Nissan LEAF Battery Recall: Quick Charging Fire Risk and Buyback Options
For Nissan LEAF owners, the high-voltage battery is not simply another component. It is the heart of the vehicle. When that battery cannot safely accept a quick charge—or when Nissan determines that the battery itself may need replacement—the issue can fundamentally change how the vehicle can be used.
Nissan has now recalled tens of thousands of 2019 through 2022 Nissan LEAF vehicles because certain high-voltage batteries may overheat during Level 3 DC fast charging. The problem has been linked to excessive lithium deposits within battery cells, which can increase electrical resistance, cause state-of-charge fluctuations, rapidly heat the battery, and potentially result in a battery fire.
For California LEAF owners, the recall is particularly significant because some vehicles undergoing the recall procedure may ultimately require complete high-voltage battery replacement. Nissan has now acknowledged that when certain battery fault codes are detected and a replacement battery is unavailable, a repurchase offer may be initiated.
That makes this recall more than simply a software-update issue.
Problem
The recall involves certain Nissan LEAF vehicles equipped with a CHAdeMO Level 3 quick-charge port.
Nissan determined that lithium deposits may develop within cells of the LEAF's lithium-ion battery. According to Nissan's filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, those deposits can increase electrical resistance within the battery and cause abnormal fluctuations in the reported state of charge.
During ordinary Level 1 or Level 2 charging, the charging rate is comparatively low. Level 3 DC fast charging, however, places substantially more electrical and thermal load on the battery.
Nissan determined that the increased resistance inside an affected battery can cause rapid heating during quick charging. If charging continues, the battery can potentially catch fire. (NHTSA)
This is particularly important for LEAF owners who rely on public CHAdeMO chargers. Fast charging is an important part of making an electric vehicle practical for longer trips, apartment dwellers, owners without home charging, and anyone needing to replenish the battery quickly.
A LEAF that cannot safely use its Level 3 charging capability may therefore be substantially less useful than the vehicle the consumer originally purchased.
Allegations
The underlying concern is not merely that a charging station might malfunction. Nissan's investigation identified the condition inside the high-voltage battery itself.
For the 2021–2022 recall, Nissan reported that excessive lithium deposits within battery cells can increase resistance and cause state-of-charge fluctuations. Nissan's filing states that there may be no warning before the condition occurs.
The problem also did not begin with 2021 and 2022 vehicles.
Nissan previously recalled certain 2019 and 2020 LEAF vehicles for substantially the same Level 3 charging concern. That earlier campaign covers approximately 25,704 vehicles. Nissan reported thermal incidents involving LEAF vehicles undergoing Level 3 quick charging and concluded that excessive lithium deposits within certain battery cells could contribute to the rapid heating condition. (NHTSA)
Nissan later expanded the issue to approximately 19,077 additional 2021 and 2022 LEAF vehicles. The affected vehicles include both 40-kWh and 62-kWh battery configurations.
The result is a defect affecting a substantial number of LEAF owners across four model years.
Recall / TSB
There are two primary recall campaigns LEAF owners should know about.
NHTSA Recall 24V-700 applies to certain 2019–2020 Nissan LEAF vehicles equipped with the Level 3 quick-charge port. Nissan originally instructed affected owners not to use Level 3 quick charging until a remedy became available. Software-development and validation delays resulted in Nissan sending several interim notices to owners.
NHTSA Recall 25V-655 expanded the issue to certain 2021–2022 Nissan LEAF vehicles. Approximately 19,077 vehicles are included in that campaign.
Nissan initially instructed owners of the 2021–2022 vehicles to stop using Level 3 quick charging while it developed the repair.
The final recall procedure is now considerably more informative about what can happen to an affected vehicle.
Beginning in May 2026, Nissan instructed dealers to reprogram the Lithium Battery Controller and Vehicle Control Module. The updated software monitors the battery for state-of-charge fluctuations associated with excessive battery-cell resistance. Dealers then perform a drive cycle and check the vehicle for relevant diagnostic trouble codes.
