Nissan is recalling nearly 4,000 new 2026 Leaf EVs after a Consumer Reports test found the rear seat belt assemblies failed to meet federal requirements.
Nissan recalls Leaf EVs over seat belt non-compliance
During a recent auto test program, Consumer Reports’ engineers found that the 2026 Nissan Leaf’s rear seat belt failed to stay locked when used to secure a child seat.
The outer rear seat belt automatic locking retractors (ALR) may loosen or deactivate early, failing to secure the child seat properly. As such, the 2026 Leaf fails to meet federal safety standards for “Occupant Crash Protection.”
On April 22, 2026, CR notified Nissan of the issue with the rear seat belt assembly. Nissan launched an investigation shortly after and was able to duplicate the issue.
The issue was traced to its supplier, but no other Nissan vehicles were impacted. Out of an abundance of caution, Nissan issued a non-compliance recall for 3,788 new 2026 Leaf EVs with the faulty rear outboard seat belt assemblies.
Nissan is not aware of any reported accidents or injuries related to the recall. The issue does not affect the rear seat belts when used by adult passengers or when using the Lowers and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system to secure a child seat.
Owners can take affected vehicles to the closed Nissan dealer, where the dealer will replace the rear outboard seat assemblies free of charge.
Nissan expects a fix to be available this winter. Notification letters, warning owners of the safety risk, will be mailed on July 17, 2026. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is available.
Owners can contact Nissan’s customer service at 800-647-7261 with questions. The recall number is R26A7.
Owners can also contact the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the NHTSA.gov website for more information. The NHTSA campaign number is 26V425.
While Nissan works on a remedy, Emily Thomas, associate director of auto safety at Consumer Reports, recommends using the lower anchors to install the child seat base, or moving it to the center seat and securing it with the seat belt.
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