Leaf stops charging on L2 chargers

[billbarr100]

Call nissan leaf number first. 877-664-2738. They will call the dealer before you get there and open a work order with instructions on how to diagnose if a software update or new part is required. They seemed very up to speed on this issue on the phone.

 

[victorcab]

2011 LEAF. Just did the software update this past weekend. 2 hours at dealer, they also inspected the batteries.
Now when we plug in, either trickle or level 2 the dash left blue light blinks 3 times and charging stops.
We do have a warning amber and the car amber that do appear when turned on. Have repeated turning off and on and plugging in and same results.
How do I know for sure what software is running?
It would be nice if NISSAN would keep the support line open past 7 CST especially for us in the PST.

 

[rain27]

After a week of my Leaf sitting at the dealership, they were able to coordinate how to update the software with the help line. It took this long because initially they didn't know of the software update and once they did, their tech who was able to perform the update wasn't available.

The service from the help line was awesome and they took care of educating the dealership on what to do.

Nothing was actually replaced that I'm aware of (my dealership gave me almost zero insight into what actually took place to get my car back to normal except that they did a software update).

Anyway, my car has charged successfully the last two trips to a charging station.

Not sure why my car would have been fine initially with charging and then not.

Why would the software have worked for a while, and then need updating to continue to work?

 

[breenius]

You should call the Nissan EV help line if you feel like you are not getting proper service from your dealer. 877-664-2738. They called me back this morning to check up on the car and to remind me that I can fax in the receipts for the gas for the rental so I can get reimbursed.

Haha, who should I call if I don't feel like I'm getting proper help from the Nissan EV help line?

Seems my 2013 with ~1500 miles is having the same issue. It started very suddenly last week, and quickly evolved into a situation where we could only charge for 2-5 minutes at a time within 24 hours.

I read this forum post in it's entirety before doing anything about it the next day (even started work on installing python!). As recommended, I called the EV line first. I let them know I had a 2013 model, described the symptoms (no fault on the EVSE, charging randomly stops), and mentioned the software update. Unfortunately, I didn't get as good a response as I hoped for :|. The agent basically said "Lets not jump ahead of ourselves, we can't tell what it is before you take it into the dealer." He then gave me a case number and offered to setup an appointment with the dealer, no work order or anything. I didn't press the issue.

Unfortunately the EV Tech is only at the dealership M-W. They set us up with a new Altima as a loaner for the weekend. So when we got the car back today, the explanation was that the timer had been set to charge only on Mondays! Man, did we feel embarrassed. Well, it turns out that wasn't it... (FYI I didn't think that was it. And I also don't think that setting the charge timer to Mondays only would override a direct charge request from CARWINGS, which is what the LEAF is doing repeatedly.)

Maaybe it's our charger, but I seriously doubt it. There is a charger at work that we'll try it tomorrow. If it doesn't work there, then we're back to the dealer tomorrow afternoon.

I really don't want to have the dealer waste time chasing some other issue when I think this is it, but the EV help line guy didn't seem very helpful or understanding. IF the charger at work doesn't do the trick, I'll be calling the EV line again...

 

[davewill]

... I really don't want to have the dealer waste time chasing some other issue when I think this is it, but the EV help line guy didn't seem very helpful or understanding. IF the charger at work doesn't do the trick, I'll be calling the EV line again...

I'm not sure what you expected. The guy on the help line can't FIX your car over the phone, he can only send you to the dealer, or escalate your complaint if the dealer can't/won't fix your car. If the dealer fails again, THEN you should call the Help line back and loudly complain.

 

[breenius]

I'm not sure what you expected. The guy on the help line can't FIX your car over the phone

Obviously. My hope was to save us all the trouble. Based on advice from others in this discussion the EV Line is on top of this:

Call nissan leaf number first. 877-664-2738. They will call the dealer before you get there and open a work order with instructions on how to diagnose if a software update or new part is required. They seemed very up to speed on this issue on the phone.

Also, I was a bit miffed that the resolution from the Tech at the dealership was basically the car equivalent of "have you tried plugging your computer in?"

