The Battery Replacement Thread

[mwalsh]

Again, the pipeline parts for the 2011/2012 are manufactured in Japan, with an apparent limited supply warehoused in the US. It makes absolutely no sense to keep shipping them from Japan, where the same unit is still installed in ALL new LEAFs, when the design has been found to be deficient for our environment. I agree they'd like use the ones warehoused here, but it makes no sense not to use the 2015 packs once that limited supply is exhausted.

 

[Pipcecil]

update for my car - unfortunately I did not get it yesterday

a check engine code came up after they had installed he pack and charged it. The service manager said it was an odd code they haven't seen before and were checking it out. He said he would call later yesterday evening or today when they figured it out and the car was ready. So who knows what's going on with my car now.

 

[TimLee]

Again, the pipeline parts for the 2011/2012 are manufactured in Japan, with an apparent limited supply warehoused in the US. It makes absolutely no sense to keep shipping them from Japan, where the same unit is still installed in ALL new LEAFs, when the design has been found to be deficient for our environment. I agree they'd like use the ones warehoused here, but it makes no sense not to use the 2015 packs once that limited supply is exhausted.

Are you certain that the 2011 / 2012 design pack has continued to be used in Japan produced 2013 / 2014 / and possibly 2015 model year LEAFs?
That basically all the Japan production has continued to be 2011 / 2012 LEAF design?

I guess that is possible, as the thread on the Mexico LEAF introduction said it was the old LEAF design.

That seems like a strange choice.
Particularly to introduce the LEAF to hot Mexico with the old battery?
Wouldn't it be better practice to wait and begin Mexico LEAF sales with the 2015 LEAF with the new heat resistant chemistry that are produced in TN with lower shipping cost, than to ship from Japan a design that is incorrect for hot Mexico?

 

[mwalsh]

Are you certain that the 2011 / 2012 design pack has continued to be used in Japan produced 2013 / 2014 / and possibly 2015 model year LEAFs?
That basically all the Japan production has continued to be 2011 / 2012 LEAF design?

Yes, to question one. No, to question two. There is a picture on this page which shows '11/'12 battery cell can, but alongside the '13 inverter/motor design:

http://ev.nissan.co.jp/LEAF/PERFORMANCE/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Sadly, I don't read Japanese, and we don't seem to get much English interaction with folks who are LEAF owners there, but from what I can surmise by browsing the site my assertions are correct.

 

[myleaf]

Are you certain that the 2011 / 2012 design pack has continued to be used in Japan produced 2013 / 2014 / and possibly 2015 model year LEAFs?
That basically all the Japan production has continued to be 2011 / 2012 LEAF design?

Yes, to question one. No, to question two. There is a picture on this page which shows '11/'12 battery cell can, but alongside the '13 inverter/motor design:

http://ev.nissan.co.jp/LEAF/PERFORMANCE/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Sadly, I don't read Japanese, and we don't seem to get much English interaction with folks who are LEAF owners there, but from what I can surmise by browsing the site my assertions are correct.

I read a little Japanese, but I used google translate to pick out the following info:

It seems that the capacity warranty is also available in Japan:

We started the guaranteed capacity for running lithium-ion battery of the Nissan Leaf. Leaf having you get on already it will be covered by the warranty, please get on the Nissan Leaf with confidence in the future.

[Warranty]
In normal use conditions, at whichever of up to 100 000 km mileage or five years from the new car registration (if it became = 8 segments) when the lithium-ion battery capacity meter meter fell below 9 segment I will be repaired at no cost to. It should be noted that the use of the following conditions will be included in the range of normal.
It is heavily used rapid charge, and I have you used only fast charge
I have done charging and powered by LEAF to Home.

Warranty: whichever of 100,000 km mileage or five years from new car registration.
application vehicle: I will apply to all vehicles, including the leaf of the sold.

 

[DaveEV]

Are you certain that the 2011 / 2012 design pack has continued to be used in Japan produced 2013 / 2014 / and possibly 2015 model year LEAFs?
That basically all the Japan production has continued to be 2011 / 2012 LEAF design?

