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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2021 Nissan Leaf Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
3about this part
Share
5%of 57 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2021 Nissan Leaf, 5% of the 57 complaints for this model year.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“This is a report of what I think is a safety issue with the Leaf vehicle but has not caused an accident or incident for me, yet. If the Start button is pressed and then the Shift Control is changed to quickly the car will be put into Neutral instead of the desired Drive or Reverse. If the driver does not realize this and removes their foot from the break when the car is on a steep hill the car could roll into a vehicle, pedestrian or other obstacle before the surprised driver has a chance to break. …”

NHTSA complaint #11576417, filed 2024-03

“This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-655 involving the high-voltage traction battery. The recall restricts the vehicle from using DC fast charging (Level 3), which significantly limits the safe and practical operation of the vehicle for its intended use. My household must routinely complete 300+ mile one-way trips on a weekly basis. Without DC fast charging capability, the vehicle cannot reliably complete these trips, creating a risk of being stranded or unable to safely reach destinations. …”

NHTSA complaint #11728129, filed 2026-03

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2024120%
202329%
20221111%
202135%
2020148%
2019135%
201834%
2017318%
201638%
201533%
201413%
201334%
201133%

Other parts of the 2021 Nissan Leaf

Electrical system
32 complaints
Other or unknown
13 complaints
Fuel system
10 complaints
Engine
6 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
6 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
4 complaints
Back-over prevention (rear camera)
3 complaints
Air bags
2 complaints
Exterior lighting
2 complaints
Brakes
1 complaints
Lane departure
1 complaints
Vehicle speed control
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Nissan Leaf

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology