HVAC (A/C) cuts out

[stjohnh]

Ordered a new filter - appears easy to replace
...

Thanks for the info.

I haven't changed mine, but many here have reported the approved way of replacing the cabin filter is very difficult. Much easier to remove the glove box entirely to get at the filter.

[WetEV]

I have submitted Case # 35668713 to EV Customer Service re: 2011- Current LEAF's A/C Blowing Warm Air Intermittently. if anybody experiences or has the same issues, please add your complaints to the Case # above... maybe Nissan will finally get this corrected and/or offer a software update, as it appears a previous software update caused the problem in the first place.

Why do you make me see this three times?

[Marktm]

Ordered a new filter - appears easy to replace
...

Thanks for the info.

I haven't changed mine, but many here have reported the approved way of replacing the cabin filter is very difficult. Much easier to remove the glove box entirely to get at the filter.

I did replace the air filter end of last summer - it was fairly easy, in fact if I remember, closing the cover was the most difficult, but it's been over a week ago !! I did not have any more issues with the A/C cutting out, but the hottest part of the TX summer is coming, so I'll see how it goes.

[Lothsahn]

My AC cut out after sitting still 3 hours in 95F heat in the sun. I was using my car as an office at the time. Power draw was 3-4kW, then went to 0 suddenly. I drove the car for 1 mile at 35mph and it suddenly came back strong, only drawing 1-1.5kW.

I was told on the forums there was a firmware update for the AC that cut the cooling power for early 2011s under certain conditions. But it's only happened when stationary once so I've never done anything about it.

If you we're driving at all when this happened, I suspect something is wrong with the car. I would replace the cabin air filter, and if it continued, check freon levels and whether the outside coil is obstructed.

[Oilpan4]

Mine leaks.
That's why it doesn't work.

[dsh]

My AC cut out after sitting still 3 hours in 95F heat in the sun. I was using my car as an office at the time. Power draw was 3-4kW, then went to 0 suddenly. I drove the car for 1 mile at 35mph and it suddenly came back strong, only drawing 1-1.5kW.

I was told on the forums there was a firmware update for the AC that cut the cooling power for early 2011s under certain conditions. But it's only happened when stationary once so I've never done anything about it.

If you we're driving at all when this happened, I suspect something is wrong with the car. I would replace the cabin air filter, and if it continued, check freon levels and whether the outside coil is obstructed.

This is exactly the problem we're having...doesn't just happen while stationary it also happens while driving. It has nothing to do with the air filter or the freon levels or the condenser fin coils. I notice it more cuz I'm in Phoenix and it gets regularly up 115 degrees in the summer....

Anybody with the new 62 kWh Leaf Plus have the same intermittent A/C blowing warm issue?

[Lothsahn]

My AC cut out after sitting still 3 hours in 95F heat in the sun. I was using my car as an office at the time. Power draw was 3-4kW, then went to 0 suddenly. I drove the car for 1 mile at 35mph and it suddenly came back strong, only drawing 1-1.5kW.

I was told on the forums there was a firmware update for the AC that cut the cooling power for early 2011s under certain conditions. But it's only happened when stationary once so I've never done anything about it.

If you we're driving at all when this happened, I suspect something is wrong with the car. I would replace the cabin air filter, and if it continued, check freon levels and whether the outside coil is obstructed.

This is exactly the problem we're having...doesn't just happen while stationary it also happens while driving. It has nothing to do with the air filter or the freon levels or the condenser fin coils. I notice it more cuz I'm in Phoenix and it gets regularly up 115 degrees in the summer....

Anybody with the new 62 kWh Leaf Plus have the same intermittent A/C blowing warm issue?

As I understand it, dsh, you should not be experiencing this issue. If you have a 2011 or possibly a 2012, I'd call a knowledgeable dealership and see if there are any TSB's about the AC cutting out. Since we don't have 115F here, and I don't plan on running the AC without moving the car for >3 hours, I haven't bothered to fix it on mine.

[OrientExpress]

This is probably on purpose. Most vehicles will cut off things that are being used in the accessory mode after a while to preserve the 12v battery from dying. OR the heat pump may not have have reached a limit for use when the car is stationary.

Run the for a bit and then it will reset its timer.

[LeftieBiker]

This is probably on purpose. Most vehicles will cut off things that are being used in the accessory mode after a while to preserve the 12v battery from dying. OR the heat pump may not have have reached a limit for use when the car is stationary.

Run the for a bit and then it will reset its timer.

<sigh> First, the A/C doesn't run in Accessory mode - it's a high voltage unit that requires Ready Mode. Second, you left a rather necessary word (car?) out of your suggestion and one of the sentences doesn't make sense as written. I wish that people posting from cell phones would check the post before sending it, especially when offering advice.

[GerryAZ]

My AC cut out after sitting still 3 hours in 95F heat in the sun. I was using my car as an office at the time. Power draw was 3-4kW, then went to 0 suddenly. I drove the car for 1 mile at 35mph and it suddenly came back strong, only drawing 1-1.5kW.

I was told on the forums there was a firmware update for the AC that cut the cooling power for early 2011s under certain conditions. But it's only happened when stationary once so I've never done anything about it.

If you we're driving at all when this happened, I suspect something is wrong with the car. I would replace the cabin air filter, and if it continued, check freon levels and whether the outside coil is obstructed.

This is exactly the problem we're having...doesn't just happen while stationary it also happens while driving. It has nothing to do with the air filter or the freon levels or the condenser fin coils. I notice it more cuz I'm in Phoenix and it gets regularly up 115 degrees in the summer....

Anybody with the new 62 kWh Leaf Plus have the same intermittent A/C blowing warm issue?

My 2011 did and my 2015 does work very well as a portable office in Phoenix. Although the compressor will not run at full speed while parked, it still provides very good cooling even on the hottest days. There was a software update for 2011 models that did several things, one of which was to reduce the maximum allowable compressor speed when the car was parked or moving less than 18 mi/hr (threshold for pedestrian warning noise). Based upon my observations of the 2015, that programming was carried forward because compressor power draw increases and discharge air temperature decreases when vehicle speed gets above 18 mi/hr during really high ambient temperatures (it is not noticable at moderate temperatures). I have never seen the over temperature error codes nor had the air conditioning cut out as described in several posts in this thread (with either 2011 or 2015) so there is something wrong with those cars. Possible causes include condenser fans not moving enough air (due to condenser blockage or fans running too slow), evaporator icing (due to low circulating fan speed or restricted cabin air filter), or incorrect refrigerant charge (not likely because system is hermetically sealed). I have seen the same symptoms with gasoline engine vehicles when the electric condenser fan was not operating at all, variable speed controller for the condenser fan was not running the fan fast enough, and/or the thermostatic fan clutch for the engine-driven fan was not working correctly (also caused coolant temperature to climb). I have also seen failing electric condenser fans just run slower than normal and not move enough air even though they sound like they are working.