2013 Leaf - Dead 12-Volt Battery every 2 Weeks

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.
jlv said:
Are you still getting them? When was the last one? I've not gotten any since around February. I didn't change anything on my car, and as best as I can tell they are still set up correctly in the car and in the web portal. They stopped about 1 month after the new version of the app came out (but the app shouldn't have anything to do with it).

I have always received them...except when I did the modem changeover. Since we know the backend/servers aren't down (or no one would get them), I suggest doing a "reset" of sorts on your CarWings account; that may not sound fun, but at this point you have nothing to lose.
 
I just bought a 2015 SL & have not upgraded the TCU and after reading this thread and others related to the topic, I probably won't.

Would having transmission of data turned off be enough to stop the drain? Does the TCU searching for a 2G network to transmit drain the 12v battery? Would I be better off just having the 2g TCU deactivated?

I really don't want to deal with a drained 12v battery, I just want to get in & drive.

Thanks.
 
linhou1051 said:
I just bought a 2015 SL & have not upgraded the TCU and after reading this thread and others related to the topic, I probably won't.

Would having transmission of data turned off be enough to stop the drain? Does the TCU searching for a 2G network to transmit drain the 12v battery? Would I be better off just having the 2g TCU deactivated?

I really don't want to deal with a drained 12v battery, I just want to get in & drive.

Thanks.

There should be no battery drain issue on a 2015 without the upgraded TCU. There is no need to deactivate the original TCU, but you can turn transmission of data off in the menus on the display unit. The upgrade is free for 2015 so you could wait a few months to see if Nissan fixes the problem and offers a revised upgrade.

I personally like the charge complete messages and remote access so I accept an occasional TCU problem. If I miss charge complete and plug in reminder messages, I know I need to pull the fuse or disconnect the battery briefly to reset the TCU before I leave the car parked for extended time. I have only needed to reset the TCU a few times since getting the upgrade in December 2016.
 
jlv said:
baustin said:
I have to do a fuse pull about once a month to reset the TCU, but other than that it works without issue.
When you say "works without issue", I've a question:

Are you getting text messages? My TCU, with the occasional fuse pull, works just fine for remote status, but I haven't gotten a text message (or app notification) like "charging complete" for a few months.

I do get the text message and email updates. I am able to use the app on my Samsung phone and AT&T Tablet to Check Status, Start Charging, Activate Climate Control, and set a Climate Control Timer Activation. Whenever the messages stop, or the response to the app stops, I do a 30 second fuse pull, accept the Data Sharing with Nissan again, and all is good for a few more weeks.

I did replace the original battery with a Bosch AGM battery last fall. That seems to have eliminated the low 12v issues that were causing more frequent fuse pulls. I do not leave the ELM unit connected to the OBD port. I only plug it in to take a reading once a month. The car is plugged in whenever it is not being driven. Especially now that it is getting warmer, I activate the climate control for 10 to 20 minutes before driving.
 
baustin said:
I do not leave the ELM unit connected to the OBD port. I only plug it in to take a reading once a month. The car is plugged in whenever it is not being driven.

This action alone (bolded above) will result in a "drained" 12v battery, and has been well documented on this forum (maybe not this thread). It's amazing how much confusion surrounds the TCU/modem and 12v battery. There should be no issues in a MY 2015 Leaf with a 3G modem upgrade! Only the older MY's (like mine) have issues...but those are easily solved if you just listen to advice given by folks like @cwerdna and @GerryAZ
 
baustin said:
I did replace the original battery with a Bosch AGM battery last fall. That seems to have eliminated the low 12v issues that were causing more frequent fuse pulls. I do not leave the ELM unit connected to the OBD port. I only plug it in to take a reading once a month. The car is plugged in whenever it is not being driven.
Replacing the battery won't eliminate the 12V battery problems - if you have the TCU lockup issue, it just starts the drain on the new battery. Given time, the new battery will start to have problems. That's been reported in this thread early on.

