RegGuheert
Well-known member
Thanks for compiling this list, Chelsea! Here are a couple of additions/comments:evchels said:Hi all,
I've gone through the threads related to the battery warranty and town hall meeting, updated the list of questions, and pasted below (also sent to Nissan).
To me this is more than a "will not start" issue. There are two related issues:evchels said:7. The 12v battery goes dead if the car is stored for an extended period while plugged in; car won’t not start. Is this going to fixed in the future such that the 12v battery will be kept topped off while plugged in either on 2011/2012 models or going forward with 2013 model?
- Premature battery failure. Since the batteries are not maintained "topped off, they appear to be failing much more quickly than a typical automotive lead-acid battery should. In cool climates, I would expect a 7-year life from an automotive 12V battery. It seems like we may be getting less than three in the LEAF, some much less than three.
- Safety. There was one report that a LEAF experienced the brake pedal dropping to the floor while sitting on an incline and nearly running over some children. The problem was diagnosed by the dealer to be due to a bad 12V battery. Apparently communications on the CAN busses are unreliable below about 11V, leading to unpredictable behavior. If you combine this issue with poor battery management, there is a possibility of someone eventually getting hurt.
One question that I would like answered applies to LEAF owners like me (or prospective owners) who do not put many miles on their car each year, but would still like to drive it many miles before having to replace the battery. Unfortunately, most/all guidance for battery life seems to be focused around the 12,500 miles/year usage range. It gets very hard to know how many years are possible in a cool climate for a 5000 miles/year LEAF. Is there some guidance that Nissan can provide for potential low-mileage LEAF owners to help us have an idea what to expect? Is it possible to get 15 years to 30% degradation? 20? Or is 10 years the outside limit for the LEAF? Perhaps the electronics are expected to fail at 12 years or some such? Or perhaps Nissan simply does not know?evchels said:For larger advisory board: