Need Help New Leaf Pre-owned owner

[flipnotize21]

Thanks, i did another range test this morning with an average of 4.2 i would get a useful 30 miles out of 60 on guess O meter i would not want to risk running on the red zone (just my thing) i have my daughter with me. even on 90% shows 70-75 miles the range would drop accurate with the bars i guess thats how the dealer got me 1. They did not fully charged so i did not know the range 2. Did not noticed one bar missing (new to electric cars). Im jealous of people doing 50+ miles on a single charge, my commute a day is 30miles but i would love to get at least 60 on my leaf... ohh well we will see in the next few weeks on how far i can take my leaf btw yes my psi is 42 came like that from the dealer.

Following the chart in the link above - interpolating 4.2 miles/kwh - which is a great number BTW - You should have 73 mile range - No accessories is the key here (no AC , no seat heat, No heater, no headlights).

Taking the chart down to 2 bars left - that leaves 20 miles per the chart. Thus the delta would be a desired range for this drop in bars you mentioned above in the quote to be 53 miles. Your claim of only 30 miles means you have a discrepant 23 miles.

You might be closer to loosing another bar than has been mentioned or you have several accessories turned on during your commute!!

I would have the dealer immediately run the State of Charge, State of Health on your Leaf, these numbers are what you are buying when you bought the car.

Are you using Eco Mode? How many acceleration dots do you use to get to cruise of 40 miles per hour on average. Greater than 4 on my 2015 Leaf means I am not an Eco mode driver.

I was not using Eco mod on this, I only drive with 2 dots max of 3 and have the radio on, I have a feeling I might lose a bar in the next year.

 

[flipnotize21]

...last night I took a 50mile round trip @ 98% charge, I had my wife and daughter in the car. Driving at 60mph on eco mode all climate control off and tire PSI @ 42, 2 hills 25miles each way. I did hit LBW with 5 miles showing.... well hope this helps, I want to know if this is the real life LEAF range? ...

Yes.
But you never said where you are or the air temperature for your test drive.
That makes a big difference.
As I have stated many times for my 2011 LEAF with two missing capacity bars it is at best a 40 to 60 mile range vehicle, and in cold weather if you like heat it can be only 30 to 35 miles.

But with a 2012 and one missing capacity bar you will be able to tolerate and use the range better if you quit using the Distance To Empty guess-o-meter and get LEAF Spy Pro so you have some useful instrumentation and data.

The temp last night was 55*-57*, I feel bad because I had an extra blanket for my daughter and the area that we went to was Santa Clarita CA no QC to be found, only had 110v at my relatives house and dropping my bars will take some time to get back up.

 

[TimLee]

...
The temp last night was 55*-57*...

That's not that cold.
I agree with rexki, the range you are getting is very low.
some of it could be cells not well balanced.
Or you could have bad cells.
Or in the worst case someone reset the long term capacity data and the vehicle in reality is much worse than one capacity bar loss.

LEAF Spy Pro is essential in figuring that out.
You can run the Cell Voltage Loss Inspection test with it.

Dealer tests may also be a good idea.
Having some info first is better.
If someone reset the long term capacity loss data that should show up in the Nissan maintenance system with history on your VIN.

 

[flipnotize21]

...
The temp last night was 55*-57*...

That's not that cold.
I agree with rexki, the range you are getting is very low.
some of it could be cells not well balanced.
Or you could have bad cells.
Or in the worst case someone reset the long term capacity data and the vehicle in reality is much worse than one capacity bar loss.

LEAF Spy Pro is essential in figuring that out.
You can run the Cell Voltage Loss Inspection test with it.

Dealer tests may also be a good idea.
Having some info first is better.
If someone reset the long term capacity loss data that should shown up in the Nissan maintenance system with history on your VIN.

Still looking into leafspy I will get one sometime this month, but for now I will be going to the dealer to get a diagnostic, I really feel bad because my wife really likes the car but she does not know what the truth is and what's happening, EV Hotline told me to contact them if I was missed informed when I was sold the leaf.. first off the dealer told me the car only had one owner upon checking carfax 3 had already owned it we are the 4th.. that seems a little fishy for a 2-3yo car....

 

[flipnotize21]

...
The temp last night was 55*-57*...

