Nissan Leaf 2026 recall: rear seat belt defect and child seat safety, NHTSA 26V425

© A. Krivonosov

Nissan is recalling 3,788 2026 Nissan Leaf electric cars in the US over a rear outboard seat belt defect. According to documents reviewed by SPEEDME journalists, the problem has nothing to do with the battery or the drivetrain — it’s about how the belts hold child seats in place: the automatic locking retractor (ALR) can disengage before the belt has fully tightened around the seat.

The recall covers Leaf units built between June 10, 2025, and June 8, 2026. Nissan notes the defect is specific to this model and this production window — no other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles are affected. The belts come from supplier Autoliv Japan.

Here’s how the defect works: the belt is designed to switch from emergency locking retractor (ELR) mode to ALR mode once the webbing is fully extended, so it stays locked on the way back and keeps constant tension on a child seat. But because of an internal setting in the retractor, ALR mode can deactivate early, leaving some seats less securely fastened than intended. Adult passengers aren’t affected, and the issue doesn’t show up when child seats are installed with the LATCH system instead.

The interesting part is how the defect surfaced — not through owner complaints. On April 22, 2026, Consumer Reports flagged the issue to Nissan while testing the rear seats. Nissan later reproduced the problem with a specific child seat model and traced it to a pre-production change: the belt webbing length had been increased from roughly 2,700 mm to 2,985 mm, which may have shifted the point where ALR kicks in. The company says it isn’t aware of any related crashes or injuries. This isn’t the first hiccup for the 2026 Leaf — earlier this spring, Nissan recalled part of the run over a battery fire risk.

Until a fix is ready, Nissan is telling owners to use the LATCH system for child seats in the rear outboard positions. Once parts are available, dealers will replace the affected belts free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to start going out July 17, 2026, and VINs have been searchable in the NHTSA database since July 7.

Campaign details: NHTSA campaign number 26V425, Nissan’s internal number is R26A7. Dealers were notified starting July 7, 2026, and owner letters begin July 17. Owners can reach Nissan customer service at 800-647-7261.