Speedometer Reads 6% High

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TomT said:
Nope, the speedo on my 2017 Volt is dead on... Our 2013 CUV is also dead on... Nissan is simply lazy or playing a game...

bowthom said:
According to mfr specs and DOT regs a speedo error range must be +2.5/-0, so all speedos read fast when delivered.

Nope back at ya, ;)
It is permissible for a speedo to be "dead on" it is not permissible for it to read slow. +2.5 / -0 for error.
 
NeilBlanchard said:
I think that both the speedometer and the odometer are tied together. So, if one is off, then they both are.

I noticed that a software update mostly corrected for the 16" wheels on our Leaf S vs the 17" on the SV / SL models.

indirectly they are but each has a different multiplier. That is why you can go into the center screen on a SV/SL and adjust the speedometer without it affecting the odometer.

So in practical terms the two aren't linked at a fixed ratio.
 
You missed the point: Many manufacturers can and do make speedos that are dead-on... Nissan choose not to do so for unknown reasons...

bowthom said:
TomT said:
Nope, the speedo on my 2017 Volt is dead on... Our 2013 CUV is also dead on... Nissan is simply lazy or playing a game...
bowthom said:
According to mfr specs and DOT regs a speedo error range must be +2.5/-0, so all speedos read fast when delivered.
Nope back at ya, ;) It is permissible for a speedo to be "dead on" it is not permissible for it to read slow. +2.5 / -0 for error.
 
NeilBlanchard said:
I think that both the speedometer and the odometer are tied together. So, if one is off, then they both are.

In most cars, they are driven by the same speedometer cable, or electronic sensor in newer cars, but that doesn't mean they are off by the same percentage. In a mechanical speedometer, there are 2 separate internal mechanisms that drive the odometer vs the speedometer. So, as in the case of my Mazda 626GT, the cable was driving both instruments 4% too fast, but then the speedometer part of the mechanism was another 3% high on calibration.
On some cars, you can order a speedometer drive gear for the transmission that has a different ratio, and correct the error that way. I seem to remember some of the DSM cars were shipped with the wrong speedo gear, and the fix was to order the right dealer replacement gear. I don't know if Nissan drive gears are interchangeable.
 
Evoforce said:
Yep, all three Leafs we are using are off about 2 mph.
I tested a few of mine and some family, all were off by 5% to 6% too high. Does that mean they all need be to set to the lowest -2.5% to try to correct for it. Is that correction the right direction for a speed reading that is too high? Lower it as much as possible in the settings?
 
knightmb said:
Evoforce said:
Yep, all three Leafs we are using are off about 2 mph.
I tested a few of mine and some family, all were off by 5% to 6% too high. Does that mean they all need be to set to the lowest -2.5% to try to correct for it. Is that correction the right direction for a speed reading that is too high? Lower it as much as possible in the settings?

Yes, I think so. That is how I'm running mine.
 
With 44 psi in tires my 2015 (17-inch wheels with stock tires) is within 1 mi/hr of GPS at any speed. Odometer reads slightly less than actual distance traveled (about 0.5%). Odometer indicated greater than actual distance traveled on 2011 (16-inch wheels with tires at 44 psi) and speed was slightly optimistic even with multiplier adjusted as much as possible in navigation unit.

Gerry
 
Right, the 17" stock wheels are probably much more accurate. The 16" stock wheels are the ones that are having the much lower accuracy - the speed and the distance registered on the odometer are too high.
 
NeilBlanchard said:
Right, the 17" stock wheels are probably much more accurate. The 16" stock wheels are the ones that are having the much lower accuracy - the speed and the distance registered on the odometer are too high.
Do you have proof of the bold part? I think if there is definitive proof, many that dropped their 4th bar right after 60k miles could show this proof and the car would actually be under 60k miles and qualify for a new battery.
 
LeafMuranoDriver said:
NeilBlanchard said:
Right, the 17" stock wheels are probably much more accurate. The 16" stock wheels are the ones that are having the much lower accuracy - the speed and the distance registered on the odometer are too high.
Do you have proof of the bold part? I think if there is definitive proof, many that dropped their 4th bar right after 60k miles could show this proof and the car would actually be under 60k miles and qualify for a new battery.

I compared both my GPS and Google Maps against my '15 Leaf S odometer, and it was 2.3% too many miles. This has now changed after we got a software update down a bit.

