NHTSA Complaint #10916686 — 2013 NISSAN LEAF

THE LEAF WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET IN "B" DRIVE MODE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP FROM AROUND 45 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY FIRM, AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW. I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND DEPRESSED IT AGAIN. THIS TIME THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT BRAKE TRAVEL AND THE BRAKES ENGAGED WITH A MECHANICAL MOANING SOUND. THE CAR SKIDDED TO A STOP AS ABS CEASED FUNCTIONING. I PARKED THE CAR AND TOOK A PHOTO OF THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS. SIMILAR SYMPTOMS OCCURS 5 DAYS PRIO, RESTARTING THE CAR RETURNED IT TO NORMAL OPERATION BOTH TIMES. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 65 DEGREES F AND DRY DURING ONE OCCURRENCE. A SIMILAR TEMPERATURE ON A MORNING FOLLOWING A RAINY NIGHT IS WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME. THE CAR NEARLY ENTERED AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT. THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AND SOUNDED LIKE THE VIDEOS POSTED ON YOUTUBE IN VERY.COLD CLIMATES IN WHICH THE LEAF BRAKING SYSTEMS FAILED WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THIS WAS IN MILD WEATHER. THIS CAR HAS RECEIVED THE BRAKE MODULE FIRMWARE UPDATE FROM NISSAN PRIOR TO THESE INCIDENTS.