DoctorSaul
Member
My Leaf was not used for approximately 4 weeks.
When we went to use it today, the traction motor would not start... in fact the whole car was dead, even though the car was hooked up to the 240volt charging system. I remembered reading somewhere that the 12 volt battery under the hood controls the initial startup, so I jumped the 12 volt battery.... and within a few minutes the traction motor came alive, and the instrument panel indicated that the traction motor had a full charge for a 98 mile driving range. I drove to my Nissan dealer, who checked out the car and found that the 12 volt battery was indeed in a discharged condition, but tested ok as to its ability to take a charge. We talked a little on how the 12 volt battery could discharge if the traction motor battery was fully charged and the 240 volt charging system was hooked up and fully functional. Apparently, the battery that supplies the traction motor does not charge the 12 volt battery while the car is tethered to the 240 volt charging system. The 12 volt battery is charged up when the car is actually running after being disconnected from the 240 volt charging system (or so the explanation went).
Has anyone else experienced the same problem with a dead 12 volt battery after the car set unused for a period of time? If the explanation I received from the service technician is correct, it seems that if the car is going to be unused for a while, the 12 volt battery should be connected to a trickle charger. Do any of you do this?
(When we got home from the dealer, I connected the 12 volt battery to my battery charger, and 12 hours later the charger is indicating that the battery is successfully taking a charge and should be fully charged very soon.... so all is well, apparently.)
When we went to use it today, the traction motor would not start... in fact the whole car was dead, even though the car was hooked up to the 240volt charging system. I remembered reading somewhere that the 12 volt battery under the hood controls the initial startup, so I jumped the 12 volt battery.... and within a few minutes the traction motor came alive, and the instrument panel indicated that the traction motor had a full charge for a 98 mile driving range. I drove to my Nissan dealer, who checked out the car and found that the 12 volt battery was indeed in a discharged condition, but tested ok as to its ability to take a charge. We talked a little on how the 12 volt battery could discharge if the traction motor battery was fully charged and the 240 volt charging system was hooked up and fully functional. Apparently, the battery that supplies the traction motor does not charge the 12 volt battery while the car is tethered to the 240 volt charging system. The 12 volt battery is charged up when the car is actually running after being disconnected from the 240 volt charging system (or so the explanation went).
Has anyone else experienced the same problem with a dead 12 volt battery after the car set unused for a period of time? If the explanation I received from the service technician is correct, it seems that if the car is going to be unused for a while, the 12 volt battery should be connected to a trickle charger. Do any of you do this?
(When we got home from the dealer, I connected the 12 volt battery to my battery charger, and 12 hours later the charger is indicating that the battery is successfully taking a charge and should be fully charged very soon.... so all is well, apparently.)