The battery replacement/buyback thread.

[likewut]

I bought my Leaf in early May. Dropped to 8 bars in late May and took it to the dealer. The dealer said Nissan CA would get back to me, they never did so I finally reached out to them a week or two ago. Of course the dealer never submitted my claim to Nissan at all, because dealers going to dealer. My arbiter wants the following from me:

A legible copy of the vehicle’s current registration
A copy of the vehicle’s title application
A copy of the original purchase agreement
A copy of the lienholder information release (enclosed)
A copy of the payment history of the lien
A 10-day payoff from your lienholder
Color pictures of all 4 sides of the vehicle and 4 pictures of the interior

Has anyone just refused to send it? I feel like that's a lot of private stuff they shouldn't need, even though the prices have gone down since I bought.

 

[SpaceCadet]

Bought a used 2017 in February for $11,200 [...]
[...] I negotiated them up to 14,500 over the course of a day or two and accepted the buyback.

Wow... congrats. You got more than you paid for the car...

So, I'm sure you paid tax/tag/title above and beyond the purchase price, is that how you got up to the $14,500? Or were there other factors to account for the increased payout?

The other factor was that I wanted more money.

$11,200 was out-the-door price, which I furnished to Nissan. The (non-Nissan) dealer listed it for about $9,400 and I didn't get far negotiating with them. They could tell I wanted the car. They tacked on a couple hundred in BS used-car-salesman "extras" then taxes and title did the rest. Nissan took off the extras, subtracted fair use, and offered that to open.

I got to $14,500 by saying I wanted a lot more to make it a deal worth taking (I named a pretty high number), but that I would entertain other offers. I pointed out how much the vehicle would have cost them to buy back, had I purchased it at the MSRP. I noted some costs that I might incur which prohibited me from taking their initial offer.

 

[murrayc]

Hi, we have a 2017 Nissan Leaf that has fallen below 9 bars and got approval in November of 2022 for a battery replacement from Nissan. Called Nissan consumer in June and they said they were going to make a buy back offer. We provided them all the info that they requested. Any thoughts?

Here is their initial offer that came today. A first offer but... Ridiculous. All of the numbers are low. We have put about 18k into the car including the lease and buying it with the understanding that they would replace the battery. I think my reply will be that we want the battery replaced as per the warranty.

Cash Price $7,641.00
Document Processing charge $85.00
Sales Tax $733.97
E-registration charge $30.00
Titling Fee $15.00
Lease Payments/down payment $6,113.20
Interest Paid to Date $264.32
Total Purchase Price $14,882.49
Less Usage @ 59,999 miles $13,543.28
Lien Payoff $938.25
Total Deductions $14,481.53
Amount Due to Customer $400.96



Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) wishes to resolve this matter amicably. NNA has reviewed your
repurchase demand and determined that NNA must repurchase your 2017 NISSAN LEAF in
compliance with the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.
Under the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, you are entitled to the following:
1. Purchase Price. The actual price paid for the vehicle, including any charges for
transportation and manufacturer-installed options, but not including charges for nonmanufacturer
items installed by you or the dealer.
2. Collateral charges. Official fees associated with the sale of the vehicle, including
sales tax, license fees, and registration fees.
3. Incidental Damages. Reasonable expenses incident to the vehicle problem for which
NNA is repurchasing the vehicle, not including charges for which you are justly responsible.
Incidental damages include but are not limited to: (a) reasonable repair, towing and rental
car costs actually incurred by you; and (b) prepayment penalties, early termination charges
and earned finance charges, if actually paid, incurred, or to be incurred by you.
4. Lien amount (if any).
NNA is entitled to deduct a use charge. The amount that is charged for use is determined by
multiplying the actual price of the new vehicle by a fraction having as its denominator 120,000 and
as its numerator the number of miles traveled by the vehicle before it was first brought in for
correction of the battery concerns.
Based on the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act and the documents we have received, we
calculate the repurchase calculations as follows:
Amount
Cash Price $7,641.00
Document Processing charge $85.00
Sales Tax $733.97
E-registration charge $30.00
Titling Fee $15.00
Lease Payments/down payment $6,113.20
Interest Paid to Date $264.32
Total Purchase Price $14,882.49
Less Usage @ 59,999 miles $13,543.28
Lien Payoff $938.25
Total Deductions $14,481.53
Amount Due to Customer $400.96

 

[knightmb]

Hi, we have a 2017 Nissan Leaf that has fallen below 9 bars and got approval in November of 2022 for a battery replacement from Nissan. Called Nissan consumer in June and they said they were going to make a buy back offer. We provided them all the info that they requested. Any thoughts?

Here is their initial offer that came today. A first offer but... Ridiculous. All of the numbers are low. We have put about 18k into the car including the lease and buying it with the understanding that they would replace the battery. I think my reply will be that we want the battery replaced as per the warranty.

