Car stops charging

[Kelangst]

So for several weeks now I have had issues with my car randomly stopping its charging. Happens on both level 1 and level 2. Happens at different locations. Happens at public and private locations. I initially thought this was my error - that I forgot to hit the timer off button before I plugged in. But it is not that problem. Since I have a new position that requires me to drive >50 miles each way to work, this is critical that the car can charge.

I realize the flippant answer will be "just turn it on again with Carwings." Carwings is such a nightmare and undependable I cannot express my dissatisfaction enough. Today I spent my usual 30 minutes fussing with my login, timeout, then login, then update, then timeout, then update again. Carwings works like 5% of the time for me.

I am wondering whether anyone else is having this issue? I am pretty diligent about my routine for plugging in the car now so I know it is not a matter of missing the button. Before I walk away, I check that it is charging on the dash.

So frustrating...almost frustrating enough to not want to have the next car be a leaf. And that is sad.

 

[braineo]

i've been avoiding going totally crazy by not setting the charging timer in the car. I have about a 50 mile commute (round trip) and I always charge to 100% at night in my garage with the timer set at my Blink station (11pm-7a.m. all days of the week due to super off peak rates in Atlanta). When I get to work I plug it with 110v and let it charge again to 100%. It gives me total peace of mind that I can go whenever I need to without concerning about if I have enough charge and if the car allowed the charge to happen as you are now experiencing.

This I learned when one day it didn't charge as expected - thank God it was a weekend and I didn't need all the miles.

 

[Kelangst]

I can appreciate that - but I don't think it is related to the timer. Because the car is charging when I walk away from it and if it were the timer it would not be charging. It stops charging at random intervals too. Could be 2 minutes after I walk away, could be 1 hour after I walk away.

This wouldn't be an issue if the Carwings tool did its job. But since I cannot rely on that either - my stress level is through the roof. I shouldn't have to live my life constantly trying to check my phone to see status.

 

[EVDRIVER]

i've been avoiding going totally crazy by not setting the charging timer in the car. I have about a 50 mile commute (round trip) and I always charge to 100% at night in my garage with the timer set at my Blink station (11pm-7a.m. all days of the week due to super off peak rates in Atlanta). When I get to work I plug it with 110v and let it charge again to 100%. It gives me total peace of mind that I can go whenever I need to without concerning about if I have enough charge and if the car allowed the charge to happen as you are now experiencing.

This I learned when one day it didn't charge as expected - thank God it was a weekend and I didn't need all the miles.

You should skip the Blink timer and use the car timer. Do not set a start time just the end time and your pack will sit less at 100%.

 

[Deleted member 5796]

I can appreciate that - but I don't think it is related to the timer. Because the car is charging when I walk away from it and if it were the timer it would not be charging. It stops charging at random intervals too. Could be 2 minutes after I walk away, could be 1 hour after I walk away.

This wouldn't be an issue if the Carwings tool did its job. But since I cannot rely on that either - my stress level is through the roof. I shouldn't have to live my life constantly trying to check my phone to see status.

Leaf link works much better than nissans iPhone app.

 

[planet4ever]

Frankly, I think talking about CarWings here is off topic. Since the problem Kelangst is having happens at multiple locations, it can't be an EVSE problem. From the description it sure doesn't sound like a wetware problem. That means there is something wrong with the car. It is not normal for the LEAF to do this; most of us just plug it in and it works, every time. You should not have to prod it to resume charging. I suppose the cause could be anything from a bad J1772 connection to a misbehaving battery, with lots of possibilities in between. Take it to the dealer and let them figure it out.

Ray

 

[Kelangst]

You are right- will see if I can get it in this week.

 

[Deleted member 3147]

Frankly, I think talking about CarWings here is off topic. Since the problem Kelangst is having happens at multiple locations, it can't be an EVSE problem. From the description it sure doesn't sound like a wetware problem. That means there is something wrong with the car. It is not normal for the LEAF to do this; most of us just plug it in and it works, every time. You should not have to prod it to resume charging. I suppose the cause could be anything from a bad J1772 connection to a misbehaving battery, with lots of possibilities in between. Take it to the dealer and let them figure it out.

Ray

Agreed. I've never had a charge failure in 18 months of Leaf ownership, other than forgetting to plug in and flaky Blink QC stations. It looks like there is something wrong with yours.

 

[Deleted member 7875]

My first thought would be you have an intermittent On Board Charging Module fault. There have been so many problems with these that they are backordered and I am finally getting a new one after my Leaf has sat Idle in the Dealer's service parking lot for 21 days. Most problems I have heard of, the Charger just died an never worked again, but who is to say that one out of 1000 might develope an intermittent problem?

 

[MaxPower]

First I set my timer on the Leaf to charge from midnight to midnight, and to stop at 80%.

That was fine until I tried to override the timer to get 100% ... because at midnight the charge timer reset, and I got an 80% charge.

So now I have it set to charge from noon to noon instead. I don't charge at work, so noon is a nice safe time for the timer reset.

 

[davewill]

First I set my timer on the Leaf to charge from midnight to midnight, and to stop at 80%.

That was fine until I tried to override the timer to get 100% ... because at midnight the charge timer reset, and I got an 80% charge.

So now I have it set to charge from noon to noon instead. I don't charge at work, so noon is a nice safe time for the timer reset.

Hmmm, mine's set from midnight to midnight, 80%, and I've overridden it lots of times. It never reset on me.

 

[Levenkay]

My first thought would be you have an intermittent On Board Charging Module fault. There have been so many problems with these that they are backordered and I am finally getting a new one after my Leaf has sat Idle in the Dealer's service parking lot for 21 days. Most problems I have heard of, the Charger just died an never worked again, but who is to say that one out of 1000 might develope an intermittent problem?

I wonder if a module flaw could ever get serious enough for the manufacturer to provide servicing info to support in-the-field repair of it, instead of the usual "send in your broken $2000 module, and we'll issue you a new one" approach?

 

[davewill]

I wonder if a module flaw could ever get serious enough for the manufacturer to provide servicing info to support in-the-field repair of it, instead of the usual "send in your broken $2000 module, and we'll issue you a new one" approach?

I suppose it could happen, but I think they would be more likely to start a reconditioning program so that the dealer could replace a reconditioned module instead.

 

[Kelangst]

Apologies, I should have posted the resolution on this on the threads for others to access if they have the same issue. Long story short, the dealer was able to prove over the course of 2 additional visits that there was a defective component in the vehicle's charging connection. This was after the problem escalated over the course of 2 days to the point where it was only charging for a few minutes at a time before interruption. They replaced a "module", and after that I had no problems for the remainder of the life of the car in my care.

Regards.