2011 LEAF stopped charging, 21 DTC's logged

[darelldd]

This is my concern as well... replacing the charger when we know the charger works. GREAT!

I suppose I should start a new thread to see if I can find somebody who's already dealt with this. Amazing to see how little internet info there is on this. Thanks for your help in getting me this far!

 

[91040]

It never hurts to remove the fuse assembly in the back seat footwell first!

If I remember correctly:
1. Remove the cover over the space between the radiator and the front frame above the charge ports, which is fastened with plastic fasteners.
2. Remove the 4 bolts that hold the Jplug receiver.
3. Detach the plastic connector, which is on the orange wire harness about 8" behind the Jplug receiver. It is held by clips and may take some effort to separate.
3a. Detach black plastic connector on the black harness that connects below the charge ports.
4. Remove the Jplug receiver and wire harness from the car.
5. Remove the orange corrugated plastic cover on the wire harness.
6. Find an accessible location on the pilot wire in the harness, with space for the diode.
7. Cut the pilot wire and solder the diode in line with the band on the diode facing towards the back of the car. (I probably used shrink tubing over the diode and signal wire as well.)
8. A piece of wood alongside the diode and the wire will act as a splint to strengthen it from vibration.
9. Tape over the diode and the splint with electrician's tape, then over it and the rest of the harness.
10. Reverse the directions in #5 through #1.

Be sure to fully reseat the plastic connectors when reconnecting.

Info from GlennD: You could use a signal diode like a 1N4148 like both Chris and Nick use in their through hole simulators but the leads are fragile. For ruggedness a rectifier diode like a 1N4001 would have stronger leads.

The EVSE output is through a 1K resistor so the max current shorted at 12V is 12MA. That is so low that most any diode will work. You would install the diode with the bar pointing to the car. Avoid diodes like the 1N4007 that have multiple diodes in series in the same package.

 

[darelldd]

You can be my new best friend! Thanks tons for this.

I've spoken to the local dealer shop foreman who is going to have a (free look) and check diagnostic codes. He admits that his hands are tied as to what official actions he can take, but won't charge me until he sees what's going on. This fascinates him, as he hasn't seen it before. After that, I'll come home and solder in a diode. Unfortunately he's making noise about how AV chargers are the ONLY ones that Nissan has "certified" and that's all that should be used. He even went further to say that the other EVSE makers were not complying with Nissan's charging requirements. I told him that the EVSE parameters are universal, and the carmakers are supposed to be following them as well... but anyway. Thanks for taking the time to drop in and help me out.

More info as it comes...

(On! And after I buy my package of 500 of these, does anybody else need one? Happy to share.

 

[darelldd]

Info from GlennD: You could use a signal diode like a 1N4148 like both Chris and Nick use in their through hole simulators but the leads are fragile. For ruggedness a rectifier diode like a 1N4001 would have stronger leads.

The EVSE output is through a 1K resistor so the max current shorted at 12V is 12MA. That is so low that most any diode will work. You would install the diode with the bar pointing to the car. Avoid diodes like the 1N4007 that have multiple diodes in series in the same package.

What do folks think about the caution to use diodes that have at least 100V rating?
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/

 

[darelldd]

You guys ready for this? The trip to the dealer bore fruit.

Details:

This car has charged from a GE WattStation that has given other Leaf owners problems. It usually will charge, sometimes it balks and will not initiate a charge. Nobody knows why.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/

At home I've been charging from Clipper Creek HCS-40 and CS-40 units, without issue, and for several years. About a month ago the CS charger started to "Charge Fault." I took it out of service and began exclusively using the HCS-40. Then it charge faulted about three weeks later. These EVSEs would both charge others cars, just not the Leaf. Both EVSEs took a trip up to Clipper Creek HQ in Auburn, and both were tested thoroughly. The EVSEs are in perfect condition.

Back to the Leaf - it will charge on the little brick that came with the car. But it will not charge from any other EVSE.

Thanks to several sources including this thread, I checked for the diode between the pilot pin and the ground pin. Nothing registered. I took the car to the dealer, and they found exactly one DTC: B29C1 (EVSE signal stuck low). The car would charge on their AV L2 charger just fine (AV is the ONLY charger that they certify for use with the Leaf). The tech cleared that code, and now it will charge on all L2's that I've tried including my Clipper Creek units. And... get this - the diode now registers in testing (a few mOhms one way, and several hundred Ohms the other way). Does the car have some sort of relay that can make a circuit around that diode?? Makes little sense to me, but the bottom line is that clearing that code has allowed the car to charge again.

 

[JimSouCal]

...the bottom line is that clearing that code has allowed the car to charge again.