We used winter tires that are a larger diameter basically the same as the stock 17" tires, and then it was only 0.5% too high.
 
I know I’m posting on an old subject but it appears to still be a current problem.

My new 2018 Leaf consistantly reads 6% high compared to gps, radar signs and timed miles. I had the same issue with my 2013 Leaf. I own several vehicles and none of the others are off at all.

I suspect there’s more to it than a simple manufacturing error.

First off, electric cars are all about range. Wind resistance increases exponentially with speed and at freeway speed your miles per kilowatt decreases rapidly the faster you go. If your car is saying you’re traveling 65 but in reality you’re only going 60 it makes a difference. Bottom line is Nissan is fudging (lying about) their numbers.

Secondly I lease my car therefore I pay for miles beyond my contract. I will likely go over my miles and that 6% error will equate to 2700 fake miles at the end of my lease for which I will receive a bill for $405

I don’t believe any of this is an accident.
 
The accuracy of the speedometer and odometer will vary based on tire size and even the amount of tire wear, since a worn tire is smaller than a brand new one. I've had many cars from many manufacturers over the last 40 years of driving and I would say every single one showed an actual higher speed than GPS and this started before GPS was widely available.

Car manufacturers need a reliable way to gauge speed and the only sensible way to do that is to measure the speed of rotation of a tire(s) and convert that to speed. They cannot control what tires are on the car so all or nearly all of them show a slightly higher speed than actual. 6% seems a little high but I don't think it is a conspiracy to inflate the efficiency of the car. It's just a small buffer built in for tolerances, different tire brands and sizes and of course, the required legal CYA. If the speedo read low, people would probably try to sue the car mfg's to recover ticket fees, lost time, emotional distress, etc after receiving a speeding ticket...
 
Speedometer error is coded into the vehicle. This is disgusting EU requirement which is heavily abused by Nissan.
Car actually knows the speed.
Find a place to drive with constant speed for one minute.
Engage cruise control at 100km/h for example.
RESET average speed reading.
Wait 30 seconds. Observe average speed reading WITHOUT changing cruise speed.
Compare to GPS data.
 
In the 's trim ' I just picked up it appears that this it is also off by about 6%. This appears to be the difference between having a 16" (S trim) tire versus a 17" tire (SL,SV trim). Odometer also appears off by same amount. So this may still be a problem. Checking with the dealer.
 
This is a handy online calculator:

https://tiresize.com/speedometer-calibration/

For a 6% correction in circumference on a 2018 S tire, you could switch to 225/60 R16 tires when you replace the stock ones.
 
After talking to my local clueless dealer service (one person asked if I was bringing the car in for an oil change) it was clear that they had no idea what was happening. So I came up with a simple solution that solves 2 problems, speedometer accuracy and the missing large digital speedometer display like in the Gen 1 LEAFs.

anI8CuPra3G2tM4cnF2K3JLTyzQbkqK1bKaxwEBXI4iqOMIBigAkTmnY_Q_MLvOpMH2mMQNvoX9i3rst4Ed9FQeIwJOiGBvKMtgGLz6tSjYxAeyNMMnKg5s5UsKXdmqOOcK2WyGK=w800


An Android phone with the free digHUD speedometer app.
 
Our speedometer reads 5% high (63 mph when car is actually going 60 mph). We have another vehicle that has an accurate speedometer to compare to. The dealer was less than concerned - took it on a test drive and said that since the trip odometer (measures in 10ths of miles) showed 1 mile after driving 1 mile (as determined by highway markers), there was no problem. Of course you cannot show a 5% error under these circumstances. Nissan support said to use "taller" tires. The 2017 Leaf S we have behaves as though the speedometer was for a larger wheel size than we have.

There are consequences to this: 1) we lose $400 worth of miles on our lease (5% of 36,000) 2) the range is overstated - perhaps this is Nissan's reason for doing this?? 3) it is annoying to always have to mentally add the 5% when using cruise control.

This was such a heated issue at the dealership that it generated a shouting match in the service area. I have read that the national standard is 4% tolerance, but if there is systematic error (all in one direction) by design, legal issues come into play.
 
Trip meter is actually more precise. Use Waze and cruise control. Set defined speed. Like 60.
Reset average speed data. Observe. It is pretty spot on. Speedo number is not the same as average speed,
even if you never changed the speed :lol:
 
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