Leaf owner for 2 days - questions

[JSL]

Hello,

I bought a 2015 Leaf yesterday, and the next day, I noticed the things below. I don't know how concerned I should be, but I would appreciate all advice.

a. This morning, after charging the whole night with 110 Volts, I have the yellow "master warning light". From manual, this is triggered because I have the yellow "EV system warning light". I am 99% sure that was not on yesterday, when I bought the car. What could be causing the "EV system warning light"? What should I do to remediate it? Can I drive the car around town safely with this on for a few days, or is an emergency and I need to have it looked at ASAP?
b. This morning, after charging the whole night with 110 Volts, I have the Red"master warning light". From manual, this is triggered because I have the red "Supplemental air bag warning light". I am 99% sure that was not on yesterday, when I bought the car. What could be causing the "upplemental air bag warning light"? What should I do to remediate it? Can I drive the car around town safely with this on for a few days, or is an emergency and I need to have it looked at ASAP?
c. This morning, I took the car for a short drive to get food. I drove 3.5 miles (maybe 300 feet uphill in elevation) on a road with a 55 mph speed limit, and it showed I used 8 miles range (from 83 to 75 miles) to drive 3.5 miles. This seems to be a lot, but I drove uphill, and at around 55 mph. Is this normal?
d. Upon coming back from teh supermarket, I drove the same 3,5 miles at 55 mph, but 300-feet in elevation downhill. I use 3 miles charge in 3.5 miles, getting home with 72 miles range on the display. However, once home I parked the car, and 10 minutes later, the range was lower, showing 69 miles. Is this normal?
e. When driving downhill, in the steepest section of the hill, I lifted my foot off the power, and the car started to slow down. I was surprised. When I drive my manual-transmission car in that section, and I go temporatily into neutral in that section, the car slightly accelerates from 53 mph to 55 mph. So the desecnt is enough to make the car slowly accelerate. With the Leaf, something is dragging the car, and not only it does not accelerate going downhill, but it slows down. Is this normal?


Thank you all for advice and your time - I hope to use this car for the next 6 years for city driving.

JS

 

[fester]

Not sure about the 2015 and it's EV warning light, but as far as the slowing down after you remove your foot from the accelerator, the leaf will slow down because it's regenerating. If you want to just coast, just move the shifter knob to the left and hold a few seconds, it should then show neutral on the central display and you can coast. In this mode the leaf will brake using the standard brake system. You can change the regen rate by just toggling the shifter to Drive again, and vice versa.

 

[Drew21]

a+b: I don't know all that much about the various warning lights. Most folks recommend getting the Leaf Spy app and an appropriate OBD dongle which will provide you with all sorts of information about your Leaf, including detailed battery information and trouble codes. Once you have those, it's much easier to Google or ask here.

c+d: The range meter is a guess. It is biased towards recent driving, so if you're driving uphill (less efficient) the estimated range assumes you will continue driving uphill and you will lose miles quickly, at least for a while. If you're driving downhill (more efficient) the range estimate will decrease more slowly. If you're driving faster (less efficient) the range estimate will drop quickly for a while. In all cases, if you kept driving under the same conditions it's likely that the range estimate would become more accurate over time.

This is no different than in an ICE vehicle, except most ICE drivers aren't constantly staring at their range estimate and worrying if it suddenly drops by a couple miles.

e: fester already answered this one. I will add that the bubble display on the dash shows you what's happening. The red bubbles on the left side indicate regeneration and the blue bubbles on the right side indicate battery power going to the wheels. There is no clutch (like a M/T) or torque converter (like an A/T) so unless you purposefully put the car in neutral power is always flowing from the battery to the wheels or from the wheels back to the battery.

Just FYI, if you're interested in maximizing fuel efficiency in your M/T ICE vehicle it is almost certainly counterproductive to put the car in neutral on downhills. Modern cars stop pumping fuel when you let off the gas pedal (completely) while in gear. So, going downhill in gear with your foot off the gas you're getting infinite mileage. You can then choose the appropriate gear to maintain the speed limit. So, maximum fuel efficiency and less (or no) reliance on brakes for speed control. This has always been my favorite part about driving a manual car. Conversely, when you put your manual car in neutral fuel continues to be pumped into the engine. If your car picks up speed and you apply the brakes to slow down you waste even more fuel as you're turning momentum into heat.

