no heating: (Blower runs but only cold air) (2012)
- Thread starter zarni00
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You may not see one on the dash. You'll need to check with LeafSpy.
Chances are NOT that it's a blown fuse--at least, not in the fusebox you're used to. The likely cause is a failed heater element, which is a PITA to get to--and it possibly blew the HV fuse in the DC to DC junction box, which is ALSO a PITA to get to.
Leafspy codes would really help, but it's likely a labor intensive repair.
https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/bad-heater-in-2012-leaf.17647/
Chances are NOT that it's a blown fuse--at least, not in the fusebox you're used to. The likely cause is a failed heater element, which is a PITA to get to--and it possibly blew the HV fuse in the DC to DC junction box, which is ALSO a PITA to get to.
Leafspy codes would really help, but it's likely a labor intensive repair.
https://mynissanleaf.com/threads/bad-heater-in-2012-leaf.17647/
EVPowers
Well-known member
Could be the resistive heater.
As others have noted it is not a quick fix.
The part itself is over $1,000 and can only be bought through the dealership.
The job is doable as a DIY. But could take a beginner a day or more to do it.
As others have noted it is not a quick fix.
The part itself is over $1,000 and can only be bought through the dealership.
The job is doable as a DIY. But could take a beginner a day or more to do it.
That happened to my 2012 as well. Do you not have a warning light on the dashboard? When you turn the heater on and look at the energy monitor, does it show energy going to the heater, like 3 to 5 kw? If you do, then you should be able to read the code with leafspy. I believe it is most likely that your PTC heater has failed and possibly (but not necessarily) brought down the fuse with it – fuses don’t generally bust just from normal wear.
Like others said it is a good couple of hours of work to remove the PTC heater. It’s placed behind the front Left side fender.
I removed mine and opened it up. Inside there are plates soldered to a main board and sure enough a couple of them were un-soldered. There is also a board with more electronic components on it if I remember correctly. I thought I’d fix it myself, so I soldered all the plates which needed it. I put everything back together, cleared all codes and it still didn’t work.
I assumed the fuse busted along with it. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to get to – a terrible decision on Nissan’s part since it seems to happen frequently on Leafs!! You have to remove many components from the motor bay, in a very tight space!! Knowing this I postponed it 2 winters, until last summer I decided to tackle it.
With much much pain and sweat and ‘kind’ thoughts towards Nissan I removed the unit where the fuse is located – you can find more info on how to get to the fuse on youtube. I opened it up and lo and behold the fuse was OK!! So much work, all for nothing!!
I wrongly assumed the fuse busted, but it was most likely something else with the PTC heater, that either I didn’t fix correctly or missed, or possibly other busted components on the board.
After all this, the OBC (on board charger) failed also, so… I’m parting out the Leaf ☹
Long story short, I would NOT heartily recommend fixing it yourself. If you do, do not jump to the conclusion that the fuse is busted also. I would probably lean towards a new heater (around $1300) if your Leaf is strong otherwise. I drove mine for 2 winters, ‘defrosting’ at home with a jar of warm-hot water, and you’d be surprised using just cold air on the windshield sometimes. I only have a 6mi commute to work.
If after replacing the PTC and clearing codes it still doesn’t work, then you can look at the Fuse.
I hope it helps.
Like others said it is a good couple of hours of work to remove the PTC heater. It’s placed behind the front Left side fender.
I removed mine and opened it up. Inside there are plates soldered to a main board and sure enough a couple of them were un-soldered. There is also a board with more electronic components on it if I remember correctly. I thought I’d fix it myself, so I soldered all the plates which needed it. I put everything back together, cleared all codes and it still didn’t work.
I assumed the fuse busted along with it. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to get to – a terrible decision on Nissan’s part since it seems to happen frequently on Leafs!! You have to remove many components from the motor bay, in a very tight space!! Knowing this I postponed it 2 winters, until last summer I decided to tackle it.
With much much pain and sweat and ‘kind’ thoughts towards Nissan I removed the unit where the fuse is located – you can find more info on how to get to the fuse on youtube. I opened it up and lo and behold the fuse was OK!! So much work, all for nothing!!
I wrongly assumed the fuse busted, but it was most likely something else with the PTC heater, that either I didn’t fix correctly or missed, or possibly other busted components on the board.
After all this, the OBC (on board charger) failed also, so… I’m parting out the Leaf ☹
Long story short, I would NOT heartily recommend fixing it yourself. If you do, do not jump to the conclusion that the fuse is busted also. I would probably lean towards a new heater (around $1300) if your Leaf is strong otherwise. I drove mine for 2 winters, ‘defrosting’ at home with a jar of warm-hot water, and you’d be surprised using just cold air on the windshield sometimes. I only have a 6mi commute to work.
If after replacing the PTC and clearing codes it still doesn’t work, then you can look at the Fuse.
I hope it helps.
