New Here - Bought a Used 2013 SL

[javierp]

20 year old college student/part-time worker here. Bought a used 2013 Leaf on Tuesday (coming from a slowly dying 98 Infiniti i30) and so far I'm extremely pleased with it. Completely silent and super smooth drive. And NO gas! Like every other new Leaf owner I was also worried about range but a few days in and I'm already getting more comfortable. It also helps that there are two eVgo QuickCharge stations, - one by my house and one by my second job - so I'm never without a place to charge. My first challenge will be when I attempt a round trip from Dallas to Austin in October.

A few questions for all you Leaf gurus:

-Is the USB socket powered by the 12v battery or the main car battery?
-Is there *any* way to set a default bluetooth device when there is more than one available at the same time? Mine always connects to my iPhone first so it gets annoying having to switch to the iPod.
-Would adding a backup camera in the near future be cumbersome (I was pretty surprised that the upper trim level didn't come with it standard)?
-Any recommendations on the best L2 home chargers?
-Is setting up carwings/remote control on it hard/worth it? (or it still possible, I heard they discontinued the old remote Leaf app)

Sorry if this is a lot of questions or if it has been answered previously.
I really am excited to own a Leaf and I'm even more excited that I'm contributing to the green movement.

 

[mjblazin]

To my knowledge, nothing works off the traction battery except for the motor and charging line to the 12 volt.
You set yourself up on Carwings at the website first using VIN. Then the phone app simply connect using that info. Besides the remote climate control, it offers the only reliable remote sensor on charging status. Many times the remote networks do not report status.

That trip to Austin looks tough. Unless you are already starting from a south Dallas suburb, you better use that Walgreen's eVgo just south of I-20. Then you need to make it to the Blink station in Hillsboro. That means get swipe cards ahead of time and test them against other Dallas stations. Waco looks tough and you might have to make it to Georgetown. Do not count on dealerships as charge points. From there, rest of way to plentiful Austin stations looks good. I do not think you'll make it in 90 plus degree heat, even if you do not use a/c. You lose miles as battery's temp rises and yours will be cooking. You definitely will not make it with a/c running.
Vaya con Dios on that one.

 

[LeftieBiker]

The heating/cooling portion of the climate control runs from the traction pack, I believe, while the ventilation blower is 12 volt.

 

[keydiver]

Would adding a backup camera in the near future be cumbersome (I was pretty surprised that the upper trim level didn't come with it standard)?

A 2013 SL doesn't have a backup camera? I'm pretty sure it does. What happens on the display when you put it in reverse?

 

[cwerdna]

Would adding a backup camera in the near future be cumbersome (I was pretty surprised that the upper trim level didn't come with it standard)?

A 2013 SL doesn't have a backup camera? I'm pretty sure it does. What happens on the display when you put it in reverse?

Per Specs table at http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/presskits/us-2013-nissan-leaf-press-kit, it's not standard. It'd be part of the optional Around View Monitor that's part of the Premium Package.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I guess I should be warning people about the 'Stripped Base SL' as well as the stripped SV, then! That the SL was offered like that is, in particular, a real shame.

 

[keydiver]

Well, that sucks. 2011 and 2012 SL's had it. :roll: Isn't there a thread on here about how to add the backup camera to models that don't have it? It seems to me that it was rather easy. It would be interesting to look at a 2013 shop manual to see if the schematics are the same for the standard AV unit, compared to the Premium AV system.

 

[Firetruck41]

There is a thread on adding it, it isn't complicated and costs around $200. It is a backup camera, not "around view".

 

[keydiver]

I believe this is the thread:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=12617