Yes, to question one. No, to question two. There is a picture on this page which shows '11/'12 battery cell can, but alongside the '13 inverter/motor design:

http://ev.nissan.co.jp/LEAF/PERFORMANCE/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't trust that picture, as the 2013 Japanese LEAF announcment in Japan highlight the changes in the module can.

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2012/_STORY/121120-01-e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Weight reduced by about 80kg compared to previous model. Achieved by combined powertrain unit, integrated functions, streamlined battery module and case structure, and use of lighter parts

Still, I'm not surprised they're have to import the '11-12 batteries from Japan, the tooling for that pack is still there and probably cheaper to ship the packs over than to add a production line to Smyrna just for a few hundred replacement batteries, especially when the long term plan was to make the newer packs fit into all LEAFs.

 

[Pipcecil]

alright, I got my leaf back yesterday afternoon! Super happy! Engine code error was just software needed to be installed with the battery pack.

Battery pack reads at:

AHr = 64.25
SOH = 97%
Hx = 95.45%
21.1 kWh available at full charge with 272 GIDs
Range (with my driving style - i.e. lots of freeways) should be about 80 miles until just above turtle

I haven't seen numbers like this for a LONG time. When I hopped in my car this morning, the GOM read 105 miles - I think I just about cried. I would only get in the upper 50's or low 60's previously. Oh man....I am so happy. Work commute at the end, would take 7 fuel bars, now it takes 4 - awesome.

We shall see how this pack performs. My first bar went @ the one year mark, so 15% in a year, followed by 6.25% every year after. I feel like I have a new leaf!

 

[mkjayakumar]

I am hoping you would see 284 in a charge or two. Or maybe the BMS would restrict it to low 70s due to hot temps we have now.

 

[jhm614]

alright, I got my leaf back yesterday afternoon! Super happy! Engine code error was just software needed to be installed with the battery pack.

'Grats! Glad you have range back!

 

[Pipcecil]

Just an update on my battery - its been 8 days since replacement and every day has seen an increase in capacity with ambient temperatures here in DFW remaining the same. New numbers today are:

AHr = 64.98, SOH = 99%, Hx = 97.91%

I am keeping track each day to make sure I catch the peak value before it starts it's inevitable decline. I haven't been able to get a good GID value since I either precool the car from home (it will start between 90-92% capacity on Leaf spy) or even not, it still only tops at 93% (guessing to prevent heat damage?). I expect the full 95%+ is around 277ish GIDs extrapolating up. (92% capacity gives me 271-272 GIDs)

 

[TomT]

That is not unusual. The BMS takes a while to stabilize. You should have consistent (and more accurate) readings in about a month.

Just an update on my battery - its been 8 days since replacement and every day has seen an increase in capacity with ambient temperatures here in DFW remaining the same.

 

[mkjayakumar]

You should be seeing 284 GIDs on a full charge now in a new battery. I still see 281 Gids with Ahr 64.98 after 9k miles and 6 months on my 2014 SV.

 

[myleaf]

You should be seeing 284 GIDs on a full charge now in a new battery. I still see 281 Gids with Ahr 64.98 after 9k miles and 6 months on my 2014 SV.

The 2014 batteries maybe have better performance than the 2011 batteries used for warranty replacement.

 

[khlam]

i lost 4th bar a few weeks ago and called Fontana Nissan to schedule the battery capacity test for the past Saturday. but sadly at about 1pm the service advisor told me techline close on Saturday. why did the service dept take the appointment and why did it take until 1pm to realize techline close on Saturday when the leaf was in by 8am? anyone experience this?

also, the service advisor has not contacted me the last two days for status. yesterday I was able to hunt him down but not today. it seems like he's avoiding me as he can't even give me info on when the battery will come in and the only thing he told me is that the battery has been ordered. is it possible to order a battery without an eta? is the issue with Nissan? so basically my car is at Fontana Nissan because the service advisor said they needed it and now i'm stuck without a car. I did call Nissan and they were willing to get me two days rental. any suggestion or experience from others with this?

btw, I've called Nissan and they cannot give me eta on new battery as well. does anyone know how I get an answer? i'm getting tired of calling Nissan and the dealership constantly to just get an update. is this the typical communication for 4th bar loss issue?

please give me some advice.... i'm very disappointed with this whole experience.

