55% battery drain in 10 miles, 2022 Leaf?

[knightmb]

I retained a lemon law attorney. 30 minutes later, I got an email from Nissan consumer affairs saying that there is no ETA on a replacement battery, so they gave me two options:
1. Sign an NDA and stop complaining (I posted several YouTube videos). Wait for an unspecified period of time and they will give me about $6,000 to shut up.

2. They can do a buy back, but due to high mileage, they told me that I may have to pay Nissan $10,000 or more for them to buy back the car.

Neither was acceptable, so I continued with my lawyer. I went to the dealership to take pictures of my car for my lawyer (it was sitting there waiting indefinitely for a battery). The service manager told me that when Nissan found out I hired a lawyer, Nissan immediately found and sent a replacement battery.

The dealership installed the battery and I got my car back, but I still have my claim for a buyout being processed. My lawyer said it’s very common for manufacturers to start fixing a car AFTER people hire a lawyer, but we are still going forward because Nissan sent a pre-offer letter before they fixed it.

The dealership never fixed my power train problem. They said I need to buy four new tires, but I am waiting to see what happens with the buyout.

Well, you got a victory on the battery replacement at least. A buyback might complicate things since the Leaf is now worth a lot more money with a new battery. The dealership must not even have a good explanation of what the power train issue is since there isn't much to it. The motor, one reduction gear, then straight to the diff and wheels. Nothing even close as complicated as what a modern ICE vehicle is using.

Have you been able to use LeafSpy on the new battery to see what the charts and stats look like?

 

[Bombastinator2]

I retained a lemon law attorney. 30 minutes later, I got an email from Nissan consumer affairs saying that there is no ETA on a replacement battery, so they gave me two options:
1. Sign an NDA and stop complaining (I posted several YouTube videos). Wait for an unspecified period of time and they will give me about $6,000 to shut up.

2. They can do a buy back, but due to high mileage, they told me that I may have to pay Nissan $10,000 or more for them to buy back the car.

Neither was acceptable, so I continued with my lawyer. I went to the dealership to take pictures of my car for my lawyer (it was sitting there waiting indefinitely for a battery). The service manager told me that when Nissan found out I hired a lawyer, Nissan immediately found and sent a replacement battery.

The dealership installed the battery and I got my car back, but I still have my claim for a buyout being processed. My lawyer said it’s very common for manufacturers to start fixing a car AFTER people hire a lawyer, but we are still going forward because Nissan sent a pre-offer letter before they fixed it.

The dealership never fixed my power train problem. They said I need to buy four new tires, but I am waiting to see what happens with the buyout.

This is I think a known issue, though yours is unusually severe.

 

[Bombastinator2]

Well, you got a victory on the battery replacement at least. A buyback might complicate things since the Leaf is now worth a lot more money with a new battery. The dealership must not even have a good explanation of what the power train issue is since there isn't much to it. The motor, one reduction gear, then straight to the diff and wheels. Nothing even close as complicated as what a modern ICE vehicle is using.

Have you been able to use LeafSpy on the new battery to see what the charts and stats look like?

It’s got even more electronics though, and the electronics have a massive effect on the drivetrain. I’m tempted to ask about the weather when it happened. If it was unusually hot or cold, and if the vehicle was maybe moving at high speed or sitting still for a long time. I’ve had the cold one happen to me though it was pretty minor in my case. If I’m right it’s an electronics cooling issue that was designed in. It also requires that you have a bum battery, but the problem isn’t with the battery per se. It’s the effect on the battery by the electronics. They could fix it but they don’t. Others know more about this one than me, and it could be something else

 

[knightmb]

When someone mentions drive train, I usually think of the mechanical parts (old ICE ways I guess ), but I had to go back and re-read what the OP was encountering, so it seems the ABS or VDC is having issues. Granted, unevenly worn tires will cause this issue, I've experienced this myself and can confirm this on my wife's 2018. She literally has 4 different tires from 4 different brands on her Leaf (yes, her luck with popping tires is that bad ) and when a worn one and semi-descent one is on the front, she experiences the same issue. I'm going to replace all of them with some Sailun ERange as soon it gets back from the dealership for this "backup camera" recall, now that they have a solution.