If no applicable battery trouble code is detected, Nissan says the dealer can recharge the vehicle and release it back to the owner, who may resume Level 3 charging.
But if the specified battery trouble code is detected, the situation changes considerably.
Nissan's recall filing provides that the dealer is to replace the EV battery with a new battery if one is available. If a replacement battery is not available, Nissan states that it will initiate a repurchase offer within three business days and provide a complimentary rental vehicle for a limited period.
That provision is extremely significant for LEAF owners who have been told that their battery is defective but that replacement batteries are unavailable or subject to lengthy delays.
Symptoms
An affected Nissan LEAF may not exhibit obvious symptoms before a problem develops.
Nissan's 2021–2022 recall filing specifically states that there may be no preceding warning to the customer before the battery overheating condition occurs.
For the earlier 2019–2020 recall, Nissan identified possible indications during quick charging including smoke, unusual noises, interrupted charging, or thermal odors originating from the battery.
LEAF owners may also encounter a different problem after receiving the recall software: a warning indicating “Service EV System Power reduced.”
That message can be particularly important. Nissan explains that the updated software is designed to detect abnormal battery state-of-charge fluctuations. When the system identifies the condition, the vehicle may prevent additional charging or restarting while the battery is evaluated.
Owners experiencing loss of range, sudden state-of-charge changes, reduced power, inability to charge, repeated EV-system warnings, or extended dealer stays should preserve their repair records and document what the dealership tells them about the battery.
Nissan and Morley LEAF Buyback Offers
Some Nissan LEAF owners are also receiving repurchase or settlement communications through Morley, a third-party company handling certain Nissan customer claims.
One offer structure we have seen involves Nissan using the LEAF's current Kelley Blue Book value and then increasing that figure by approximately 40 percent.
At first glance, “KBB plus 40%” can sound generous. But consumers should understand what is being measured.
A market-value-based offer generally starts with what the vehicle is worth today. A statutory California lemon-law repurchase, when available, is generally based on the consumer's vehicle purchase obligations, subject to applicable statutory deductions and other adjustments.
Those calculations can produce significantly different numbers, particularly for EVs such as the Nissan LEAF that may have experienced substantial depreciation.
An owner should therefore understand exactly what rights may be released before accepting a voluntary Nissan or Morley buyback offer.
Whether California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act applies will depend on the circumstances of the particular purchase, warranty, repair history, and vehicle. Used-vehicle cases can present additional issues, particularly following California appellate decisions addressing used vehicles that were not sold with a new manufacturer warranty.
But a Morley offer should not automatically be assumed to represent the maximum amount potentially recoverable.
How to Proceed
If you own a 2019–2022 Nissan LEAF experiencing battery or charging problems:
Check your VIN for Recall 24V-700 or Recall 25V-655 and have any outstanding recall procedure performed by an authorized Nissan dealership.
Keep every repair order, even if the dealership states that it cannot duplicate the problem or that no repair is presently available.
Document EV-system warnings, sudden battery-percentage changes, reduced power, charging failures, and loss of driving range with photographs or video where possible.
If Nissan identifies a battery fault, ask the dealership whether the vehicle requires high-voltage battery replacement and whether a replacement battery is currently available.
If Nissan or Morley offers to repurchase your LEAF, obtain the complete written offer before signing a release.
Compare any market-value-based offer with the remedies potentially available under California warranty law before deciding whether to accept it.
Call Valero Law
A Nissan recall repair does not necessarily resolve every warranty or lemon-law issue associated with a defective LEAF battery.
This is particularly true where an owner has experienced repeated battery failures, reduced power, an inability to charge, lengthy periods without the vehicle, or a diagnosis requiring a replacement high-voltage battery that Nissan cannot promptly provide.
Nissan's own recall documents now contemplate the possibility of a repurchase when the recall procedure identifies the relevant battery condition and a replacement battery is unavailable.
If your Nissan LEAF has been repeatedly repaired, has been out of service for an extended period, requires a high-voltage battery replacement, or Nissan or Morley has presented you with a buyback offer, Contact Valero Law to discuss your vehicle and your potential rights under California law.