Got a new leaf! But... it was an odd situation...

NissanLeafCamper said:

We came down to the price of 11,500 from $13,980 for the 'sv' model. I placed 9,400 in cash/credit CC and the rest was taken out on a loan. Final price with dmv fees and all that was 13,230. Loan was of 3,830. They say I can pay in advance and won't get hit with any fees so if I want to pay more than the monthly payment they said it was okay and no fees. The APR is 17.98% they said it was due to being a first time car buyer and my credit score, I THINK, came out at around 650? I would have to look it up tomorrow.

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Unlike the sales contract, you do NOT have to stick with dealer financing if you don't want to. You can refinance a car loan just like you can refinance a house mortgage. If you know you can get a loan for a lower APR elsewhere, apply for it now. Let that bank/credit union/whatever know that you did get suckered into an 18% interest loan and you'd like something lower. I would also suggest rolling the CC amount from the sale into the loan (unless you plan on immediately paying that off) because that too will have a very high APR.

You may get calls from a very upset finance manager (that happened to me when I refinanced my Audi's loan), but it's your right to do that.

Valdemar said:

It is a used car? I'm surprised nobody asked about the mileage on the odometer and if the car has any capacity bars missing already. Or did I miss it?

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That is actually a great question that I totally forgot about! I'm sitting here and I set the machine to 100% charge. It says 240v 6kw 2:00 hours left. The bars I see on the left are 6 bars and bars on the right are 10 with 79 miles currently.

Odometer says 23,331 miles

Should I take a picture of the screen?

desiv said:

Yeah, I mostly live in ECO mode (to keep me from "accidentally" accelerating too quickly), but D comes in handy every once in a while.. ;-)

desiv

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I actually like playing with it using it as brakes when ever I can. I don't really like leaving it on because I step on the accelerator like I am walking on eggshells lol. I did not know Eco mode was so fun to use. If I had known I would have gotten B mode on an SV . I hear it turns on an amber light! So mysterious...

CharlesinGA said:

OP NEEDS TO CLICK ON HIS USERNAME AND THEN SCROLL DOWN TO "LOCATION" AND PLUG IN A CITY AND STATE. WILL HELP IMMENSELY IN OTHERS GIVING ADVISE.

Charles

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Thanks I registered in plugshare already been charging for free since yesterday. Loving the feeling of no exhaust fumes in the car. I also added my location .

Evoforce said:

+1 on getting the Plugshare app.

You didn't state what your van is, or what all of the symptoms are

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I have a 2004 chevrolet express passenger van. It just doesn't shift past first gear. I drove it around the block and it doesn't shift. It is stuck in 1rst and going from D to '3' doesn't do anything either. Check engine light is on.

RonDawg said:

NissanLeafCamper said:

I am very close to you. If you want, send me a PM and we'll meet up. I have an OBDII port adapter and LeafStat and I can tell you on the spot what your remaining battery capacity is left.

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Thanks for the awesome input That would be awesome if you could help me with the OBDII. I will send you a PM in a little bit :mrgreen: . I went in today to my insuurance provider and added the leaf into my insurance policy. I asked him all the questions about the plate and he basically said the exact same thing . It made me wonder though. If you are running around with out plates, and only with the little paper on the bottom right corner of your wind shield... what happens when you run a red light and a cam takes a pic of the car o.o? What about fastrack too? I mean, there are no plates and just... I just wonder :mrgreen: Don't worry I am well behaved I just wonder how that works?

RonDawg said:

Unlike the sales contract, you do NOT have to stick with dealer financing if you don't want to. You can refinance a car loan just like you can refinance a house mortgage. If you know you can get a loan for a lower APR elsewhere, apply for it now. Let that bank/credit union/whatever know that you did get suckered into an 18% interest loan and you'd like something lower. I would also suggest rolling the CC amount from the sale into the loan (unless you plan on immediately paying that off) because that too will have a very high APR.