 

[Techie0212]

EV support is not @ the dealership ... Try 877-664-2738 instead ... I'll have better info once my car is back from the dealer ... Got the software update installed ... This was available only this month, so all diagnosis and visits to the dealership was all for naught or even a new PDM replaced ... Back @ ya later ...

 

[PlanetSolar]

Leaf charges for 3 minutes on 240v charger then shuts off with dash warning light. Went back to my 120v charger, did fine for 3 days, now its shutting off as well. Called Palm Spring Nissan who informed me they were not familiar with this problem, but their Only Leaf mechanic was not in today and they would call me back when he came back to work. Any advise?????

 

[DaveEV]

Any advise?????

Call the EV helpline, they are well versed in the issue and can get your dealer up to speed.
(877) NO GAS EV aka 877-664-2738

 

[Techie0212]

My experience of not getting a charge past 2 min on the home 240v charger was a faulty wiring from the manufacturer ... the RED wire was corroded ... Got the whole replacement and able to charge fully the last couple weeks ... unable to hit over 100 and averaging about 85 upon charge completion ... EV support says that it is my driving style ... live in the hilly part of Central Oahu ... What are your other charging capacities?

 

[planet4ever]

able to charge fully the last couple weeks ... unable to hit over 100 and averaging about 85 upon charge completion ... EV support says that it is my driving style ... live in the hilly part of Central Oahu ... What are your other charging capacities?

You're talking about the GuessOMeter. That isn't your "charging capacity", just a computer's wild guess as to how and where you will be driving today, as if it knew anything about that. Since you have a 2013, you have a State of Charge meter as one of the Trip Computer displays at the bottom center of the dash. Push the top left button in the group of four left of the steering wheel until you see it. It should say either 100% or 99%.

Ray

 

[Techie0212]

It should say either 100% or 99%.

Ray[/quote]

Yes, it is 99% ... so isn't there something that can be programmed in CARWINGS to calibrate the Guess-O-Meter to reflect personal driving mileage? Thanks for the info in regards to the %charge ... even that should be on the CARWINGS screen instead of looking at the dial go up and down while driving ...

 

[mattjenkins23]

I am having the exact same problem. I thought it was possibly the charger or that my electric couldn't handle the extra load in the summertime and was knocking it off. I took it to Nissan and they couldn't find a problem with it. clearly there is a problem, and not just with mine.

 

[cwerdna]

I am having the exact same problem. I thought it was possibly the charger or that my electric couldn't handle the extra load in the summertime and was knocking it off. I took it to Nissan and they couldn't find a problem with it. clearly there is a problem, and not just with mine.

Need more info. Model year? It's not a '13, right?

Make and model of EVSE? By "charger", what do you mean? Are you referring to the EVSE? See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=262630#p262630" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

What if you use the provided L1 EVSE?

 

[mattjenkins23]

I've had my Leaf 2013 for about 2 months now & have just recently purchased a L2 charger from Levinton. It's a 40A 9.6kw capable charger. When I connect the charger it charges for a short period, 30-45 min, & stops. If I unplug the charger & plug it back in, it starts charging normally. Also, I can initiate a charge thru car wings. Again, it will charge for a short period, then stops, & an amber warning light appears on the dash.

I have contacted the charger manufacturer & they were very helpful noting that if there was a fault it would've showed up on the charger's fault indicator. Also, the issue has occurred while connected to the Aero charger at another Nissan dealership so, this kind of rules out the charger.This has not happened & I have also taken my car to the local dealer to check the amber fault light which appears on the dash after the car stops charging. They weren't able to find any issue with the car.

Has anyone experienced this?

I've experienced very similar symptoms. I use the clipper creek LCS-25 at home. It does the same thing as described above. I thought it could be an EVSE problem or an electrical problem but it sounds like other 2013 Leaf owners are experiencing the exact same thing. I'm taking mine in to the dealer tomorrow. I took it in once and they said they couldn't find any issues with the car and that it must be an issue with my home electric. I really hope to get this corrected b/c this car does me no good if I can't charge it. Otherwise, it is a great car.

