Leaf's Roadside Assistance Warning!

[NYLEAF]

I had a similar story on a very cold night in February 2012. I hit a pothole at 1am on a Sunday morning on a busy street in Queens, NY. I called Nissan Roadside Assistance and they told me that they'd come get my car and take it to a Nissan dealer of my choice. At some point during the call it became clear that because it was the middle of the night, my car would actually go to a storage lot and would then go to the Nissan dealer on Monday morning. As for me, it was not their responsibility to transport me anywhere. I was about 20 miles away from home and pretty much stranded.

Out of desperation, I agreed to have the tow truck come. The tow truck driver called me at about 2am to say he was just finishing up a job and would be on his way soon. When I explained how I really didn't want my car going to some storage lot, and how I really wanted to go home, he offered to tow my car (and me) to a 24 hour tire shop for $85 cash. At first I agreed, but then called him back a few minutes later and canceled, mainly because I felt like I was being ripped off. Ultimately I had a friend use his AAA membership to get my car towed to the same 24 hour tire shop. Tow truck came at 3:30am, I had a new tire (about $185 IIRC) on the car by 4:30am, and I was home at 5am, just in time to get ready for work...

 

[smkettner]

I would have paid the $85 to get a couple hours sleep

 

[LeftieBiker]

I got a flat in my work parking garage a few months ago. I discovered a screw in the tread. My SO picked up a plug kit ($12), brought it down and plugged it, then our Security staff refilled the tire with their air compressor (perhaps I could've use the air can in the car kit?). I keep that handy plug kit in the car.

It needs to be emphasized that the can is not an "air can" and should not be used except in a dire emergency. The car has a small compressor in the rear compartment (at least mine does) and the can is a variation on "Fix A Flat" - except that it supposedly costs over $180 for a new can, and it also tends to ruin the tire pressure sensor in the wheel! Nissan should also throw in a suicide pill, I guess...

 

[UBUYGAS]

I got a flat a few weekends ago, it was 11:30 at night, I called Nissan, they sent me a text message that said the tow truck will be there at 2:15am!

At 2:17am they showed up, My tire was torn open. They lifted the car and drove me home in the cab, I lived 4 miles away.

The next morning I lifted the car with a floor jack that I bought a week earlier. I removed the tire and wheel, I put the Leaf on a Jack Stand.

I called the Dealer (Meadowlands Nissan in Hasbrouck Heights) and they told me they have the tire in stock and I can come in.

I drove my ICE car to the dealer which 27 miles away with the dead tire in the trunk.

When I arrived they told me they screwed up because they didn't realize I had 17" tires, they only had the 16" in stock.

They said they can have it completed tomorrow. So i left the dead tire and went to work.

The next day i called at Noon, they said the tire just arrived and I told them I'm an hour away and they said I should come in.

By the time I got there the tire was completed.

It didn't cost me anything since I bought the Auto Knight tire and wheel program http://www.autoknight.com/tire_wheel.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It covers the replacement of tires and wheels for 5 years.

Two days ago i received a paid in full bill that was for $243.88

I did not pay it, they paid for it.

I did pay $750 for the Auto Knight Service when I bought the car.

So I need to make at least $506.12 in claims in the next 4 years and 7 months to break even.

Oh, while waiting for the Tow truck I bought a spare tire and a jack on eBay for around $200 shipped.

The next week I installed them in my car for around $65 in parts.

You can check out how I did it at the URL shown below.

Sal

 

[CMYK4Life]

Sounds like a not-so-fun experience.

I have not had a flat in the Leaf yet. However I have used the Nissan roadside assistance once. I ran out of juice 0.7 miles away from the charging station I planned to visit. Painfully close!

It took the truck about 30 mins to get there.

From my perspective it was the same level of service I got from AAA in the past.

 

[TomT]

Of course, if you use the included kit without the can of goop, it will then function as any other small air compressor would and you can use it for inflating a plugged tire...