You may get calls from a very upset finance manager (that happened to me when I refinanced my Audi's loan), but it's your right to do that.

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Thank you that is an amazing information that I did not know about. I plan on paying this loan ASAP but I will definitely look into the refinance to get a lower APR Oh the CCs have iintro apr for a year and a half so I am all set there :mrgreen:

If you look carefully the 12 bars on the right are actually 24 bars with a vertical divider running close to the right edge. The wider sections 0-12 indicate the amount of charge that your battery currently holds, they go up and down as you charge the car and drive it. The thin parts form the so called battery capacity gauge. They will gradually dissappear over the years as the battery degrades. If you count the thin bars you can get a rough idea how much capacity you have left in the pack, or in other words how much energy it can hold compared to new (12 bars). Cars in LA tend to lose 6-8% of capacity each year, give or take.

Valdemar said:

If you look carefully the 12 bars on the right are actually 24 bars with a vertical divider running close to the right edge. The wider sections 0-12 indicate the amount of charge that your battery currently holds, they go up and down as you charge the car and drive it. The thin parts form the so called battery capacity gauge. They will gradually dissappear over the years as the battery degrades. If you count the thin bars you can get a rough idea how much capacity you have left in the pack, or in other words how much energy it can hold compared to new (12 bars). Cars in LA tend to lose 6-8% of capacity each year, give or take.

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http://www.electricvehiclewiki.com/File:Scott_3_bars_s.jpg is a visual aid for the OP.

http://www.electricvehiclewiki.com/Battery#Battery_Capacity_Behavior is a table indicating what each battery capacity segment is supposed to represent.

Thanks guys,

I was thinking if the guy lied, but he seemed like such a nice guy (sales rep). Who knows... maybe he did do it on purpose. If so, that is dirty! He even bought me some burritos to eat! Though I guess by then he had already earned his commission.... I like the leaf a lot that is why I wanted to get it. I just dislike greatly the experience at the dealer. It always seem to be like that one way or another and I was desperate so it made things worse. At least I got a car now and I can get back to work and to help my family so happy about that. Live and learn. Next time I want to save full in cash and get what i want for sure and be able to walk away with out a second thought.

Anyway, I just left the charging station. Actually itt was a little bit ago. I wrote down the final numbers

Left side 6 bars

Right side 11 bars

92% Battery

I did not count the little blocks you guys mentioned on the right side as I did not know they served a purpose!

Is the bars on the left the starter battery? Should I be worry about that at all? I guess the dc to dc converter auto refills it when it gets low to a certain level. Also, the reg braking... does that recharge the main pack of the starter battery????

Bars on the left indicate battery temperature. Yes you should keep an eye on that, and if it gets high you may want to avoid charging if possible, especially Quick Charging.

With the "small" bars on the right, the top most bar disappears after 15% of the original capacity is lost, and each subsequent bar is worth 6.25%. So if you have an "11 bar car" that means you have between 78.75% and 85% of your original capacity.

Bars on the left are battery temp. There is no "starter" its simply an electric motor. The small 12v auto battery you may have seen under the hood is for the accessories, radio, lights, etc.

I tried reading the manual, got way too bogged down. Didn't realize the RH side bars (the narrow ones) were the 12 bars that everyone talks about. Some people don't like the "guess O meter" and possibly the older ones have different algorithms but I watch mine and it seems to be spot on, but time will tell. (I have a 2015).

RonDawg said:

Bars on the left indicate battery temperature. Yes you should keep an eye on that, and if it gets high you may want to avoid charging if possible, especially Quick Charging.

With the "small" bars on the right, the top most bar disappears after 15% of the original capacity is lost, and each subsequent bar is worth 6.25%. So if you have an "11 bar car" that means you have between 78.75% and 85% of your original capacity.

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He didn't know to count the small bars, all he counted were the long ones, at 92%.

