Update on Battery Warranty Enhancement for 2011 & 2012 LEAF

[mwalsh]

It's going to be close for me. I'm going to be at 60k in the summer of the 4th year of ownership. And that's where I had predicted I'd be eligible based on time alone (first bar loss this summer; second next summer; third the summer of the 4th year). Unless I'm underestimating how quickly bar loss will happen from now on, I may have to pull some shenanigans of my own to make sure it happens or I'll end up loosing out on the warranty by just a couple of months, which would totally suck.

 

[scottf200]

Lesees I don't have as much concern for - nearly all those cars will be Nissan's problem beginning next year.

Isn't this the leasing companies problem since they own the car and not Nissan corporate? Perhaps I'm confused because I only buy but I thought if the car is sold or leased someone owns it and it is not Nissan (hence the reason lease are counted as sales).
ie. This leasing company has these cars for sale. No Volts or LEAFs because none off leases yet (AFAIK).
http://2623.ecarlist.com/web/inventory/All_years/Nissan/All_models/All_body_types/All_vehicles/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All Nissan's "in house" leases are written through NMAC. Nissan by any other name is still Nissan.

That may be true from the outside but typically large corporations have very separate legal entities/names, budgets, monetary goals, directions, etc. Leasing companies still need to be profitable. Nissan USA vs Nissan Japan certainly have different budgets, goals, accountable measures, no doubt.

On the other lease topic, I think in the end the battery monthly $100 lease program will be profitable for Nissan as well. They are a [set of] business[es] afterall.

 

[mwalsh]

On the other lease topic, I think in the end the battery monthly $100 lease program will be profitable for Nissan as well. They are a [set of] business[es] afterall.

Nissan shouldn't expect to make a profit off packs going to early adopters. Folks with 2011 cars should be taken care of for sure. To do anything else would be completely unconscionable.

 

[smkettner]

Yep, I'm in the same race...

Only thing left is for the next two bars to drop in the next 22,000 miles.
I think it will be close :|

I'd say leaving the car in Palm Springs for a month or so at 100% charge next summer should move things in the right direction. Rent a car for a month.

Should be warm here for the next ten weeks. Almost hoping for a few heat waves yet this year and a hot summer next year.
22,000 will get me to about Nov 2014.

Palm Springs is close to 100 miles so the logistics would be a bit awkward with the family. (no L3)

 

[Nubo]

I got a chuckle when listening to Jack Rickard when the LEAF Pheonix issues first surfaced. He characterized Nissan as performing corporate hara-kiri but not molly coddling the few customers affected. The bit that made me chuckle is that he said Nissan should drive round the owners homes and offer to 'tuck them in at night', the cost of doing so would be small and the goodwill capital gained huge. His point was they should have buried the issue with kindness rather than stonewall. Couldn't agree with him more. He says some weird stuff, but he hit the nail on the head for this issue.

Indeed. "More coffee, SIR"? :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIrzdouRUFQ&feature=youtu.be&t=1h12m24s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Nissan shouldn't expect to make a profit off packs going to early adopters. Folks with 2011 cars should be taken care of for sure. To do anything else would be completely unconscionable.

Because they realize that doing so is the best way to attract and retain customers, not because they are obligated.

 

[mwalsh]

Because they realize that doing so is the best way to attract and retain customers, not because they are obligated.

Not to mention the fact that they've probably known for a good long while now they goofed quite badly.

And I think splitting the difference with them - us paying a reasonable amount to get into a new pack while they sell it for cost or maybe even make a loss on it - would be fair.

 

[surfingslovak]

Not to mention the fact that they've probably known for a good long while now they goofed quite badly.

Which reminds me, why were owners in Phoenix told that the batteries there were on a glidepath to 76% remaining capacity in five years last summer? Is this what internal analysis projected at the time?

 

[mwalsh]

BTW, has anyone given thought to the notion that the cell separators or battery chemistry not being up to the task (particularly if the separators are deforming/breaking down) might represent a "defect in materials" that makes the pack repair eligible under for the full eight year/100k warranty? I for one would really like to see what is going on inside these cells, rather than taking Nissan's word for it that all is well!

Edit: Now I read back it seems like JP brought this up in a post I actually responded too. LOL! That'll teach me not to read other people's stuff properly!

 

[KJD]

Because they realize that doing so is the best way to attract and retain customers, not because they are obligated.

Not to mention the fact that they've probably known for a good long while now they goofed quite badly.
And I think splitting the difference with them - us paying a reasonable amount to get into a new pack.....