If you have LEAF spy pro, if it faults again you might be able to clear the code yourself...? Swinging events are tough, but you kept the course... Thanks for sharing... And I do hope this is it...may good fortune continue...

 

[Marktm]

Here is the complete description of B29C1:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/563550/Nissan-Electric-Power-Train.html?page=103

 

[darelldd]

Here is the complete description of B29C1:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/563550/Nissan-Electric-Power-Train.html?page=103

Thanks Marktm. I won't pretend that the "complete description" fills in any blanks for me, but it's good to see the official message.

Honestly, none of it *really* makes any sense. But I guess somebody thought this was useful documentation....

 

[Marktm]

Did not make immediate sense to me either - but shows that the Nissan techs have highly rigid protocols to follow just for that one code to be able to diagnose it! It is typical of the (really good) Nissan Leaf tech manuals - extremely structured approaches to solving problems.

 

[darelldd]

Dang. Spoke too soon. It has set a charger fault on my CS-40 again. The HCS-40 continues to charge the car just fine.

If I had any hair left, I'd go ahead and pull it out too.

 

[darelldd]

And now, exactly 14 charge cycles later, the car will not allow a charge from the HCS-40. The same timing as before!

Here is my write-up for the dealer who will see the car again on Tuesday:

2011 Leaf SL. VIN JN1AZ0CP8BT000691
Purchased from original owner 01.29.2015 with 22,150 miles and after the loss of one battery health bar. The car is currently at 38,500 miles, with two health bars lost, very close to losing the third.


Will not consistently charge on EVSEs that are not made by AeroVironment.

History:
Since new, this Leaf charged on every public and private EVSE that has been encountered - including countless Clipper Creek units.

Two years ago, my wife’s work installed two GE Wattstations (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/), and after charging on those stations for a while, we began to notice erratic charging behavior that was confined to only those Watt Stations.
About a month ago (two years after beginning to charge on the GE units), the Leaf failed to charge on our Clipper Creek CS-40 (the EVSE’s “Charge Error” LED would immediately illuminate). This is an EVSE that we have been using daily for over two years.
Two weeks after it stopped charging on the CS-40, the Leaf charged 14 times on our HCS-40, and then stopped charging (same error on the EVSE) on our HCS-40 as well. This is an EVSE that we had been using on and off also for over two years.
Both chargers have been checked by Clipper Creek and are confirmed to conform to the global J1772 standard, and function perfectly. Both of these units will charge our other J1772 cars, and all other Leafs that we’ve tried.
I attempted to charge our Leaf on Davis’s many public CS-40’s (charged fine these units for the past six years) and those EVSE's now fail to charge our Leaf as well. In the meantime, all other Leafs in my town charge without problem on those same public CS-40’s. (I have taken the J1772 nozzle out of a happily charging Leaf, and inserted the connector into my car. The EVSE immediately shows "Charge Fault” until I plug it back into the other Leaf.

Robb, Shop Forman of Hanlees Nissan in Davis, CA, found and cleared DTC B29C1. EVSE signal stuck low.
(https://www.manualslib.com/manual/563550/Nissan-Electric-Power-Train.html?page=103) on Aug 8, 2017. After the code was cleared, the Leaf could again charge on HCS-40 units, but still will not charge on any CS-40. I have tried six units and home and in town. Exactly 14 charge cycles later, the Leaf will not charge on the HCS-40 unit either. Same timing as before where the car accepts the HCS after rejecting the CS, but only charges 14 times, and then the car also rejects the HCS.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Got the car back today. Took 2 days to get the part..

Labor Cost was $ 605.00 (5.5 hrs)
OBC 296A0-3NA8A was $1,720.35
Label 993B2-3NA0B was $ 12.35

Before taxes it came to $2,337.70

The invoice reports that after diagnostics it was determined the OBC had an internal short.

The repair takes quite a long time once the part is available. Nissan have the tech run the traction battery down to empty prior to replacing the charger and then charging to full using 240v only. They had the OBC replaced by lunchtime yesterday, but due to having to do a full charge from empty, it didn't complete charging until 6:30 last night after they had closed up for the night.

Since I have also had to fork out for a new traction battery as well the LEAF is now one of the most expensive cars to maintain that I've owned. I've tracked the costs of all my cars for the last 25 years. The LEAF maintenance cost now comes in at 11c per mile, my gassers have on average cost 9c mile.

Myth Busted: EV's are not cheaper to maintain than gas cars thanks to the high component prices.

bad break for sure but expecting the OBC to fail is hardly something I would promote (and you didn't but everyone else reading this did)

Did they tell you how much of a discount you got on the part? Pretty sure they were MUCH more expensive before or was it simply a price drop?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

You guys ready for this? The trip to the dealer bore fruit.