CharlesinGA said:

RonDawg said:

Bars on the left indicate battery temperature. Yes you should keep an eye on that, and if it gets high you may want to avoid charging if possible, especially Quick Charging.

With the "small" bars on the right, the top most bar disappears after 15% of the original capacity is lost, and each subsequent bar is worth 6.25%. So if you have an "11 bar car" that means you have between 78.75% and 85% of your original capacity.

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He didn't know to count the small bars, all he counted were the long ones, at 92%.

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I know. I used "11 bar car" as an example.

NissanLeafCamper said:

It made me wonder though. If you are running around with out plates, and only with the little paper on the bottom right corner of your wind shield... what happens when you run a red light and a cam takes a pic of the car o.o? What about fastrack too? I mean, there are no plates and just... I just wonder :mrgreen: Don't worry I am well behaved I just wonder how that works?

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Basically you got away with it :lol: However, many police agencies are cracking down on people driving excessively long on dealer plates and temp reg, CHP especially.

I don't know of any city in this area that still uses red light cameras. The City of LA terminated their program a few years back:
http://www.lapdonline.org/inside_the_lapd/content_basic_view/1022

Note that to use the HOT lanes on I-10 and I-110, you MUST have a FasTrak, even though you can use the lanes for free regardless of actual vehicle occupancy. To avoid being charged, you must use a FasTrak transponder with a 3 position switch; for EVs leave it on "3+." Currently only two FasTrak agencies use such a transponder, Metro ($1/month "maintenance fee" regardless of usage), and 91 Express Lanes (depends on level of service, there is a maintenance fee-free plan but you have to pay for the transponder outright). Other FasTrak transponders including Orange County Toll Authority, San Diego, and the Bay Area, will get charged the solo-occupancy rate.

NissanLeafCamper said:

Thanks I registered in plugshare already been charging for free since yesterday. Loving the feeling of no exhaust fumes in the car. I also added my location .

I have a 2004 chevrolet express passenger van. It just doesn't shift past first gear. I drove it around the block and it doesn't shift. It is stuck in 1rst and going from D to '3' doesn't do anything either. Check engine light is on.

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Play with Plugshare on a laptop or desktop, to me its easier. Looks like several free L2 charging stations in Pasadena in the parking garages, the LA Sheriffs at Temple have a free public use one too.

Below the box where you select "residential" "public stations" "high power" and "in use" select the "more" and un-check the "payment required" under filters, and only the free ones show up.

About your van, I'll bet its something as simple as a computer problem, speed sensor, connector, or solenoid in the tranny. Get someone you trust to pull the codes and see what it is. I'll bet its an easier fix than you realize.

Charles

NissanLeafCamper said:

Thanks guys,

Anyway, I just left the charging station. Actually itt was a little bit ago. I wrote down the final numbers

Left side 6 bars

Right side 11 bars

92% Battery

I did not count the little blocks you guys mentioned on the right side as I did not know they served a purpose!
Is the bars on the left the starter battery? Should I be worry about that at all? I guess the dc to dc converter auto refills it when it gets low to a certain level. Also, the reg braking... does that recharge the main pack of the starter battery????

Click to expand...

The left-hand bar graph displays the temperature of the main battery pack. Mostly ignore that gauge for now unless it threatens to go outside the "white zone".

The right hand display's long, interior bars display roughly how much of the energy storage capacity that the battery currently has is "full". The outermost, short segments of that bar graph claim to show roughly how much of the battery's original energy storage capacity remains available. I don't remember the exact bars-to-percentage table figures, but roughly speaking, if the car's battery someday loses half of its "as new" capacity, it might show only six of the twelve outer segments. If you charged that degraded battery up as far as you could, all twelve of the inner, long bars would light up.

Other than there maybe being an idiot light on the dash somewhere (which probably wouldn't work anyway once the "starter battery" develops a serious problem, given that the car's brains seem to get addled if that battery drops even slightly), there's no health indication for the "starter battery", as you call it, at all.

