Is The 2011 Nissan Leaf A Good Car?

WARRANTY:

Period: May 2011 Average Fuel Economy: 80 MPGe Average Range: 58 miles Current Mileage: 1734 Months in Fleet: 1 Repair: $0 Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0

Welcome to our first all-electric experience, an outstanding long-term road test. It also represents a deviation from our standard long-term agenda. Nissan agreed to loan us a Leaf for an extended period of three months, but we won’t fit our typical 40,000-mile maintenance schedule into that time frame. The explanation is simple: It would take a while to attain the recommended C/D long-term distance with the Leaf’s limited range of roughly 100 miles (on a good day, with the wind at your back, and the moon in the seventh house; more on this later). We’ve already discovered from our little interaction how impatient we are.

We have included the Leaf into our fleet of both long- and short-term vehicles, sending it on errands and to and from work with anyone who is willing to brave this car’s new world of almost silent driving. We are approaching the Leaf as if the majority of owners won’t be taking long road trips in the near future rather than using a mileage dash.

We brought the Leaf to the test track at the start of its stay. The performance was essentially the same as the last Leaf we tested: 10.0 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, 17.6 seconds for the quarter-mile at 77 mph. The car is speedy enough for commuting, especially with the electric motor’s powerful takeoff feeling. Large accelerator stabs on the freeway produce adequate power for anxiety-free merges but at the sacrifice of range.

But those aren’t the figures that really worry us. We’re concentrating on range, charge time, and, to a lesser extent, energy usage in this test. The Leaf has so far offered an average range of 58 miles on a 24-kWh lithium-ion battery pack charge. Even with the 220-volt charger we installed in the office garage, charging times are slow, let alone with the 110-volt standard outlets we use at our individual residences (or wherever we can find juice). Every time we plug in, energy consumption is tracked in the same way that fuel economy for other vehicles is tracked, and we’ve so far managed to reach an average of 80 MPGe, or 2.4 miles per kWh. That is less than the EPA predictions for the car as well as the 97-MPGe and 2.9 miles per kWh figures we attained during our first Leaf experience.

In This Article...

Why is the Nissan Leaf having issues?

The seven most typical Nissan Leaf issues (Explained)

Solution for Brake Function Loss
Unexpectedly Activated Brakes Solution.
Backup camera problem: a fix
Issues with airbags: solution.
Solution. Battery capacity.
Competitive Minimum.
Not All Public Charging Stations Are Compatible.

A 2011 Nissan Leaf battery costs how much?

For your 2011 Nissan Leaf, we now have 3 Battery products with prices ranging from $201.99 to $279.99 in our store.

How long do Nissan Leaf batteries last?

Depending on where you are and what you do, you’ll receive a specific timeline for your car. Extreme heat, frequent recharging (such as twice or three times a day), and city driving all hasten the battery’s depletion. The Nissan LEAF was designed to endure as much of these typical battery killers as possible, so you would have to be very rough on your car before you saw a significant change.

The Nissan LEAF was designed to travel up to 107 miles a day on a highway without recharging (depending on the model you choose.) You may travel up to 90 miles in even the busiest metropolitan traffic without having to worry about running out of juice. The battery will eventually lose power, but the amount of mileage you obtain will steadily decrease. The erosion will probably only have a minimal impact on you because the ordinary American will travel significantly less than the daily maximums. When you take care of your car, the Nissan LEAF battery should last between 8 and 10 years.

What Nissan Leaf mileage qualifies as high?

80,000 miles on a Nissan Leaf is regarded as high mileage. A first-generation, high-mileage Leaf’s battery capacity gauge is likely to read 10 bars or fewer out of a potential 12, which indicates the battery is less than 80% of its original capacity and indicates a reduction in range.

At 80,000 miles, a second-generation Leaf will still have a lot more life in it, especially if it is the Plus variant with the larger battery.

You may still have some miles and a few years left on the warranty, which should give you some peace of mind, provided it isn’t utilizing the older 24 kWh battery.

Nissan has begun substituting 40 kWh batteries with faulty 30 kWh ones in the 2016–2017 versions.

Therefore, you might be able to find one that just had its battery replaced or is due for one.

Even if you’re not concerned about the battery’s condition, many of the car’s worn parts may be approaching the end of their useful lifespan after 80,000 to 100,000 miles, including:

Rotors on brakes
VR axles
A/C unit.
Shocks

Examine the battery’s remaining range and capacity to make sure you won’t regret your purchase.

To check the battery’s condition, you might wish to get the LeafSpy app and an OBDII Bluetooth scanner.

