Seattle frozen; Leaf not starting- help!

[awehrman]

Hey- Have had three different Leafs over last 10 years but never experienced this before. It's in the teens outside, the car has charge, but it won't start at all. We get the Red Warning triangle light and the warning code saying turn parking break on. Any ideas on what to do to get it running again? Can we try and heat an area of the car to get it going? Thanks!

 

[Drew21]

You most likely have a weak 12v battery, exacerbated by your cold temperatures.

 

[awehrman]

so is it okay to go ahead and try and jump it? or should we try and passively charge it and then start it? we tried to warm battery up but it didn't work. the battery was making a clicking noise all on its own randomly, but it stopped after i warmed it up. yet still isnt starting. the charging hatch won't open either. thanks. 2018, btw.

 

[cornbinder89]

I've run to town at lower temps than you are experiencing. So temp isn't the primary problem. Red triangle isn't a major malfunction, but something that shouldn't be before driving, like a seatbelt not fastened or a door open. Parking brake on will turn on the triangle in mine, as well as a brake warning light on the lower dash gauge.
1st thing I'd check is that the parking brake is fully released.

 

[Drew21]

The 12v controls all the ancillary actions and processes of the Leaf - stuff like opening the charging hatch, unlocking the doors, doing the background things that happen before the car "starts," etc.

You can try to jump it if you know what you're doing. If you have access to a trickle charger/battery maintainer and a bit of time, that might be a safer route. When we leave for a long trip in our ICE car I park the LEAF with the main battery around 50% charge and put a battery maintainer on the 12v and we've never had any problems, regardless of the temperature.

Or, if you know that the 12v is several years old (e.g., if your Leaf is 4-5 years old and you know the 12v is original) you can feel justified in purchasing and installing a new battery. If you go that route, purchase from a store that will check and charge the new battery for you, as the batteries in stock may not be fully charged either.

 

[Drew21]

"I've run to town at lower temps than you are experiencing. So temp isn't the primary problem."

You are correct that the LEAF can be started and driven in very low temperatures, provided you have a healthy 12v battery. There are many posts here about all manner of issues leading back to a weak 12v battery.

Having the parking brake on/off doesn't keep the LEAF from starting, nor does having your seatbelt buckled/unbuckled or the door open/closed. If you squint your left eye while sticking your tongue out, however, the LEAF will definitely not start on a Tuesday.

 

[cornbinder89]

I know, but some have different definitions to what "starting" and electric is. for some it is getting the <-> for others it is moving the car., and yet others if all the dash comes to life.

 

[awehrman]

The 12v controls all the ancillary actions and processes of the Leaf - stuff like opening the charging hatch, unlocking the doors, doing the background things that happen before the car "starts," etc.

You can try to jump it if you know what you're doing. If you have access to a trickle charger/battery maintainer and a bit of time, that might be a safer route. When we leave for a long trip in our ICE car I park the LEAF with the main battery around 50% charge and put a battery maintainer on the 12v and we've never had any problems, regardless of the temperature.

Or, if you know that the 12v is several years old (e.g., if your Leaf is 4-5 years old and you know the 12v is original) you can feel justified in purchasing and installing a new battery. If you go that route, purchase from a store that will check and charge the new battery for you, as the batteries in stock may not be fully charged either.

right on. our battery is from 2018 so it is likely weak. thanks for the advice.

 

[Bobjenkins]

Hey- Have had three different Leafs over last 10 years but never experienced this before. It's in the teens outside, the car has charge, but it won't start at all. We get the Red Warning triangle light and the warning code saying turn parking break on. Any ideas on what to do to get it running again? Can we try and heat an area of the car to get it going? Thanks!

I had something similar . Towed to dealer . 12 v battery replacement required . I was surprised as only 4 years old .

 

[bruceha2000]

12V battery life in EVs or ICE vehicles depends somewhat on where you live. Very cold and very hot ambient temps are not friendly to batteries. What may work fine in 50-70F temps may fail at low or high temps. And it will fail in fewer years than if it lives in a moderate climate. All of us have likely seen this in our ICE vehicles. First cold day and it won't start, worked fine "yesterday". Might even work fine in the afternoon when the sun is up and temp rises.

Of course in an EV or a car like the Prius, where the engine is started through the transmission by the electric motor powered by the big battery, we don't get the tell tale sound of the starter motor running then slowly dying as whatever charge the 12V has is drained. At least in older Prius cars, the "hint" is an error on the main display saying to put the car in park on level ground before opening the door ... when the door is closed and the car is in Park. I've seen it many time with all the Prius cars the family has owned since my first one in 2004.

My wife's Leaf was almost undrivable on a -20F morning last year. But the battery temp bar went up just enough while warming the car for the trip to work.

 

[cornbinder89]

Gp 51 is the same I have in my Saab and Kubota tractor, The Kubota one is what was in it when I bought it, at least 5 years ago, may be more.