 

[BrianEClark]

Purchased 2013 Leaf in early March, installed L2 charger at home a week later. Worked fine until 3 weeks ago (used daily on average) when it started failing to fully charge (usually set to 80%) intermittently, with amber warning light on dash when charging stopped prematurely. Amount of charge added before it stopped would vary from 5-10% up to 30% or more. First week of the problem, I tried level 1 charger once and it worked, also a public charger which worked so suspected faulty charger. But problem was not happening 100% of time so was not conclusive. Problem seemed to get worse - more consistently failing and less charge added before it stopped - last week or so was failing after adding only 10-20% pretty consistently. Yesterday it would not charge more then a few minutes at a public charger, so took to the dealer. Was told there was service bulletin out on the problem - something to do with 12 volt battery not being fully charged, causing problem in the logic for charging the main battery. Had had one other Leaf in with the same problem. Installed a software update and problem seems to be fixed. Charged at the dealer enough to get home and then charged from 15% to 100% overnight without a problem.
Suggests a circumvention (until you can get to a dealer) might be to put a standard 12 volt battery charger on the 12 volt battery under the hood, see if that would allow L2 charge to work again for a while.

Update as of November 18, 2013, have had no problems with charging since the software update was applied as described above. Am 100% satisfied the problem has been fixed.

 

[TomT]

You may have the infamous PDM problem which requires a visit to the dealer for a reprogram or replacement and reprogram...

Purchased 2013 Leaf in early March, installed L2 charger at home a week later. Worked fine until 3 weeks ago (used daily on average) when it started failing to fully charge (usually set to 80%) intermittently, with amber warning light on dash when charging stopped prematurely. Amount of charge added before it stopped would vary from 5-10% up to 30% or more.

 

[Redjr]

Sorry, I'm late to the party, or at least to post this.

Laurel (My2013) started developing the issues talked about on this thread.

After reading this thread a couple weeks ago, I booked an appointment with a local Nissan dealer, sent him a link to this thread, and took her in for the update. The service manager said that there was a 13 page bulletin issued to them, and it was software upgrade that needed to be done.

They shuttled me home in their courtesy van and picked me back up a few hours later. (That's service )

So far, so good.

 

[pgrokkos]

+1 on the Software Patch being replied immediately at Nissan Dealership when I went in for Level 2 charging problems on 2013 SL.

Owned by SL for 4 months and 3500 miles. Typically charge using the provided trickle charger over night. About 2x a week I charge at a public free level 2 charger at work. About 3 weeks ago, the Level 2 charger started shutting down before reaching full charge with the yellow car/electric fault symbol appearing when I started the car. This ocured at various charge times about 4 times over the next few weeks each time I used that Level 2 charger, at between .3 to 2 hours charging and never getting higher than 92% charge. The last time I think it cut out at 70% after 1.5 hours.

After reading the board, I called Nissan EV Help. While they were nice and friendly, the could only direct me to dealership for service saying 'a bulletin has been released' for what sounds to be exactly what your problem is.

Took it into dealership today, after only about 1 hour, they diagnosed and informed me they has a bulletin directing a software patch to be applied directly dealing with this issue. The receipt (no charge) says

CAUSE: PROGRAMMING ERROR
some letters and numbers, then 0.5
JX24AA PDM Reprogramming
FC ZE32
Part # some numbers

That seems to be the relevant info in case someone was interested.

Really hoping this is a simple patch and fix but on a quick scan of this forum, seeing early claims of unit replacements, etc., not positive that I'm done with this. But here is hoping.

Anyone else have the 'bulletin' software fix applied and can confirm no issues with Level 2 charging after that?

 

[ottok62]

I have the same issue with my 2013 Leaf Model S. Check Engine light comes on after charging.
Level 2 charges for upto one hour, then cuts out. No issues with Level 1 charging. Took the car to the dealship today for trouble shooting. I hope I don't have to wait for a week for parts. since the dealership wants me to rent a car at $35/day.