Regenerative braking puts the energy it recovers back in the main propulsion battery.

I'd highly recommend that you give your owner's manual a read if you've bought the car, or that you download one as a .pdf from Nissan and read it if you're still shopping.

RonDawg said:

Bars on the left indicate battery temperature. Yes you should keep an eye on that, and if it gets high you may want to avoid charging if possible, especially Quick Charging.

With the "small" bars on the right, the top most bar disappears after 15% of the original capacity is lost, and each subsequent bar is worth 6.25%. So if you have an "11 bar car" that means you have between 78.75% and 85% of your original capacity.

Click to expand...

I checked today in the morning and it seems to have 12 mini square bars next to the 11 bars I mentioned. So it would be:

Left side 6 bars

Right side 11 long bars

Right side 12 short mini bars

92% Battery

I will keep an eye on it next time I charge it (for free yay!) and see if there is an error in my numbers

CharlesinGA said:

Bars on the left are battery temp. There is no "starter" its simply an electric motor. The small 12v auto battery you may have seen under the hood is for the accessories, radio, lights, etc.

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Thanks I'll keep an eye on the battery temp just in case I was charging my netbook which uses 36 watts of electricity while parked for like an hour or an hour and a half. I had the car in that mode where you press the power button once and you are able to use the radio but nothing else. After a long while of sitting there using my netbook the electricity shut off. Had to turn the car fully on briefly then return it to the state for radio power only. Is it using only the starter battery electricity in this mode? I think it just drained the starter battery low then it shut off via the power inverter cup I have. I guess after turning the car fully on the dc to dc converter quickly recharged the starter battery. Am i on the right track? Is the starter battery covered by the bumper to bumper protection? makes me wonder if draining it so low might damage it.

thoughts?

RonDawg said:

Note that to use the HOT lanes on I-10 and I-110, you MUST have a FasTrak, even though you can use the lanes for free regardless of actual vehicle occupancy. To avoid being charged, you must use a FasTrak transponder with a 3 position switch; for EVs leave it on "3+." Currently only two FasTrak agencies use such a transponder, Metro ($1/month "maintenance fee" regardless of usage), and 91 Express Lanes (depends on level of service, there is a maintenance fee-free plan but you have to pay for the transponder outright). Other FasTrak transponders including Orange County Toll Authority, San Diego, and the Bay Area, will get charged the solo-occupancy rate.

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I'm puzzled as to what the cameras on top of some red lights are. Maybe just left overs from the discontinuation of the program? I am sure I have seen a few on come intersections....

Also, the other day I spoke with a leaf owner that uses fastrak and always sets it on "3". how legal is that lol. I actually did not know it was only a $1 maintenance fee.... How much is the transponder?

CharlesinGA said:

NissanLeafCamper said:

Below the box where you select "residential" "public stations" "high power" and "in use" select the "more" and un-check the "payment required" under filters, and only the free ones show up.

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Hey thanks a lot! I just shared the info to my family about the sherif having 2 free charging stations. We are loving the leaf so much already. Thank you also for the filter tip in plugshare I actually did not know you could filter out pay/nonpay stations. You litterally just helped me find a ton of charging stations around town

I do hope the transmission issue is just something minor I was quoted 1.1k for a use trans

Levenkay said:

I'd highly recommend that you give your owner's manual a read if you've bought the car, or that you download one as a .pdf from Nissan and read it if you're still shopping.

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Well I might be killing my starter battery already I charge my netbooks from the car in the, uh, aux on mode? You know the mode that only turns the radio on? First click.... I have to download the owners manual because I was never given one I have the google link I just need to find a fast connection at a store to download it. Sorry to bug you guys with all the questions

As CharlesinGA suggested, don't be too quick to just swap out the transmission. Pull the codes first and Google them. Just a quick Google search yielded this:
http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/gm/4.3L-5.0L-5.7L/automatic-transmission-shift-solenoid-tests-1
abd this:
http://www.twincharlotte.com/transmission-repair-blog/bid/28391/30-Common-4L60E-Transmission-Problems-Repair-Charlotte-NC

NissanLeafCamper said:

I checked today in the morning and it seems to have 12 mini square bars next to the 11 bars I mentioned. So it would be:

Left side 6 bars

Right side 11 long bars

Right side 12 short mini bars

92% Battery

I will keep an eye on it next time I charge it (for free yay!) and see if there is an error in my numbers

Click to expand...

