30,000 mile checkup on Leaf: recommended repairs $11053.88

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brycenesbitt

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
151
Ouch.
I went in for a 30,000 mile checkup at the local dealer, and they recommend $11053.88 in repairs. This for a 2011 Leaf that's in fine condition, and never lived in a hot environment. $1500 or so is to replace the heater, $3000 to replace the heater fuse which is hard to change, and $5400 (all plus tax) for a new battery.

The battery sits at 8 bars on the capacity meter, and while the Guess O Meter often says 65-70 miles, the real world range is more like 35 miles.
Anyone else had one this bad?
 
The heater stopped working (no heat) that's why I took it in. I had been using a climate timer for about a month prior to this.
I am the second owner, I know the first owner. I bought the car at 25,000 miles 11 bars on GOM.
 
I was once quoted $3,000.00 for a new transmission by a dealership. The car, a Volvo 240, actually needed a $300 solenoid replacement. Hopefully people here can get you a reasonable repair. Seriously, though: shun that dealership.
 
So you lost 3 bars in 5,000 miles? How long have you had the car?

Also, you should be getting more than 35 miles out of 8 bars, unless it's all on the freeway with the AC blasting.
 
Never set foot in that dealership again, and I would call Nissan customer care to give them an earful about that dealership.

Then again, both of my Nissan dealerships where I live are sheisters, so maybe it's just par for the course with Nissan.
 
Check your leaf's in service date, there is a slight chance the battery may still be under warranty depending on when it was first sold.

Nissan LEAF Customer Support: 1-877-664-2738 (1-877-NO-GAS-EV)

As for the heater shop around. May be an independent that can do the job for less.
 
Checking the original purchase date by VIN in case the car is still under warranty is a good idea. Nissan has agreed to pay most of a battery replacement cost for not-long out of warranty cases but they seem to give preference to original owners. I would still try, and emphasize the rapid drop in capacity in the time you have owned the car. Their POV seems to be that the second owner has already received a discount on the car so Nissan does not have to cover the battery depreciation, but your argument should be that you paid for an 11 bar battery when in actuality it is an 8 bar car.

As for the heater: I would buy a 12v butt warmer and a nice pair of gloves and call it a day.
 
SageBrush said:
As for the heater: I would buy a 12v butt warmer and a nice pair of gloves and call it a day.
That may work for the OP, living in Silicon Valley but in more northern climates the heater or more specifically the defroster is critical to being able to see the road. IOW it's not just a nicety to have heat/defrost, without it you basically have a 7 month car :(
Now I suppose one could purchase a couple 12v heaters to mount near the windshield but even the side windows frost up in my state and blocked side windows also poses a safety issue. It's bad that something like a defective heater could sideline a car, much more important than AC in my state :)
 
jjeff said:
SageBrush said:
As for the heater: I would buy a 12v butt warmer and a nice pair of gloves and call it a day.
That may work for the OP, living in Silicon Valley but in more northern climates the heater or more specifically the defroster is critical to being able to see the road. IOW it's not just a nicety to have heat/defrost, without it you basically have a 7 month car :(
Now I suppose one could purchase a couple 12v heaters to mount near the windshield but even the side windows frost up in my state and blocked side windows also poses a safety issue. It's bad that something like a defective heater could sideline a car, much more important than AC in my state :)
I live in a snow climate, but the air is dry enough to control the fog on glass by allowing a small amount of ventilation. I've yet to use the heater for fog control. One does have to be somewhat cold hardy, and next winter I'm going to find a solution for my cold feet :D
 
