headlight malfunction light

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npittard78

New member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
2
A couple of weeks ago my headlight malfunction warning light came on in my 2012 Nissan Leaf. I had read on this forum that that is typically the result of a bad headlight assembly. I took my car to my local Nissan dealership and they determined that it needed a new instrument cluster to the tune of $1100. Now, they've had my car for two weeks and they are telling me I need a new headlight assembly for another $900. I asked if it was possible that my instrument cluster wasn't actually bad but they're saying it was also throwing codes. I'm not sure what to do, or if there is anything I can do. I guess it's possible both things went bad but I just wonder if they'd replaced the headlight assembly first, would they have still determined I needed a new instrument cluster.

Does anyone have any opinions or advice? Anyone ever dealt with this situation before? Thanks in advance!
 
Sorry, this is just a really bad situation and to be honest, I SERIOUSLY doubt the instrument cluster was ever an issue. What was the final outcome?
 
Did the shop check for the quintessential LEAF problem that (apparently) can explain ANY bizzare behavior imaginable, up to and including issuing fraudulent purchase orders for soybean futures via connected cellphones: a weak 12V battery?
 
Good grief!! IMHO, this dealer appears to have no clue about diagnosing the problem with your car. He just wants you to bend over, so that he can "stick it to you". If I were you, I'd go down to that dealer ASAP and take my car back home. Do some inquiring with another LEAF specialist who knows what he's doing. :roll:
 
Thanks for your input everyone.

At first I told them to just put it all back together, i'd live with the warning light. Then I called them back and pitched an epic fit and basically told them I thought they were ripping me off and what would be the damage if they put my old instrument cluster back in. Then I rage searched for new cars on the internet until they called me back.

Eventually, they offered to do both repairs for the original agreed upon estimate. In the end I paid just about $1200 for a new instrument cluster, new headlight assembly, and the regular transmission maintenance. They were quick to tell me what a good deal I was getting when I picked it up. :roll:

Also, on the 12V front, that has recently been replaced, my husband did it in the past couple months. It still had the original 12V from 2012 and that thing just flat out died. I'm betting a lot of those weird codes were leftover from that. I had never cleared any of them.

I'm beginning to wonder if I might start searching for a reliable EV mechanic here in town. They are getting more popular and I'm not confident the people at my Nissan dealership know what the hell they're doing. Is that even a thing? An EV mechanic NOT at a dealership?
 
I searched around and found a few examples of 2011 SL's having the same failure and it being a $1000+ LED headlight assembly replacement according to those dealers so that seems to check out (even if ridiculous) but no mention of the instrument cluster being involved.
 
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