Nissan Leaf Lawsuit Alleges EVs Plagued by Fire-Risk Defect During Level 3 Fast Charging

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges certain Nissan Leaf models suffer from a potential fire-starting defect during Level 3 fast charging that can cause the electric vehicle’s high-voltage lithium-ion battery to dangerously overheat.

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The 24-page Nissan Leaf lawsuit contends that automaker Nissan North America failed to disclose—or intentionally omitted from marketing—that 2019-2022 Nissan Leaf models were hampered by a defect that eliminates, or at least significantly compromises, the EVs’ touted fast-charging capabilities. According to the case, Level 3 charging stations are advertised as the fastest way to recharge a Nissan Leaf’s battery and allow drivers to complete longer trips without having to wait hours for the battery to replenish. 

The lawsuit says that some Leaf drivers have experienced battery fires as a result of the fast-charging problem, while others have dealt with slow charging speeds designed to prevent the batteries from overheating. 

Per the complaint, Nissan confirmed in an October 2024 letter sent to Leaf owners and lessees that certain models have “excessive lithium deposits in their battery cells,” which the case claims is the root cause of the apparent defect. The letter instructed drivers to not use Level 3 fast chargers until Nissan could complete its recall remedy, leaving drivers with no quick way to charge their cars and greatly slashing the effective range and utility of the vehicles, the filing says.

The complaint says that although Nissan advised Leaf drivers last year to avoid Level 3 charging until a software fix could be rolled out, the automaker, almost a year later, has failed to provide any such remedy.

“Even worse,” the suit mentions, “Nissan has at all times known that the defect at issue is not something that can be remedied by a ‘software fix.’” 

According to the lawsuit, the 2019-2022 Nissan Leaf models at issue, unlike other EVs on the market, did not come with an active thermal management system to maintain ideal battery temperature. The absence of this key system can hamper battery health, charging speed and range, especially in very hot or cold weather, and can cause the battery to overheat, the suit relays. 

The class action lawsuit accuses Nissan of proceeding to market and sell the Leaf models at issue despite its awareness of the lithium-ion battery defect and without warning the public. 

“To the contrary,” the complaint claims, “Nissan falsely advertised that the Class Vehicles were designed so that they could be quickly charged at Level 3 charging stations so that drivers could complete long drives without having to wait hours to re-charge the battery.” 

The lawsuit adds that Nissan has announced that the next generation of Leaf EVs will come equipped with a “liquid cooling pack” to help maintain the battery’s temperature. 

The Nissan Leaf class action lawsuit looks to cover consumers in California and Oregon who bought or leased a 2019-2022 Nissan Leaf during the applicable statute of limitations period. 

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