Nissan’s gross sales continue to soar in the US, fueled by the success of its Ariya SUV – its second all-electric vehicle model following the enduring popularity of the LEAF. However, the company is grappling with a substantial recall affecting more than 1 million vehicles across three global markets.
Since its inception more than a decade ago, the Nissan LEAF has been the manufacturer’s sole battery-electric vehicle (BEV) offering. Although the Leaf has been widely praised as one of the pioneering electric vehicles (EVs), Nissan never really followed up with a similarly successful model – until the introduction of the Ariya SUV last year, which marked its official entry into the market.
As predicted, the electric vehicle landscape is evolving earlier than expected, with Nissan’s recent shift in fortunes a telling indicator: the Ariya has surpassed the LEAF in sales for two consecutive quarters.
As the LEAF’s lifespan comes to a close, we’ve caught whispers of its impending replacement – or at least hints of Nissan’s growing commitment to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Despite the LEAF’s lacklustre performance, it still returns annually with minor improvements and tweaks to its charging system, now mirroring the more advanced CHAdeMO technology.
Since its introduction in 2010, more than 600,000 LEAF electric vehicles have been sold, with some potentially affected by a major recall impacting three additional Nissan models, involving a total of approximately 1.38 million vehicles.
US Models of Nissan’s Electric Vehicle Affected by Recall
According to Nissan, its latest update focuses on five distinct models available across Japan, Europe, and the US, tackling various technical issues, including vehicles experiencing sudden acceleration after disengaging cruise control.
Nissan alerts owners to potential issue where a minor electrical fault may suddenly cut off engine power while driving, potentially causing loss of propulsion. According to Nissan, there have been no reported incidents related to this recall.
Despite the absence of corresponding records in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database, there are no recalls matching these descriptions, excluding the LEAF and Kicks models currently available in the US market for Nissan. Nissan USA’s recall website has also updated its system to include information about the LEAF.
Despite the extraordinary circumstances, it’s inevitable that such a massive recall would have a significant impact on Nissan, particularly given its recent optimism about double-digit gross sales growth in North America and Europe for the first half of this year.
When driving a Nissan, you can easily check if your vehicle has been impacted by a recall on this page or reach out to Nissan Customer Affairs directly at 1-888-546-1048 for more information.
