Bad Power Distribution Module? Check In Here

[LEAFfan]

Hi All,

Add me to the list, 3 months old tomorrow and 3033 miles and I also received the warning and my charging stopped at 11 out of 12 bars.

I have an appointment with the Leaf Tech for Tuesday at 7:30AM.

Hopefully they can just apply the TSB and have my Leaf ready in one day

Sal

Your charging stopped at 11 bars? You're at 99% and 12 bars in the pic.

 

[UBUYGAS]

Well I just wrote up this word doc, Hopefully it speeds things along.

Anything else you think I need to add to it?

 

[buttersh]

Ah, yes. You're right, Bateman. I forgot they had charged it at the dealer and maybe cleared the memory. It seemed to normalize after a couple days' commute. So everything is normal and I have not had the warning light come back on. Fingers crossed that the software update fixed it.... Oh, and I looked at my hourly power consumption since the update was applied and it is still charging at 6.6kw (another poster said they had installed different PDM software that made it charge at 3.3kw).

buttersh - keep in mind the range (Guess-O-Meter) is just an estimate of the previous day's usage. Depending on your drive to the dealer, plus whatever the dealer did regarding charging and discharging the battery, your range calculations might off at first.

I suspect with a few days of normal driving the range estimates will return to previous levels.

(My car showed 112 miles of range the other day after some very easy around town driving on my wife's part.) :lol:

 

[GregH]

FWIW the 2013 rental I'm in for my 3rd week now seems to have the PDM issue when charging at 6.6kW. Using my Voltec 3.3kW EVSE it charges fine (that is if the Voltec powers up correctly.. that's another issue). When charging at work and also at one Chargepoint I tried it fails at 6.6kW after 20-60 minutes... yellow warning on 1st key-on after that only.

 

[lion]

So once again, charging was halted at a random #. This time it was 55%, timer set to 80%, and this time I even received a text message saying 'Charging Stopped', while there was no power interruption (power parameters are monitored/logged via home automation).

Last time, I didn't get this SMS, but just as last time, I don't have any warning lights. Has anyone experienced this same behavior, and still be diagnosed as the same issue? Or am I dealing with something different?

 

[Techie0212]

Call the dealership, and say that the July PDM software was released 15July for computer updates to the LEAF. This is a 2013 issue that others physically had new PDMs placed. Not all dealerships are as sharp, as some are waiting for a "disc" ... They actually have to get the car to the dealership, with connection to computer and have the EV support walk them through the update process ... Mine is going in on Monday ... My ClipperCreak 6.6 doesn't work now, but the 6.6 Nissan brand does .. Proprietary dominance ... LOL

 

[Petecomp1]

Hi all, just more data for the thread:
2013 SV, leased, delivered 3/11/13, 3,812 miles, no problems with charging yet, no warning lights.
Weather has been 95+ for 3 weeks now, still no problems. I usually charge to 100% but when I charge to 80%, sometimes it shows 79% on the dash meter. But no driving problems.
I use the A-V L2 Nissan-branded EVSE in my own garage and no other EVSE (we don't have any public EVSE here). I don't use L1 at all, ever.
Thanks for this thread! It's good to know if my Leaf has this problem, at least I will have some knowledge about what it is and what to do about it.
I have empathy for those unlucky Leafers that are experiencing problems. I've been there and it's a horrible feeling to have your "faith" violated.
Comment: - I have a 2004 Honda Pilot that I initially thought of as "Honda perfect" but it's had plenty of problems, including a stupid passenger airbag false warning that disables the airbag system altogether with no notification, and a poorly-designed rear window cowl that likes to warp in hot weather and then fall off (replaced 3 times at dealer and I finally just bought one, modified and fixed it properly myself). Point is, Murphy's law lives on!

 

[Bateman]

Call the dealership, and say that the July PDM software was released 15July for computer updates to the LEAF. This is a 2013 issue that others physically had new PDMs placed. Not all dealerships are as sharp, as some are waiting for a "disc" ... They actually have to get the car to the dealership, with connection to computer and have the EV support walk them through the update process ... Mine is going in on Monday ... My ClipperCreak 6.6 doesn't work now, but the 6.6 Nissan brand does .. Proprietary dominance ... LOL

Techie, not sure if your comments are completely accurate. I was able to get the software update in July 1st. Also, the problem impacted myself and others while using the Nissan branded Aerovironment EVSE - I don't think brand of EVSE makes a difference.

 

[LEAFfan]

I haven't had any problems charging with my Blink EVSE and I've been charging to 100% in 95-98F inside our garage in the mornings. Right now, I'm declining the update.