I would rather they just give me a good discount on a 2014 when the new battery is available.

 

[RegGuheert]

Which reminds me, why were owners in Phoenix told that the batteries there were on a glidepath to 76% remaining capacity in five years last summer? Is this what internal analysis projected at the time?

You know what? TickTock's recent plot show's his capacity has been virtually flat all summer long this year. That result is completely beyond the realm of what I thought was conceivable (and in the positive direction!).

 

[KJD]

Which reminds me, why were owners in Phoenix told that the batteries there were on a glidepath to 76% remaining capacity in five years last summer? Is this what internal analysis projected at the time?

You know what? TickTock's plot of capacity has been virtually flat all summer long this year. That result is completely beyond the realm of what I thought was conceivable (and in the positive direction!).

Maybe that swamp cooler on the garage is doing him some good.

 

[mwalsh]

I would rather they just give me a good discount on a 2014 when the new battery is available.

I'm rather fond of my 2011. And why throw a perfectly good car away when all it needs is a new battery.

 

[KJD]

I would rather they just give me a good discount on a 2014 when the new battery is available.

I'm rather fond of my 2011. And why throw a perfectly good car away when all it needs is a new battery.

A perfectly good car with a rather defective battery.

If the only choice I have is to rent the battery, I would rather rent ( Lease ) the entire car.

 

[mwalsh]

If the only choice I have is to rent the battery, I would rather rent ( Lease ) the entire car.

I'm still not unconvinced that the aftermarket will be there to help us out. Though I wish I saw more evidence of them getting ready to do so at this stage in the game.

 

[Nubo]

Because they realize that doing so is the best way to attract and retain customers, not because they are obligated.

Not to mention the fact that they've probably known for a good long while now they goofed quite badly.

And I think splitting the difference with them - us paying a reasonable amount to get into a new pack while they sell it for cost or maybe even make a loss on it - would be fair.

If they wish to compete with Tesla; if that's their long-range plan, then they need to start thinking about how to provide world-class support to their early adopters and and put an end to 2 years of pussy-footing and CYA artistry, and WOW the public.

Quite simply, when their new greatly-improved battery is ready for production, ramp up that shiny new $1.5 billion dollar battery plant that they like to brag about. And give every Nissan Leaf owner or lessee a "Get out of your old battery Free" card. No strings, bars or Gids attached.

 

[davewill]

BTW, has anyone given thought to the notion that the cell separators or battery chemistry not being up to the task (particularly if the separators are deforming/breaking down) might represent a "defect in materials" that makes the pack repair eligible under for the full eight year/100k warranty? ...

Not so long as the battery continues to function in gradually degrading manner.

 

[braineo]

If they wish to compete with Tesla; if that's their long-range plan, then they need to start thinking about how to provide world-class support to their early adopters and and put an end to 2 years of pussy-footing and CYA artistry, and WOW the public.

Quite simply, when their new greatly-improved battery is ready for production, ramp up that shiny new $1.5 billion dollar battery plant that they like to brag about. And give every Nissan Leaf owner or lessee a "Get out of your old battery Free" card. No strings, bars or Gids attached.

+1,000,000!

 

[TomT]

Un huh, and I also believe in the tooth fairy...

Quite simply, when their new greatly-improved battery is ready for production, ramp up that shiny new $1.5 billion dollar battery plant that they like to brag about. And give every Nissan Leaf owner or lessee a "Get out of your old battery Free" card. No strings, bars or Gids attached.

 

[Stoaty]

It appears that the new "Hot Battery" will meet the claims Nissan made about the longevity of the battery when the Leaf first came out. I would like to see those of us who took their statements at face value get a reduced price on a new battery that we could buy outright. Nissan could give us a one time purchase of a new heat resistant battery at a good price, without revealing what a new battery actually costs. The program could start after they put the new batteries in all the new Leafs being produced. It would only apply to those with the old sub-par chemistry. The new battery wouldn't be free, so Nissan and the owner would share the pain. If 80% of the Leaf "purchases" are leases, Nissan would only have to pony up for those who purchased, perhaps 5,000 Leafs.

While the battery in my Leaf is doing fairly well, that is probably mainly because I baby it, and don't drive it to areas where the battery temperature can climb much above 86 degrees. This means that for about 2 months a year I can't use my Leaf to drive to work, or on longer trips on the weekend. I have to take the old ICE vehicle.