The Battery Replacement Thread

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.
board350 said:
Thought I'd share quick about my battery replacement. Capacity was dropping real fast after I bought my used 2011 SL. The dealer that had it got it from CA and it ended up in TX. Not a Nissan dealer just a private small lot dealer. He let the car sit for months with a nearly dead pack as best I can tell.

I got the car 19 Aug 2014 with 31,787 on the clock. Paid 13,899 for it. Capacity bars were at 10 if I remember. Started driving it 70 miles a day and charging at work. Bars dropped steadily down to 7 over the next few months. I read threads on here and took it in to get evaluated for capacity warranty.

My closest Nissan dealer didn't know a thing. Tried to tell me it had to be less than 7 bars to qualify. I took it to the next city and that dealer got right on it. Dropped off the car and by that afternoon they called and said a new battery was on the way. Picked up the car and it took about 6 weeks to get the new battery but when it came in and they changed it out. Zero dollars for me and have been driving with 12 bars to this day. :D
Click to expand...

Can you give us the date of manufacture from the driver door jamb label and the other items below marked with ?


|Date of 5th bar loss? (and 4th and 3rd if you know them)?
|board350
|City?, Tx
|miles at 5th bar loss? and 4th and 3rd if you know them?
| months
|date of manufacture?
|2011
|2117? (is that the correct VIN?)
|
|
| http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14102&start=510#p435486

I know your sig says "2011 LEAF SL, battery replaced under capacity loss warranty 9 DEC 2014 at 36,446 Miles " but I'm hoping you know dates and mileage of the actual bar losses.
 
I thought I would jump in on this thread since I have now been approved for a battery replacement under the capacity warranty. The story so far:

  • 2011 LEAF SL purchased March 2012.
  • Lost my 4th capacity bar on August 17 at roughly 50,400 miles.
  • After collecting some baseline data with Leaf Spy, brought the vehicle in to the dealer for battery check on August 28.
  • Without any prompting from me, dealer said my battery needed to be replaced, started making arrangements.
  • Yesterday (September 1) the dealer got authorization from Nissan and ordered the replacement battery. ETA 2-4 weeks.
  • Got a call today that the battery is already in. (!!!) Will probably take the car in on Friday or Monday.

My original plan was to wait until closer to 60,000 miles, but then I got a little paranoid that they might deny my claim because I was 5 months late on this year's battery check. So I'm relieved that everything was approved, but a little frustrated that I didn't get to squeeze more miles out of the old battery. I'm at 51,000 miles and change now.

Will report back when it's done. If anyone's interested in seeing data or other info, let me know.
 
hobbyguy said:
Correct. I lost the 4th bar at approx 62,000 and then quickly after that. At least now I know I am at about half battery so I might risk and try to take to work a few times.
Yes Nissan told me that they might be able to do "something " for me and then called me back and gave me ways to conserve the battery, like driving in the slow lane and not using the a/c !!
I should have been a *&^% and wore down the battery before the 60,000 mark, but was not thinking that way and had not read the forum
for some time at that point.
I have not kept any readouts, Nissan of Valencia never had anything they could give me on the car and I was not pushy about it. I have only taken the car in a couple of times and all for very un necessary general maintenance.
I had complete faith and trust in Nissan that they would back up us early adapters. But not so.
Click to expand...

hobbyguy, if you see this, check out this post on Reddit and maybe contact that guy. In short, he lost his 4th capacity bar at 65,400 miles, so out of warranty. He emailed "the entire Nissan Executive team" and suddenly his battery was replaced at no charge. I hope you can get a similar resolution.
 
mwalsh said:
baronvonshush said:
If anyone's interested in seeing data or other info, let me know.
Click to expand...

Would be interested in the Ahr reading at the time of loss, if you have it?
Click to expand...
My first recording with Leaf Spy was a week after loss, 42.837 Ahr on Aug 24. It's gone down as low as 42.023 in the days since but has fluctuated some.
 
baronvonshush said:
My first recording with Leaf Spy was a week after loss, 42.837 Ahr on Aug 24. It's gone down as low as 42.023 in the days since but has fluctuated some.
Click to expand...

That is very rapid loss for a week, even though it was a hot one. Where in SoCal are you and how many miles/number of charge cycles are we talking about for that week?
 
baronvonshush said:
I thought I would jump in on this thread since I have now been approved for a battery replacement under the capacity warranty. The story so far:

  • 2011 LEAF SL purchased March 2012.
  • Lost my 4th capacity bar on August 17 at roughly 50,400 miles.
  • After collecting some baseline data with Leaf Spy, brought the vehicle in to the dealer for battery check on August 28.
  • Without any prompting from me, dealer said my battery needed to be replaced, started making arrangements.
  • Yesterday (September 1) the dealer got authorization from Nissan and ordered the replacement battery. ETA 2-4 weeks.
  • Got a call today that the battery is already in. (!!!) Will probably take the car in on Friday or Monday.

