Bad Power Distribution Module? Check In Here

[Techie0212]

Haven't been on for awhile ... My question is about charging range and why I'm only getting about 80 ... we live on a hillside in the middle of Oahu, Hawaii ... Mililani Mauka. Most of my driving is around the office, but sometimes have to drive into Honolulu. Usually starting with a full charge (85), back in the garage with about 24. EV Support has been in contact with myself and the dealership in regards to the charge number related to the style of driving. So if that is correct, then I basically cannot reach a charge over 100, unless I'm driving in a FLAT area ... LOL ...

On another note, my ClipperCreek replacement is working after a manufacture wire (RED) shorted out about the time of this PDM incident. It charges at a 7.4kwh into the LEAF that receives 6.6kwh ... Is this something major? The CS40 is 240V 40A.

 

[planet4ever]

It sounds like you are talking about the "Distance to Empty" meter, that we call the GuessOMeter or GOM here. It is exactly that, a computer guess as to how far you can go today based on how you were driving yesterday. Most of us pay no attention to what that says, especially when the battery is full. The numbers shown there cannot tell you whether you have a bad PDM. The bad PDM symptom is that charging stops before the percentage (80% or 100%) you have specified. You can see the charging percentage in a 2013 by looking for the state of charge display in the center of the dash. Push the top left button in the cluster of four to the left of the steering wheel until you see the display with a % number inside an outline of a battery.

On the 6.6kW vs. 7.4kW, I am becoming convinced that Nissan's 6.6kW number is based on 220v. Your house is almost certainly providing about 240v, perhaps even a bit more than that. For the same amperage, 240v would then provide 7.2kW. The difference between 7.2 and 7.4 could be a measurement error, or it could be your house voltage is a bit high. Either way, it's nothing to worry about.

By the way, that's kW, not kWh. If you are filling a swimming pool with a hose, kW is comparable to how fast the water comes out of the hose. kWh is like how much water the swimming pool can hold. Completing the analogy, amps is how big the internal diameter of the hose is, and volts is how much pressure the water system is providing.

Ray

 

[kevinleaf]

When the PDM fails will the car just not charge at all?
Does it matter whether I'm charging at 110v or 220v?
Does the problem get progressively worse to the point it won't charge at all? I don't want to get stuck at work with a dead car.

On my MY2013, after 2.5 hrs charging at 6.6kW I got the text message from ChargePoint that the car stopped charging. This is the first time this has happened, and this is at a charging station I've used around 40 times before. I checked the car with the Nissan LEAF app on the phone and it said 75 miles range so I knew it was not done charging. I used the Nissan LEAF app and started it up again. I got another message charging was complete around 1.5 hrs later. When I went to drive the car home the warning light was on but the car but it was fully charged.

It was a bit warm for the SF bay area, around 80f today. The car is around 3 months old and has around 2,200 miles on it.

I am charging it up at 110v tonight to see if it resets the light. But this thread is making me nervous that I am having the same failure everyone else is reporting here.

 

[planet4ever]

I used the Nissan LEAF app and started it up again. I got another message charging was complete around 1.5 hrs later. When I went to drive the car home the warning light was on but the car but it was fully charged.

Sorry, but I'm afraid you've got the disease.

I keep hoping that my 12A 240v (gen 1 EVSEupgrade) will immunize me, but I dread looking at the dash after charging the car. So far it has been 10 bars, 79% every time. Since I have the S I don't have the option of notifications or remote charging restarts.

Speaking of the S model, I don't recall anyone with the 3.3kW version of the PDM reporting this. Is that true? It is, of course, only a 2013 problem since the earlier cars didn't have a PDM at all, but a charger in the back and an inverter in the front.

Ray

 

[Deleted member 9549]

I am charging it up at 110v tonight to see if it resets the light. But this thread is making me nervous that I am having the same failure everyone else is reporting here.

From reading the thread, if your getting the charge light, ie the car w exclamation mark, then you may be having the issue. Sounds like the suggested course of action is to get the firmware update from the dealer. I can't tell from this thread if it can cause the PDM to fail if you don't have the firmware update done in time. The problem has been reported with both L1 and L2 charging.
When it happened to me, if I restarted the charging and it completed successfully, the error light went off. I don't think charging at L1 will prove that helped.

