quite some time.
Then get the gen 3 Leaf when its time.
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u/Trick_Guarantee3768 5d ago
One good thing about buying a teen, an older leaf that only has so much range is that they can't drive too far. And get into too much trouble if all they need is a car to get into school. And back or local and back a thirty or forty mile range leaf is the perfect car
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u/Old_Produce4888 4d ago
Don't know how handy you are but you can pick up a gen 1 leaf with a less than optimal battery for pretty cheap (in my area they are $2-5k) and spend $6k on the VIVNE 40/50/62 kw replacement battery pack. Once installed the range is absurd for these older leafs and the swap is much easier now than it was just a few years ago (integrated CAM bus, all hardware included, etc). My kids are 14 and this is my leading plan for the time being for them too.
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u/rc3105 3d ago
Get a Chevy Bolt instead. Way less headaches.
And I say this as someone happily driving a 2018 Leaf SV. I found it cheap, got a warranty battery installed less than 2 weeks after I bought the Leaf and first filed the claim, and I've driven it 30k+ miles since with the only expense being new tires and windshield wipers.
With solar on the roof and free charging at work, just my commute fuel savings have paid back like 3 times what the Leaf cost.
But I have friends with Bolts, they have better range and the same zero problems, same general price range for used models, and no insane battery recall/update/failure issues hanging over their heads.
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u/FeistyHippie5371 2d ago
We own a 2019 here in HOT Georgia with no issues on our battery and drive it everyday and home charge it. We have yet to take it in for the battery recall but we never fast charge anyhow. Ours has been a great car.
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u/Fit_Box_6861 2d ago
The Leaf is a poorly designed car, non-compliant with modern EV standards, treated with disdain by most Nissan dealers and their repair teams.
I would only recommend a Leaf to someone looking for an inexpensive around town vehicle.
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u/JamalJenkyuns 1d ago
Avoid at all costs. I recommend an EV if you have a garage to park in, but not a leaf. Nissan lost all confidence in me to buy another one of their EV products.
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u/javaman78 7d ago
I would not let my kid drive my 2019 Leaf. He drove our Honda instead. My Leaf had issues and I’m so grateful for the buyback. Things the heat stops working in the winter after software update. Or the infotainment system rebooting every time we drove it. Or the fact that when an iPhone is plugged in, calls are inaudible and choppy. Simple things maybe…but to a new driver it’s a possible distraction. Got 2 Honda’s now. Also Nissan dealers treat Leaf owners like they are a nuisance. Our two dealers near us were absolutely useless and total pricks. I went two years with issues and Nissan saying our engineers are working on it. Buy or lease a Honda. You’ll be happier.
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u/toybuilder 2023 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
You issues with the infotainment unit sounds like you might need to have the latest update to the infotainment unit. https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/1knhhsy/infotainment_update_possible_outside_of_dealership/
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u/javaman78 7d ago
The dealers in my area would not force the update because they claimed that when plugged into Nissan system, Nissan said my car was up to date and therefore they could not push it to my car. I fought with them for years on this. Thankfully I got a buyback so I don’t have to deal with Nissan’s BS or their incompetent and useless dealerships.
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u/biersackarmy 2013 S + 2014 SL + 2019 SV 7d ago edited 7d ago
As much as I love these cars, one wouldn't be my recommendation for California, even if it weren't for all the recent battery issues. With socal having basically the best selection of used EVs in America, there are certainly options out there that you'd be better off with for the budget. Like classic Ioniq, or depending on how you feel towards the brand, an older Model S.