Phoenix metro-area

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
16 year old girl who had her driver's license 2 weeks jumps out of the Safeway shopping center driveway on Chandler Blvd. and stops square in front of me!!! No room to make an evasive maneuver, just spike the brakes hard into ABS and hang on for the air bags to deploy. Thank God everyone is alright. My wife had some aches from the seat belt and abrasions from where her knees hit the glove box, but our safety features worked like they are supposed to. It could have been a fatal if it were an older car and we weren't wearing our seat belts.

The force of impact spun the Frontier pick-up truck around almost 180°. The girl was pretty shook up but she was OK. My new LEAF (my third one) was only 2 weeks old. I just had the glass tinted last week. Stuff happens. Thankfully everyone is OK.
 
pchilds said:
Now you can get an 2015. :D
That is my hope.

FYI, I went to the impound yard to get some of my stuff out of the car and found it could still go into ready mode, however with warning lights and turtle mode. I could also use Carwings to check the SOC. No fluid leaks. Amazing.
 
I went with AutoNation Nissan in Tempe, and had a pretty good experience. They appear to have only one Leaf-certified tech, so you may have to wait if he is booked. It's convenient, as they offer rides in the Chandler area. I was one of their first battery replacements, I'm sure they've done a few by now. Unfortunately, they don't do extras for service, such as a Car Wash or anything. Scott Shaffer is the service rep, I've gone there a few times now, and have been pleased with the service.
 
SRP is offering a $50 Amazon gift card to join their Electric Vehicle community

https://www.srpnet.com/electric/secure/EVsignup.aspx

Here's the blurb from their website:

Join the SRP electric vehicle (EV) community and receive a $50 Amazon gift card. SRP is plugging in with EV customers to better understand how you're using energy. This will help us analyze impacts and prepare our grid for the growth of EVs in SRP territory. Members can opt-in to future focus groups, surveys and more to help us develop EV programs—created just for you

I signed up for this, looks like it will be questionnaires and surveys...
 
I have a question for any PHOENIX area LEAF owners: has anyone had to replace their AUXILIARY battery yet? I've been asking forever how long will the auxiliary battery last in the Phoenix heat? I have yet to receive any valid replies.

My auxiliary battery in my non-electric (gas) vehicles typically last 2-3 years in our heat. What's the expectation for the LEAF auxiliary battery? My LEAF is currently at 42 months and counting.

Also, what is the advance notification, if any? Non-electric (gas) vehicles are typically hard starting for 2-4 times before failure.
 
Seems from other threads people experience brake problems when the battery is bad. (this was on new cars that had bum batteries, but I assume the same will apply...)

I've always leased so I never got past 36 months on a battery.

While it gets hot here, it's quite a bit hotter under an ICE hood. The leaf obviously isn't much more than ambient under there so I suspect it will help the longevity of the battery.
 
SilverLeaf said:
I have a question for any PHOENIX area LEAF owners: has anyone had to replace their AUXILIARY battery yet? I've been asking forever how long will the auxiliary battery last in the Phoenix heat? I have yet to receive any valid replies.

My auxiliary battery in my non-electric (gas) vehicles typically last 2-3 years in our heat. What's the expectation for the LEAF auxiliary battery? My LEAF is currently at 42 months and counting.

Also, what is the advance notification, if any? Non-electric (gas) vehicles are typically hard starting for 2-4 times before failure.

My 12V battery died just before 3 years. It was replaced under warranty - (just like it's big brother)

No warning, just one morning - Nothing would happen when I pushed the start button.

I jumped it and took it to the dealer.
 
JeremyW said:
In 2011 and 2012 leafs the original battery has caps where you could add distilled water. Might be a good idea in your guys' oven! :)

I have been doing this on my 2011 Leaf and my battery lasted just under 3 years.

From my experience most standard batteries last 2-3 years in AZ. My other cars have diehard platinum AGM batteries. These seem to last 4 years +
 
myleaf said:
JeremyW said:
In 2011 and 2012 leafs the original battery has caps where you could add distilled water. Might be a good idea in your guys' oven! :)

I have been doing this on my 2011 Leaf and my battery lasted just under 3 years.

From my experience most standard batteries last 2-3 years in AZ. My other cars have diehard platinum AGM batteries. These seem to last 4 years +

I filled my original Nissan 12-volt battery to the top level mark with distilled water soon after purchase in June 2011 (it was above minimum, but not full). The battery was virtually maintenance-free (did not lose liquid) until I killed it by deeply discharging it last fall. The lower under-hood temperature of the LEAF definitely helped the 12-volt battery to live without frequently adding water and I suspect it would have lasted much longer if I had not deeply discharged it. I inadvertently left the Elm Bluetooth interface plugged in to the OBDII port and my Kyocera Event running LEAF Spy Pro on the seat when I parked at my office for an out-of-town trip. The 12-volt battery was completely dead when I returned a few days later. I jumped it from my office vehicle and the battery was fully charged when I got home, but damage was done by the deep discharge and the battery failed about a month later.

