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2013 Nissan LEAF

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 LEAF.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine Electric

The 2013 Nissan LEAF Electric is a passenger car powered by an electric engine, arriving early in the model's 2010-2025 complaint record. Owner-reported complaints across that span range from one in 2010 to 251 in 2019, while the 2013 model itself logged 81 complaints and five recalls, with Service Brakes standing out as the top concern. That complaint load sits well below the 2019 peak, making the 2013 LEAF a comparatively moderate data point in the model's reliability history for researchers tracking long-term ownership trends.

Model year202520242023202220212020201820172013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

Tail / brake / turnSIDEOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Front wiper blades288903NF2B alt 288903NF2A
Cabin air filter272771FC0A alt 272773DF0A

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 weight3384 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.

10.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.20 sec — 2013 SL Hatchback
107 hpHorsepower (as tested)
187 lb-ftTorque (as tested)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
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
2016SL Hatchback Elec 80-kW 30-kWh10.40 sec17.90 sec107 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidNissan CVT fluid NS-2
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.6
Automatic Transmission FluidNissan Matic-S
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.3
Power Steering FluidEPS

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub135 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.90-1.00 lbs
Oil TypeND 11 Oil
Oil Capacity5.00-5.10 oz

Service checks

Radiator Cap Pressure ReliefRadiator leak pressure testing, 5 psi.
Thermostat Opening TemperatureReservoir tank cap, 3.5-5.2 psi. °F

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle62 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.04 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.63 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.63 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.551 in

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) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment) · Radiator Cap (inspect)
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 federal record shows a wave‑like pattern in complaints across the first generation LEAF, peaking at 95 in 2011, falling to 57 in 2012, then rising again to 81 in 2013 before declining to 34 in 2014. In 2013 the vehicle logged 81 complaints, 5 recalls, 4 investigations and 142 technical service bulletins, which is higher than the 2012 complaint total (57) and the 2014 complaint total (34) but comparable to the 2014 recall count (6). Investigations also rose in 2013 relative to both neighboring years (4 vs. 3 in 2012 and 3 in 2014), while the tsb count continued its gradual upward trend from 128 in 2012 to 142 in 2013 before dropping to 117 in 2014. This places the 2013 model year in an upward swing of reported issues after a temporary dip in 2012. Consequently, a buyer seeking fewer reported problems may find the 2013 LEAF less attractive than the adjacent 2012 or 2014 models.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
142
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
81
Owner complaints
11 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
’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’18’19’20’21’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 81 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes22
Electrical System7
Air Bags7
Visibility/Wiper4
Vehicle Speed Control3
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other2
Electronic Stability Control (Esc),Service Brakes2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V119000Service BrakesReported 29/02/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Intelligent Brake Control Unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan…

14V138000Electrical System:SoftwareReported 25/03/2014

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 142 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.

Front wiper blades 288903NF2BCabin air filter 272771FC0A

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2013 LEAF have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.