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Nissan lemon law
If your Nissan keeps going back to the dealer for the same problem, your state's lemon law may make the maker buy it back or replace it, and pay your lawyer when you win. Here is what Nissan owners report to the federal government, and how to check your own car.
What Nissan owners report most
A complaint can name more than one area. 849 complaints name none.
Models with the most complaints
- Rogue 1,754
- Pathfinder 399
- Sentra 324
- Frontier 240
- Kicks 208
- Versa 197
Latest Nissan recalls
- Air Bags, August 12, 2026: 2025 Altima, about 149 vehicles.
“Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V526000 - Equipment, July 15, 2026: 2021 Armada, 2022 Armada, 2023 Armada, 2024 Armada, about 168,149 vehicles.
“An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V455000 - Seat Belts, July 1, 2026: 2026 Leaf, about 3,788 vehicles.
“An improperly secured child restraint system may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V425000 - Power Train, June 30, 2026: 2026 Rogue, about 5,823 vehicles.
“A missing gear selection indicator may lead to unintended vehicle movement or a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.”
NHTSA recall 26V419000 - Power Train, June 26, 2026: 2025 Sentra, about 946 vehicles.
“An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a driveshaft that is not fully engaged can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”
NHTSA recall 26V410000
Check your own car by its VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at any Nissan dealer.
Recalls, repairs and the lemon law
A recall alone does not make a car a lemon. What counts is a defect the dealer cannot fix: most states presume a lemon after 3 or 4 repair attempts for the same problem, fewer for a defect that could cause a crash, or about 30 days in the shop, inside the first one to two years. A recall repair for a defect that keeps coming back is a repair attempt like any other, so keep the repair order from every visit.
In California, Nissan North America opted in to the state's new lemon law process on April 28, 2025. Owners send the written demand to customerrequests@nissan-usa.com at least 30 days before suing. How the new process works
How a Nissan lemon law claim and buyback work
Keep the repair order from every visit, then write to Nissan, not only the dealer, at the customer relations address in your owner's manual or warranty booklet, and ask for a buyback or a replacement. In a buyback Nissan refunds the price, taxes and fees and costs like towing, minus a deduction for the miles you drove before the first repair, and pays off the loan.
The steps · Letter template · Buyback or cash and keep · Estimate a buyback
Nissan lemon law in your state
The rules depend on the state where you bought or leased the car:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Questions about Nissan lemons
How many complaints have Nissan owners filed with NHTSA?
3,895 for 2021 to 2027 model years, received through October 22, 2026. The most reported area is engine.
How many Nissan recalls are there?
80 safety recalls cover 2021 to 2027 Nissan models, for about 4,009,219 vehicles in all.
Is a recall enough to make my Nissan a lemon?
No, not on its own. But if a defect keeps coming back after repairs, recall repairs included, each visit can count as a repair attempt under your state's lemon law. Keep every repair order.
How do I start a Nissan lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, then write to Nissan at the address for customer relations in your owner's manual or warranty booklet, asking for a buyback or replacement under your state's lemon law. Send it by a tracked method and keep a copy.
Does Nissan have to buy back a lemon?
Yes, when your state's lemon law rules are met. The maker must buy the car back or replace it, and most states let you choose. The rules differ by state: see your state guide.
Did Nissan opt in to California's new lemon law process?
Yes. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA opted in on April 28, 2025. California owners send the written demand to customerrequests@nissan-usa.com, at least 30 days before suing.
About the data
From NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation files (complaints received 2020 to now, and recalls), counted for 2021 to 2027 model years and filed under the make NISSAN. Read on October 26, 2026. Complaints are what owners report, not findings, and big sellers get more of them: a count is not a defect rate, and it says nothing about your car. We keep no complaint text or personal details.
Is your Nissan a lemon? Find out free
Free, about ten taps. You see what your state's law says first. If you want a lawyer, we find a lemon law firm in your state that takes cases like yours, and they contact you.
Your state: Ohio
What model year is it?
Who pays the lawyer? In Ohio, an owner who wins can make the maker pay the lawyer.* * So most lemon law lawyers ask nothing up front. Some charge costs, or a share of a settlement: ask before you sign. You never pay us. More