1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

_Used Nissan LEAF Buyers BEWARE!

Discussion in 'Nissan/Infiniti Hybrids and EVs' started by DaveinOlyWA, Dec 9, 2014.

  1. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    This situation is ongoing but we do now have some resolution to report. If you are in the market for a used Nissan LEAF, request a warranty history and battery status report! This is vital to fully understanding what you are paying for. This all started when a Washingtonian living a few miles from me bought a used 2011 Nissan LEAF from a Tacoma dealership. It had all 12 capacity bars and under 40,000 miles which would be considered normal for this area. My 2011 went 44,598 miles and was turned in with amp-hour reading of 57.11. Others have reported losing their first capacity bar around 54-54.5 ahr so mine still had a few thousand miles to go at least.

    But she lost a bar within a month, then another, then another... So I started documenting her situation and the more I found out, the worse it got

    DaveinOlyWA: Buyers BEWARE!!! This is a MUST READ!!

    introduces the problem

    DaveinOlyWA: **UPDATE** The Saga of VIN #222; RESOLVED!!

    details how the customer was helped.

    Stay tuned, there will be more to this story. Still big questions about consumer rights and new regulations on required disclosure info concerning EVs
     
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,120
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Other BEV issues being discussed on the relevant forums this side is strange, bizarre and erroneous error messages. Guess what it's turning out to be? Yep, a failing 12v. Some owners are coming back with voltage readings of 10.5 to 11.9 volts after only 3 years.

    Same issues as the Prius. Maybe the optional solar spoiler is there for good reason.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    this is a black mark on the industry, an d will slow the acceptance of ev's. i wonder if manufacturers will be forced into more precise battery warranties, more favorable to the consumer.
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    Well there are several issues at play here. I am hoping that Nissan will simply develop a better way to monitor the battery and the Government will require additional paperwork for all EVs detailing battery health. We now have odometer statements that can lead to dealer liability if found to be tampered with.

    Either way, there needs to be a process in place to assign blame and right now it leads to a dead end and that is with the Consumer.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    agreed. and it needs to be done quickly, before the naysayers start broadcasting and hyping exaggerations!
     
  6. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    773
    228
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Could unhooking the 12v battery reset the bars?

    It will be interesting to see how the newer batteries age. I would like to get an EV (or at least a range extended EV like a Volt) within our next couple car purchases, so hopefully they're getting the bugs worked out.
     
  7. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    no. several components must be reset in order for this to happen. nearly impossible for it to be accidental.

    From Aaron (a Nissan Master Mechanic and LEAF Certified Specialist at Eastside Nissan of Bellevue, WA)

    To reset the degradation you have to reset the LBC and the VCM. Brian Henderson the installation kit was needed to install the new pack. Along with a new service switch. This leads me to believe it is a "lizard" pack. The service switch did not change until the new packs came out.
    December 8 at 5:00pm


    https://www.facebook.com/groups/sea...id=882496878448417&offset=0&total_comments=48

    Now Nissan has taken several steps to make this scenario very unlikely so intent is plain here. Also from Aaron

    The new battery will come with a new LBC. To reset the degradation bars the LBC,VCM and meter need to be reset or replaced. If all three are not done the degradation meter will not reset. This makes accidentally resetting the gauge almost impossible. It also makes it to where if one or two control units get reprogrammed the meter stays accurate.