My original plan was to wait until closer to 60,000 miles, but then I got a little paranoid that they might deny my claim because I was 5 months late on this year's battery check. So I'm relieved that everything was approved, but a little frustrated that I didn't get to squeeze more miles out of the old battery. I'm at 51,000 miles and change now.

Will report back when it's done. If anyone's interested in seeing data or other info, let me know.
Click to expand...

most important is the date of manufacture from the driver door jamb label.

|Aug 17, 2015
|baronvonshush
||City?, CA
|50,400
| months
|date of manufacture?
|2011
|8286
|
|
| http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14102&start=520#p435562
 
What does LeafSpy actually report? Does it estimate the full capacity as LeadDD does with "C" or does it just tell you what the capacity is at "100%" charge, which is never really 100%. For example, my LeadDD reports C=45.19 and around 42.5 Ahr at "full" charge. Which number am I looking at to figure out how close I am to losing bar number 9? I understand it happens around 42 Ahr or so, but which stat is it?
 
DrillbabyDrill said:
What does LeafSpy actually report? Does it estimate the full capacity as LeadDD does with "C" or does it just tell you what the capacity is at "100%" charge, which is never really 100%. For example, my LeadDD reports C=45.19 and around 42.5 Ahr at "full" charge. Which number am I looking at to figure out how close I am to losing bar number 9? I understand it happens around 42 Ahr or so, but which stat is it?
Click to expand...


The AHr number. You should be close, REAL close.
 
baron,

Many thanks for posting this Reddit story. It does sound like Nissan will stand by with their early adopters. Well, I can only remain hopeful.
I am currently down 2 bars, and by July 2016, if I don't lose another 2 bars, I won't qualify for the batt warranty.

Rate of loss is slow for me, and I know for certain that I won't lose 2 extra bars within 10 months. Maybe another 2 years more....

-mxp

baronvonshush said:
hobbyguy said:
Correct. I lost the 4th bar at approx 62,000 and then quickly after that. At least now I know I am at about half battery so I might risk and try to take to work a few times.
Yes Nissan told me that they might be able to do "something " for me and then called me back and gave me ways to conserve the battery, like driving in the slow lane and not using the a/c !!
I should have been a *&^% and wore down the battery before the 60,000 mark, but was not thinking that way and had not read the forum
for some time at that point.
I have not kept any readouts, Nissan of Valencia never had anything they could give me on the car and I was not pushy about it. I have only taken the car in a couple of times and all for very un necessary general maintenance.
I had complete faith and trust in Nissan that they would back up us early adapters. But not so.
Click to expand...

hobbyguy, if you see this, check out this post on Reddit and maybe contact that guy. In short, he lost his 4th capacity bar at 65,400 miles, so out of warranty. He emailed "the entire Nissan Executive team" and suddenly his battery was replaced at no charge. I hope you can get a similar resolution.
Click to expand...
 
mxp said:
It does sound like Nissan will stand by with their early adopters.
Click to expand...
That is not standing by their early adopters - that is a persistent owner having to go out of their way to get what they want and it shouldn't be necessary. Most would have given up or not been as lucky and been stuck SOL.
 
drees said:
mxp said:
It does sound like Nissan will stand by with their early adopters.
Click to expand...
That is not standing by their early adopters - that is a persistent owner having to go out of their way to get what they want and it shouldn't be necessary. Most would have given up or not been as lucky and been stuck SOL.
Click to expand...
They stood by one person who managed to find the email address of multiple Nissan executives who lost four bars at a bit more than 5000 miles past their warranty and a bit more than three years.
There are hundreds of people they have done nothing for.
And soon will be thousands that lose four bars shortly after five years and some at less than 35,000 miles.
Nissan's capacity warranty has not stood by their product for a large % of the early adopters.
And until they improved the 2015 with heat resistant battery that might meet their original commitment, every pre 2015 is an early adopter.
 
Fair enough, the persistent owner went out of his way and Nissan obviously reviewed the case and offered the battery in the end. Nissan did state the requirements for the battery replacement whether it was practical or not.

Do we know how many other 2011 owners on our forum who have surpassed the 5 yr mark, and was denied a battery replacement ? If so, did they even argue their case with Nissan?

drees said:
mxp said:
It does sound like Nissan will stand by with their early adopters.
Click to expand...
That is not standing by their early adopters - that is a persistent owner having to go out of their way to get what they want and it shouldn't be necessary. Most would have given up or not been as lucky and been stuck SOL.
Click to expand...
 
mxp said:
... Do we know how many other 2011 owners on our forum who have surpassed the 5 yr mark, and was denied a battery replacement ? If so, did they even argue their case with Nissan?
...
Click to expand...
None.
It is too early.
The first 2011 LEAF was delivered in December 2010.
Even that first delivery will not be at five years until December of 2015.
 
dhanson865 said:
board350 said:
Thought I'd share quick about my battery replacement. Capacity was dropping real fast after I bought my used 2011 SL. The dealer that had it got it from CA and it ended up in TX. Not a Nissan dealer just a private small lot dealer. He let the car sit for months with a nearly dead pack as best I can tell.

