What's the thing you hate most about your Leaf?

[siai]

I still am disappointed with the range of the LEAF. I have a I-MiEV along with the LEAF and they are only a few miles apart in range. I test drove a Tesla model S the other day and was happy to find an option to turn off the "creep" of the vehicle if you desire. Anybody who thinks that "creep" helps in directional cueing must have never driven a manual transmission vehicle. I suppose the government people can come up with an answer for anything that fits their agenda.

 

[JPWhite]

I still am disappointed with the range of the LEAF. I have a I-MiEV along with the LEAF and they are only a few miles apart in range. I test drove a Tesla model S the other day and was happy to find an option to turn off the "creep" of the vehicle if you desire. Anybody who thinks that "creep" helps in directional cueing must have never driven a manual transmission vehicle. I suppose the government people can come up with an answer for anything that fits their agenda.

I also think the creep is unnecessary and wish I could disable it. When I took my first LEAF test drive it surprised me that the vehicle creeped, there is no technical reason why it should do so. I remember driving an early development of the CVT in Daf vehicles in the UK. No creep. I agree directional cueing is a weak reason to have creep. The creep is there with traditional auto gearboxes because of the way they're built, it wasn't part of the design/safety criteria.

 

[DNAinaGoodWay]

Hate? Too strong a word.

But:

No green? Still? Or, wild mix of fall foliage. Ah!

No programmable pedestrian warning sound? Still can't add that Jetson's sound.

My bicycle has a louder horn.

Has battery warmers built in, but can't use them to keep pack at reasonable temp while plugged in during extreme cold.

Can't keep the 12 V topped up when plugged in?

2G navi?

Nissan can't contract with Tesla for SC access or PlugShare and Google for the nav screens?

Every dealer can't be made to have QC 24/7?

Can't just put out QC banks like Tesla? After what they've invested?

Not even announcing exactly where QCs are/will be, so some folks pay for an unused QC port, and some skip it, figuring no QC will show in their lease period, only to find that 10 just got put in they could've used?

No green? Still?

 

[Rat]

As others have said, there's nothing I hate. I think the range is fine and the horn is... not great, but tolerable. My big complaint is that there is no practical way to recharge the battery out in public, either QC or level 2. I paid thousands extra to get QC capability and it just isn't there. The QC stations are still too few and too unreliable. The Level 2's might work for those whose employers provide them, but for someone like me who has no occasion to leave the Leaf somewhere to charge, they're way too slow. If I need to drive farther than 70 miles I just have to take the ICE car, period. Fortunately, it's rare I need to go that kind of distance, and my wife has no problem trading cars when I do. She prefers driving the Leaf.

 

[kikbuti]

The one thing that I dislike the most about my Leaf is running out of juice and getting stranded. You can't get a can of gas and refuel. You have to be towed or pushed to somewhere to recharge the battery.

In cold climates, we are more likely to face this situation. Battery capacity is lower in the cold. The heating system reduces your range. You can easily get stuck in traffic for hours. It's pretty scary. My wife had to push me home a few blocks once. I will have to pay to get the rear bumper cover resprayed.

On the other hand, I don't like having to drive the ICE Land Rover somewhere. It's a nice car, but I really like driving the Leaf.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...In cold climates, we are more likely to face this situation. Battery capacity is lower in the cold. The heating system reduces your range. You can easily get stuck in traffic for hours. It's pretty scary. My wife had to push me home a few blocks once. I will have to pay to get the rear bumper cover resprayed...

Wouldn't it have been better to just use a rope/strap and tow the LEAF with the provided tow hook?

I guess I'm a minority of one in that I like the creep. The reverse creep is perfect for backing out of my garage or a parking space in a lot where I am focused on scanning for pedestrians and would rather have my foot covering the brake pedal to stop instantly. So far as directional cuing is concerned, the manual transmission argument doesn't wash with me: all of my cars since 1973 — pre-LEAF — have been manual transmission and it is pretty much impossible to shift into reverse without knowing it because the reverse gear shift pattern is so different from the forward gears, for just that reason.

Nevertheless, I could live without the creep, it isn't that big of a deal, but I am baffled by the hate for it. Much as I don't get the hate for the horn, something I've never used on the LEAF or previous cars (as I've said before, it is considered rude to use a horn in the places I've lived; must be a cultural thing).

 

[TomT]

I don't get this one. Is it considered less rude to simply crash in to someone because they started to pull out in front of you and did not see you?

Much as I don't get the hate for the horn, something I've never used on the LEAF or previous cars (as I've said before, it is considered rude to use a horn in the places I've lived; must be a cultural thing).

 

[dgpcolorado]

I don't get this one. Is it considered less rude to simply crash in to someone because they started to pull out in front of you and did not see you?