 

[Malcky]

If you bought the car from a garage, then I would simply take it back to them and get them to look into the warning lights issue.....this should be corrected at ZERO expense to you.
If you bought if from a private individual.....then I would be going back to them and asking for money back....they would bound to have known of issues with the car....of course they will no doubt deny any problems and tell you to p.ss off.

As for your car slowing down. when you take the foot off the accelerator.....you probably have e-pedal active on the car....so you will start to slow down every time you take the foot off the accelerator......or you could also be driving in B mode, which is a little bit softer on the re-gen than the e-pedal mode.

 

[JSL]

Not sure about the 2015 and it's EV warning light, but as far as the slowing down after you remove your foot from the accelerator, the leaf will slow down because it's regenerating. If you want to just coast, just move the shifter knob to the left and hold a few seconds, it should then show neutral on the central display and you can coast. In this mode the leaf will brake using the standard brake system. You can change the regen rate by just toggling the shifter to Drive again, and vice versa.

Thank you !! That makes sense, I had not realized that if I put my foot off the power - the regeneration starts - it makes sense

 

[JSL]

a+b: I don't know all that much about the various warning lights. Most folks recommend getting the Leaf Spy app and an appropriate OBD dongle which will provide you with all sorts of information about your Leaf, including detailed battery information and trouble codes. Once you have those, it's much easier to Google or ask here.

c+d: The range meter is a guess. It is biased towards recent driving, so if you're driving uphill (less efficient) the estimated range assumes you will continue driving uphill and you will lose miles quickly, at least for a while. If you're driving downhill (more efficient) the range estimate will decrease more slowly. If you're driving faster (less efficient) the range estimate will drop quickly for a while. In all cases, if you kept driving under the same conditions it's likely that the range estimate would become more accurate over time.

This is no different than in an ICE vehicle, except most ICE drivers aren't constantly staring at their range estimate and worrying if it suddenly drops by a couple miles.

e: fester already answered this one. I will add that the bubble display on the dash shows you what's happening. The red bubbles on the left side indicate regeneration and the right bubbles on the right side indicate battery power going to the wheels. There is no clutch (like a M/T) or torque converter (like an A/T) so unless you purposefully put the car in neutral power is always flowing from the battery to the wheels or from the wheels back to the battery.

Just FYI, if you're interested in maximizing fuel efficiency in your M/T ICE vehicle it is almost certainly counterproductive to put the car in neutral on downhills. Modern cars stop pumping fuel when you let off the gas pedal (completely) while in gear. So, going downhill in gear with your foot off the gas you're getting infinite mileage. You can then choose the appropriate gear to maintain the speed limit. So, maximum fuel efficiency and less (or no) reliance on brakes for speed control. This has always been my favorite part about driving a manual car. Conversely, when you put your manual car in neutral fuel continues to be pumped into the engine. If your car picks up speed and you apply the brakes to slow down you waste even more fuel as you're turning momentum into heat.

Thank you !! That makes sense, I had not realized that if I put my foot off the power - the regeneration starts - it makes sense

Where can I can get the Leaf Spy app? What is an OBD dongle?

 

[Radek Uchytil]

https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/an...ork-with-leaf-spy-to-check-battery-soh.34675/.
You can get the app from the app store.

 

[fester]

Thank you !! That makes sense, I had not realized that if I put my foot off the power - the regeneration starts - it makes sense

Where can I can get the Leaf Spy app? What is an OBD dongle?

The OBD is the "Onboard Diagnostic Port", you can get an adapter (either bluetooth or wifi) that will plug-in to that port and sends data to Leaf Spy. Its early, can't remember the ones that work well, but I'm sure others can give you that info. Amazon has several of both types, but only certain ones work well.

 

[todd0305]

Thank you !! That makes sense, I had not realized that if I put my foot off the power - the regeneration starts - it makes sense

Where can I can get the Leaf Spy app? What is an OBD dongle?

https://a.co/d/gacEY5E

This one works.