Cash Price $7,641.00
Document Processing charge $85.00
Sales Tax $733.97
E-registration charge $30.00
Titling Fee $15.00
Lease Payments/down payment $6,113.20
Interest Paid to Date $264.32
Total Purchase Price $14,882.49
Less Usage @ 59,999 miles $13,543.28
Lien Payoff $938.25
Total Deductions $14,481.53
Amount Due to Customer $400.96

Is that offer to pay you $400.96, just so I am understanding the offer?
If so, yeah, the new battery is worth +$7,500 or more, go with the battery instead.

 

[TeaHSD]

While I agree the $400 offer is really offensive, what if the battery never comes? Are you okay with that?

For $400 I think just keep waiting it out and hopefully your time in the battery shipment queue comes up.

 

[dean]

[...]
Less Usage @ 59,999 miles $13,543.28
Lien Payoff $938.25
Total Deductions $14,481.53
Amount Due to Customer $400.96

Are you getting charged for the entire mileage for the life of the car, not just from when you bought it?
Also, several posts here have indicated they got the mileage deduction significantly reduced or eliminated.

 

[MikeinPA]

Effectively, they are saying the car is worth $400, and the reality is that the car with a 9 bar battery would be worth much more than that, particularly to the owner. It is not like Nissan could not fix the battery or replace it--it is that they don't want to . But why should the car owner be penalized for Nissan's choice? I just don't get it.

 

[ebeighe]

My 2017 30kwh battery dropped to 8-bars a few weeks ago.
I have it into the dealership (Autonation Tempe) for its initial request for warranty or whatever.
The have had it now for 48 hours (and counting) and it is still "undergoing diagnosis".
the service advisor says it's a very involved process (the diagnosis). Is it? I would think it involves counting to 8, and maybe plugging into the obd. It's clear the service advisors (i talked to another guy, just casually) know next-to-nothing about Leaf batteries.
In any event.
She says i should expect it to take 2 weeks (no guarantees) because once they "diagnose" the problem, it takes nissan warranty people that long to respond; DURING WHICH TIME THE CAR MUST REMAIN AT THE DEALER.

Does any of that sound logical?

UPDATE: I got the car back today. So three days. I will never know if my complaining and nagging made it come back sooner -- the service advisor said i should expect at least 2 weeks! I opened a case with Nissan Consumer affairs.
She told me verbally that the warranty was accepted (or words to that effect), and the part is on order and of course we all know it will take, at best, a long long time.
The only piece of paper she gave me is a "battery check" (that thing we're supposed to do annually.
Passed with flying colors, for what it's worth.
I didn't get anything that looked like a receipt from a car dealer -- I would have expected a receipt for $0, and showing the part that was ordered ... or is that not usual for warranty repair/diagnosis?

Here's another tidbit -- i stopped by today to visit the car (to get stuff out that i need; i expected the car to be returned to me in < 1 day) and the service advisor, besides having no update from an actual tech, told me that there are recycled (or she might have said refurbished) packs, and when i told her i've heard of that but only as a rumor, she insisted they (the dealership, i guess) have done two of them in the past year or something.
More grist for the mill!!

 

[ebeighe]

Effectively, they are saying the car is worth $400, and the reality is ...

I agree its very very low- but as i understand the numbers, the lien payoff is money that @murrayc owes to somebody, so that's being paid off as well. $938

 

[murrayc]

And Nissan gets the car back. For 1300 dollars. The guarantee says a battery with at least 9 bars.

 

[MikeinPA]

I agree its very very low- but as i understand the numbers, the lien payoff is money that @murrayc owes to somebody, so that's being paid off as well. $938

I am corrected!

 

[RaleighEV]

And Nissan gets the car back. For 1300 dollars. The guarantee says a battery with at least 9 bars.

How much do you think is fair? You don’t need to tell us. I would email the AS and say you want to resolve this quickly and fairly. You need to give them a way to get to that number using Song Beverly rules. If completely waiving the usage gets you there, offer that. If you need more, talk about item 3 and come up with incidental expenses. I had to pay for gas for x months.

If they get close to $15k, I would take it. But it’s up to you. Good luck and I hope you get what you want. They are great cars. Getting a new battery would be wonderful.

 

[murrayc]

And Nissan gets the car back. For 1300 dollars. The guarantee says a battery with at least 9 bars.

How much do you think is fair? You don’t need to tell us. I would email the AS and say you want to resolve this quickly and fairly. You need to give them a way to get to that number using Song Beverly rules. If completely waiving the usage gets you there, offer that. If you need more, talk about item 3 and come up with incidental expenses. I had to pay for gas for x months.

If they get close to $15k, I would take it. But it’s up to you. Good luck and I hope you get what you want. They are great cars. Getting a new battery would be wonderful.

That's really good advice. That would absolutely be fair.

 

[thatlarryguy]

Our LEAF saga has finally concluded. We signed the repurchase agreement on 9/1. Last Friday (10/13) we met Morley at the dealership and received our check. It was an amicable meeting despite the loss of our favorite vehicle. The check has cleared and the loan was paid off today.