 

[Techie0212]

That was the info from the EV Tech support regarding the 15Jul release ... Good on you to have had it earlier, and that is what I was talking to my New City dealership ... alas they were no in the loop to get the software earlier until I made the call ... so mine is in the shop now .. and its been 5 hours so far with no update ... this is suppose to be a 15min job ... and 1hr just to be a buffer ... LOL

 

[TimLee]

I haven't had any problems charging with my Blink EVSE and I've been charging to 100% in 95-98F inside our garage in the mornings. Right now, I'm declining the update.

Why? Just because it hasn't broken yet? :? :?

 

[Techie0212]

I am so pissed ... Did have the dealership download the current TSB NTB13-069 hoping to have my ClipperCreek issue start charging again ... Instead of 40sec, I got 2min before being shut off ... Timed it (3) times @ home. The mechanic/technician report said there is another software update to follow ... OMG, what's going on?

 

[GregH]

Does anyone know what the actual failure is? And what the software fix is supposed to change in order to "fix" it?

 

[Techie0212]

Waiting on a conference call with New City dealership and EV support in 20min ... might have to replace the PDM instead since haven't been successful with the last 3 visits ...

 

[Techie0212]

Well, it didn't materialize as a conference call ... but the consumer side of EV support has the Regional Technician (Wesley) in on this with a followup on the 25th ... and New City Nissan in Hawaii also has the DTS (John) aware of the situation. Have to jump through those hoops to justify the PDM replacement ... or another software update ... OMG ... this is a soap opera in action ... Need a VCA# to make this happen ...

 

[lion]

Yet another failed charging session, and still no warning lights (I'll have to check them during the boot up sequence, and see if they are actually functional). Was able to restart the charging session via my phone.

I guess I need to figure out what to do next, as I don't want to give up the car for more than a day or so. The TSB states that there has to be a warning light:

IF YOU CONFIRM: The customer states the HV battery charger of an applied vehicle will not charge or will not complete charging AND the EV warning light is on and all of the following DTCs are found stored: P316C, P3170, P3171, and B29C1 NOTE: CONSULT III plus must display B29C1 with malfunction type "EVSE no signal" or "EVSE invalid signal". ACTION: 1. Confirm this bulletin applies. - Compare the vehicle's current PDM part number to those listed in Table A. - When CONSULT III plus displays DTC B29C1 and its malfunction type is anything other than "EVSE (no signal or invalid signal)", this bulletin does not apply. Refer to the Electronic Service Manual (ESM) for further diagnosis. 2. If this bulletin applies, reprogram the PDM. See this bulletin for further detail.

 

[UBUYGAS]

I had to change my appointment, had to work all night long and didn't get home till 4:30am the day I was supposed to drop the Leaf off and so I changed the appointment.

The charging is not really bothering me, it stops at 10 out of 12 Bars and the next morning I start it back up and it charges to full.

I'm at 3200 miles now, maybe I should just wait till my 5000 mile service and let them do everything in one shot?

What do you guys think?, Bad idea?

The dealer is 25 miles from my house.

 

[planet4ever]

I'm at 3200 miles now, maybe I should just wait till my 5000 mile service and let them do everything in one shot? What do you guys think?, Bad idea?

Yup, bad idea. Check your Service and Maintenance Guide. There is no 5000 mile service, despite what your dealer may have conned you into believing. Unless your LEAF qualifies for "severe service", no service is needed before 15K miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. You should rotate your tires at 7,500 miles, but you can do that yourself or get a local tire store to do it for you.

Ray

 

[LEAFfan]

I'm at 3200 miles now, maybe I should just wait till my 5000 mile service and let them do everything in one shot? What do you guys think?, Bad idea?

Yup, bad idea. Check your Service and Maintenance Guide. There is no 5000 mile service, despite what your dealer may have conned you into believing. Unless your LEAF qualifies for "severe service", no service is needed before 15K miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. You should rotate your tires at 7,500 miles, but you can do that yourself or get a local tire store to do it for you.

Ray

+1 Except if you want your tires to last longer, Discount Tire recommends 5000-6000 mile intervals.
They may rotate them for no charge.

 

[UBUYGAS]

My Salesman and a Mechanic from another Nissan dealer said I should have the battery checked and tires rotated every 5000 miles.

Well I still have an appointment for this tuesday coming up.

I'm at 3200 miles now, maybe I should just wait till my 5000 mile service and let them do everything in one shot? What do you guys think?, Bad idea?

Yup, bad idea. Check your Service and Maintenance Guide. There is no 5000 mile service, despite what your dealer may have conned you into believing. Unless your LEAF qualifies for "severe service", no service is needed before 15K miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. You should rotate your tires at 7,500 miles, but you can do that yourself or get a local tire store to do it for you.

Ray