NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 35 complaints against the 2023 Nissan Ariya. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2023 Nissan Ariya complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Nissan Ariya has generated 105 NHTSA complaints and has 4 active recalls. If your 2023 Nissan Ariya has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Nissan pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Nissan Ariya include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 21 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The car was unable to move when started up and displayed a warning that said “Service EV system.” The car is within the initial 3 year warranty and has under 20,000 miles.” (NHTSA Complaint #11719727)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Nissan Ariya have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 9 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “My Ariya 2023 died on middle of Interstate while I was on bridge during rush hour battery was at 54 % when this happened. I had the vehicle towed to a charging station thinking i ran out of charge but car didnt charge. After couple hours car started at 54% battery even though I was not able charge.” (NHTSA Complaint #11558367)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2023 Nissan Ariya include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 6 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “At low speeds after startup, the car automatically shifts from drive into neutral. The car will be locked in neutral, not letting you put it in park, drive, or reverse. To get the car back into drive, you must come to a complete stop, turn the car off, back on, and floor the accelerator. Failure to floor the accelerator will lead to the car getting stuck in neutral again. I have pulled out into traffic on numerous occasions and had the car die in the middle of the road, forcing me to come to a stop and fully turn it back on, sometimes multiple times. No warning messages appear.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722759)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Nissan Ariya have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 6 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Ariya. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly lost motive power. The contact became aware of smoke coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that oil was leaking from the vehicle, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later went to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11706138)
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2023 Nissan Ariya have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 6 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Ariya. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud thud coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to inspect the vehicle, the vehicle restarted while in park, and unexpectedly rolled away. The contact was able to quickly re-enter the vehicle and stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11692130)
The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Nissan Ariya by the NHTSA or Nissan. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: STEERING:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A steering wheel with a loose or missing bolt can detach from the steering column, causing a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport and immediate repair if the steering wheel feels loose when gently rocking the wheel forward and back with their hands. Dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt, free of charge. Nissan began notifying owners on March 2, 2023 via phone an
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:INVERTER
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the inverter software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 20, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan’s customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan’s number for this recall is R23C6.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION MOTOR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front traction motor assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 26, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan’s customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan’s number for this recall is R24A3.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:INVERTER
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle’s inverter software version and update the software, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 12, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan’s customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan’s number for this recall is R24A8.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Nissan Ariya:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Nissan to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2023 Nissan Ariya qualifies as a lemon under California law, Nissan may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Nissan a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Nissan dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Nissan pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Nissan a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2023 Nissan Ariya has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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