Accidentally leaving the Leaf on: What happens?

[ztanos]

Doesn't everyone have "auto lock" on? The car stays locked until you turn if off. When exiting the vehicle, finding you can't because the doors are still locked - this should clue you in that the car is still "on".

I turned it off as soon as I figured out how. I hate auto lock.
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why?

Not sure of his reasons, but if you are pulling up to a curb and just want to drop your friends off it could be an "inconvenience." But I guess it's better to be inconvenienced than drain the battery.

 

[dandrewk]

The battery saving advantage of auto lock is incidental. I think its main purpose is safety.

Either way, I'm glad it's there.

 

[DesertDenizen]

The battery saving advantage of auto lock is incidental. I think its main purpose is safety.

Either way, I'm glad it's there.

+1 Never came close to leaving my car on. I don't use accessory or ready mode, just on or off.

 

[HXGuy]

Not sure of his reasons, but if you are pulling up to a curb and just want to drop your friends off it could be an "inconvenience." But I guess it's better to be inconvenienced than drain the battery.

As far ask know, cars with auto lock still allow you to open the door from the inside, but sometimes take two pulls of the handle so it's not opened by mistake.

 

[planet4ever]

As far ask know, cars with auto lock still allow you to open the door from the inside, but sometimes take two pulls of the handle so it's not opened by mistake.

Does your LEAF do that? Mine doesn't. -- Or rather, didn't, before I turned auto lock off.

I turned mine off because:

• My wife often wants to get out of the car before I power down, if I am jotting down statistics (mileage, M/kWh, etc.)
• I often put the car in Park and dash into a store leaving my wife in the car listening to music.
  • That may seem odd, but in my case I deliver and pick up tickets at stores which sell them for our community theater group.
• I occasionally meet people somewhere and pull up to the curb where they are waiting to get in the car. Later I drop them off there.

Just today I had one more tiny reason to be thankful I had turned it off. Seems one of my tires has developed a slow leak, and the low pressure light came on. I found a place to park and got out to check which tire it was and get the pump out of the back. Naturally I left the car on, because I knew I would be using the 12v power outlet.

Ray

 

[SierraQ]

I would not want the Leaf to ever shut off if I left it on because there are cases where I want it to stay on--keeping groceries cool for example. The 3-beep alarm is more than sufficient. To date my wife is the only one who has accidentally left it on, and only for a few hours so no big deal. I agree with that the Volt probably needs something to prevent the engine from turning on as that can be a hazard.

Now, as for the 12V battery dying. I think it is best to leave the Leaf unplugged if you are away. It is not a Tesla and won't brick itself. I've been gone for 2+ weeks at a time and both traction and 12V batteries were just fine--no loss at all in fact. I believe the Leaf goes into a special power saving mode after a few days of inactivity when unplugged because Carwings stops working (according to the manual). However, this may not occur if it is plugged in as that might trigger activity and hence drain the 12V battery.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I would not want the Leaf to ever shut off if I left it on because there are cases where I want it to stay on--keeping groceries cool for example. .

You can turn the AC on with the timer, text message (when setup), Internet through CarWings, or smart phone app.

 

[dandrewk]

I would not want the Leaf to ever shut off if I left it on because there are cases where I want it to stay on--keeping groceries cool for example.

:?: You do know you can easily keep the climate control on without the car actually being on? You don't even have to have the key fob near, it's activated via the website or smartphone app. It only stays on for 30 minutes at a time, but can be re-activated as often as you like.

ETA - Tony's a genius.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I would not want the Leaf to ever shut off if I left it on because there are cases where I want it to stay on--keeping groceries cool for example.

:?: You do know you can easily keep the climate control on without the car actually being on? You don't even have to have the key fob near, it's activated via the website or smartphone app. It only stays on for 30 minutes at a time, but can be re-activated as often as you like.

It stays on for 15 minutes unplugged, and 2 hours plugged in.

 

[dandrewk]

I would not want the Leaf to ever shut off if I left it on because there are cases where I want it to stay on--keeping groceries cool for example.

:?: You do know you can easily keep the climate control on without the car actually being on? You don't even have to have the key fob near, it's activated via the website or smartphone app. It only stays on for 30 minutes at a time, but can be re-activated as often as you like.

It stays on for 15 minutes unplugged, and 2 hours plugged in.

Yipes, I actually knew that. Don't know why the 30 minutes got stuck in my head.

 

[dgpcolorado]

As far ask know, cars with auto lock still allow you to open the door from the inside, but sometimes take two pulls of the handle so it's not opened by mistake.

Does your LEAF do that? Mine doesn't. -- Or rather, didn't, before I turned auto lock off.

I turned mine off because:

• My wife often wants to get out of the car before I power down, if I am jotting down statistics (mileage, M/kWh, etc.)
• I often put the car in Park and dash into a store leaving my wife in the car listening to music.
  • That may seem odd, but in my case I deliver and pick up tickets at stores which sell them for our community theater group.
• I occasionally meet people somewhere and pull up to the curb where they are waiting to get in the car. Later I drop them off there.

Just today I had one more tiny reason to be thankful I had turned it off. Seems one of my tires has developed a slow leak, and the low pressure light came on. I found a place to park and got out to check which tire it was and get the pump out of the back. Naturally I left the car on, because I knew I would be using the 12v power outlet.

Ray

I rather like the autolock setting. I don't find it difficult to open the doors with the power unlock button. After doing it awhile it is now automatic for me to hit the unlock button when picking up my carpool partner or stepping out to get the mail (the neighborhood mailbox structure is 2½ miles from my house). Doesn't seem like a big deal to me: just hit the power unlock button and leave the car on.

