First Capacity Bar Loss And What To Expect

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Leafabout

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
46
Location
North Carolina
Recently, I noticed the loss of one of my capacity bars. Instead of twelve bars I now only have eleven. It's downright depressing. Like the loss of a pet puppy. My Leaf is a 2013 with about 25,000 miles on it. I can't remember the last time I allowed it to have full 100% charge. I read that it was bad to let the car indulge in too many 100% charges so I guess my thinking was it would be better if the car didn't have any 100% charges. Instead, I let it sample 80% charges here and there. Anyhow, I wonder what I can expect as a result in this one capacity bar loss?
 
Add your location to your profile, and you will get responses that better match your environment.

The main thing to expect, is lower total range on a charge.

Charging to 100% is not a bad thing. It actually needs to be done on a regular basis to balance the cells in the battery. Letting the battery sit at 100% for extended periods, especially in hot weather, is what is bad for the battery.
 
There's not anything to expect today compared to yesterday. The degradation is gradual and you won't notice a day to day difference. You may start noticing it month to month though.
 
LeafMuranoDriver said:
There's not anything to expect today compared to yesterday. The degradation is gradual and you won't notice a day to day difference. You may start noticing it month to month though.

+1 though I'd say you are more likely to notice year to year.

Seasonal changes will mask the loss part of the year, exaggerate it part of the year, and part of the time will be neutral.
 
Appreciate the comments. Here is whats happened. It has been in the nineties here lately and not likely to change next week. I set the timer so the car could charge during or up to the coolest part of the day, about 6:30 this morning. I set it for 100% charge. I should say that I am the second owner. The previous owner took exceptional care of the car--it still had that 'new car smell' when I purchased it. The dealership here did one of those Battery Capacity Status reports and the car scored very high and good results on the various battery items. That was at about 22,000 miles. Well, anyhow, this morning I checked the range after charging to 100% and was happy to find it read ninety miles in the Eco mode and eight-five on the Normal Drive mode. That put my fears to rest. My routine route drive this morning showed normal electrical consumption. In the future, I think will charge up to 100% at least once a week. Again, thank you for enlightening me on this subject!
 
As an 11-month owner of a 2013 SV without quick charging, may I ask how frequently you used quick chargers? I recently crossed 40,000 miles and still have all 12 bars. I also live in the Philadelphia area, and have only recently seen the battery temperature reach 8 bars for the first time.
 
Leafabout said:
I read that it was bad to let the car indulge in too many 100% charges so I guess my thinking was it would be better if the car didn't have any 100% charges. Instead, I let it sample 80% charges here and there. Anyhow, I wonder what I can expect as a result in this one capacity bar loss?

While there are things you can do to minimize capacity degradation, ultimately it will happen, and your climate is a big factor in that. Identically-used Leafs in Seattle and Phoenix will NOT have identical battery capacities over time. It also appears you bought your car used; do you know where it was originally purchased/leased new?

3 years/25k miles to lose a bar is not out of line for a warmer area; check out my sig line for the details on my former Leaf. I'm in the LA area about 30 miles from the ocean, my Leaf was garaged at home and parked in a parking structure at work, was rarely charged above 80%, and never quick charged as my car didn't have the CHAdeMO port.
 
Just notice I lost 1 bar as well 54K mi S trim with QC option, in mild weathered San Francisco Bay Area. Charge to 80% at home (clipper Creek 4.8KWh L2), 100% at work (I get free charging at work, L2 Blink chargers 6.6KWh). Only L3 charge hand full of time. Lease the car September 2013, bought the car off in May took advantage of the $7500 lease buy off from Nissan.

Now thinking about getting a base model Model S as the price have lowered to barely tolerable point for me. I have the wifey CFO approval, it's getting the down payment and finance together. Of course, test drive both the Model S and X when I am ready to buy.

The Leaf is kind of gateway drug into EV. May keep the Leaf for my wife to drive around town running errands, she has a 2014 4-Runner Trail which I think should be saved for long trips and off roardng. Then the Leaf can go to my daughter when she's at driving age. I figure at that point the Leaf would be just enough range for her not to get into too much trouble.
 
I own a 2017 Leaf S, I saw my first bar drop within the first year of ownership at 18,875 miles. It was very depressing when I saw that, at that rate within 3 more years I wouldn't be able to take this car to work and back round trip on a full charge. My round trip to work and back is 75 miles.

Should i be concerned about the rapid battery capacity loss?

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201803.0122/v1
 
kindred said:
I own a 2017 Leaf S, I saw my first bar drop within the first year of ownership at 18,875 miles. It was very depressing when I saw that, at that rate within 3 more years I wouldn't be able to take this car to work and back round trip on a full charge. My round trip to work and back is 75 miles.

Should i be concerned about the rapid battery capacity loss?