 

[DaveInAvl]

please give me some advice.... i'm very disappointed with this whole experience.

I've been without my LEAF for more than three weeks waiting on warranty repair so I have some idea how you feel

If the dealer is willing to let you use the free rental until whenever the battery is replaced, that may be as good an outcome as you can get. One of the tendencies I have, which I understand is shared by a good many other people, is to want what I want when I want it, and to become quite upset when something interferes with this. Sometimes things take more time than anyone involved wants them to, and patience is something I have to work on regularly.

When I dropped my LEAF off for warranty work the dealer did not offer me a free rental. I didn't realize until two weeks later that Nissan's policy of doing this was right in the Warranty Information Booklet (page 36). So I've only had the replacement car for the last week-plus. My guess is that the service adviser didn't know about the policy. I'll be talking to the dealer about the adviser costing me two weeks' use of my backup ICE car, but if I try to make a Federal case out of it I'll be more upset than if I just let it go.

Sounds like you'll be coming out of this with a new battery, and if it was me I'd be much happier about that than I would be upset that it was taking a while...

 

[Pipcecil]

Battery took about a week to come in. There may be issues with supply (maybe they are running low on the 2011/2012 batteries?)

Also my car finally seemed to reach its peak capacity (it started going down today) - Max reading was yesterday (so 2 weeks after replacement and ~800 miles):

AHr = 65.92
SOH = 100%
Hx = 101.43%

Oddly, I never saw GIDs above 272 and ~93% charge (from leaf spy). I precool in the morning and usually never get a "full" reading but sometimes I don't and I never seem to get above 93% or 272 GIDs. But I am not too worried about that since they are temperature dependent plus other factors.

 

[mkjayakumar]

What do you mean my precool ? are you running your AC through carwings to cool your cabin ?

Would that be the reason for the Gids to drop from 284 to 272 before you get in ?

 

[Pipcecil]

yea, I am turning on the ac before I leave via carwings, but the car is still plugged in, so the drain isn't as much. Regardless even if I test the car without turning the AC on and jump in, I haven't ever seen above 272 GIDs - the same amount when I get the new battery at 97% capacity (which it rose since then). In addition, the car doesn't seem to want to charge above 93% (from leaf spy). I would usually get 95% before (minus a few times I wouldn't), but I haven't seen 95% since I got the new battery almost 3 weeks ago. would 2% account for 10 GIDs? I never really relied on GIDs since I didn't get my leaf spy until earlier this year. Despite all this, leaf spy does account that I have 21 kWh available (sometimes its 21.1) if I don't precool the car. That should be the max capacity accounting for the reserves. I don't know why the GID counts are as low as they are, but all other evidence is pointing to a brand new full capacity battery.

 

[Nubo]

yea, I am turning on the ac before I leave via carwings, but the car is still plugged in, so the drain isn't as much. Regardless even if I test the car without turning the AC on and jump in, I haven't ever seen above 272 GIDs - the same amount when I get the new battery at 97% capacity (which it rose since then). In addition, the car doesn't seem to want to charge above 93% (from leaf spy). I would usually get 95% before (minus a few times I wouldn't), but I haven't seen 95% since I got the new battery almost 3 weeks ago. would 2% account for 10 GIDs? I never really relied on GIDs since I didn't get my leaf spy until earlier this year. Despite all this, leaf spy does account that I have 21 kWh available (sometimes its 21.1) if I don't precool the car. That should be the max capacity accounting for the reserves. I don't know why the GID counts are as low as they are, but all other evidence is pointing to a brand new full capacity battery.

Maybe one with a bit of calendar/storage time on it, or maybe a unit that didn't quite meet the cut for production-line? But within a few percent so it seems like they're trying to make the car "whole" instead of getting it just barely above 9 bars as some were fearing. Congrats on the fix.

 

[mirko]

Here's a current pic from my LeafDD. How soon can I expect to lose that 4th bar? I have a 63.5 mile round trip commute and 61.5 of it is highway. I'm amazed that I can still make it.