GetOffYourGas said:
PedalLogic said:
Changing driving modes is very simple too, but better explained by video. I had planned to upload a new video today (we made some slight changes in the software) but it looks like it will be tomorrow morning instead.
I mostly agree with this. I didn't understand the written instructions, but Marc pointed me to a great YouTube video. Seeing it done made perfect sense, and it is straightforward.
I received the unit on Wednesday. Thanks for the discount and the fast shipping!
Here is some new-customer feedback:
1) The unit is compact and appears to be well-made, at least the little bit of it that can be seen from the outside.
2) I did the installation Wednesday evening without removing the pedal, but, as noted in the video, it was a bit of a challenge. The first issue was managing to pull up on the connector while simultaneously squeezing the release. My solution was to get a long screwdriver and gently pry up on the connector with one hand while squeezing with the other. After a couple of failed attempts, that worked. The bigger issue was achieving enough slack in the harness to get the SmartPedal to engage with the electronic pedal. The issue turned out to be that the plastic wire protector for the accelerator pedal wiring was taped to the plastic wire protector for the brake pedal wiring. Until I cut that piece of electrical tape, there was no way to get the clearance I needed to make the SmartPedal fit. I don't know if all of the LEAFs are taped this way, but it might be something worth noting.
3) I'm convinced that the lights do not flash in the manner described in
this note. Specifically, it seems that the LED never stopped flashing. Instead, at the end of the process I saw a green LED flash twice and that seemed to repeat forever. Is it possible that the flash sequence has changed since that note was written? As it stands, I really am not sure which mode my unit is in. I thought I saw four orange flashes somewhere in the cycle, but I thought I read (or heard on a video somewhere) that the SmartPedal ships in Mode 2. Is it possible that my SmartPedal shipped in Mode 4?
My wife drives the LEAF, so I have only driven the car enough to verify that it works. Of course she was worried that it would not get her to work and back, but it has done that 1.5 times so far.
Sorry, but we don't yet know one way or the other whether or not the SmartPedal is saving energy. My wife said she did feel a difference in how the car drives, but she had a lunchtime outing which increased consumption over a normal commute. I'll let her drive it in this mode (whatever it is) for a while to see if we can detect any difference in energy usage.
Ultimately I'd like to see her move to Mode 6.
PedalLogic said:
In the meantime, once you've changed modes a couple times while actually looking at the pedal, you usually have enough experience to do it without looking again—it's what I often do. Just measure the 60 seconds of pedal-to-metal while sitting with a smartphone and then tap away.
I'm glad you wrote that, because I had no idea from
the written instructions about how to change the mode that you needed to hold the pedal to the floor for 60 seconds to get into the programming mode. Instead, I thought you just had to press the pedal to the floor (and release it) and wait for 60 seconds. Here is what is written there:
SmartPedal Knowledge Base said:
3. With the gearshift still in park, press accelerator pedal to floor. The built-in LED will start to flash orange/green alternately once a second for the first 60 seconds.
4. From 60 to 120 seconds, the LED will switch to flashing orange/green twice a second. During this time, press pedal to floor and fully release a number of times equal to the mode you want. Do so briskly however: you have a 10-second window to make this change after the first push.
Note that in Step 4 the user is instructed to "press pedal to floor", but nowhere in Step 3 or the first part of Step 4 is the user instructed to release the pedal. That is why I thought what was implied in Step 3 was "press accelerator pedal to floor" and then immediately release. Perhaps it would be better to word the instructions like this instead:
RegGuheert's suggestion said:
3. With the gearshift still in park, press the accelerator pedal to the floor and hold it there. The built-in LED will start to flash orange/green alternately once a second for the first 60 seconds.
4. From 60 to 120 seconds, the LED will switch to flashing orange/green twice a second. During this time, first fully release the accelerator pedal and then press the pedal to the floor and fully release the number of times equal to the mode you want. Do so briskly however: you have a 10-second window to make this change after you first release the pedal.
Of course, not having ever done this myself nor ever having seen any video, perhaps that is not what is intended. Can you please clarify?