That's not that cold.
I agree with rexki, the range you are getting is very low.
some of it could be cells not well balanced.
Or you could have bad cells.
Or in the worst case someone reset the long term capacity data and the vehicle in reality is much worse than one capacity bar loss.

LEAF Spy Pro is essential in figuring that out.
You can run the Cell Voltage Loss Inspection test with it.

Dealer tests may also be a good idea.
Having some info first is better.
If someone reset the long term capacity loss data that should shown up in the Nissan maintenance system with history on your VIN.

another thing I have noticed last night was, at 98% when I drove off the gauge had 11bars.... not even .6miles I would loose 2 bars??? in approx 2miles I would loose another one.. this is 2 miles city driving 2 dots 36mph till I got on the freeway... man im just confused

 

[flipnotize21]

I guess im really learning as I go....

 

[rexki]

Dealership falsifying number of owners is likely not illegal, but not in the spirit of a Lexus Dealership under contract with Totoya?

Not sure why a Lexus dealership would be selling a Nissan Leaf?

Just went on CarGurus website to get some pricing and values: Here - http://www.cargurus.com/Cars...onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2012 SL with 24K miles estimated fair market value of $13,755 - if battery pack is Warranty hobbled - then the Nissan Warranty could kick in??!!

If you are down 2 more bars like I think you are then that would represent at least 1,500-3,000 off the fair market value of 13,755 and thus its worth an estimated 12,255 at best.

I am not a car appraiser!! This is a blog to help each other - right?

 

[flipnotize21]

Dealership falsifying number of owners is likely not illegal, but not in the spirit of a Lexus Dealership under contract with Totoya?

Not sure why a Lexus dealership would be selling a Nissan Leaf?

Just went on CarGurus website to get some pricing and values: Here - http://www.cargurus.com/Cars...onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2012 SL with 24K miles estimated fair market value of $13,755 - if battery pack is Warranty hobbled - then the Nissan Warranty could kick in??!!

If you are down 2 more bars like I think you are then that would represent at least 1,500-3,000 off the fair market value of 13,755 and thus its worth an estimated 12,255 at best.

I am not a car appraiser!! This is a blog to help each other - right?

Thanks man, yeah with this forums/peoples experience you guys are helping me learn a lot and thanks to you guys my range anxiety is gone, so now its time to get the car checked up. I called Nissan they said the car is under warranty, I hope this is normal so I can live with it, but if its not I hope they can change the battery, either way I love leaf. I guess I still have a hangover from gas cars range hehehehhe but I love how quiet the car is and hos smooth it rides. I also love new technology gotta get off the dino oil.

 

[Wennfred]

Not sure why a Lexus dealership would be selling a Nissan Leaf?

I purchased my pre-owned 2011 at a Lexus Dealership also, traded in for a Lexus I guess.

Fred

 

[Slow1]

Not sure why a Lexus dealership would be selling a Nissan Leaf?

I purchased my pre-owned 2011 at a Lexus Dealership also, traded in for a Lexus I guess.

Fred

Hmm... Leaf as a gateway vehicle for future Lexus owners? ha!

More seriously, I bet just about every brand of car dealership gets them in on trade. Just a question of whether they send them off to the auction block straight away or try giving it a go to sell it themselves. The Leaf is a pretty nice car really - I bet if folks keep the mileage down and baby them a bit they can show very nicely as a used vehicle.

 

[flipnotize21]

:? i guess people get sucked in buying a leaf thinking its like a car but in reality you have to baby the leaf, don't get me wrong I been building cars since my high school days and worked on shops body/auto mechanics and I find the leaf a little difficult at times, I can just imagine a person with no car history can destroy a leaf in a year, I guess that's why they rather leas it than buy to improve R&D, I love my new Leaf and I would dish out that 5g for a new battery if I had to, but what we need now is more charging station with lots of people getting EV cars I would love to take a long drive not to worry where to QC or a downed station...

 

[davewill]

... I find the leaf a little difficult at times, I can just imagine a person with no car history can destroy a leaf in a year...

Huh? The LEAF isn't fragile in the slightest. A lot of people on here like to baby the battery, but there's really no evidence to suggest it makes all that much difference. The difference surely isn't enough to think that not babying the battery will "destroy" the car.

 

[Slow1]

... I find the leaf a little difficult at times, I can just imagine a person with no car history can destroy a leaf in a year...