On-topic: I've never left my car on unintended. It is difficult for me to imagine doing so. But, then, I don't live a harried life like many others do.

 

[Deleted member 3147]

Doesn't everyone have "auto lock" on? The car stays locked until you turn if off. When exiting the vehicle, finding you can't because the doors are still locked - this should clue you in that the car is still "on".

However, I always lock the car using the buttons on the door and trunk. I'm almost positive that it won't lock that way if the car is on.

I can lock ours from the front doors, from the trunk or from the fob regardless of which mode the car is in, including "READY".

You are right; I was wrong. Sorry. I believe I was thinking of my old Prius.

 

[Deleted member 3147]

Doesn't everyone have "auto lock" on? The car stays locked until you turn if off. When exiting the vehicle, finding you can't because the doors are still locked - this should clue you in that the car is still "on".

I turned it off as soon as I figured out how. I hate auto lock.
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why?

Call me a creature of habit. I've been driving for 40 years and only recently been exposed to cars with auto-lock.

In any case, I live/drive in a very safe area and see no reason (in general) to have the doors locked while driving.

 

[Carlabetts]

Is anyone aware that if you leave the car in drive and it gets plugged in it will click the car into neutral. Today I found this out with terrible consequences. I ( no idea how or why) pulled up drive and left car in drive. Asked my daughter to plug the car in and walked away. Clicked into neutral and off she rolled at speed down my drive crashing into the tree gate and bushes. I tried my best to get in to stop it but with no luck just bruises. I personally think this is a design fault and a dangerous one!!! Granted I failed to turn off correctly but that error alone did no harm, but why would it not go to park???? Whilst I am mortified and bruised and bashed it could have been so much worse!!! Stupid error but has anyone else experienced anything like this??? Before anyone tells me I am stupid please don't waste your effort I feel bad enough and am getting enough grief!!!!

 

[UkrainianKozak]

Did you really took the delivery of the car today and crashed it on the first day???

>>>
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:56 pm
Posts: 1
Delivery Date: 08 Aug 2013

Is anyone aware that if you leave the car in drive and it gets plugged in it will click the car into neutral. Today I found this out with terrible consequences. I ( no idea how or why) pulled up drive and left car in drive. Asked my daughter to plug the car in and walked away. Clicked into neutral and off she rolled at speed down my drive crashing into the tree gate and bushes. I tried my best to get in to stop it but with no luck just bruises. I personally think this is a design fault and a dangerous one!!! Granted I failed to turn off correctly but that error alone did no harm, but why would it not go to park???? Whilst I am mortified and bruised and bashed it could have been so much worse!!! Stupid error but has anyone else experienced anything like this??? Before anyone tells me I am stupid please don't waste your effort I feel bad enough and am getting enough grief!!!!

 

[siai]

How did you manage to leave the car in "Drive" and not have it roll forward or backward? You must have been on a slight uphill which just had the right angle to keep it from rolling either direction. I don't remember but does the LEAF have a "hill assist" feature? If it does it won't roll backward on an incline. I am glad it's only your car that is injured and you aren't hurt worse then you are. It just isn't worth it to chase a rolling car. BTW--if I did something like this I would have gotten the EVSE connetor locked in and pulled the whole thing off the garage wall and watched my LEAF pull it down the driveway!

 

[Reddy]

Yes, this has happened to someone else and there's a thread on it somewhere.

 

[davewill]

Yes, this has happened to someone else and there's a thread on it somewhere.

The only one I recall had the person attempt to start and drive the car while still plugged in. It didn't go into start, but attempting to shift into reverse caused a shift to neutral, allowing the car to roll away from the EVSE.

 

[RegGuheert]

Is anyone aware that if you leave the car in drive and it gets plugged in it will click the car into neutral. Today I found this out with terrible consequences. I ( no idea how or why) pulled up drive and left car in drive. Asked my daughter to plug the car in and walked away. Clicked into neutral and off she rolled at speed down my drive crashing into the tree gate and bushes. I tried my best to get in to stop it but with no luck just bruises. I personally think this is a design fault and a dangerous one!!! Granted I failed to turn off correctly but that error alone did no harm, but why would it not go to park???? Whilst I am mortified and bruised and bashed it could have been so much worse!!! Stupid error but has anyone else experienced anything like this??? Before anyone tells me I am stupid please don't waste your effort I feel bad enough and am getting enough grief!!!!

I just verified this exact behavior in our 2011 LEAF. When the car shifts into N, it simultaneously displays on the dash "Shift to Prange" with a little graphic showing how to do this.

I cannot imagine what Nissan was thinking with this programming. The car knows that the speed is slow enough to move into Park, so why not do that instead of asking the driver to do it? In my test, I was not in the car to see the message anyway. Pretty scary! I'm glad the poster was not more seriously injured.

The only real warning I got was the three beeps that the LEAF normally makes when you exit the car while in READY mode.

The only one I recall had the person attempt to start and drive the car while still plugged in. It didn't go into start, but attempting to shift into reverse caused a shift to neutral, allowing the car to roll away from the EVSE.

+1

I'm pretty sure that situation is prevented in the latest firmware. I tried to duplicate that problem and could not.

 

[RonDawg]

As far ask know, cars with auto lock still allow you to open the door from the inside, but sometimes take two pulls of the handle so it's not opened by mistake.

Not on the Leaf. I wish it did though; my Audi allows you to override the locks with one pull of the inside front door handle, or two pulls of the inside rear door handle.