I generally try to take evasive action rather than think about the horn. For example, I've had oncoming cars botch a pass (at 60+ mph, 120+ mph closing speed) and I've been forced to move over to the shoulder to give them space; no multilane divided highways here. I'm more focused on avoiding a collision than trying to honk the horn, which would be utterly useless anyway. Such situations are very rare, however. The most common collision danger here is deer on the highway. Again, honking the horn is useless. If pedestrians cross in the middle of the block I wait for them to do so, I would never honk at them. What's the point? Road rage? In the case of someone moving over into my lane from an adjacent lane I brake to avoid a collision (and try to avoid blind spots where practical). What do you do? Honk and hope they react in time?

One day, about sixteen years ago, I was in a left turn lane in Boulder. The light turned red and the car ahead in the intersection completed the left turn on red, as is allowed. I hadn't entered the intersection yet so I waited for the next light cycle. To my amazement the car behind me leaned on the horn because I didn't run the red light! Turned out that obnoxious car had a New York plate. Figures. I remember it vividly because it was so unusual in mellow Boulder.

 

[Nubo]

I guess I'm a minority of one in that I like the creep. The reverse creep is perfect for backing out of my garage or a parking space in a lot where I am focused on scanning for pedestrians and would rather have my foot covering the brake pedal to stop instantly. So far as directional cuing is concerned, the manual transmission argument doesn't wash with me: all of my cars since 1973 — pre-LEAF — have been manual transmission and it is pretty much impossible to shift into reverse without knowing it because the reverse gear shift pattern is so different from the forward gears, for just that reason.

Nevertheless, I could live without the creep, it isn't that big of a deal, but I am baffled by the hate for it. Much as I don't get the hate for the horn, something I've never used on the LEAF or previous cars (as I've said before, it is considered rude to use a horn in the places I've lived; must be a cultural thing).

+1 on Creep. I drove manual since 1978 until getting the LEAF. Before getting the car I was in the "creep is stupid" camp. But once I got the car I quickly got used to it and actually like it. It isn't necessary for electric drive. But It's useful. For the "covering the brake" you mentioned and I also find it much more convenient in stop and go traffic. Neutral is there if I want neutral. After 2 years I have shifted into neutral maybe twice and the first time was just to see how it worked.

As far as the horn I don't make a habit of it but there are times when it's necessary or at least helpful to get someone's attention and defuse a potentially dangerous situation. Avoidance of problems is great. It's even better when both vehicles are aware of the problem. Thus, I did the horn upgrade.

 

[JPWhite]

I don't get this one. Is it considered less rude to simply crash in to someone because they started to pull out in front of you and did not see you?

I generally try to take evasive action rather than think about the horn. For example, I've had oncoming cars botch a pass (at 60+ mph, 120+ mph closing speed) and I've been forced to move over to the shoulder to give them space; no multilane divided highways here. I'm more focused on avoiding a collision than trying to honk the horn, which would be utterly useless anyway. Such situations are very rare, however. The most common collision danger here is deer on the highway. Again, honking the horn is useless. If pedestrians cross in the middle of the block I wait for them to do so, I would never honk at them. What's the point? Road rage? In the case of someone moving over into my lane from an adjacent lane I brake to avoid a collision (and try to avoid blind spots where practical). What do you do? Honk and hope they react in time?

One day, about sixteen years ago, I was in a left turn lane in Boulder. The light turned red and the car ahead in the intersection completed the left turn on red, as is allowed. I hadn't entered the intersection yet so I waited for the next light cycle. To my amazement the car behind me leaned on the horn because I didn't run the red light! Turned out that obnoxious car had a New York plate. Figures. I remember it vividly because it was so unusual in mellow Boulder.

The purpose of the horn isn't to express anger (though that is how it tends to be used) but to alert someone/something else of your presence. If the guy/gal up front is too busy talking/texting to notice the light change, a pip on the horn is normally well received. With modern roads the need for the horn is less frequent, but used to be customary when rounding a blind corner or entering a winding/narrow road. Horns can also be used to open the door at select Nissan dealers A louder less wimpy horn would be useful as far as I am concerned.

 

[GIBBER]

All the geeky girls in my town want me to give them a ride in it!

I thought this asked what you hated about your LEAF?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Anybody who thinks that "creep" helps in directional cueing must have never driven a manual transmission vehicle. I suppose the government people can come up with an answer for anything that fits their agenda.

Paranoid much? Most people are used to driving automatics with "creep" and thus want it in a non-standard-shift car. I drove manual for many years, and, like many others here, still appreciate not having to heel & toe just to inch ahead or hold a hill briefly. I'd love an EV that let you drive it as an automatic *or* as a standard...

As for horns, people who just desperately but quietly evade distracted drivers are enabling their further lack of attention to driving. Angry blaats can be counterproductive, but letting the person eating breakfast while talking on the phone and, oh yeah, driving, too, carry on with that is just swapping a non-lethal wake-up honk now for a possible highway fatality in the future. I do, however, think my horn is loud enough for that.

 

[TomT]

Drive a Tesla then... You can turn it on or off. The latest software rev even lets you select it separately for forward and reverse...

I'd love an EV that let you drive it as an automatic *or* as a standard...