That means you have a "12 bar" car. You have at least 85% of the original battery capacity left.

I was charging my netbook which uses 36 watts of electricity while parked for like an hour or an hour and a half. I had the car in that mode where you press the power button once and you are able to use the radio but nothing else. After a long while of sitting there using my netbook the electricity shut off. Had to turn the car fully on briefly then return it to the state for radio power only. Is it using only the starter battery electricity in this mode? I think it just drained the starter battery low then it shut off via the power inverter cup I have. I guess after turning the car fully on the dc to dc converter quickly recharged the starter battery. Am i on the right track? Is the starter battery covered by the bumper to bumper protection? makes me wonder if draining it so low might damage it.

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As long as you don't drain it to the point that the car won't turn on anymore, you're OK. Remember that almost all the electricals for the car are being driven straight off that battery (as there is no alternator).

In the mode you speak of, it shuts off automatically after a short while. If you need power to stay on longer, do a "double press" without touching the brake pedal. The dash displays will come on in that mode. Don't worry you won't accidentally drive off with the car plugged in; you'll notice that in this mode, the "Ready to Drive" light will not be lighted, and the steering wheel will be very hard to turn. Plus the car is designed so if it is plugged in, you cannot put the car in "Ready to Drive" mode.

I'm puzzled as to what the cameras on top of some red lights are. Maybe just left overs from the discontinuation of the program? I am sure I have seen a few on come intersections....

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There are some that are still left that have not been removed. The small ones on top of the red lights are traffic management cameras, not red light cameras.

One correction to my earlier statement: I think the ones along the various Metro rail lines are still active. Then again you don't want to run those; you'll lose to the train every single time.

Also, the other day I spoke with a leaf owner that uses fastrak and always sets it on "3". how legal is that lol. I actually did not know it was only a $1 maintenance fee.... How much is the transponder?

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Metro says for drivers with the HOV exemption stickers on their cars to leave them in the "3+" position. From https://www.metroexpresslanes.net/en/faq/driving.shtml under "I drive a CNG/Electric/Zero Emission vehicle; do I have to pay a toll? Will I need FasTrak®?"

"Effective February 24, 2014, vehicles displaying a DMV issued White or Green Clean Air Vehicle Decal http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm will be toll-free. All vehicles, including Clean Air Vehicles, are required to have a FasTrak® transponder while traveling on the ExpressLanes. To ensure toll-free travel, set your transponder to switch position 3 (3+ person carpool) prior to starting your trip. Clean energy vehicles that do not have a Clean Air Vehicle Decal must drive with their transponder set according to their vehicle occupancy."

If you get Metro's transponder, there is no fee for the transponder, but you do have to leave a deposit:

"Credit/Debit Card Accounts: An initial prepaid toll deposit of $40 per transponder is required to open an account. When you use the ExpressLanes as a toll paying customer, the toll will be deducted from the $40 prepaid toll deposit. The $25 transponder deposit will be waived. If the FasTrak® is not returned in good working condition when the account is closed, a $25 fee will be charged to the account.

Cash/Check Accounts: An initial prepaid toll deposit of $50 per transponder and a per-transponder deposit of $25 will be required to open an account. When you use the ExpressLanes as a toll paying customer, the toll will be deducted from the $50 prepaid toll deposit. When the account is closed and the transponder is returned in good working condition, the $25 deposit will be returned.

