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2016 Nissan Leaf Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 4 NHTSA recalls and 35 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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This is one of the better years for the Nissan Leaf

The 2016 model year shows below-average complaints compared to other years of this model — a good sign for reliability.

B
72/100

Good Choice — 2016 Nissan Leaf

The 2016 Nissan Leaf has an acceptable safety and complaint profile with some areas to monitor. Review the open recalls and known problems below before buying.

4
NHTSA Recalls
4 recalls on record
35
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
1
Crashes + Injuries
1 fire report

Own or buying a 2016 Nissan Leaf?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2016 Nissan Leaf (4)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Nissan dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #16V436000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #17V253000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #16V244000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #23V296000
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Most Common Problems — 2016 Nissan Leaf

Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Service Brakes
14
Electrical System
11
Fuel/propulsion System
3
Steering
2
Power Train
2
Air Bags
2
Structure
1
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Nissan Leaf — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2016 model year is highlighted.

2010 1 complaints 2011 95 complaints 2012 57 complaints 2013 81 complaints 2014 34 complaints 2015 107 complaints 2016 35 complaints 2017 0 complaints 2018 62 complaints 2019 241 complaints 2020 152 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2019, 2020 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2010, 2014, 2016 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2016 Nissan Leaf

Is the 2016 Nissan Leaf reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 Nissan Leaf has 4 recalls and 35 owner complaints. This is generally considered a reliable model year.
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Leaf have?
The 2016 Nissan Leaf has 4 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Leaf?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2016 Nissan Leaf are: Service Brakes, Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2016 Nissan Leaf safe to buy?
The 2016 Nissan Leaf has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 4 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Nissan Leaf should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Nissan Leaf are: 2010, 2014, 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.