Bad Cell in Leaf Spy: What to do about it?

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Okay, hope I'm not out of line here. My 2011, with about 20K kms, SOH 90% has been showing a few weak cells. Always #s 1 and 48, and a few others. Delta as high as 200. I always check when parked, and it invariably shows up when 20% SOC or lower. Is this a warranty issue?
 
JonO said:
Okay, hope I'm not out of line here. My 2011, with about 20K kms, SOH 90% has been showing a few weak cells. Always #s 1 and 48, and a few others. Delta as high as 200. I always check when parked, and it invariably shows up when 20% SOC or lower. Is this a warranty issue?
What is the lowest cell voltage? ( must be 3.712V or lower AND any cell which is below the average cell voltage by more than 150% of the difference between the maximum cell voltage and the average cell voltage is considered "bad". Good write up here: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17676&start=10
 
JonO said:
Definitely meets that criteria!
The criteria for warranty replacement? Cite your source. In my experience they say if you aren't throwing codes or you have lost 4 bars in 5 years/60k Nissan isn't going to do anything.
 
I was going on the post that gave the calculation of a bad cell based on it being 1.5 X greater than the dif between the highest cell and the average value. I will check at 3.7 avg volts now to see where my highest and lowest cells fall out. A note, cells 1 and 48 are always the first ones to show up weak. They happen to be at either end of the battery stack under the back seat, also 96 shows weak often. Must be connections or a design flaw is my best guess.
 
JonO said:
I was going on the post that gave the calculation of a bad cell based on it being 1.5 X greater than the dif between the highest cell and the average value. I will check at 3.7 avg volts now to see where my highest and lowest cells fall out. A note, cells 1 and 48 are always the first ones to show up weak. They happen to be at either end of the battery stack under the back seat, also 96 shows weak often. Must be connections or a design flaw is my best guess.

Sure there is a calculation that can determine the bad/weak cells, the CVLI test but that doesn't mean Nissan is going to replace anything based on it...
 
I guess I'm grasping at straws then. I don't believe the class action law suit on the first batteries extends into Canada. But if cells fail completely the warranty should kick in, I would hope.
 
A weak cell and a failed cell are two totally different things. A failed cell would cause a DTC which if under warranty would need to be fixed for free. A weak cell that does not cause you to loose the fourth capacity bar will not be fixed.

LeafSpy just tells you the condition of the battery. You can't use its findings to get a battery replaced. But if you are looking at buying a used Leaf and LeafSpy is telling you it has weak cells you might keep looking.
 
QueenBee said:
... Sure there is a calculation that can determine the bad/weak cells, the CVLI test but that doesn't mean Nissan is going to replace anything based on it...
The 2011 service manual CVLI procedure was a test for review of battery condition when fault codes are not present. The procedure did say to replace modules containing cells that don't pass the criteria. But the manual says "performed to identify cells that the cell voltage is on the decrease (although not judged as malfunction in DTC) and this may lead to a malfunction, if left stand."

But I agree that Nissan decided the criteria was too stringent, and took it out of future manuals.

Very unlikely Nissan has done many module replacements based on CVLI.
 
About six months after I got my 2016 Leaf (Extended Range) I noticed that my range had diminished considerably. After unsuccessfull tries to get my dealer's service department to find the problem, I got the LeafSpy Pro app, which promptly showed that one of the cells had failed. I decided to take my leaf to another dealer and the technician found that as shown by LeafSpy, one of the cells had failed and he replaced the cell. All under warranty.
Once again, the car went back to getting the original range, which in my case was around 120 miles per full charge.
Then, a month after I got the car back, another cell short-circuited and the car wouldn't start at all. I towed the Leaf back to the dealer and they once again replaced the bad cell at no cost.
So, if your LeafSpy shows that you have a bad cell, take it in to your service department and have them replace the cell.
 
Jorgebarrera said:
About six months after I got my 2016 Leaf (Extended Range) I noticed that my range had diminished considerably. After unsuccessfull tries to get my dealer's service department to find the problem, I got the LeafSpy Pro app, which promptly showed that one of the cells had failed. I decided to take my leaf to another dealer and the technician found that as shown by LeafSpy, one of the cells had failed and he replaced the cell. All under warranty.
Once again, the car went back to getting the original range, which in my case was around 120 miles per full charge.
Then, a month after I got the car back, another cell short-circuited and the car wouldn't start at all. I towed the Leaf back to the dealer and they once again replaced the bad cell at no cost.
So, if your LeafSpy shows that you have a bad cell, take it in to your service department and have them replace the cell.
Were there any DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) set due to the bad cells?
 
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