NHTSA recall in the US: Nissan Leaf owners warned of fire hazard during fast charging, production chaos for successor model

Nissan is currently experiencing major problems with its electric vehicles in the US. The first of these is an urgent recall due to overheating during Level 3 fast charging (DC charging). The NHTSA has officially confirmed the Nissan recall with campaign number 25V655000. Around 19,077 Nissan Leaf units worldwide from the 2021 and 2022 model years that are equipped with a Level 3 fast charging port (DC charging via CHAdeMO) are affected.

The core of the problem lies in the lithium-ion battery: Increased electrical resistance caused by deposits in the battery cells can cause the battery to overheat during Level 3 fast charging. This overheating poses an acute safety risk and increases the risk of fire.

As an immediate remedy, owners are urged to refrain from using Level 3 fast charging until the defect has been rectified. Nissan dealers will install a free software update for the battery control system in the affected electric cars. According to the NHTSA, notification letters to vehicle owners are expected to be mailed from October 24, 2025. Nissan's internal recall code is R25C8.

Restructuring strategy under pressure: The Leaf as a beacon of hope

This safety scandal comes at an inopportune time for Nissan, as the company registered a significant net loss in the previous fiscal year and is pinning high hopes on the newly-introduced third generation of the Nissan Leaf to return to success through its restructuring strategy.

The new Nissan Leaf, which features SUV styling for the first time and offers a significant increase over its predecessor with a promised range of up to 373 miles/600 kilometers, is considered a key model in the company's restructuring efforts.

Battery shortage slows production of new model

However, this crucial new electric vehicle is currently experiencing massive production problems. As Nikkei Asia reports, Nissan has cut production of the new Leaf at its Tochigi plant in Japan by more than half for the period from September to November. This affects thousands of units, whose production has had to be canceled or postponed.

The reason given for the production cuts is an acute battery shortage. The Tochigi plant sources the batteries from manufacturer AESC, a Nissan subsidiary. The production yield of the required batteries has therefore not improved as expected, leading to bottlenecks in the supply chain.

It remains unclear to what extent the European production of the Nissan Leaf in Sunderland, UK, is also affected. However, the delays in Japan highlight the current challenges facing Nissan, whose restructuring success has been massively jeopardized by problems in its core business of electric mobility.