For those commuters who qualify for our MEL Low-Income Assistance Plan, a one-time $25 discount will be applied to their account. "

If you go with the 91 Express Lanes account, there is no maintenance fee program, but you have to pay a $75 "enrollment fee" which does not include any toll deposit. https://www.91expresslanes.com/signup.asp

If you are a member of Costco or AAA, discounted (in the form of built-in toll credits) transponders can be obtained from them.

Well I might be killing my starter battery already I charge my netbooks from the car in the, uh, aux on mode? You know the mode that only turns the radio on? First click.... I have to download the owners manual because I was never given one I have the google link I just need to find a fast connection at a store to download it. Sorry to bug you guys with all the questions

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You're not killing the starter battery. Just don't run it down to the point where the car will not turn on.

You're not bugging us. Ask away.

You guys are amazing. I might not have to buy a used transmission. It sounds a lot like it might be just a solenoid. I will print out these pages and bring them with me to the mechanic so he can check the solenoids.

It sounds good to have a "12 Bar Car" it is 2 years old going for 3 since it is a 2013 leaf. I hear that you should charge to 80% and not drain the battery past 50% . Easier said than done. I have been coming down as far as 30%. it seems it would be much easier if I could just charge the car up to 95%. I am also planning on charging at least 1 hour everyday to keep a more steady level. The fact that someone just told me how to filter the stations is a huge help Thank you for that once again.

Today when I went to a new charging station I got hit with a "Orange car with exclamation" response from the leaf. Plugged it in and it would 'shut the charge off'. Tried twice then left. When to a nissan leaf dealer and charged there. The signal of the orange car went away after the second time I had started the car. One after pulling out of the charger that woulnd't charge. Then went to the dealer and parked outside to ask where the chargers are. Came back in and started the car again... orange car signal was gone.

Well good thing too since it is sunday the service dept is closed

NissanLeafCamper said:

Today when I went to a new charging station I got hit with a "Orange car with exclamation" response from the leaf. Plugged it in and it would 'shut the charge off'. Tried twice then left. When to a nissan leaf dealer and charged there. The signal of the orange car went away after the second time I had started the car. One after pulling out of the charger that woulnd't charge. Then went to the dealer and parked outside to ask where the chargers are. Came back in and started the car again... orange car signal was gone.
(

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The car might need NTB13-098 applied. It was a service campaign: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=15655

I needed NTB13-069 applied (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=329929#p329929 and http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=362665) when I hit a premature charging stoppage problem at 2274 miles, out of the blue.

NTB13-098 likely supersedes it.

If you're going to go to Nissanhelp to download PDFs of TSBs, do it now, so that you use up your 2 freebies for the day, before the day is up.

NissanLeafCamper said:

It sounds good to have a "12 Bar Car" it is 2 years old going for 3 since it is a 2013 leaf.(

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It's possible it's not much past 2 years old, since '13 Leafs didn't start shipping until 2013. Unsure about the month. You can check your build month and year on the sticker near the driver's side door jamb.

Quite a few '13 Leafs currently on the used market have just come off lease and went to auction. Mine probably will be one of those, when my lease ends 7/27/15.

The 2013 Leafs started going on sale in February or March 2013. When I got my 2012 model in January 2013, the 2013 models were not yet in dealers.

You will want to find out your car's "in-service" date as that is when the warranty starts. That is the date the car was sold/leased from new, or assigned to a dealer for use by employees or as a loaner vehicle. You can get this from the Nissan dealer.

You also need to bring the car in to the dealer just past this anniversary date every year for the battery checkup, in order to keep the battery warranties in effect. If your car is over 2 years old you will need to pay for the checks, around $50 or less.

NissanLeafCamper said:

I hear that you should charge to 80% and not drain the battery past 50% . Easier said than done. I have been coming down as far as 30%. it seems it would be much easier if I could just charge the car up to 95%.

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I don't think that's true. It's good to use as much of the battery as possible before charging. Go down to 10% if you're able, then charge to 100%.