I got the car 19 Aug 2014 with 31,787 on the clock. Paid 13,899 for it. Capacity bars were at 10 if I remember. Started driving it 70 miles a day and charging at work. Bars dropped steadily down to 7 over the next few months. I read threads on here and took it in to get evaluated for capacity warranty.

My closest Nissan dealer didn't know a thing. Tried to tell me it had to be less than 7 bars to qualify. I took it to the next city and that dealer got right on it. Dropped off the car and by that afternoon they called and said a new battery was on the way. Picked up the car and it took about 6 weeks to get the new battery but when it came in and they changed it out. Zero dollars for me and have been driving with 12 bars to this day. :D
Click to expand...

Can you give us the date of manufacture from the driver door jamb label and the other items below marked with ?


|Date of 5th bar loss? (and 4th and 3rd if you know them)?
|board350
|City?, Tx
|miles at 5th bar loss? and 4th and 3rd if you know them?
| months
|date of manufacture?
|2011
|2117? (is that the correct VIN?)
|
|
| http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=14102&start=510#p435486

I know your sig says "2011 LEAF SL, battery replaced under capacity loss warranty 9 DEC 2014 at 36,446 Miles " but I'm hoping you know dates and mileage of the actual bar losses.
Click to expand...

First thing, I mis-spoke about the bars. I only got down to 8 bars (lost 4 bars), not 7 bars.

Dates of bar losses:
4th bar Nov 5, 2014 Mileage 35734
I was too ignorant at the time to be concerned with when I lost 3rd bar. I can't be sure but the car had already lost the first 2 bars when I took ownership.
Denton, TX
Date of Manufacture: 3/11
2117 is correct VIN

I posted pics showing proof of the above data on my Google+ account. Can't figure how to put an image in the post.
https://plus.google.com/105798212801351872040/posts/NdvyBm2gkuo

Let me know if you need anything else.
 
So what's worse for the battery - leaving it empty or full for extended periods of time?

I know heat and cycling are the worst but what's next in line? Just wondering about things I should NOT do, so I don't get my lizard replacement next year.
 
cracovian said:
So what's worse for the battery - leaving it empty or full for extended periods of time?

I know heat and cycling are the worst but what's next in line? Just wondering about things I should NOT do, so I don't get my lizard replacement next year.
Click to expand...

Correct about heat and cycling being the worst. I was watching my capacity drop daily in the hot desert doing this, but overcharging the battery and letting it sit was also terrible for the pack.

Even after you've charged it to "full" via L1/L2 connection, I noticed that if you have no charge timers set on the car, and all the charge lights are off on the dash, you can press the timer button inside the car and it will continue to charge a little longer getting it about 90-91% as read via LeafSpy. If I left the car in this overcharged state, I would see a drop in capacity over the next few days.
 
memoryisram said:
cracovian said:
So what's worse for the battery - leaving it empty or full for extended periods of time?

I know heat and cycling are the worst but what's next in line? Just wondering about things I should NOT do, so I don't get my lizard replacement next year.
Click to expand...

Correct about heat and cycling being the worst. I was watching my capacity drop daily in the hot desert doing this, but overcharging the battery and letting it sit was also terrible for the pack.

Even after you've charged it to "full" via L1/L2 connection, I noticed that if you have no charge timers set on the car, and all the charge lights are off on the dash, you can press the timer button inside the car and it will continue to charge a little longer getting it about 90-91% as read via LeafSpy. If I left the car in this overcharged state, I would see a drop in capacity over the next few days.
Click to expand...

Another good way to get a maximum charge is to run the remote climate control (phone app). The kilowatts will goes up a bit then down but if your patience it goes back up again. I think it might help balance the batteries so it can take more energy.

This is really handy if you are taking a long trip and you need all the miles you can get out of the car. Especially, if you only used 20% the day before. I find that if I don't empty the battery before I charge I can't get the maximum energy in to the battery unless I run the remote climate for any hour. I can usually get another 0.5-0.7 kwh into the battery with this trick.
 
Which couldn't actually be further from the truth! The experience of the vast majority has been just the opposite and Nissan would not be doing ANYTHING at all right now if they had not been forced to by the class action lawsuit! Nissan has not proved themselves to be a company that cares much about their customers...

mxp said:
It does sound like Nissan will stand by with their early adopters.
Click to expand...
 

Similar threads

R
Guidelines for replacement battery SOH
Replies
16
Views
2K
murrayc
M
H
$12k to replace 24kwh battery?
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
lawrencerhodes
L
K
Sudden loss of regen.
Replies
3
Views
408
kicker22004
K
knightmb
Leaf Service EV System Adventures with P0AA6-1A and a Suspect 12V Battery
3 4 5
Replies
80
Views
4K
CaptLarry
C
R
Sourcing MSDS for Gen1 Nissan Leaf Battery Module Shipment
Replies
2
Views
1K
EVPowers
EVPowers

Latest posts

Back
Top