A/C Heating crazy or what!! Some griping too...

[themotorman]

1. If i want to have max heat I find that unless I set the temp to 90 I do not get full heat, this matches the enrgy display graphical display too. At a few degrees over ambient the heat output drops to 1.5 kW but if set to 90 it goes to 3 kW... I guess I'd like a " Fast heat" setting..as I make short trips in the AM when it is cold ( even in Santa Barbara! ) . I notice that the energy gage goes to 6 kW; am I missing some heating plus system ?
2. If I want only the outside air on and run the fan , the "info display" thinks that the A/C is on and that I can increase my range by xx miles if I switch it off although no power shows on the energy use display. It seems that if the fan is on then the sys thinks that A/C is on... IMHO The fan power cannot significantly change the range so this makes no sense.
3. I have just done the latest updates at the dealer ( if this is all only software why couldn't I do this via a wifi connection at home !!!!!???? ) seems a very archaic process to have to got to a dealer for a software update.
I bought the Leaf to avoid service stuff but so far I have made more service calls than for my old Volvo!

 

[davewill]

ECO mode throttles the climate control energy usage. Try your test while in "D" instead, I think you'll find it heats up faster. As far as the range hit, I've found that if I wait, the system will eventually change the climate control range hit to reflect the actual energy usage.

As far as the service goes, it's better than I'd expected considering it's a brand new car model, with an brand new electric drivetrain.

 

[trentr]

I have my car for about a year now and only went to the dealer once for the annual service. Total cost: $0. For a first year model, that is excellent. No complains really, even the HVAC, I can live with the quirks. I preheat the cabin at times so, instant heat when I get in.

 

[thankyouOB]

the car is pretty much maintenance free.

I did have heater concerns and went to the dealer to have them check it, while i had the tires rotated at 5-6k. Turns out I was just impatient. I use it the way it was designed and it is fine; admittedly I am in SOCAL.

to improve heat performance, yes, use D when you want heat.
and, most important, pre-heat when you need heat.

I let all the software updates wait for the annual check up.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

I let all the software updates wait for the annual check up.

I was just thinking about that. If I hold off on the recall until the 7500 mile mark maybe I can get a free tire rotation out of the deal. I don't want anyone else lifting the car, my luck they would put the lift points in the wrong place and crush the battery.

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

it's assumed that you are going to preheat, which is a really nice feature. If you don't preheat, you are setting yourself up for a big drop in range and a slowish warm up. this car should never have been sold without the CWP, the seat and steering wheel heaters are pretty much instant and dramatically reduce one's reliance on climate control. Combining prewarming with seat/steering wheel heat can virtually eliminate reliance on climate control use while driving.

 

[lpickup]

2. If I want only the outside air on and run the fan , the "info display" thinks that the A/C is on and that I can increase my range by xx miles if I switch it off although no power shows on the energy use display. It seems that if the fan is on then the sys thinks that A/C is on... IMHO The fan power cannot significantly change the range so this makes no sense.

Yeah, just ignore this. It doesn't seem to really pay any attention to the actual power being drawn. Anything the car says about "range" and "miles" you should just learn to ignore.

 

[smkettner]

Fast heat would be the preheat function.

 

[gsleaf]

I don't want anyone else lifting the car, my luck they would put the lift points in the wrong place and crush the battery.

Is that really possible?

 

[TonyWilliams]

I don't want anyone else lifting the car, my luck they would put the lift points in the wrong place and crush the battery.

Is that really possible?

It's pretty thick metal under the battery. I'm not sure if the car got lifted from dead center in the bottom of the battery, that it would fail the battery. Sure, it might get a dent.

They would have to be the stupidest operators to screw that up, but nothing is impossible when stupid enters the equation.