I have left an ELM plugged into the OBDII port almost 4 years without ever having an issue with the 12V. Some people *have* had issues, but I think it is specific to the particular brand/model of ELM being used. I even left the ELM in while I was out of the country for 2 weeks without a problem.

As reported about, leaving the car plugged in when not being driven *can* cause 12V problems. You really don't want to do that.
 
jlv said:
Replacing the battery won't eliminate the 12V battery problems - if you have the TCU lockup issue, it just starts the drain on the new battery. Given time, the new battery will start to have problems. That's been reported in this thread early on.

It's as simple as that. For minimum probability of battery problems, avoid the using the TCU function!
 
jlv said:
baustin said:
I did replace the original battery with a Bosch AGM battery last fall. That seems to have eliminated the low 12v issues that were causing more frequent fuse pulls. I do not leave the ELM unit connected to the OBD port. I only plug it in to take a reading once a month. The car is plugged in whenever it is not being driven.
Replacing the battery won't eliminate the 12V battery problems - if you have the TCU lockup issue, it just starts the drain on the new battery. Given time, the new battery will start to have problems. That's been reported in this thread early on.

I have left an ELM plugged into the OBDII port almost 4 years without ever having an issue with the 12V. Some people *have* had issues, but I think it is specific to the particular brand/model of ELM being used. I even left the ELM in while I was out of the country for 2 weeks without a problem.

As reported about, leaving the car plugged in when not being driven *can* cause 12V problems. You really don't want to do that.

Leaving the car plugged in may cause 12v drain issues for some cars. It has never been a problem for me.

When I bought the car, the 12v battery was very low on fluid. It took a half gallon of distilled water to top off all the cells. I got another 2.5 years out of it before replacing it with the AGM battery.
 
Stanton said:
baustin said:
I do not leave the ELM unit connected to the OBD port. I only plug it in to take a reading once a month. The car is plugged in whenever it is not being driven.

This action alone (bolded above) will result in a "drained" 12v battery, and has been well documented on this forum (maybe not this thread). It's amazing how much confusion surrounds the TCU/modem and 12v battery. There should be no issues in a MY 2015 Leaf with a 3G modem upgrade! Only the older MY's (like mine) have issues...but those are easily solved if you just listen to advice given by folks like @cwerdna and @GerryAZ

You are adding to the confusion by spreading the above information as if it is the gospel truth. Leaving the car plugged in MAY cause 12v drain issues for some cars, it is not an issue for all the LEAF vehicles produced. I have owned my LEAF for over three years. It is always plugged in when not being driven. This has never resulted in a drained or dead 12v battery.

I did have issues when I first bought the car, but that was due to low fluid levels in the 12V battery. After using a half gallon of distilled water to top off all the cells, and charging the battery, those problems went away. I used that original battery for another 2.5 years before replacing it with the AGM battery.

There are issues with the 3G TCU. They are not consistent for everyone. I get occasional lockups that require a fuse pull, but I have never had 12v drain or dead battery issues due to the upgraded TCU.
 
2011 and 2012 Leafs WILL drain the 12-volt battery if left plugged in and not actively charging for extended time. Later models MAY drain the 12-volt battery depending upon conditions. My 2015 draws more residual current from the 12-volt battery when plugged in and not charging than it does when not plugged in.
 
GerryAZ said:
2011 and 2012 Leafs WILL drain the 12-volt battery if left plugged in and not actively charging for extended time. Later models MAY drain the 12-volt battery depending upon conditions. My 2015 draws more residual current from the 12-volt battery when plugged in and not charging than it does when not plugged in.

Then some of the Leaf's modules (ECUs), e.g. the Leaf's charger, fail to power-down, i.e. enter their "sleep" mode.

With regard to the TCU, its failure to power down intermittently keeping a CAN bus alive and resulting in other ECUs not powering down,
significantly increases the battery's drain (sleep) current (typically < 50 - 100ma). The TCU system design should have had an interrupt timer
(typically within its micro-controller) to cause the TCU to power down if a communication fails for a period of time. That would prevent the
TCU from "hanging" and not powering down and also affecting other ECUs.
 