Since I have also had much better service from premium AGM batteries in our climate, I replaced the Nissan battery with a deep-cycle (yellow top) Optima. The charging algorithm of the DC-DC converter is ideal for an AGM battery with low internal resistance like the Optima because it recharges quickly at 14 volts and then drops back to float at 13 volts to avoid overcharging.

Gerry
 
I have about 7300 miles on my 2013 Leaf. I just unplugged it and left for work this morning and see a capacity bar is gone. I started the lease in February 2014, so I've had the car for about 10 months. Is this normal for the Phoenix area? Do I have a shot at getting the battery replaced at my year check up and battery test in February 2015?
 
Vandals suck.


Found the level 3 and the level 2 chargers on Washington by the black actor theater were all smashed. Reported to blink. As a reward, I caught a rock in the windshield as I had to top off at a different station. :twisted:
 
DanCar said:
westcoastpirate said:
I have about 7300 miles on my 2013 Leaf. ...
What was the date of purchase? Do you know the date of manufacture?

Manufacture date 12/13, started lease 02/10/14, 1st capacity bar lost when I hit 7120 miles around 12/1/14. Any recommendations on how to handle with the dealer? I definitely think this is early. The vehicle is parked in covered parking at work as well as garaged at home.
 
SilverLeaf said:
I have a question for any PHOENIX area LEAF owners: has anyone had to replace their AUXILIARY battery yet? I've been asking forever how long will the auxiliary battery last in the Phoenix heat? I have yet to receive any valid replies.

My auxiliary battery in my non-electric (gas) vehicles typically last 2-3 years in our heat. What's the expectation for the LEAF auxiliary battery? My LEAF is currently at 42 months and counting.

Also, what is the advance notification, if any? Non-electric (gas) vehicles are typically hard starting for 2-4 times before failure.

I live south of Tucson, and at the 2 year mark, after about 10k miles, my dealer replaced my 12 Volt battery. I hadn't noticed anything, but it apparently showed signs during the annual checkup that it was ailing.
 
Original Japanese 12 volt since the car was made in 2011 no problems. I do add distilled water to the top full line every 4-5 months.
 
westcoastpirate said:
DanCar said:
westcoastpirate said:
I have about 7300 miles on my 2013 Leaf. ...
What was the date of purchase? Do you know the date of manufacture?

Manufacture date 12/13, started lease 02/10/14, 1st capacity bar lost when I hit 7120 miles around 12/1/14. Any recommendations on how to handle with the dealer? I definitely think this is early. The vehicle is parked in covered parking at work as well as garaged at home.

I don't have recommendations on how to handle with dealer, especially since the outfall of the finalization of Nissan's policies on this are that until it reaches 8 bars, technically we're out of luck. If you want to network a bit more and do a bit more background research, you may have already taken these actions, but just noting to you:

[edit: looking back, we both lost 1 bar after about 10 months. A difference is that your newer Leaf had a better chance of containing the Lizard battery which should have held up a bit better? I don't know at what point on the calendar Nissan has moved to put more durable batteries into the Arizona Leafs? Or have they? I think the Lizard battery-related announcement in this forum by Nissan was a few months after your lease started?]

- Maybe participate in Leaf Battery Survey.
http://www.pluginamerica.org/surveys/batteries/leaf/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I find this page instructive to browse:
http://www.pluginamerica.org/surveys/batteries/leaf/vehicles.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- possibly pick up some sort of state of charge battery meter (it fits under the dash in a port there). You can see on the survey that some drivers monitor for "GIDs". It's not life-changing, but does give you a bit more granular view than just looking at bars.

- Discuss a bit with others (as you are doing here) but maybe for efficiency of learning directly with Jim Stack (Phoenix EV association President I think) and Jerry Asher (prominent Tucson area driver and TEVA member). Both of them will have knowledge and background that can be conveyed as to different drivers and their experiences in approaching Arizona dealers on this sort of matter.

I don't drive my car as much as some others, but I did lose one bar so far. I have spent a certain amount of time communicating with my dealer (the every-six-month checkups are an opportunity for this) about such things as when will I see a fast charger along a certain route. I didn't bother to ask them for a new pack. I think each dealer is different and they are under a microscope with Nissan corporate to respond well to customers, in general. Under Nissan's rules, I don't think the dealer can do much for you at 11 bars, in terms of a pack replacement, but I could be wrong, and I guess if they will reach out to you in a couple of months for your annual pack checkup, at that checkup you can discuss a bit more with them, and maybe have in-hand whatever knowledge you have accumulated.

Lastly, I have found it important to me to keep things in perspective.... I have avoided getting into it too much with Nissan, and just try my best to be happy with my Leaf. I knew going in that there might be Arizona type heat issues, and I'm not happy about the ongoing loss of range, but at the same time, there's no reason for me to make myself miserable over it, it's a good around-town car where I live, and I have just had to bite the bullet and endure the significant added expense of maintaining a gasoline car for the remainder of my Leaf lease. AFter that, I will likely buy a used PHEV or see if there are better-range BEVs for lease at that time.
 
Back
Top