Importing US Leafs to Canada - CARWINGS

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AlanC

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
22
Location
Vancouver/Richmond, BC, Canada
It seems a lot of people (in Vancouver at least) are buying US imported LEAFs. From what I understand, the GPS/Nav works fine, but CARWINGS does not. Has anyone successfully tried to switch the telematics unit, or gotten a Rogers SIM card, or have it converted/activated through a Canadian dealership directly?

There seems to be quite a few Nav functions tied to CARWINGS, so I had some related questions:
- Do you get error messages because CARWINGS doesn't connect?
- Does CARWINGS connect when you visit the States?
- Does the map get updated via CARWINGS, or just the charging station locations?

I read about a link to a replacement CARWINGS-like system here: http://openvehicles.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, which you'd buy a new telematics unit for just over $100. Has anyone used that?

Thank you!

(Soon-to-be-LEAF-owner!)
 
I bought a 2011 leaf from usa last year. At the time it was allow of money to convert to canadian carwings as you had to replace the telemetric unit. Changing the sims card does not work. I now drive down to the peace arch park to get updates as the carwings connects there. PS I got a USA account by calling Nissan USA.
 
evken said:
I bought a 2011 leaf from usa last year. At the time it was allow of money to convert to canadian carwings as you had to replace the telemetric unit. Changing the sims card does not work. I now drive down to the peace arch park to get updates as the carwings connects there. PS I got a USA account by calling Nissan USA.

I'm willing to replace that telematics unit. Did you ask a local dealership or someone else? It's good to know you get updates just by driving down there as I go to Bellingham a lot.

But this raises a big question: if the telematics unit only works for the US OR Canada, what about Americans who travel to Canada, and Canadians who want to travel to the US? Luckily, the GPS should work, but not getting the local charge station locations is... very unfortunate.

P.S. I'm in Richmond as well, and with the Canadian LEAF prices, buying a US import will save me several thousand $, so that's the way to go for me.
 
When US Leafs come up here they can not use Carwings and same when we go down there. It has to do with the telephone companies. AT&T is used down there and Rogers up here with no crossover allowed. Carwings also works only on 2G and since this is being droped next year by both companies Carwings will stop working. That is unless Nissan does something to upgrade it. My Carwings only works in the USA because I got a US account on the phone from Nissan USA. Nissan Canada was not willing to help me. As for changing out the telemetrics unit. Both dealers I checked with only stated it was A lot of money and that they had not done it. I just had my free three contact with Carwings USA extended for free by Nissan USA. I got my Leaf from Motorized Auto Direct in Victoria. He brings up US leafs and does all the paper work. I saved about $14000.00 and on his website is shows 2011 for about 22500 and 2012 for about 26500. Check it out. Good luck
 
Thanks for your help, evken. Motorize is probably where I'm going to buy one from as well. He seemed more knowledgeable than any dealer salesman I've dealt with (and he owns one himself), and his prices are what they SHOULD be in BC. Glad to see he's smart enough to import multiple Leafs from the U.S. and take care of all the paperwork and conversions beforehand. He's cornering the market in the lower mainland as long as the government isn't helping with EV subsidies!

It's too bad the cell companies or Nissan Canada aren't helpful. It's strange about not being able to use it cross-border considering so many Canadians cross the border for vacation (and vice versa), and your actual cell phones don't stop working... they just go into "roam" mode and connect with the cell phone partner in the new country.
 
I had great service from him and no problems with my leaf. 53000 km and counting and battery at 85% Let me know when you get yours Ken
 
For some reason the Carwings on my USA Leaf has started working in Vancouver BC today. When I got in and started it the charging stations updated themself. Has anyone heard about Nissan making Carwings work in both countries?
 
evken said:
For some reason the Carwings on my USA Leaf has started working in Vancouver BC today. When I got in and started it the charging stations updated themself. Has anyone heard about Nissan making Carwings work in both countries?

Whoa... that sounds promising. Has it done it again today? Were you anywhere near the border?

Another way to test it is to see if it connects to the CARWINGS iPhone app. It would be amazing if it suddenly worked!
 
[quote= He brings up US leafs and does all the paper work.
Should this thread be renamed Importing USed leafs to Canada? Sure would help if Christy would bring back provincial incentives/grants.
 
It is connecting to the app leaf connect but not the nissan canadian leaf app. I am using my us account. I have full control of carwings including rss feeds.
 
ElectricEddy said:
Should this thread be renamed Importing USed leafs to Canada? Sure would help if Christy would bring back provincial incentives/grants.

Agreed. But until the incentives come back, Motorize in Victoria will continue to have healthy business importing from the States.

And again, although the gov't doesn't have the consumer incentives anymore, I applaud them for making changes that proliferated the EV charging stations to be installed all over town and in all new buildings.
 
Since my last post I have found that doenloading the US leaf app works with my car. I add RSS through the us website using my us account.
 
evken said:
Since my last post I have found that doenloading the US leaf app works with my car. I add RSS through the us website using my us account.

Just tried that... I'm guessing I have to be in the US to download the US Leaf app? It doesn't show up in the app store. I also downloaded LEAF Link for the iphone. Do you use that?

I'm expecting delivery of my 2013 Leaf this Tuesday or Wednesday!
 
Hello,
I am in the same case, USA imported Leaf and living in Canada, not far from the border.
Does anyone have a link to the apk package of the Carwings from Nissan USA?
Which version should it be and which size?

Thank you.
Fabien

AlanC said:
evken said:
Since my last post I have found that doenloading the US leaf app works with my car. I add RSS through the us website using my us account.

Just tried that... I'm guessing I have to be in the US to download the US Leaf app? It doesn't show up in the app store. I also downloaded LEAF Link for the iphone. Do you use that?

I'm expecting delivery of my 2013 Leaf this Tuesday or Wednesday!
 
All you have to do is change your app store to us in the settings tap. Go to my account and log in to see your account and change the country to us. Just remember to change it back to canada after downloading the us app.
 
It seems that the iphone usa app works with the us leafs in canada. But someone with an us leaf and android can not download the leaf app from the us here in canada. This means that they can not use the remote functions. There is no third party app available for android either.
 
No luck downloading the US iphone app so far. I was logged in, and when I switch countries, it asks me to register again, but I need a US address/credit card.

Going to try calling Nissan today to set it up on their end at least.

Pretty excited; just got delivery of my Leaf this morning!
 
Yeehaaa! So thanks to EVKen, I've discovered the secret to getting US Leaf CARWINGS to work in Canada is to sign up for a US CARWINGS account. Setting up a Canadian CARWINGS account actually messes things up. To get a US account, I just had to have a US address, so I used a mailbox address I often use for US shipping.

I also found a way to get around needing a US credit card for getting an American iTunes account:
1. Log out of your Canadian account in iTunes
2. Change country to US
3. Find and install a FREE app, like Nissan LEAF.
4. Sign up for a new Apple ID account. The trick here is that you need to have a US address and a new email account. However, if you use Gmail, you can simply add "+<anything>" to your email account name and iTunes thinks it's a new email, but you will still receive emails to your original account. e.g. if your gmail is [email protected], use [email protected]. This avoids having to set up an entirely new email account.
5. Choose "None" as the payment. If you don't see this option, you likely didn't try to download a free app yet.

So far, LEAF Link and the US Nissan Leaf app work fine, but I don't receive TEXT message alerts. This is ok since I can still receive email notifications.

Good luck!
 
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