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2020 Nissan Leaf: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 Nissan Leaf, most recently filed September 2024. Owners have filed 166 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (6)

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 Nissan Leaf. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 24V700000 Filed Sep 19, 2024

Fire Risk from Quick Charging Battery

Electrical system · propulsion system · charging · module · software
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2020 LEAF vehicles equipped with a Level 3 quick charging port. The lithium-ion battery may overheat during Level 3 charging.
Consequence
A quick charging battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the battery software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 3, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R24B2, P4A38, and P5A22.
23% repairedof 25,704 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 24V700000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 24V071000 Filed Feb 2, 2024

Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111

Back over prevention · sensing system · camera
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2022 LEAF vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23D7.
70.9% repairedof 57,914 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 24V071000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 23V494000 Filed Jul 17, 2023

Unintended Acceleration

Vehicle speed control
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The vehicle may accelerate unintentionally if the driving mode is changed ("D" to "B"; e-Pedal "On"; or "ECO" mode) after disengaging the cruise control.
Consequence
Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A6.
83.5% repairedof 66,159 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 23V494000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 23V048000 Filed Feb 2, 2023

Incorrect Information in Owner's Manual/FMVSS 103

Equipment · other · owners/service/other manual
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect, and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Consequence
Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
100% repairedof 64,732 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 23V048000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V570000 Filed Sep 22, 2020

Rear Window Glass May Separate

Visibility · glass, side/rear
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Altima, Maxima and Leaf vehicles. The rear window glass may not remain properly secured to the vehicle.
Consequence
Rear window glass that separates from the vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the back window glass, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC752.
84% repairedof 150 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V570000
Listed for 2020 Nissan Leaf. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V412000 Filed Jul 17, 2020

No Back-Up Camera Display Image/FMVSS 111

Back over prevention · sensing system · camera
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 LEAF electric vehicles. Under certain circumstances, the images for the back-up camera can disappear while in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. This recall began August 31, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
83.3% repairedof 6,157 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V412000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (166)

166 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.

1involved a crash
0involved a fire
0injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Nissan Leaf, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 166.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2020 compares with other Leaf years

Best and worst Leaf years →
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
This year (2020)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 10.7%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2020 Nissan Leaf 5 hb fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 111 mpg combined

111
mpg combined
123
city
99
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$700
CO₂ tailpipe
—
EPA class
Midsize Cars

What it costs you to run

$588per year
$49per month
135gallons a year

Miles ÷ 111 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2020 Nissan Leaf configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
Electric · AutomaticFront-Wheel Drive123 / 99 / 111$700—
Electric · AutomaticFront-Wheel Drive118 / 97 / 108$700—
Electric · AutomaticFront-Wheel Drive114 / 94 / 104$750—

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2020 Leaf for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Leaf years

Where to next

2020 Nissan Leaf FAQ

How many recalls does the 2020 Nissan Leaf have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 24V700000 (electrical), 24V071000 (rear camera), 23V494000 (vehicle speed control), 23V048000 (visibility), 20V570000 (visibility), 20V412000 (rear camera). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2020 Nissan Leaf problems?

Owners filed 166 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (122), Fuel/propulsion system (34), Unknown or other (23) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2020 Nissan Leaf get?

EPA rates the Electric · Automatic version at 123 city, 99 highway and 111 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2020 Nissan Leaf get?

NHTSA rated the 2020 Nissan Leaf 5 hb fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).

How does the 2020 Leaf compare with other years?

Among the 2016–2021 Nissan Leaf model years at least five years old, the 2017 drew the fewest complaints (17) and the 2019 the most (259). The 2020 drew 166. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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