Day 1 comments and questions

Yesterday was my first day with my LEAF.

The good:

My husband and I drove 61 miles round trip, eco mode, 60mph to destination, 55 mph return, mostly freeway driving. We had 4 bars left (2 white, 2 red)

Got a great view of the Miramar air show (blue angels) while driving in the HOV lane! (this HOV has two lanes so people can pass if they choose to waste gas)

The scary/frustrating:

We chose our test drive outing by looking for blink charger stations. Balboa Park in San Diego has many. Only when we got there did we find out that you have to sign up for Blink! I'm glad we didn't need to count on it.


The questions:

Can the startup Accept/decline question be turned off? Please, please say yes!!

I want to stop the doors from auto locking (when driving)

I want ALL doors to unlock after powering down. Every time.

Congrats on your car!

bwilliams said:

The questions:

Can the startup Accept/decline question be turned off? Please, please say yes!!

Click to expand...

No, sorry.

bwilliams said:

I want to stop the doors from auto locking (when driving)

Click to expand...

You can do this, but I don't remember how.

bwilliams said:

I want ALL doors to unlock after powering down. Every time.

Click to expand...

They don't already? I thought that was the default.

bwilliams said:

Can the startup Accept/decline question be turned off? Please, please say yes!!

Click to expand...

No, but you can just ignore it and not press either one. Instead press a button (e.g., XM) to bring up whatever you want to see on the Nav screen.

Stoaty said:

bwilliams said:

Can the startup Accept/decline question be turned off? Please, please say yes!!

Click to expand...

No, but you can just ignore it and not press either one. Instead press a button (e.g., XM) to bring up whatever you want to see on the Nav screen.

Click to expand...

Ugghhhh. I'll give that a try - maybe less annoying.

mwalsh said:

Congrats on your car!

bwilliams said:

I want to stop the doors from auto locking (when driving)

Click to expand...

You can do this, but I don't remember how.

bwilliams said:

I want ALL doors to unlock after powering down. Every time.

Click to expand...

They don't already? I thought that was the default.

Click to expand...

I found the instructions on turning off auto locking and check again on unlocking at power down. - thanks.

( Turn the car on and then hold down the lock/unlock button in the lock direction for about 5 seconds until it beeps and the parking lights flash. Holding it down in the unlock direction triggers the auto unlock with car off on and off... )

bwilliams said:

I found the instructions on turning off auto locking and check again on unlocking at power down. - thanks.

(Turn the car on and then hold down the lock/unlock button in the lock direction for about 5 seconds until it beeps and the parking lights flash. Holding it down in the unlock direction triggers the auto unlock with car off on and off... )

Click to expand...

That only enables/disables the lock function. To change/select HOW it locks/unlocks (triggers) you need to have the dealer plug into your car with the "Consult" terminal. I did this to get the doors to lock when shifting out of "Park" (the unlock was already on "Power Off").

Why do you want to turn off auto-locking when driving? That's a safety feature.

Are you planning on ghost riding or something?

JustinC said:

Why do you want to turn off auto-locking when driving? That's a safety feature.

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly disagree. I don't have kids, don't drive through bad neighborhoods, and I'm smart enough not to open the door when I'm driving. It might not be so bad if the drivers door never really locks like they used to do (pulling the handle unlocks the door), but when this "feature" was enabled, I was CONSTANTLY trying to get out of a locked door. It was very frustrating.

bwilliams said:

We chose our test drive outing by looking for blink charger stations. Balboa Park in San Diego has many. Only when we got there did we find out that you have to sign up for Blink! I'm glad we didn't need to count on it.

Click to expand...

FYI There is a free charging station at the IBEW right off of I-15 at Balboa Ave. No card needed.
BTW I used the PlugShare app because it allows users to immediately enter comments and edit the info about charging stations. I always update it with info such as if a card is required, hours of operations, etc.
http://www.plugshare.com/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I bought this orphan leaf on Saturday bypassing my likely very long wait for my 2012. I had qualified for the etec program and was told it would be installed this week! Then I got a call from ecototality (or whatever) saying I DO NOT QUALIFY! The dealer sales guy ASSURED me on Saturday that I would still qualify!! I don't qualify because this 2011 SL model does not have a quick charge port.

Got a call into the dealer and the sales guy has to speak with the manager to find out "what they can do".

Any suggestions welcome!

turbo2ltr said:

JustinC said:

Why do you want to turn off auto-locking when driving? That's a safety feature.

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly disagree. I don't have kids, don't drive through bad neighborhoods, and I'm smart enough not to open the door when I'm driving. It might not be so bad if the drivers door never really locks like they used to do (pulling the handle unlocks the door), but when this "feature" was enabled, I was CONSTANTLY trying to get out of a locked door. It was very frustrating.

Click to expand...

Thank you, that's exactly my point. PLUS my husband was having a fit when he couldn't get out on the passenger side without having to press a goddamn button. I call this "control freak" engineering. Nevertheless I do love my leaf so far.

jcesare said:

bwilliams said:

We chose our test drive outing by looking for blink charger stations. Balboa Park in San Diego has many. Only when we got there did we find out that you have to sign up for Blink! I'm glad we didn't need to count on it.

Click to expand...