I'm having a similar issue. I'm new here, and there's 30 pages of this thread, so I'm sorry if this exact thing has been mentioned before.

I have a 2014 SL. I've only had it about six months, used with about 21000 miles on it.

A few weeks ago I noticed the EV system warning light on after charging in my garage overnight. I had washed it the day before and thought maybe something in the charging port got wet. I drove it to work the follow Monday, where it sits in the sun. Came out after work, no lights were on. I assumed it had dried. The next day after being in the garage, not charging, same light was on. I had to leave for work, no time to investigate. After work, no light. This went on for a couple days, baffling me. Regardless of charging or not, in the garage overnight the light came on, and after work, the light was off. I did some research and realized the sun was recharging my battery, which was likely the cause of my light after being in the garage. After a few days, this issue seemed to resolve itself.

A few weeks later (This past weekend), the light came on again and after being in the sun, went back off. This happened last Thursday and Friday. Then Saturday after being in the garage for about 24 hours without charging, my car was totally dead. I made the decision to just buy a new battery, since I was fairly certain the battery was the issue. Probably on the verge of dying and being kept alive by the sun. I got a Optima Yellow Top, because I read it was a good battery for this car. Changed it out Sunday. I've been working well all week, until today (Friday). The light was on again. It was cloudy yesterday and is overcast today. So maybe the sun wasn't helping me as much, but what on earth could be draining my battery?

I'm not in warranty so I'm hesitant to take it to Nissan. Any ideas?

Thanks
 
jffjnny said:
I'm having a similar issue. I'm new here, and there's 30 pages of this thread, so I'm sorry if this exact thing has been mentioned before.

I have a 2014 SL. I've only had it about six months, used with about 21000 miles on it.

A few weeks ago I noticed the EV system warning light on after charging in my garage overnight. I had washed it the day before and thought maybe something in the charging port got wet. I drove it to work the follow Monday, where it sits in the sun. Came out after work, no lights were on. I assumed it had dried. The next day after being in the garage, not charging, same light was on. I had to leave for work, no time to investigate. After work, no light. This went on for a couple days, baffling me. Regardless of charging or not, in the garage overnight the light came on, and after work, the light was off. I did some research and realized the sun was recharging my battery, which was likely the cause of my light after being in the garage. After a few days, this issue seemed to resolve itself.

A few weeks later (This past weekend), the light came on again and after being in the sun, went back off. This happened last Thursday and Friday. Then Saturday after being in the garage for about 24 hours without charging, my car was totally dead. I made the decision to just buy a new battery, since I was fairly certain the battery was the issue. Probably on the verge of dying and being kept alive by the sun. I got a Optima Yellow Top, because I read it was a good battery for this car. Changed it out Sunday. I've been working well all week, until today (Friday). The light was on again. It was cloudy yesterday and is overcast today. So maybe the sun wasn't helping me as much, but what on earth could be draining my battery?

I'm not in warranty so I'm hesitant to take it to Nissan. Any ideas?

Thanks

It's very possible that your old battery was "shot"...and that the solar panels on your SL (combined with some sunshine) was keeping it "afloat". However, beyond that is just a guess unless you can tell us:
1) was the TCU/modem upgraded?
2) are you able to "pull" any DTC codes?

I doubt it had anything to do with the car washing, because if you really did get water in the charging port, you may have seen far worse than just a dead 12v battery (for example: I never, ever, ever let anyone "clean" my engine compartment). :shock:
 
Stanton said:
It's very possible that your old battery was "shot"...and that the solar panels on your SL (combined with some sunshine) was keeping it "afloat". However, beyond that is just a guess unless you can tell us:
1) was the TCU/modem upgraded?
2) are you able to "pull" any DTC codes?