 

[Jeffstumpf]

The App Store ( Apple or Google) have the app. I got Leaf Spy Pro from the Apple Store, and purchased the CARISTA OBD Dongle directly from Carista’s website. The dongle is a Bluetooth Low Energy device that plugs into the OnBoard Diagnostic Port version 2 port that is in the car, below and left of the steering wheel. It is in all modern vehicles. OBD2 allows you to connect to the CAN ( Car/Communication Area Network). CAN allows the ECUs ( Electronic Control Units) to communicate with each other, give DTCs ( Diagnostic Trouble Code) when there are issues, and provide other data as needed.

 

[laele]

If you bought the car from a garage, then I would simply take it back to them and get them to look into the warning lights issue.....this should be corrected at ZERO expense to you.
If you bought if from a private individual.....then I would be going back to them and asking for money back....they would bound to have known of issues with the car....of course they will no doubt deny any problems and tell you to p.ss off.

As for your car slowing down. when you take the foot off the accelerator.....you probably have e-pedal active on the car....so you will start to slow down every time you take the foot off the accelerator......or you could also be driving in B mode, which is a little bit softer on the re-gen than the e-pedal mode.

hey it's a 2015, don't think e-pedal is one of the options -- I know neither of our S models has that

 

[Drew21]

When you let off the go pedal in a first generation Leaf you get a low level of regeneration in D, more in Eco, and even more in B mode. You can both feel this and see it via the red bubbles displayed on the dash or the energy display in the infotainment screen (at least on a 2014 SV, which is my only reference).

 

[laele]

Hello,

I bought a 2015 Leaf yesterday, and the next day, I noticed the things below. I don't know how concerned I should be, but I would appreciate all advice.

a. This morning, after charging the whole night with 110 Volts, I have the yellow "master warning light". From manual, this is triggered because I have the yellow "EV system warning light". I am 99% sure that was not on yesterday, when I bought the car. What could be causing the "EV system warning light"? What should I do to remediate it? Can I drive the car around town safely with this on for a few days, or is an emergency and I need to have it looked at ASAP?
b. This morning, after charging the whole night with 110 Volts, I have the Red"master warning light". From manual, this is triggered because I have the red "Supplemental air bag warning light". I am 99% sure that was not on yesterday, when I bought the car. What could be causing the "upplemental air bag warning light"? What should I do to remediate it? Can I drive the car around town safely with this on for a few days, or is an emergency and I need to have it looked at ASAP?
c. This morning, I took the car for a short drive to get food. I drove 3.5 miles (maybe 300 feet uphill in elevation) on a road with a 55 mph speed limit, and it showed I used 8 miles range (from 83 to 75 miles) to drive 3.5 miles. This seems to be a lot, but I drove uphill, and at around 55 mph. Is this normal?
d. Upon coming back from teh supermarket, I drove the same 3,5 miles at 55 mph, but 300-feet in elevation downhill. I use 3 miles charge in 3.5 miles, getting home with 72 miles range on the display. However, once home I parked the car, and 10 minutes later, the range was lower, showing 69 miles. Is this normal?
e. When driving downhill, in the steepest section of the hill, I lifted my foot off the power, and the car started to slow down. I was surprised. When I drive my manual-transmission car in that section, and I go temporatily into neutral in that section, the car slightly accelerates from 53 mph to 55 mph. So the desecnt is enough to make the car slowly accelerate. With the Leaf, something is dragging the car, and not only it does not accelerate going downhill, but it slows down. Is this normal?


Thank you all for advice and your time - I hope to use this car for the next 6 years for city driving.

JS

just FYI, depending on how steep the hill is, you may well use 3 times as much battery power going uphill (as shown on the % power remaining option on your dashboard), compared to driving on the flat; you do NOT get all that back via regeneration even in B mode going downhill .. critical for us as "town" (essentially the bottom of the hill) is 8 miles and 1500 feet below us .. so we usually gain less than 10% power going down, and lose 25 - 30% returning back uphill, both depending on whether we have to stop and reaccelerate at the few traffic lights -- we usually drive ~50 mph down (in D, ECO, B, or N depending on the pitch of the road), and at ~45 up in D mode, though much traffic goes flying by at 55-70 or more .. 4 lane highway, speed limits varying between 35 and 50; which few locals or tourists notice or obey

 

[pendclocks]

The milage gessometer on a full charge loses miles quicker initially and then twords empty, it is slower to lose mileage Bur the total initial guess IS TRUE to reality.