Their original offer included approximately $3600 in deductions for usage (2016 SV purchased used in 2019). I was able to negotiate the entire usage amount away by comparing the vehicle we would have had if they had replaced the battery as promised versus what we could possible purchase with the funds they were offering. We received the entire purchase price paid four years ago. Our only costs were the interest on the loan and what little maintenance we had performed over the years. Texas lemon laws are severely limited when it comes to used vehicles so we felt like we did the best we could under the circumstances.

We liked the LEAF better than any car we have ever owned in over fifty years of driving but I cannot bring myself to purchase another Nissan. The dealership always treated us more than fair but the warranty means nothing and that was the whole reason we were comfortable in taking the plunge into the EV world.

Now on to one of the worst experiences in life - shopping for a car.

 

[RaleighEV]

After waiting since April, I met with Morley today and got my check. I have so many mixed emotions that I don’t feel like typing it all and who would care? I will say I loved the car. If they didn’t let us/make us fry the battery…

In 2017 I bought the car that depreciated the most in the USA. But it turned out that I didn’t just drive for free, I made money 6.5 years later, counting everything, even the energy charge. $7500 fed rebate, $10,000 elect co incentive, big dealer incentive because gas was cheap and not many around here wanted a Leaf. The Leaf suited me perfectly. Like my old Saabs, practical, safe and funky/quirky, comfortable, economical but fun to drive.

I asked if I could buy it and they said it’s going to auction. I wonder how that works. The same car can’t qualify for a battery warrantee twice. So when buying a used Leaf, are some “as is”?

 

[ebeighe]

I asked if I could buy it and they said it’s going to auction. I wonder how that works. The same car can’t qualify for a battery warrantee twice. So when buying a used Leaf, are some “as is”?

Yeah, YEAH! that's what i wondered too!
Or, alternatively, why can't they just offer money to "buy out" the warrantee? ($12K perhaps?)

 

[ebeighe]

By the way, I started a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs a few weeks ago...
I get weekly updates, the first couple came by voicemail, now they come in email, emphasis in original

Currently, there is no change in the ETA for the battery ordered for your vehicle. Please know we
have escalated your part order to the highest level to get it expedited as quickly as possible.

 

[ebeighe]

By the way, I started a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs a few weeks ago... regarding a degraded 30kwh pack in my 2017 Leaf.
I get weekly updates, the first couple came by voicemail, now they come in email, emphasis in original

Currently, there is no change in the ETA for the battery ordered for your vehicle. Please know we
have escalated your part order to the highest level to get it expedited as quickly as possible.

Hey this is intriguing...
My Monday update from Nissan Consume Affairs (voicemail) today said the ETA for battery is now expected to arrive at dealer no later than Feb 24, 2024.

If true, that would be a lead time of < 5 months.

 

[adavidw]

Hey this is intriguing...
My Monday update from Nissan Consume Affairs (voicemail) today said the ETA for battery is now expected to arrive at dealer no later than Feb 24, 2024.

If true, that would be a lead time of < 5 months.

Just curious, how did you get them to provide these updates in the first place? I've called Nissan a bunch, varying my request each time, and I can never get anyone to talk to me about my battery replacement. The only thing they do is keep sending my case to the arbitration department for buyback (despite my previously having told them I don't want their insultingly low buyback offer).

And who is it actually contacting you? Which department? Is this someone national or regional?

 

[ebeighe]

And who is it actually contacting you? Which department? Is this someone national or regional?

It all started by accident. the car dropped its fourth bar so I took the car in to dealership on a Tuesday and the advisor said i would have to leave the car with them for ABOUT TWO WEEKS.(I was expecting more like a few hours!), and essentially blaming nissan corporate because according to her, they are very slow at approving replacements. This didn't make any sense to me so I did leave the car but that same day i called Nissan's 800 number and they opened "a case". I was mainly complaining that I wanted the car back sooner than later... but it evolved into a case about the battery replacement.
By the way, i took it on Tuesday @10A, on Friday at 11A they (the service advisor) called and said it was approved and ready.

Also by the way, I have a dashcam... sure enough, they didn't touch it until Friday morning at 730A... so the process of "diagnosing" and getting the warranty approved took less than 4 hours.
I'll never know if my having a "case" caused it to go quicker(?). Or maybe Nissan only approves battery replacements on Fridays, who knows?

It's really weird about how they are offering buybacks sometimes but not others... I would be curious to know what my buyback would be, if it came to that?? (I'm in AZ; do they prefer to offer bb's to some states versus others? original owner vs. purchased used vs. lease? I was original. Financing? I didn't finance. Model? i have an S)

Anyway, Here's an example email they sent me a couple of weeks ago. Emphasis in original

Case # xxx
VIN # xxx

Dear EDWARD BEIGHE,

Thank you for taking the time to contact Nissan and allowing us the opportunity to be of assistance.

Currently, there is no change in the ETA for the battery ordered for your vehicle. Please know we have escalated your part order to the highest level to get it expedited as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and we will continue to provide you with regular updates regarding this order.

Your case has been updated to document this information. Please feel free to reply to this email or contact me directly at (615) 725-7205 with any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Nissan

________________________
Katina
Consumer Affairs Representative
Nissan North America, Inc.