I doubt it had anything to do with the car washing, because if you really did get water in the charging port, you may have seen far worse than just a dead 12v battery (for example: I never, ever, ever let anyone "clean" my engine compartment). :shock:

I believe the TCU upgrade was performed prior to me owning it. I'm not sure how to tell.

What do you mean by pull DTC codes? Sorry, still learning the language? Are you referring to a OBD II scanner?

Also, I'm fairly certain the car wash had nothing to do with it. That was just my initial thought.
 
jffjnny said:
I believe the TCU upgrade was performed prior to me owning it. I'm not sure how to tell.

search this thread for the TCU versions and how you can retrieve that info from the center console.

jffjnny said:
What do you mean by pull DTC codes? Sorry, still learning the language? Are you referring to a OBD II scanner?

Yes.
 
jffjnny said:
I'm having a similar issue. I'm new here, and there's 30 pages of this thread, so I'm sorry if this exact thing has been mentioned before.

I have a 2014 SL. I've only had it about six months, used with about 21000 miles on it.

A few weeks ago I noticed the EV system warning light on after charging in my garage overnight. I had washed it the day before and thought maybe something in the charging port got wet. I drove it to work the follow Monday, where it sits in the sun. Came out after work, no lights were on. I assumed it had dried. The next day after being in the garage, not charging, same light was on. I had to leave for work, no time to investigate. After work, no light. This went on for a couple days, baffling me. Regardless of charging or not, in the garage overnight the light came on, and after work, the light was off. I did some research and realized the sun was recharging my battery, which was likely the cause of my light after being in the garage. After a few days, this issue seemed to resolve itself.

A few weeks later (This past weekend), the light came on again and after being in the sun, went back off. This happened last Thursday and Friday. Then Saturday after being in the garage for about 24 hours without charging, my car was totally dead. I made the decision to just buy a new battery, since I was fairly certain the battery was the issue. Probably on the verge of dying and being kept alive by the sun. I got a Optima Yellow Top, because I read it was a good battery for this car. Changed it out Sunday. I've been working well all week, until today (Friday). The light was on again. It was cloudy yesterday and is overcast today. So maybe the sun wasn't helping me as much, but what on earth could be draining my battery?

I'm not in warranty so I'm hesitant to take it to Nissan. Any ideas?

Thanks

Sounds very similar to the issue I had. The telematics unit has a flaw and it will fail to connect to the server so it will just keep trying over and over. This drains the battery over night, even a fully charged, brand new battery. Then in the morning you turn your car on and the car recharges the 12V battery with the DC-DC converter which is SUPER beefy so your 12V gets recharged back to full power by the time your trip is done. I don't think it's the solar panel, I think it's just your morning commute. To confirm this, turn your car off when you arrive in the morning and then turn it on again: my bet is the light will be off.

Every once in a while this telematics loop will drain the battery totally dead and you'll be stuck.

Here is a list of things that I know of that can trigger the telematics (it's probably incomplete) so if you avoid any of these things, you're less likely to have a dead car in the morning:

  • Using the NissanConnect ("Carwings") app at all, even just having it on in the background.
  • Having your car in an area that is stored as a "preferred charging" station
  • Having a setting to send you notifications based on anything that might trigger (being at a preferred charging station, plugged in, unplugged, whatever.

I have taken my car in to Nissan 5 times about this same issue now, and they finally admitted the problem. See here http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25722.
 
brenton said:
jffjnny said:
I'm having a similar issue. I'm new here, and there's 30 pages of this thread, so I'm sorry if this exact thing has been mentioned before.

I have a 2014 SL. I've only had it about six months, used with about 21000 miles on it.

A few weeks ago I noticed the EV system warning light on after charging in my garage overnight. I had washed it the day before and thought maybe something in the charging port got wet. I drove it to work the follow Monday, where it sits in the sun. Came out after work, no lights were on. I assumed it had dried. The next day after being in the garage, not charging, same light was on. I had to leave for work, no time to investigate. After work, no light. This went on for a couple days, baffling me. Regardless of charging or not, in the garage overnight the light came on, and after work, the light was off. I did some research and realized the sun was recharging my battery, which was likely the cause of my light after being in the garage. After a few days, this issue seemed to resolve itself.