FYI There is a free charging station at the IBEW right off of I-15 at Balboa Ave. No card needed.
BTW I used the PlugShare app because it allows users to immediately enter comments and edit the info about charging stations. I always update it with info such as if a card is required, hours of operations, etc.
http://www.plugshare.com/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click to expand...

Is this a smart phone thing? 'Cause I only have a dumb phone. But I'll definitely look into it. Sure wish there were some reliable all-inclusive charge station maps as well as a clear explanation whether you can just show up and use them.

bwilliams said:

jcesare said:

bwilliams said:

We chose our test drive outing by looking for blink charger stations. Balboa Park in San Diego has many. Only when we got there did we find out that you have to sign up for Blink! I'm glad we didn't need to count on it.

Click to expand...

FYI There is a free charging station at the IBEW right off of I-15 at Balboa Ave. No card needed.
BTW I used the PlugShare app because it allows users to immediately enter comments and edit the info about charging stations. I always update it with info such as if a card is required, hours of operations, etc.
http://www.plugshare.com/#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click to expand...

Is this a smart phone thing? 'Cause I only have a dumb phone. But I'll definitely look into it. Sure wish there were some reliable all-inclusive charge station maps as well as a clear explanation whether you can just show up and use them.

Click to expand...

It is a smart phone app but they have a web browser version that they are beta testing. They just integrated their map with data from the Blink and other sources.
http://www.plugshare.com/widget/widget.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You'll find that a lot of the data out there is old, bad, or incomplete. Again, the reason I prefer PlugShare is people can immediately update the data.

bwilliams said:

I bought this orphan leaf on Saturday bypassing my likely very long wait for my 2012. I had qualified for the etec program and was told it would be installed this week! Then I got a call from ecototality (or whatever) saying I DO NOT QUALIFY! The dealer sales guy ASSURED me on Saturday that I would still qualify!! I don't qualify because this 2011 SL model does not have a quick charge port.

Got a call into the dealer and the sales guy has to speak with the manager to find out "what they can do".

Any suggestions welcome!

Click to expand...

Sorry, but I think you are SOL. One of the base requirements for qualifying for the EVProject is a QC port. I have not heard of anyone getting a waver for that.

You probably have a better chance of getting some cash out of the dealer, and you know how unlikely that is!

jcesare said:

You'll find that a lot of the data out there is old, bad, or incomplete. Again, the reason I prefer PlugShare is people can immediately update the data.

Click to expand...

Great, thank you.

DoxyLover said:

bwilliams said:

I bought this orphan leaf on Saturday bypassing my likely very long wait for my 2012. I had qualified for the etec program and was told it would be installed this week! Then I got a call from ecototality (or whatever) saying I DO NOT QUALIFY! The dealer sales guy ASSURED me on Saturday that I would still qualify!! I don't qualify because this 2011 SL model does not have a quick charge port.

Got a call into the dealer and the sales guy has to speak with the manager to find out "what they can do".

Any suggestions welcome!

Click to expand...

Sorry, but I think you are SOL. One of the base requirements for qualifying for the EVProject is a QC port. I have not heard of anyone getting a waver for that.

You probably have a better chance of getting some cash out of the dealer, and you know how unlikely that is!

Click to expand...

You're right, no waiver.

I filled out the etec questionnaire and qualified. I did not know WHAT qualified me, only that I qualified.

I'm furious. That's $2500 I would have saved. I paid $1000 over MSRP because it was still $2000 cheaper than the 2012. And who knows when that 2012 was going to arrive. The date was a moving target.

bwilliams said:

I'm furious. That's $2500 I would have saved. I paid $1000 over MSRP because it was still $2000 cheaper than the 2012. And who knows when that 2012 was going to arrive. The date was a moving target.

Click to expand...

There is an old saying, "Sometimes the cheap is expensive."

jcesare said:

bwilliams said:

I'm furious. That's $2500 I would have saved. I paid $1000 over MSRP because it was still $2000 cheaper than the 2012. And who knows when that 2012 was going to arrive. The date was a moving target.

Click to expand...

There is an old saying, "Sometimes the cheap is expensive."

Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Not helpful, neighbor. Did you buy yours at Mossy Escondido?

bwilliams said:

jcesare said:

bwilliams said:

I'm furious. That's $2500 I would have saved. I paid $1000 over MSRP because it was still $2000 cheaper than the 2012. And who knows when that 2012 was going to arrive. The date was a moving target.

Click to expand...

There is an old saying, "Sometimes the cheap is expensive."

Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Not helpful, neighbor. Did you buy yours at Mossy Escondido?

Click to expand...

Mossy Kearny Mesa
Leon is the man!
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=585" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

turbo2ltr said:

JustinC said:

Why do you want to turn off auto-locking when driving? That's a safety feature.

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly disagree. I don't have kids, don't drive through bad neighborhoods, and I'm smart enough not to open the door when I'm driving. It might not be so bad if the drivers door never really locks like they used to do (pulling the handle unlocks the door), but when this "feature" was enabled, I was CONSTANTLY trying to get out of a locked door. It was very frustrating.

Click to expand...

Weird, I never have any trouble getting out of the car when it is stopped. It just unlocks when I power off the car. Maybe your car has more of a delay than mine?

As far as driving through bad neighborhoods, I guess you don't live in the city.