Huh? The LEAF isn't fragile in the slightest. A lot of people on here like to baby the battery, but there's really no evidence to suggest it makes all that much difference. The difference surely isn't enough to think that not babying the battery will "destroy" the car.

Have to agree here - I can see someone 'destroying' an ICE vehicle in a year easier than the Leaf (short crashing it). Just run that ICE vehicle hard for a year and skip oil and other fluid checks/changes and see what happens.... New ICE likely could handle it, but I'd put my odds on the Leaf to come out in better shape after a year of this type of abuse.

I was told by my dealer/LEAF guru to not stress about battery charging/levels/etc - "Just charge it when you need to and go" - i.e. no need to avoid full charges or the use of the DCQC. I've been pretty much doing that for the last 9 months and so far it has fared very well. 7800 miles and no issues or maintenance. Am considering a tire rotation though... Running at 40-44psi here so hoping tire wear won't be a major issue for me.

 

[flipnotize21]

http://youtu.be/nyDUybYLljA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; :?: so if i did this you guys think i cant damage the battery? I would love to take a long drive on my leaf.

 

[desiv]

http://youtu.be/nyDUybYLljA :?: so if i did this you guys think i cant damage the battery? I would love to take a long drive on my leaf.

I don't think the issue with long trips and the Leaf is damaging the car.
Maybe in really hot weather if you QC'd to FULL every time and did it over and over and over, but that's not realistic.

The real issue is the time involved.

Yes, I could take my Leaf to visit my family in Southern Oregon.
And I'm not worried about damaging my Leaf.

But the time it would take, stopping every 45 minutes or so to charge for 30 minutes...

That's just not something I'd want to do.. When I'm going to visit family, I want to head from point A straight to point B. And the Leaf wouldn't be my choice for that..

Now, combine the drive with a lot of birdwatching (the wife loves birding) stops, so I don't mind that the trip takes hours longer.... Maybe.. ;-)
As long as there are chargers where we could stop for birds, that might work.
Somehow tho, I don't think that is one of the things they look for when picking locations for chargers.. ;-)

desiv

 

[flipnotize21]

It just so nice not driving an ice car i really dont miss the gas station, the leaf really fits our family needs my wife and i has stoped using our ice cars so far almost 500miles in 12days wife works 3 days i work 3 days 12hr shifts alternating days so we take turns on the car if i need to run errands i drop her off work, just perfect. What would be really nice is more range and more DCQC that would solve our long range trips. :lol:

 

[flipnotize21]

i will be traveling from van nuys ca to northridge ca then to la cracenta ca then back to van muys ca, i belive the total will be 50-60miles no climate control here is my starting picture.

 

[davewill]

http://youtu.be/nyDUybYLljA :?: so if i did this you guys think i cant damage the battery? I would love to take a long drive on my leaf.

No different than ignoring the temperature gauge in an ICE car when climbing a hill and keeping the AC going full blast. Anyway, definitely not something the average user is ever going to attempt.

 

[Slow1]

http://youtu.be/nyDUybYLljA :?: so if i did this you guys think i cant damage the battery? I would love to take a long drive on my leaf.

Well, I did notice there in the video that the driver had it in the red for battery temps - likely not advisable for any significant length of time. However at the end there when the dash was showing 5*c outside temp the battery temp was back down (still high, but not in the red).

I also note that the speed was high (78mph at one point) and overall average m/kwh was like 3.4 (which supports driving fast) so those factors likely also play into the battery temps.

Nice stunt - would be nice to have the DCQC infrastructure to do this, but as someone else pointed out, not something I'd do for a cross country trip voluntarily. I just don't want to stop every 50-60 miles (assuming I kept speed down to maintain range - about an hour or so?) and then charge for 30 minutes. Get me 3-4 hours between stops at highway speeds (200-300 miles) and then I'll happily stop for an hour to charge if there is a rest area with food/bathroom.

Current Leaf is a city car, not a cross country cruiser. Sure you CAN do it, but other than as PR stunts or bragging rights, why would anyone do it unless they absolutely had to?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Current Leaf is a city car, not a cross country cruiser.

The Smart ED is a city car. The Leaf is a 'suburban commuter', as opposed to a cross-country cruiser or even an exurban commuter.