Bombastinator2
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I don’t know how the heater works on leafs but it’s different than on an ICE car. With an ICE car it’s basically another radiator with a fan to blow the hot air and a sensor to tell how hot it is. The fan could go the sensor could go, or the heater could go. It’s possible if one of these is seperately fused that fuse could go (an easiest to fix thing) but it may not be set up that way. The heater could be either a heat pump or heat tape. I don’t know which. If it’s not a fuse it’s gonna be ‘spensive though. With a car that’s 11 years old it could be anything. That’s the age ICE cars start to have stuff that are not considered replacement items but eeventually go bad like dash lights start to go out. If you’ve got to rip apart the dash it might do to replace some of that other stuff while you’re in there. The big cost isn’t going to be fixing whatever, it’s going to be getting to wherever to fix it. It might be, for example, that everything is fine but some connector finally corroded out or something. A PITA most likely.
Leaf's are different, no engine to make hot coolant. electrical heater grid and if later model a heat pump. The heater grid fuse is on the HV and will not be in any of the 12 volt fuse panels. As many have commented, it may not be a job you want to tackle yourself.
Bombastinator2
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The grid will I suspect be a grid of tape, or something similar. Only two ways to heat with electricity: a heat pump (which is sort of like an air conditioner) or a semi conductor of some sort (a computer is effectively a tape heater btw) a powerful gaming computer will heat a room. They’re actually sometimes called space heaters.
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It is a ceramic grid, like is used on some engines below the carb or as a starting aid on diesel. Voltage is much higher but current is less on the Leaf.
https://parts.klinenissan.com/p/Nis...MI3-SnmdKShQMVKl1HAR2uWQxwEAQYASABEgIVC_D_BwE
no warning lights nothing at all. just when it blows it blows cold air. also as far as I recall it thinks it's using power as it lowered the expected range.
Does your 2012 have the touch screen on the "radio"? If you do you should be able to pull up the energy screen that shows the power use from the battery for the motor, HVAC system, and "other". You can see if when the heat is on, if your are pulling 3Kw or not. If you are, I would suspect an air door problem, but if you are not then I would suspect a heater grid or fuse.
Yes, check to see if it's pulling about 3KW or not. It will lower the range, no matter if it's pulling current or not.
Also, just to make sure, you're not low on coolant are you? Although, the PTC is positioned fairly low, so if it doesn't get any or enough coolant that may be harmful over all to other components also, and you should for sure have a 'check engine' light come on.
Also, just to make sure, you're not low on coolant are you? Although, the PTC is positioned fairly low, so if it doesn't get any or enough coolant that may be harmful over all to other components also, and you should for sure have a 'check engine' light come on.
Bombastinator2
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So a ceremic. Toaster ovens do that now. They generally have a round rod. Theres probably a lot of metal in it. A semi conductor conducts electricity but not very well, so it heats up. Nothing does it completely except superconductors. I think it’s called impedance. Copper is really good so it doesn’t heat up much. Aluminum is good too but not AS good. Stainless steel isn’t terribly good at all. It’s what I mostly use as a heating coil these days. You can glow it red hot with a battery. Some hardcore marine grade stuff. 301L I think. I don’t recall. Nichrome wire was one of the earlier ones. See that in popup toasters. Nickel was popular too but a lot of people are allergic to it and it’s gotten expensive. I don’t know what old style electric stove coils were made of. The new induction stoves actually use the food container AS the tape. Run a magnetic field through it and it heats up.
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Lowering the expected range doesn't mean anything--it automatically happens whether it pulls power or not. You need to check the energy use screen on the radio (HUD).
Do you have leafspy? Can you pull codes?
Bombastinator2
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…And if you don’t why not?
Sorry to hear of the fail - but if it's a 2012 such as mine, it's probably time to consider alternative-heating methods (if the rest of the car/traction-battery is sufficiently functional). You can search the threads here; my posts, and others', have details on using UPS's and inverters to power simple electric space heaters that do a fine job of warming the interior. There are diesel heaters as well, if you're more mechancially-inclined. ...'Best of luck.
because i could never get leafspy and dongles i bought to work. later i figured out just buying a generic elm327 is not good enough. will try to get new approved one and do
That is not very helpful when a person is trying to sort something out. There are reasons people don't have Leafspy, and some of them are quite good reasons. It doesn't make them a fool.
That said, some sort of tool that can scan for trouble codes on the Leaf would be helpful.
I have an android phone and used this:
https://bafxpro.com/pages/obdsetupvideos
Looks like amazon no longer sells them now, though. I can verify this works, though!
Bombastinator2
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Such as? I can’t think of one myself. I wish I knew about it before I even bought my leaf. It would have helped in negotiation and saved triple its cost right there. can’t even make heads or tails of most of it, but it appears to have a lot of functionality. I didn’t even imply that they were a fool. Speaking as one though there are reasons such as the one he mentioned and “I didn’t know about it” which was mine. Both seem reasonable. This seems to be impelled by this nonexistent accusation of Fooldom. I suppose I can see how you got there but it was not my intention. It was an honest question.
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