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201803.0122/v1
Of course you should be concerned. Perhaps you are asking what you can do to slow degradation ?

1. Avoid leaving the car at 100% SOC. In general ,try to drive soon after charging
2. Avoid parking on hot black asphalt
3. Avoid parking in hot garages

When the car loses its 4rth capacity bar, take it to Nissan for warranty replacement.
 
kindred said:
I own a 2017 Leaf S, I saw my first bar drop within the first year of ownership at 18,875 miles. It was very depressing when I saw that, at that rate within 3 more years I wouldn't be able to take this car to work and back round trip on a full charge. My round trip to work and back is 75 miles.

Should i be concerned about the rapid battery capacity loss?

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201803.0122/v1

Are you aware of Nissan knows about the 30kwh battery degradation problem and recently, there is a battery software update to fix this issue?
 
Mine is at 13000 miles only and just seen my first bar loss and it’s cost me 20miles in range! A 2015 Nissan Leaf with low mileage and now I’m looking at a huge loss in range now 100% gives me 89miles in eco

If I go on a motorway that range drops to 45miles

I’m hoping the next range drop won’t be as bad, but if it is the car will become unusable and I’m still only half way paid for it!
 
Hi all, I just noticed that I've now lost my first battery bar - I agree that it feels like losing a friend or something... I didn't realize that the battery bar loss would come from the main gauge of the readout (nearest the battery fuel symbol). I thought that it would be the blue/white bars that would show the loss.


I have just under 50k miles on my 2015 SL. Seemingly, from just this post alone it seems I am long overdue for a battery bar loss. I've been charging the car daily to 100 % since I purchased it 2/2019. I read somewhere that an occasional fast charge might do the pack some good. Anyone have anymore info on this?

Thanks,

Mark
 
I read somewhere that an occasional fast charge might do the pack some good. Anyone have anymore info on this?

Only if you drive and charge the car very gently. It's like the old "Italian Tuneup," which consisted of running the engine hard to clear out carbon deposits: if you don't drive like an old lady with myopia, or charge with L-1 to 80% exclusively, you likely don't need it.
 
be236 said:
kindred said:
I own a 2017 Leaf S, I saw my first bar drop within the first year of ownership at 18,875 miles. It was very depressing when I saw that, at that rate within 3 more years I wouldn't be able to take this car to work and back round trip on a full charge. My round trip to work and back is 75 miles.

Should i be concerned about the rapid battery capacity loss?

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201803.0122/v1

Are you aware of Nissan knows about the 30kwh battery degradation problem and recently, there is a battery software update to fix this issue?

Information on 30kWh SW update to address phantom degradation

Dealer Documents on 30kWh Phantom Degradation
 
LeftieBiker said:
I read somewhere that an occasional fast charge might do the pack some good. Anyone have anymore info on this?

Only if you drive and charge the car very gently. It's like the old "Italian Tuneup," which consisted of running the engine hard to clear out carbon deposits: if you don't drive like an old lady with myopia, or charge with L-1 to 80% exclusively, you likely don't need it.

Thanks for the info. I've only quick charged the car three times since I've owned it. When I had a 2001 Honda Insight Hybrid there were some theories running around about something called a "pack whack." Totally different battery chemistry between vehicles, yet made me wonder if quick jolt might help.

Mark
 
OrientExpress said:
be236 said:
kindred said:
I own a 2017 Leaf S, I saw my first bar drop within the first year of ownership at 18,875 miles. It was very depressing when I saw that, at that rate within 3 more years I wouldn't be able to take this car to work and back round trip on a full charge. My round trip to work and back is 75 miles.

Should i be concerned about the rapid battery capacity loss?

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201803.0122/v1

Are you aware of Nissan knows about the 30kwh battery degradation problem and recently, there is a battery software update to fix this issue?

Information on 30kWh SW update to address phantom degradation

Dealer Documents on 30kWh Phantom Degradation

Thanks for the links - I followed them hoping for happiness, yet see it's the 20116/2017 models...

I skimmed an article some time ago about replacing the Leaf's 24kw battery with a higher/larger capacity battery (I believe it was happening in the U.K.) I'm hopeful that mod will make its way here once my current battery becomes unusable.

Mark
 
I know in our 2013, we didn’t really notice the range loss until that first bar vanished (almost exactly at 5 years), even though the loss at that point is really just symbolic.
 
Wow, everybody is jumping into this.

Truth is, each car is different. The batteries will deteriorate with time at different rates..

If someone is currently using their car to their full capacity (driving many miles and coming home with a low charge battery), then you may want to think about selling it now, because the Leaf is really not the car for you.

Tomorrow, the battery will deteriorate to the point you cannot make the trip you were able to make today.

Then you will be forced to sell it quickly.
 
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