Any knowledge at what point Nissan will repair/replace bat?

[DaveEV]

I wonder if TomT actually has a weak cell causing his faster than expected capacity loss... It'd really be nice if we had access to cell-level voltages without having to rely on the dealer to run the test properly.

I don't know obviously, but I should think that a weak cell would trigger something other than (just) the capacity loss indicator...

It probably has to be really weak to turn up any faults. Slightly weak just means you get less capacity out of the pack since capacity is ultimately limited to the weakest cell-pair.

 

[planet4ever]

Nissan also led everyone to believe that you'd still have at least 80% battery capacity after 5 years...

Sorry, but I can't let that statement stand. Nissan didn't lead me to believe I'd have at least 80% battery capacity after 5 years, more like "at most". From a bold-face note on the second page of the first section in the owner's manual:

NISSAN estimates that battery capacity will be approximately 80% of original capacity after five years, although this is only an estimate, and this percentage may vary (and could be significantly lower) depending on individual vehicle and Li-ion battery usage.

[Red highlighting added.]

I was one of the first to point out on this board that there was no battery capacity warranty, but I can't claim clairvoyance. I had no idea that high temperature would punish batteries as it has, putting me in a very fortunate situation due to our temperate climate. I would have been shocked and angry myself if I had lost two or more bars in the first or second summer I had the car.

Ray

 

[TomT]

Any way you care to color it and lawyer-up, it is still a long way from 80 percent at 19 months... Of course, "significantly lower" could also mean an 80 percent LOSS, so I guess they have covered their collective ass regardless of what might happen, customer be damned.

From a bold-face note on the second page of the first section in the owner's manual:

NISSAN estimates that battery capacity will be approximately 80% of original capacity after five years, although this is only an estimate, and this percentage may vary (and could be significantly lower) depending on individual vehicle and Li-ion battery usage.

[Red highlighting added.]

 

[planet4ever]

Any way you care to color it and lawyer-up, it is still a long way from 80 percent at 19 months...

I wholeheartedly agree. Which is why I also said, "I would have been shocked and angry myself if I had lost two or more bars in the first or second summer I had the car."

Ray

 

[Caracalover]

I don't know obviously, but I should think that a weak cell would trigger something other than (just) the capacity loss indicator... And yes, I live on the top of about a 700 foot hill so I have substantial regen for the first number of miles of my journeys... My typical total point to point elevation difference each day is about 1,400 feet one way.

I also live on a hill and believed that Nissan would have factored in that the regen might add to the pack above the 100% that the charger itself allows. When I charge to 100% I see a few KW tricle in as I descend, so perhaps this is having a negative effect on the battery pack. With an 80% charge I gain more regen, so that could be considered topping off a battery that is already charged to 80%. If this proves to be an issue, it would benefit those of us that live on hills to have a lower % charge stop. TomT and I live pretty close to each other and have simiiar vehicles, owned the same amount of time, have almost the same # of miles. He lost two bars before I lost one although the temperatures my car recieved on the weekends were likely higher than his.

I take my Leaf into the Mojave desert on Sundays, and I have seen 103+ temps while my vehicle is fully charged. I think we may have found an issue here, although how large I don't know. When I "overcharge" the battery on Sunday, it is for a very short period of time and then I ascend a mountain. If TomT is at 100% and going downhill for a long ways, that may be what is different between us. I think he told me he only charges to 80%, so I would think that would "hurt" the battery less.