Nissan recalls 51 LEAF EVs over battery fire risk, safety concerns

Nissan recalls 51 2026 LEAF EVs in the U.S. for a battery defect that may cause short circuits and fires. Learn about the issue, safety advice, and repair details.
Nissan has announced a recall of 51 electric LEAF vehicles from the 2026 model year in the United States. The recall stems from a potential fault in the traction battery that could lead to a short circuit and fire. Journalists from the publication SPEEDME reported on this service campaign.The issue is linked to damage in the cathode material of battery cells during the production stage. This defect can cause an internal short circuit within a battery module, which in some instances may lead to overheating and risk a thermal event.According to the journalists, the recall affects 51 Nissan LEAF vehicles from the 2026 model year, manufactured between July and November 2025 at a plant in Japan. The battery supplier is AESC, and all vehicles are precisely linked to defective modules, meaning the risk could apply to the entire batch.Until the fault is fixed, owners are advised not to charge their vehicles and to park them away from buildings. Dealers will perform diagnostics and replace the battery modules or the entire battery at the manufacturer’s expense. Notifications will begin to be sent out starting in April 2026, and loaner vehicles will also be provided.Ultimately, even a recall of this limited scale highlights that battery safety concerns remain a critical issue for the electric vehicle market.