It needs to be emphasized that the can is not an "air can" and should not be used except in a dire emergency. The car has a small compressor in the rear compartment (at least mine does) and the can is a variation on "Fix A Flat" - except that it supposedly costs over $180 for a new can, and it also tends to ruin the tire pressure sensor in the wheel! Nissan should also throw in a suicide pill, I guess...

 

[eclecticflower]

Of course, if you use the included kit without the can of goop, it will then function as any other small air compressor would and you can use it for inflating a plugged tire...

It needs to be emphasized that the can is not an "air can" and should not be used except in a dire emergency. The car has a small compressor in the rear compartment (at least mine does) and the can is a variation on "Fix A Flat" - except that it supposedly costs over $180 for a new can, and it also tends to ruin the tire pressure sensor in the wheel! Nissan should also throw in a suicide pill, I guess...

I have got to be more of a detective on this car! Honestly, I haven't checked to see what kind of kit & air pump option is really back there in over a year, but I know not to use the goop (I have installed a used Altima jack in the space). Good to know there's air compressor functionality without using the goop. Promise to re-check this. Thanks, guys.

 

[mwalsh]

This isn't a problem unique to the Leaf. More and more the manufacturers are trying to save money and space by not including a spare.

The Volt doesn't have a spare. But on the plus side...their can of goop (as if I'd be foolish enough to use it) is MUCH cheaper than the Nissan branded one!

 

[ebill3]

A $100 K Tesla model S has no spare, no goop, no compressor. Nada. But Tesla will sell you a kit for $50. Isn't that neat?

 

[Bicster]

I believe every motorist should learn how to plug a tire with a tire repair kit...

 

[RegGuheert]

A $100 K Tesla model S has no spare, no goop, no compressor. Nada. But Tesla will sell you a kit for $50. Isn't that neat?

Tesla sells something for $50? Who knew?

(They don't even sell their stock for that anymore!)

 

[ebill3]

A $100 K Tesla model S has no spare, no goop, no compressor. Nada. But Tesla will sell you a kit for $50. Isn't that neat?

Tesla sells something for $50? Who knew?

Well, they don't sell much for $50. Just announced rear seat cup holders go for $150.

 

[TomT]

At least it comes with real tires, unlike the Leaf... :lol:

A $100 K Tesla model S has no spare, no goop, no compressor. Nada. But Tesla will sell you a kit for $50. Isn't that neat?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

this is the first time I've heard of being towed to a storage lot. It sounds like the tow company was taking Nissan for a ride by racking up an extra storage fee.

Nissan roadside assistance told me this would happen, so nothing shady was going on from the towing company.

Doesn't mean the tow company isn't doing it to pad their bill. Just means that Nissan is OK with it. Slight possibility that the dealer in question doesn't accept cars left after hours, but I bet they do.

my car was taken to Nissan dealership hours before they were open and more than a full hour before the service dept opened

 

[Berlino]

At least it comes with real tires, unlike the Leaf... :lol:

The 17" Michelin's on the MY13 SL aren't bad.

 

[madbrain]

I had a flat tire last year, about 2 months after leasing my Leaf.

It was 11:30pm. I ran over a bumper on a dark freeway at night. My right front tire went flat in less than a minute. I was surprised none of the others did. I took the first exit and parked on a residential street, then called the Nissan road assistance.

The lady at the call center was quite incompetent and could obviously not read a map.
She could not locate the nearest Nissan dealer even after I told her where it was located.
I did not hear back for another 2 hours until finally the tow truck showed up. The driver was also upset at Nissan for not understanding where the car was going. I was able to ride with him in the car.
I called my partner to pick me up in the Prius from the dealer at about 2:15am.

The next day, the dealership replaced the tire at a cost of $157.64 .

So, not nearly as bad at your story, but I was very upset about the communication, the fact that I never got any call back from the road assistance service about when the truck would show, and the 2 hours of delay.