A few weeks later (This past weekend), the light came on again and after being in the sun, went back off. This happened last Thursday and Friday. Then Saturday after being in the garage for about 24 hours without charging, my car was totally dead. I made the decision to just buy a new battery, since I was fairly certain the battery was the issue. Probably on the verge of dying and being kept alive by the sun. I got a Optima Yellow Top, because I read it was a good battery for this car. Changed it out Sunday. I've been working well all week, until today (Friday). The light was on again. It was cloudy yesterday and is overcast today. So maybe the sun wasn't helping me as much, but what on earth could be draining my battery?

I'm not in warranty so I'm hesitant to take it to Nissan. Any ideas?

Thanks

Sounds very similar to the issue I had. The telematics unit has a flaw and it will fail to connect to the server so it will just keep trying over and over. This drains the battery over night, even a fully charged, brand new battery. Then in the morning you turn your car on and the car recharges the 12V battery with the DC-DC converter which is SUPER beefy so your 12V gets recharged back to full power by the time your trip is done. I don't think it's the solar panel, I think it's just your morning commute. To confirm this, turn your car off when you arrive in the morning and then turn it on again: my bet is the light will be off.

Every once in a while this telematics loop will drain the battery totally dead and you'll be stuck.

Here is a list of things that I know of that can trigger the telematics (it's probably incomplete) so if you avoid any of these things, you're less likely to have a dead car in the morning:

  • Using the NissanConnect ("Carwings") app at all, even just having it on in the background.
  • Having your car in an area that is stored as a "preferred charging" station
  • Having a setting to send you notifications based on anything that might trigger (being at a preferred charging station, plugged in, unplugged, whatever.

I have taken my car in to Nissan 5 times about this same issue now, and they finally admitted the problem. See here http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=25722.

I have done what you recommended. Get to work (about a 30 minute drive with traffic), turn the car off, then on again. The light stays on. But after 8 hours in the South Carolina sun, no light.

Yesterday was cloudy and rainy. The light was off after work, but came back on after a few hours parked out of the sun.

I turned off all carwings options and signed out. Also plugged in overnight. We’ll see if the light is on. In previous posts, I’ve seen that some dealers have disabled the telematics.
 
Jffjnny
I recently got a 2014 SL aa well. Did the TCU upgrade 2 weeks after I bought it. Within 2 weeks my battery was dead. I recommend the following

1) Call Nissan Leaf Cust service
1-877-664-2738 option 1 then 4.
x457214 speak to Will. He is well aware of the issue . I made them pay for my new 12volt battery because their TCU known issue killed it and I would not accept a recharged battery from the dealer. They paid $140 for the battery and received my check from them in 5 days. The App benefits is not worth a dead car battery at a random time.

2) Have your dealer turn OFF the TCU until the fix comes out.

3) Go to the CarWings menus in the car and turn OFF transmit data until the fix is in place

It is a great car. I love mine. Just not through testing of the 3G TCU in my opinion. I have owned Nissans for over 25 years. They stand behind their products just need to get to the right person at Nissan. Best of luck and keep us posted
 
lorenfb said:
brenton said:
Every once in a while this telematics loop will drain the battery totally dead and you'll be stuck.

And Leaf owners continue to use it???

Sure. If you reset the telematics with a fuse pull and replace about once every three months, it works almost all the time. When it stops working, you pull the fuse. The value to me of remote climate start in winter and summer is worth the bother. Might not be for everyone. I'd love my car even more if I didn't have to do this.

There seems to be different types of lockups. I've not had a battery drain due to this yet. But once a quarter, I've needed to pull the audio fuse to get it working again.
 
Back
Top