Nissan has issued a recall for more than 30,000 of its Leaf electric vehicles (EVs) due to a potential battery fire risk, impacting owners in both the United States and Canada. The recall affects specific 2019 and 2020 models that may experience overheating during fast charging sessions.
According to the recall documents posted to the Transport Canada and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) websites, the issue stems from the high-voltage lithium ion battery packs found in Leaf models equipped with 40 and 62 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery packs, which Nissan says are susceptible to overheating when connected to DC fast chargers.
The fast charging process can cause the battery to heat up excessively, potentially leading to smoke, heat damage, and, in extreme cases, a fire, Nissan explained.
The problem occurs because the lithium deposits within the battery cells may build up, increasing the electrical resistance during fast charging. This can lead to a dangerous fluctuation in the battery’s state of charge, resulting in rapid heating without any visible or audible warning to the driver.
While Nissan is still investigating the root cause of this issue, it has taken precautionary steps to minimize risks to owners. The Japanese automaker is currently working on a software update that will prevent the battery from reaching unsafe temperatures during fast charging. The update is expected to become available in November 2024, and will require a service visit for it to be installed.
In the meantime, Nissan has advised affected owners not to use DC fast chargers and to rely on slower Level 1 or Level 2 charging methods, which pose no known risks.
In the United States, nearly 23,887 Leaf EVs produced between August 2018 and November 2020 at Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee, plant are affected. In Canada, 6,188 units fall under the recall, bringing the total to more than 30,000 in North America.
You can read the Transport Canada recall details here, or the NHTSA recall document below.