 

[GIBBER]

I'd love an EV that let you drive it as an automatic *or* as a standard...

As for horns, people who just desperately but quietly evade distracted drivers are enabling their further lack of attention to driving.

+1

 

[johnrhansen]

you can't teach these people. If they were trainable with these simple methods, they would have learned already. The only way they will learn is by the cops issuing them tickets with draconian fines, impounding their car, or revoking their license (preferred)

 

[LeftieBiker]

you can't teach these people. If they were trainable with these simple methods, they would have learned already. The only way they will learn is by the cops issuing them tickets with draconian fines, impounding their car, or revoking their license (preferred)

Some learn, some don't. I've 'tooted' at people changing lanes abruptly, with no signal, then seen them start to signal after that. We have no way of knowing which ones are 'trainable' but doing nothing is guaranteed to do nothing.

 

[johnrhansen]

Kind of like catching your cat up on the counter eating the butter you forgot to put away. You can yell at it, and even swat it one if you feel so inclined and rest assured he will not jump on the counter again. That is until you leave the room. The only way to keep the cat out of the butter is to put the butter away, or get rid of the cat.

you can't teach these people. If they were trainable with these simple methods, they would have learned already. The only way they will learn is by the cops issuing them tickets with draconian fines, impounding their car, or revoking their license (preferred)

Some learn, some don't. I've 'tooted' at people changing lanes abruptly, with no signal, then seen them start to signal after that. We have no way of knowing which ones are 'trainable' but doing nothing is guaranteed to do nothing.

 

[tomkludy]

Hate:

• FAST battery degradation. My car is less than 2 years old, and has lost 2 bars already. (South Florida) I believed Nissan when they said the battery was good for 8 years, boy did they lie!
• Range too low. I figured my 55 mile commute (total) would be perfectly fine even with EPA 75 mile rating. I didn't count on: recommend to charge to 80%, should not use/anxiety to use bottom 10% of charge, and 20% capacity loss.. I am at "real world" 40 mile range on 80%, and have been forced to switch to 100% charge, which is just enough. By the time I lose the third bar I will be draining the battery completely from 100% every day I drive.
• No battery replacement price. I bought the car, but have no way to make it function long term without signing a never-ending lease. Given the battery degradation rate, I am likely to get a battery replacement under warranty but still need yet another new battery again shortly after the 5 year mark.
• Lost a huge amount of $$ on purchasing rather than leasing. Of course this only "counts" when I actually sell the car.
• "OK". I loath that button press every time I start the car.
• Only 300 phone numbers can be imported from my phone. That barely reaches "K" in my phonebook.
• Wimpy horn. Minor issue, but embarrassing.
• Terrible heater (2012). Useful only ~2 weeks of the year where I live, but it would be nice not to have to ride in the cold - something I expect of even the cheapest econobox.
• Cheap/thin paint. I have several dings and scratches from parking in the garage (kids' bikes etc). The car parked next to it receives even more abuse but does not show it.
• Bad tires. 23000 miles and already need a new set.
• Utterly useless GPS. I don't even bother with it anymore, I just use my phone.
• Nissan ended the deal where you could rent a car for longer trips. I thought that was good for the first three years of the car, but when I finally had a need for it, they told me it was a limited promotion and had expired.
• Styling. I don't hate it, but I can't get completely used to it either.

Love:

• Smooth, quiet ride.
• Fun to drive at lower speeds (good low-end acceleration).
• Great space inside. Especially the trunk area.
• First car I've had in which Bluetooth "just works" how I would expect. And with the quiet ride I can use my phone hands-free at highway speeds.
• Environmentally much better than gas.
• Extremely cheap to run. I don't even think about cost-to-drive; my old car would be several bucks to go anywhere.
• Charge at home; never have to stop to fill up when I'm in a hurry.
• No oil changes.
• Generates a lot of interest from strangers. I like that.

Though it might not sound like it, I still, on balance, like my Leaf. But I definitely will not buy another EV. I will lease the next one so that I can drop the degraded battery back into the car company's lap at lease end. Even still I will think hard about leasing with Nissan, who haven't demonstrated good will toward their customers.

 

[EddyKilowatt]

I don't hate anything about it, but there are a bunch of minor annoyances like not being able to use Recirc and Defrost at the same time, already pointed out in this thread, that bug me too. Purely because they are "unforced" errors, strictly the result of bad design decisions rather than forced upon the designers by the limitations of technology.

My major annoyance is the brakes which are grabby, nonlinear, and almost impossible to feather to a smooth stop. I would strongly prefer the brake pedal to be just the hydraulic brakes, and the accelerator pedal to handle both acceleration and regen braking.

Eddy

 

[flarend]

It seems petty, but the glove box and storage compartments, places, and cup holders in general. Considering that they had an engineer or two (or more) whose sole purpose was to get those things right, it would seem they would have learned something from the Prius which IMO is one of the best cars EVER in terms of storage compartments.

I mean really, the Leaf glove box is horrible.

Richard