 

[Mike Stone]

seems true however when full of charge i drive diffently than when having range anxiety (much slower, using the B more, etc.) then each mile seems to last longer!

 

[Drew21]

The milage gessometer on a full charge loses miles quicker initially and then twords empty, it is slower to lose mileage Bur the total initial guess IS TRUE to reality.

For this to be the case, the car would need to know your route (e.g., elevation changes, number of starts and stops, speed), road and weather conditions (e.g., dry vs wet vs snow), air temperature, wind speed and direction, tire inflation pressure, whether you're gentle/smooth or erratic with your go and whoa pedals, etc.

Driving any distance at 55 mph vs 75 mph will use less battery charge.
Driving any distance on a flat road will use less battery charge than the same distance with a large elevation gain.
Driving any distance on dry roads will use less battery charge than the same distance in heavy rain or snow.

If your Leaf doesn't know any of this ahead of time, how can it accurately predict the total range available to you?

 

[Radek Uchytil]

It will give you a fairly accurate estimate ABRP which you get from the app store.

 

[JSL]

Hello again. Thank you again all for the response. I finally took the car to the dealer - they did a complete evaluation, and one of the sensor for a passenger airbag is dead, and I will soon replace it. They told me one of the parts is not available anymore - which makes me a little worried. I will get more info on that. The drive train is in good condition, which was a big relief.

I have noticed a small "clonk" noise when I start to brake a little stronger than just coasting down in speed. When I switch to accelerating after having braked enough to make the clonk - there is a clonk again. It is a mild noise, but noticeable whenever I switch from accelerating to braking, or braking to accelerating. Is this normal?

I have also noticed the shock absorbers ae a little noisy - with "slightly louder clonks" for example when I switch from pavement to cobblestone t pavement. The car is not "bouncy" upon driving a speed bump, nor when I give a good shove on each wheel. The dealer told me I can easily wait to hanksgiving to fix it. Car has 67000 miles. Is this normal for such a mileage?

Again - your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you to all.

 

[JSL]

When you let off the go pedal in a first generation Leaf you get a low level of regeneration in D, more in Eco, and even more in B mode. You can both feel this and see it via the red bubbles displayed on the dash or the energy display in the infotainment screen (at least on a 2014 SV, which is my only reference).

How do I change from D to Eco, or B? I have only noticed Park/drive or reverse... The car lot where I got it from had never sold a Leaf before... And I don't know anyone who has one... Thank you for any advice

 

[Drew21]

How do I change from D to Eco, or B? I have only noticed Park/drive or reverse... The car lot where I got it from had never sold a Leaf before... And I don't know anyone who has one... Thank you for any advice

On my 2014, which should be very similar to a 2015, Eco is an on/off button on the steering wheel. I rarely use Eco because I do not like the response of the go pedal in this mode.

You cycle between D and B modes using the "gear shift" knob and you can do it at any time. As you have no doubt figured out, to shift to D you move the knob to the left and down. If you want to switch to B you make the same movement. If you want to switch back to D you again move the knob left and down. If you hold the knob left for a few seconds you will be in N(eutral).

I am assuming here that all versions of the 2015 have B and Eco mode. If you have B mode you should see "D/B" on the gear shift knob.

Your small "clonk" noise could be a loose axle nut. There are many posts here about that issue.

Alternatively, your noise could come from worn suspension components. Our Leaf has 79K miles. We bought it 3 years ago with 60K miles. As far as we know, the car's entire life has been spent on the horrible roads of Massachusetts. Over the past six months the front suspension has gotten noticeably louder. Two months ago I replaced the front struts and rear shocks, which helped a bit but didn't fully resolve the noise. (The original struts and shocks were completely dead.) The car failed annual safety inspection on Monday because "left front suspension noisy/worn." New control arms and sway bar links arrived yesterday and that's my weekend project.