Nissan is recalling certain Leaf electric vehicles due to a risk of batteries overheating and catching fire while fast charging, the NHTSA disclosed this week. Owners are advised not to fast charge their vehicles until recall work is completed.
The recall includes 23,887 Leaf hatchbacks from model years 2019 and 2020, but just 1% are estimated to have the defect, according to the NHTSA. That issue is thought to be related to excessive lithium deposits in the battery cells of affected vehicles, which can increase electrical resistance—and thus heat.
2020 Nissan Leaf
The recall population includes a mix of models with the standard 40-kwh battery pack and the longer-range 60-kwh pack. In cars with the defect, operators may notice smoke, noise, interrupted charging, or smells associated with overheating components, Nissan said in documents submitted to the NHTSA. But the automaker did not say whether it was aware of any actual fires due to this issue.
Nissan is in the process of devising a software update as a fix for this problem. Said update will be installed by dealers free of charge when it's available, which Nissan anticipates to be sometime during November.
2020 Nissan Leaf
The automaker plans to begin mailing owner notification letters explaining everything later this month. Owners can also contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or visit Nissan's recall hub for more information. Nissan's reference number for this recall is R24B2.
Nissan hasn't changed the Leaf much in recent years, which has led to the hatchback becoming the last EV with CHAdeMO fast charging. The Leaf has also become one of the cheapest EVs available, even undercutting the gasoline Nissan Versa economy car at times. Already phased out in the U.K. and Europe, the Leaf may soon be replaced in this market by a slightly more crossover-influenced sequel.
