Nissan has issued an NHTSA recall for 51 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles after a battery cathode manufacturing defect was linked to spontaneous fires in parked, unplugged cars.
Nissan and its battery supplier found torn edges on cathode material that can fold and create an internal short circuit, leading to a chain reaction of cells shorting out. The defect surfaced when a Leaf burned at a dealership in Osaka on February 19, 2026, and a second Leaf burned at a U.S. dealer on March 2, 2026.
On March 10 the supplier changed its production process, and Nissan identified the 51 affected battery packs in Leaf vehicles and matched them to VINs; there have been no reported injuries.
Nissan advises owners of recalled Leaf cars to park outside and refrain from charging, and dealers will provide a loaner while affected battery modules or full packs are replaced at no charge.
Read the full article at jalopnik.com.
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