Take into account the following while purchasing a used Nissan Leaf:

history of maintenance. Verify if the owner can offer documentation proving the car received sufficient maintenance.
Obtain a second viewpoint. Take it to a reputable independent vehicle repair shop, or at the very least, have a reliable mechanic check it out.
Look it up on CarFax. Although nothing is certain, it will give a clearer picture of wear and tear. Make sure it has only little damage, if any, and hasn’t been in a serious collision.
the quantity of prior owners. Less is generally preferable. Typically, more owners result in higher wear and tear. If only one family had owned it, they almost certainly took good care of it throughout their ownership if they covered the entire miles and had the car maintained.
how long you intend to keep the vehicle. If you intend to retain the automobile for a long time, you should compare the short-term savings against paying a little more for a more dependable vehicle.
length of your commute on average. The vehicle’s maximum range ought to much exceed daily driving requirements. In the winter, its range will also decrease noticeably, and it might not be sufficient for a whole round journey.

How effective is the Nissan Leaf battery?

A 40 kilowatt-hour battery powers the base Leaf EV, giving it an EPA-estimated range of 149 miles.

Depending on the trim level, the Leaf’s estimated range with the 62-kilowatt-hour battery in the Plus version is 215 to 226 miles.

Additionally, it receives a stronger motor, which accelerates the Leaf Plus from 0 to 60 mph in less than a second compared to the 40-kWh Leaf.

On a 240-volt socket, the basic Leaf charges in 8 hours while the 62-kWh Plus requires 10.5 hours.

The Leaf’s ride is a little delicate, so until it hits a bump hard, it seems soft.

The lack of reach-telescoping on the steering wheel makes the driving posture awkward.

The ProPilot Assist option can maintain the vehicle’s lane separation and modify speed in response to traffic.

Nissan Leaf batteries can they be changed?

You usually only have two choices for LEAF battery replacements: visit a Nissan dealership or engage with a battery repair professional. Similar to purchasing an oil change for a car with a combustion engine, dealership servicing costs are frequently more expensive.

There can be less expensive solutions available, especially if you are near the ocean. In fact, the LEAF community keeps a list of shops that sell replacement parts.

What year is ideal for the Nissan Leaf?

The Nissan Leaf is a wonderful option to consider if you’re searching for a little automobile. After all, Nissan is a brand that often works well and has generally positive evaluations and consumer ratings. The Leaf is a cute little car that offers a lot of utility in a tiny package.

You’ve come to the right site if you want to learn more about the Nissan Leaf model years to stay away from and which ones are more dependable.

We’ll discuss the Nissan Leaf, including which models you should steer clear of, which are more reliable and efficient, and what the model’s most frequent issues are.

Except for the three Nissan Leaf years to avoid, we can pretty much recommend every model year if you’re searching for a Nissan Leaf that’s a decent option as a secondhand car. Having said that, we’d especially suggest the models from 2017 through 2020.

Of course, it might be difficult to find a secondhand 2019 or 2020 model in that case. Since most owners are still keeping their cars, the most modern models aren’t appearing on the used market very often.

It’s also important to keep in mind that compared to other models, you might have to pay a bit more for a used Nissan Leaf automobile. This is due to the fact that models with a lengthy history of dependability and efficiency tend to hold their value better than cars with more widespread problems.

Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You

The simplest way to purchase a car is using the CoPilot auto shopping app. You may create a customized list of the top car listings in your area by telling us what you’re looking for, and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area.

Just seeking for more recent models? The search engine for virtually new vehicles is CoPilot Compare. only observe recent—five years or less—autos with little mileage. The greatest place to look for off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO vehicles is CoPilot Compare.

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Nissan Leafs are dependable?

With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Nissan LEAF is ranked third among all alternative fuel vehicles. It has average ownership expenses since the cost of annual repairs is $748 on average.

How safe is the Nissan Leaf?

Before choosing the ideal automobile for you, are you seeking for safe vehicles? If so, you should look into a few before making a decision. So let’s look at how safe the Nissan LEAF is.

The NHTSA awarded the 2020 Nissan LEAF a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating, and the IIHS gave it the highest possible rating of “Good.” You will see that you have what seems to be a safe vehicle when you combine it with the 3.50-Star Owner and 4.4/10 Expert Review Ratings from Vehicle History.

However, it’s clear from the owner reviews that this car only receives a 3.50-star rating. In light of this, let’s examine the crash tests, safety measures, and commonly asked questions. This ought to make it easier for you to decide whether or not this is the best car for you.