 

[shbruner]

Same problem. 2013 S worked fine for a month or so, then wouldn't take a charge. The yellow EV problem indicator light illuminated, but went off next time I turned the car on. I tried charging from a different charger, a Blink at my work garage, but it didn't charge and again the warning light was on. It's at the Nissan dealership now. I'll post more later.

 

[LEAFfan]

I've never had a problem charging with almost 4500 miles/6mos., but since I need a new plastic pin cap they're going to do the sw update.

 

[LEAFfan]

I found out today that the dealer doesn't have the sw for the PDM update. The only way for now that I can have it is to exhibit the problem. Nissan does it thru the tech's computer if someone has the problem.

 

[kevinleaf]

After charging at 110v overnight at home the light went away. Drove it to work without issue and recharged it at work without issue. We will see tomorrow if, during a more complete charge, the light comes back. Hopefully it was a fluke cause by a power dip at the EVSE and I don't have the "disease".

 

[Deleted member 9549]

After charging at 110v overnight at home the light went away. Drove it to work without issue and recharged it at work without issue. We will see tomorrow if, during a more complete charge, the light comes back. Hopefully it was a fluke cause by a power dip at the EVSE and I don't have the "disease".

It's a serious problem. No reason to avoid getting the update from the dealer. I thought maybe it wasn't all the 2013s, but now I'm leaning towards thinking it's all of them. Would be interesting to hear if anyone has a 2013 that hasn't had this problem that's several months old with more than say 4000 miles that doesn't have the update applied.

 

[bradbissell]

I have a 2013 SV built in March with 5800 miles. So far no issues with the PDM and no patch applied. I have had the EV warning light come on when I disconnected the EVSE to quickly from the car, but no issues so far with charging to 80% or 100% as planned using my Clipper Creek CS-40.

 

[Phatcat73]

I found out today that the dealer doesn't have the sw for the PDM update. The only way for now that I can have it is to exhibit the problem. Nissan does it thru the tech's computer if someone has the problem.

That conflicts what my dealer informed me. They were instructed to update all the cars on their lot after my update. Suggest you call the EV line for clarification.

 

[GlennD]

I was at my dealer since i stupidly turned in my current spare fob instead of the old one and I wanted to exchange them. While I was there they upgraded the PDM firmware without my asking for it.

I think is really is how active they are in Leaf's. In my case they seem to sell a lot of them.

 

[LEAFfan]

Maybe I should try a different dealer then because the tech guy called his Supervisor in front of me and said I couldn't get it unless I had the problem.

 

[siai]

There should be no problem with getting the update without a warning light or DTC found. I asked my dealer to be proactive about the update and one phone call to Nissan and the update was done. Why replace the PDM if you could possibly avoid it with a software update?

 

[LEAFfan]

There should be no problem with getting the update without a warning light or DTC found. I asked my dealer to be proactive about the update and one phone call to Nissan and the update was done. Why replace the PDM if you could possibly avoid it with a software update?

That's what I told the tech, but he said since there is no recall SB, he can't do it.

 

[HungryTurkey]

Well, add me to the bad PDM list. Car is in shop for the fourth time for 12V battery not charging, therefore killing the car approximately every 6-7 days. They just notified me it's a bad PDM and there are zero in stock in the service channel.

Awesome. =(

 

[Boomer23]

Just to add a (null) data point, I have no charging issues nor error lights on my 2013 SL Premium in two full months of ownership and just over 1800 miles. Manufactured May 2013, delivered June 15.

 

[sfiorini]

Just to add a (null) data point, I have no charging issues nor error lights on my 2013 SL Premium in two full months of ownership and just over 1800 miles. Manufactured May 2013, delivered June 15.

I really hope the best for you. Mine stopped charging all in a sudden at about 2300 miles. Already 2 weeks in the shop.....

 

[sfiorini]

Well, add me to the bad PDM list. Car is in shop for the fourth time for 12V battery not charging, therefore killing the car approximately every 6-7 days. They just notified me it's a bad PDM and there are zero in stock in the service channel.

Awesome. =(

Welcome to the bad PDM club!! At least you know you are not alone. I am in my second week without my car waiting for a good PDM to be installed.... BTW, you were lucky!! Mine stopped charging all in a sudden. It would not start charging at all. Luckily I had 40 miles in the "tank" and I made it to the dealer.