So while the dealership for the OP has been a real ass to them, they might be right on the tires, but we would have to ask the OP about this, like what condition are the tires on the Leaf, are they all the same brand, same wear, etc.?

 

[Dooglas]

My first guess is a failed cell somewhere. You are going to need LeafSpy to find that out.

This would also be my first thought. One or several weak or failed cells could cause the problems you are experiencing. You can diagnose this with LeafSpy. Nissan also is able to test for weak or failed cells, but they won't find what they aren't seeking. The good news is that a pack with malfunctioning cells can be repaired as a warranty issue and give years of good service

 

[pjblewe]

Well, I talked to Nissan Consumer Affairs today and they are opening a new case. They said they have to contact the dealership and get all maintenance history. I'm at 52,000 miles and I have never taken the car in for maintenance. It has been running fine until recently, and I was completely unaware that the car required any sort of regular maintenance.

Am I up the creek without a paddle now? I am hoping that since the maintenance has nothing to do with the battery and the diagnostics at the dealership report everything is functioning fine, any sort of maintenance would not have prevented this from happening.

I'm also wondering if I didn't take it in for any sort of maintenance, are they going to void my warranty and also my extended warranty?

Your warranty will not be voided for not going to the dealership for Maintenance. I had a very similar experience to yours with battery life / range dropping off rapidly. My 2021 Leaf has been at the dealership for nearly 7 months. In my case I would start my 65 mile commute to work with a full charge and 200 miles of range and discover when I was 20 miles from work that I was down to 60 miles of range. After babying the car the remaining trip to work I pulled into the charger with 5-9 miles of range. My dealer is replacing battery modules 1 by 1 it seems. I've asked for a buyout.

 

[Ben Blank]

sounds very familiar to my son's car's problems, and Nissan's responses. How does a dealership that mainly sells EV's, NOT have a (qualified) EV tech? My son took his car in, under warranty, because one day it just stopped and said it wouldn't restart, around 90k? so they replaced some component , I forget what exactly, but then things were fine for a bit, till the battery started going from 90% to 20% (but his goes back to 90% (well, close) when he coasts for a bit), too scary to drive to determine the actual full distance we can get now because it drops to turtle, and turtle won't go off until you charge the car? (it might go off if we turn it off and back on, I didn't try that), in turtle you can only do like 25? I think? Nissan said 3 times the battery was fine, car scan pro (android app) shows all the batteries are continuously close to the same voltage as each other, the 4th time, after we got a lawyer involved, they said '3 cells are bad, it'll cost $20k to fix.' Nissan offered like $6,000? buy back on a $50,000 car less than 2 years old.).

I will say (and I see someone else suggested it too) different tires will cause the traction control to go off because your wheels are spinning ever so slightly at different speeds (larger/smaller circumference than each other, side to side).

I don't know how factual it is, but some research has suggested it's the battery current sensor? I've has many people who claim to be EV pros, but none really seem to have any idea, much less a GOOD idea.

(needless to say his $50,000 car has been reduced to a grocery go getter, because we can only take it on about 5 mile trips before the battery starts acting up)

 

[nlspace]

car less than 2 years old.).

Wouldn't it still be under warranty for the battery pack? If nothing else, if they found 3 bad modules then they have procedure in the FSM to replace modules, and it shouldn't cost $20k for a few modules. Maybe for a whole pack, but under warranty no cost to you.

 

[Ben Blank]

Wouldn't it still be under warranty for the battery pack? If nothing else, if they found 3 bad modules then they have procedure in the FSM to replace modules, and it shouldn't cost $20k for a few modules. Maybe for a whole pack, but under warranty no cost to you.

unfortunately, he did a lot of driving in it, and has passed the warranty...