NissanLeaf2016Electric/nissan/leaf/2016/electric/

2016 Nissan Leaf

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Leaf.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine Electric

Defined as a passenger car powered by an electric engine, the 2016 Nissan Leaf Electric sits within a model complaint history covering 2010 through 2025. This specific model year accumulated 35 total owner complaints and 4 recalls, with service brakes identified as the top complaint area. When measured against the historical extremes of 1 complaint in 2010 and 251 in 2019, the 2016 iteration offers researchers a concrete data point for assessing where this vehicle stands within the broader reliability record.

Model year202520242023202220212020201820172016

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · NS CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI NS · NS CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnSIDEOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Front wiper blades288903NF2B alt 288903NF2A
Cabin air filter272773DF0A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.2 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height61 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight3265 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent published road-test results.

10.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.40 sec — 2016 SL Hatchback
107 hpHorsepower (as tested)
187 lb-ftTorque (as tested)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 30-kWh10.40 sec17.90 sec107 hpFWD
2013SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh10.20 sec17.70 sec107 hpFWD
2012SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh9.60 sec17.30 sec107 hpFWD
2011SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh9.40 sec17.20 sec107 hpFWD
2011SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh9.70 sec17.30 sec107 hpFWD
2011SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh10.00 sec17.60 sec107 hpFWD
2011SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 24-kWh10.00 sec17.60 sec107 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidNissan CVT fluid NS-3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity5.6
Power Steering FluidATF

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts25.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub96.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.00 lbs

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .945; Rear: .551
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0006
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0014; Rear: .004

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the coolant at 125,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 125,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 22,500 miKeyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment)
At 125,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
At 200,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Nissan Leaf recorded 35 complaints, 4 recalls and 1 investigation, which is markedly lower than the 107 complaints in 2015 and comparable to the 34 complaints in 2014. Complaint numbers rose again in 2018 to 63 before peaking sharply in 2019‑2020, indicating that 2016 sits in a relatively low‑complaint interval within the generation’s fluctuating trend. Recall activity for 2016 (4) mirrors the modest levels seen in 2015 and 2018 and is below the higher recall counts of 2013‑2014 and 2019‑2020. Investigations remained consistently low at 1 for 2015‑2016 and 2018‑2021, showing no escalation in regulatory scrutiny around the 2016 model year. Overall, the 2016 Leaf exhibits fewer complaints and steady, modest recall exposure relative to adjacent years, suggesting it is a sound choice for a used‑vehicle purchase.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
98
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
35
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 35 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes14
Electrical System4
Fuel/Propulsion System3
Electrical System,Engine2
Power Train,Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System2
Air Bags2
Steering1
Steering,Power Train,Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V436000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 15/06/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body…

17V253000Air BagsReported 13/04/2017

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 98 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended…

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Leaf. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Leaf have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.