Level 3 error - Charger did not detect vehicle

About a month ago, I charged my car for the first time using L3.

Ditto about a week later.

Worked fine.

Today I went to use an L3 for an "emergency top off" and no good.

Swiped Charjit (350green) card, pressed Start, attached cord firmly.

Pressed start and the battery icon started indicating charge on the screen.

For about 5 seconds.

Then stopped.

Error message: "Charger did not detect vehicle. Check the connector or the ignition."

Tried about 5 times and finally got another error ... Charger failure or something.

Called support ... they suggested I turned the timers off. Did that ... DOH.

Tried again a few times.

Same error.

Went to another L3 "across the road" ... exact same error.

So, is it my car? And if so, how does dealer test it as they don't have a Level3?

This will be fun.

Anyone else have this problem?

There was one other member who reported this problem. His didn't work from the very first time, though. Nissan did a bunch of testing, then replaced his charger. That didn't work, then they found a bent pin on a connector.

P.S. is there some reason your post is double spaced like that?

Yes, that was me. I monitored CarWings when they where working on it and they drove it to the nearest level 3 (eVgo) for testing. They flew in technicians from out of town and as was said replaced the onboard charger to no avail THEN looked at all the cables and connectors and found a bent pin.

Thanks for your feedback ... I'll be at my dealer tomorrow and see what they find.

That happened to me the first time I tried to use a QC, but I finally realized it was a user error -- I hadn't locked the connector in by pulling up on the bottom lever. Since you had used it successfully before you probably didn't make that rookie mistake, but I thought I'd mention it for anyone else that wanders through here with the same problem.

Ray

here's a nice "how to" CHAdeMO video that a local Leafer made, it's quite nice and clear! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=317VrBDkBjg&feature=player_embedded

Very clearly done video of plugging and unplugging the QC connector into the LEAF.
Good work, and quick to view.

Always handy to have it embedded.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=317VrBDkBjg[/youtube]

You did have me wondering there ... took my LEAF to the dealer today, finally.

Was amazed when their so called master tech was unable to differentiate between Level 2 (they have them) and Level 3.

They are running diagnostics and found an error code.

But then I saw your video and, while I had "level 3'd" before, I could not swear to it that I had indeed squeezed the trigger;

Went back to two oasis, did that and got same errors; from one ... could not find your car or ignition, the other "bad charger". Assume my car charger not the level 3 thing itself.

So awaiting Nissan diagnostics.

Have my car back as level 2 works fine.

Well, car was in shop this time last week.

Finally got a call from dealer today asking ME to "prod" Nissan corporate to provide answers after dealer seems to have given up trying to get a response.

So I called corporate today. Told me to expect a return call within 48.

Leaves me with a great feeling about Nissan. Not.

I had my first DC charging failure last Saturday at the WoodVillage Walmart charger. It said something about not being able to communicate to the car. But is was a Blink charger so I just asumed is the charger. The other side was having the old card reading error message. Hey, the TV on those chargers never fails. I will test again this comming weekend.

This is now resolved ... sort of.

After playing referee between Nissan dealer service and Nissan, both claiming neither could get ahold of either, they finally connected.

I was asked to take my Leaf today with one of theirs, and test both a new car and mine at the same Level 3 chargers.

First Level 3 said "Bad charger". Then plugged it into new car, same error "Bad charger".

Oops. Sounds like bad charger.

Second charger ... plugged both cars in, worked fine both cars. Week before neither worked.

Lesson learned? 350green have a lot of 'xplaining to do.

I do not really care that much. "3" would be nice for an emergency top off now and then. If they were reliable. But they're not.

camasleaf said:

I had my first DC charging failure last Saturday at the WoodVillage Walmart charger. It said something about not being able to communicate to the car. But is was a Blink charger so I just asumed is the charger. The other side was having the old card reading error message. Hey, the TV on those chargers never fails. I will test again this comming weekend.

Click to expand...

I did three short DC charging sesions this weekend at a different charger and had no issues. Must have been the ... heat wave.

sp4rk said:

I do not really care that much. "3" would be nice for an emergency top off now and then. If they were reliable. But they're not.

Click to expand...

I would avoid charging if above 50%, but it is easier here in Portland area as there are 5-6 DC chargers. I usually drive until I am down to two bars, and then start looking for a DC charger. 10-15 minutes on the DC will take me back to over 50%. Did that twice yesterday do to some unplaned events.

i agree. i make it a rule to avoid charging above about 65% but mostly because this is where the rate of charge slows way down. i find it a much better use of my time to do 3 10 minute charges than to do one 30 minute charge.

ya, i know its 30 minutes total each time right?? wrong. if you drive far enough its the ONLY way to go.

let me explain;

when SOC is low enough you get a Kwh every 70-75 seconds or so, so if averaging 4 miles/k you can get 32 miles of range (600 second/75 seconds/k * 4 miles per k)

do it 3 times, you got 96 miles. or do one 30 minute charge and only get 80 miles of range with ZERO room for error.