Details:

This car has charged from a GE WattStation that has given other Leaf owners problems. It usually will charge, sometimes it balks and will not initiate a charge. Nobody knows why.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/07/dead-leafs-and-ge-chargers/

At home I've been charging from Clipper Creek HCS-40 and CS-40 units, without issue, and for several years. About a month ago the CS charger started to "Charge Fault." I took it out of service and began exclusively using the HCS-40. Then it charge faulted about three weeks later. These EVSEs would both charge others cars, just not the Leaf. Both EVSEs took a trip up to Clipper Creek HQ in Auburn, and both were tested thoroughly. The EVSEs are in perfect condition.

Back to the Leaf - it will charge on the little brick that came with the car. But it will not charge from any other EVSE.

Thanks to several sources including this thread, I checked for the diode between the pilot pin and the ground pin. Nothing registered. I took the car to the dealer, and they found exactly one DTC: B29C1 (EVSE signal stuck low). The car would charge on their AV L2 charger just fine (AV is the ONLY charger that they certify for use with the Leaf). The tech cleared that code, and now it will charge on all L2's that I've tried including my Clipper Creek units. And... get this - the diode now registers in testing (a few mOhms one way, and several hundred Ohms the other way). Does the car have some sort of relay that can make a circuit around that diode?? Makes little sense to me, but the bottom line is that clearing that code has allowed the car to charge again.

I thought you had LEAF Spy? If so, can this code be reset?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I did call Consumer Affairs regarding out-of-warranty assistance.

It was a Hail Mary but guess what!! I scored

Nissan have agreed to refund $1,000 out of the $2,518 repair bill.

The initial call didn't start well, the agent asked me the miles on the odometer and when I said 107,000 he repeated it back to me "107,000" !?! with a incredulous tone. I pointed out my extended warranty had just run out recently and on top of that only 8 months ago had to fork out for a new battery. That seemed to work well enough.

The next sticky point was when I shared that I had paid for the repair already. 'We can't offer out of warranty assistance then' was the answer, 'why did you do that?'. I pointed out due to the nature of the fault I had only 10 miles left when I arrived at the dealer and no way to charge the car. I couldn't wait for a warranty consideration determination.

Once we got over those two stumbling blocks I got my case number and things went very well after that. They got copies of the two bills from the dealer and gave me the good news today.

Thank you Mr Nissan.

Oh spoke too soon!! Glad to hear Nissan stepped up. In all things Nissan, its becoming clear that the first call for major issues is to Nissan Corporate as the dealers seem to only want to "go by the book"

Some clarity; sounds like you have had excellent luck with gassers and bit lesser luck with first gen EVs. I would not consider that normal. FYI; my B i L just paid $30ish K for a newer truck and the reason? Better than a $9000 tranny job on the old one! :shock:

 

[darelldd]

I thought you had LEAF Spy? If so, can this code be reset?

Nope. I have Leaf dd installed. But not LEAF Spy. I thought it was only for Android. Now I see it is in the IPhone app store as well. Unfortunately, there is no iPhone LITE version, so I guess I can't try it to make sure it will work with my OBD2 adapter. If I need a new adapter and have to pay for the app... well, I'm just getting to the point where I don't want to put any more money into this car that's disappointed me so much recently.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I thought you had LEAF Spy? If so, can this code be reset?

Nope. I have Leaf dd installed. But not LEAF Spy. I thought it was only for Android. Now I see it is in the IPhone app store as well. Unfortunately, there is no iPhone LITE version, so I guess I can't try it to make sure it will work with my OBD2 adapter. If I need a new adapter and have to pay for the app... well, I'm just getting to the point where I don't want to put any more money into this car that's disappointed me so much recently.

sounds like the original replace the diode might be the best road?

 

[darelldd]

sounds like the original replace the diode might be the best road?

But the diode is still there! When the code is cleared, I can test for it. And it's obviously there. When the code is set... it's as if that diode has disappeared. In the meantime, my local "master tech" at the dealership has never heard of this diode.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

sounds like the original replace the diode might be the best road?

But the diode is still there! When the code is cleared, I can test for it. And it's obviously there. When the code is set... it's as if that diode has disappeared. In the meantime, my local "master tech" at the dealership has never heard of this diode.

oh hmmm? interesting. Isn't the diode in the positive cable of 12 volt battery to PDM? or something like that?

 

[darelldd]

It is between the ground pin and the pilot pin.

 

[darelldd]

In the meantime, I've just purchased LeafSPY pro and a new OBD2 interface. Be here this afternoon!