SageBrush said:
jjeff said:
SageBrush said:
As for the heater: I would buy a 12v butt warmer and a nice pair of gloves and call it a day.
That may work for the OP, living in Silicon Valley but in more northern climates the heater or more specifically the defroster is critical to being able to see the road. IOW it's not just a nicety to have heat/defrost, without it you basically have a 7 month car :(
Now I suppose one could purchase a couple 12v heaters to mount near the windshield but even the side windows frost up in my state and blocked side windows also poses a safety issue. It's bad that something like a defective heater could sideline a car, much more important than AC in my state :)
I live in a snow climate, but the air is dry enough to control the fog on glass by allowing a small amount of ventilation. I've yet to use the heater for fog control. One does have to be somewhat cold hardy, and next winter I'm going to find a solution for my cold feet :D
Yes with fog you can get by for the most part without heat, I was talking more about frost/ice. Often times I'll need to use the ice scraper not only on the outside windows but also inside, which gets bits of frost all over the dash :(
For your cold feet you might want to try one of those small 12v cigarette lighter heaters. I've seen them as low as $6.99 and regularly see them for <$10. Of course finding a place to mount it that didn't get in the way of your feet may be a challenge, depending on your shoe size or if your wearing boots.
https://www.amazon.com/FeelGlad-portable-Ceramic-Heater-defroster/dp/B06XKZLJLB/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1495045751&sr=8-9&keywords=12v+automotive+heater

To OP, a possible solution to your heater? definitely more robust than the cheap heater I linked above.
https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Heater-Heating-Vehicle-Ceramic/dp/B01MY7S5SF/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1495045751&sr=8-12&keywords=12v+automotive+heater
 
Check my "Heater in a Box" topic here. You could hardwire an inverter to the car's 12 volt battery (I'd get a new, higher capacity, deeper cycle type if it's old) and run up to three or four 200 watt 120 volt ceramic heaters. I mounted them in the footwells, on the front seat frames, facing forward, to warm the legs and feet. They worked surprisingly well. This would be a roughly $300 solution.
 
jjeff said:
For your cold feet you might want to try one of those small 12v cigarette lighter heaters. I've seen them as low as $6.99 and regularly see them for <$10. Of course finding a place to mount it that didn't get in the way of your feet may be a challenge, depending on your shoe size or if your wearing boots.
https://www.amazon.com/FeelGlad-portable-Ceramic-Heater-defroster/dp/B06XKZLJLB/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1495045751&sr=8-9&keywords=12v+automotive+heater
Thanks for the link, but I'd like to try and avoid a resistance heater drawing car power if possible.

I was thinking more along the lines of a pair of well insulated, microwavable soft boots or slippers.
Perhaps like this: https://www.amazon.com/Upper-Canada-Soap-Warming-Slippers/dp/B017THIY68/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1495055685&sr=8-6&keywords=microwavable+foot+warmers
 
SageBrush said:
As for the heater: I would buy a 12v butt warmer and a nice pair of gloves and call it a day.

The issue, as others noted, is the defog. On a cold day it's just possible to turn the A/C on and get a sorta kinda defog effect. The A/C on a cold day is not super popular with passengers. Yes this is climate and temperature dependent: in mine it is crucial.

The issue with the heater is Nissan buried four DC HEV fuses (OHEV0030.ZXISO equivalent be specific), under the inverter, in a box sealed with glue, behind a strut, under the windshield wiper and heater assembly, no less deeply buried than a gear in the transmission. The dealer says that fuse is bad, and that it's $3000 plus tax to change the fuse, and then it might blow again since nobody knows why it went in the first place. And yes I have pictures, I'm holding the damn blown fuse in my hand right now. It was not easy to get.
 
SageBrush said:
I was thinking more along the lines of a pair of well insulated, microwavable soft boots or slippers.
Perhaps like this: https://www.amazon.com/Upper-Canada-Soap-Warming-Slippers/dp/B017THIY68/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1495055685&sr=8-6&keywords=microwavable+foot+warmers
Interesting, I have a couple neck warmers that use rice and you microwave them. They hold heat for quite some time, maybe 30 min?? although thats in the warmth of a 65 degree house, not sure how long they'd stay in a cold car...
 
DNAinaGoodWay said:
You could buy another used 2011 for a parts car and have money left over.

For $11k you could buy another, newer, Leaf with more capacity left and nothing broken.
 
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