Capacity Loss on 2011-2012 LEAFs

[Nubo]

33. They need a few more days to train the polar bear. Instead of hugging Scott, the bear will pat him gently on the back.

 

[Volusiano]

34. They're trying to fit an ICE generator in Scott's car to turn it into a plug-in hybrid as long term fix for all Phoenix's LEAFs.
35. Because Dubai is the only place hot enough for them to consider TMS, they want to ship Scott's car to Dubai for further studies since Casa Grande is not hot enough.

 

[surfingslovak]

36. They are fitting Scott's car with skids, so it can slide down the indoor ski slope in Dubai, where it also will have its own man-made island.

 

[RegGuheert]

33. They need a few more days to train the polar bear. Instead of hugging Scott, the bear will pat him gently on the back.

37. They need a few more days to train the polar bear. Instead of hugging Scott, it is learning to "bear" the heat of Phoenix while pushing Scott's LEAF. Hopefully Scott has accommodations for the new "accessory" he will receive with his LEAF.

 

[LEAFer]

Nice ! Now (since it's a little off topic, and because it will survive better) let's make these reasons its own thread with updates in its OP.

29b. GM was unable to help and instead referred them to the alien techs working on the crash-landed saucer nearby.

( Remember, GM is Government Motors ... further speculation is futile )

 

[KJD]

Apparently they are keeping our car as well. So stop your speculation! I just don't know what to believe anymore, but we'll see what happens in a few days...

We look forward to hearing what they found out and what they did or will do to resolve this problem.

 

[vrwl]

I may be running in the same heat (doh! no pun intended) as you.
Received my first 9-bar 80% charge this afternoon.
19.8k mi, days short of 14 mos.

For those that have lost the first bar, what were your Gid readings at 80% at that time?

Condolences on your 9 bar charges. You are currently on the "No Bars Lost" list in the wiki (the May 18th entry). Please be sure to keep us updated if you do eventually lose one so we can remove your listing from the "No Bars" list and add you to the "1 Bar Lost" list.

 

[leafkabob]

I may be running in the same heat (doh! no pun intended) as you.
Received my first 9-bar 80% charge this afternoon.
19.8k mi, days short of 14 mos.

For those that have lost the first bar, what were your Gid readings at 80% at that time?

Condolences on your 9 bar charges. You are currently on the "No Bars Lost" list in the wiki (the May 18th entry). Please be sure to keep us updated if you do eventually lose one so we can remove your listing from the "No Bars" list and add you to the "1 Bar Lost" list.

While 9-bars @ 80% charge may be an indicator of some eventual loss of battery capacity, for those folks in more temperate climates like southern california, it may still be awhile before they actually drop their first bar.
Volusiano first reported a 9/80 charge last July 31, 2011. He didn't drop his first bar until approx. May 20, 2012. And for what it is worth, last August, September and October in Phoenix we had 57 more days of 100+ degree days - with 17 of those days over 110.

 

[JPWhite]

Volusiano first reported a 9/80 charge last July 31, 2011. He didn't drop his first bar until approx. May 20, 2012. And for what it is worth, last August and September in Phoenix we had 57 more days of 100+ degree days - with 17 of those days over 110.

At least that is encouraging. I started to get 9 / 80 charges as follows.

6/9/2012
6/24/2012
6/29/2012
7/7/2012
7/13/2012
7/15/2012
7/17/2012
7/20/2012
7/25/2012
7/27/2012
7/28/2012
8/1/2012
8/2/2012

Pretty much 9 / 80 everyday now. Our overnight lows are higher than Phoenix, but the daily highs are much lower (except for that crazy two week heat wave earlier this year).

 

[leafkabob]

Volusiano first reported a 9/80 charge last July 31, 2011. He didn't drop his first bar until approx. May 20, 2012. And for what it is worth, last August and September in Phoenix we had 57 more days of 100+ degree days - with 17 of those days over 110.

At least that is encouraging.

As I recall my own car did the 9/80 thing a little while after Volusiano reported it, but it went back to 10/80 for the fall and winter, with the 9/80 returning in the spring, followed by my first bar loss on May 26, 2012. I wonder if all those places with reasonable climates may not go two years or more before losing their first bar.

 

[GRA]

Anyone want to read the tea leaves (no pun intended) as to why 5 come back and Scott's stays?

1. Scott's car has a scorpion inside, and they are afraid to go near it

2. Scott is so happy with his ICE loaner car, he told them to keep it

3. Scott has an awesome playlist, and they play the radio while working on other cars

4. Nissan employees had a religious experience while driving it, and have made it a shrine

5. Scott's car had not yet hit 120F for 24 hours (needed to void the warranty), so they left it out in the sun an extra day

6.

What is six? WHAT IS SIX??? I HAVE TO KNOW!!!!!

"YOU are Number Six." (semi-obscure reference)

 

[DesertDenizen]

I have been 9/80 for about two months now, with GOM showing 75 rather than the original 83 I got for the first 10 months.

 

[JPWhite]

What is six? WHAT IS SIX??? I HAVE TO KNOW!!!!!
"YOU are Number Six." (semi-obscure reference)

Are you saying Scott is Patrick McGoohan?

 

[WetEV]

"YOU are Number Six."

I am not a number, I am a free man!
(Typo correction)

 

[GRA]

"YOU are Number Six."

I am not a number, I am free man!

[Evil Laugh]

I don't doubt that Nissan would prefer to be able to handle the battery problems in such a fashion; instead of doing "The Dead Parrot" sketch they could just have the new Number 2 (Mark Perry for starters, then Carla Bailo and so on) either deny there's any problem or repeat boilerplate generalities about the causes of battery degradation while saying that they're studying it and will get back to people, and if anyone still refuses to shut up, "Orange Alert" and sic Rover on them.

 

[ecoobsessive]

Nissan has a problem and they have 2 choices:

1. Do nothing and let the LEAF die a slow, natural death in warm climates. It will still be a great car in cooler areas and also possibly for the warmer areas where the owner can keep it cool.
2. Announce that they are vigorously working on a TMS for future MYs and will offer a favorable upgrade for those in warm climates who are interested.

If they want to do #2 they better do it quick before too many of us jump ship!

 

[thankyouOB]

Wont everyone want the upgrade option?
They have to factor in that to the solution. Would it be OK to exclude CA Leafs or just those along the coasts?

 

[ecoobsessive]

I'm sure the upgrade would cost us something. Those in cooler climates who don't need it would probably not care to fork over more money for something they don't need. Of course that's not fair to those of us in warm climates who got hit with early degradation - especially since Nissan did not disclose to us in advance that our cars would age more quickly.

 

[JPWhite]

If they want to do #2 they better do it quick before too many of us jump ship!

I've thought of the Ford Focus Electric, little too expensive and no fast charge port.
Mitsubishi i-Miev has a quick charge port option, but the car is overpriced for what it is and uses the same passive cooling.
Tesla? Too rich for my blood.

In Tennessee that's it. Out of EV options.

One option I am considering is using $7,500 obama (or romney) bucks to pay for my first year depreciation and get a 2013 LEAF with better heater, charger, fresh battery and leather seats. Nissan have a quota of 200,000 vehicles before the obama bucks run out, at the rate they are selling LEAF's I should be good for anew car each year for a good long while.

 

[Herm]

the iMiev uses forced ventilation to cool the battery pack.