Nissan recalls 47,538 Leaf vehicles for brake relay problem

[edatoakrun]

Nissan recalls 47,538 Leaf vehicles for brake relay problem

...Documents posted by U.S. safety regulators Saturday say the problem is centered on a relay inside the cars' electronic brake booster.

Very cold temperatures can cause the relay to fail, requiring more driver effort to operate the brakes. That could increase the risk of crashing...

The recall includes 46,859 Leafs in the U.S. and another 679 in Canada from the 2013 through 2015 model years. The models in the recall were manufactured between Nov. 19, 2012 and July 31...

http://news.yahoo.com/nissan-recalls-47-538-leaf-vehicles-brake-relay-184245898--finance.html

 

[cwerdna]

Interesting. I received snail mail on what IIRC was a service campaign. I guess they upgraded it to a recall.

I hadn't bothered to get it done since it doesn't get that cold where I live.

 

[EVforRobert]

It looks like something old which the news outlets discovered. They left off the year when the last one was built.

 

[cwerdna]

It's up at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?prodType=V&searchType=PROD&targetCategory=A&searchCriteria.model=LEAF&stats=1837814%2C2%2C2%2C32%2C12%2CLEAF&makeStats=&jsonBaseURL=%2Fdownloads%2Ffolders%2F&searchCriteria.model_yr=2013&searchCriteria.make=NISSAN&searchCriteria.prod_ids=1837814.

Under (currently 4) associated documents, I see a letter from NHTSA dated March 11, 2016. I've briefly looked at the PDFs, but it confirms the change from service campaign to a recall and I see a mention of Transport Canada (Canada's equivalent of NHTSA, AFAIK).

It affects:
MY2013-15 Nissan LEAF (ZE0) built between November 19, 2012 through July 31, 2015.

 

[LeftieBiker]

It looks like my annual (and Awful) trip to a Nissan dealership will include this recall, the useless battery check, a 3rd year brake fluid flush (reluctantly) and maybe a cabin filter. I'll definitely have to leave the car, unless I'm prepared to sleep over in the waiting area.

 

[redLEAF]

Find it interesting that this doesn't effect the early adopters (MY 2011 and 2012 isn't part of this recall) so what changed in 2013 ?

 

[jjeff]

I'm very reluctant to let them touch anything relating to the breaks on my '13. I've driven it 2 winters with no break issues and it's break regen works SO much better than the pitiful regen on my '12. Didn't Nissan have a recall for the breaks on the older Leaf's where it basically broke regen? At least I seem to remember reading something to that effect. My guess is my '12 which was purchased used had that broke regen update done to it at some point, sure would explain the poor regen :idea:

 

[Nubo]

 

[minispeed]

It's up at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?prodType=V&searchType=PROD&targetCategory=A&searchCriteria.model=LEAF&stats=1837814%2C2%2C2%2C32%2C12%2CLEAF&makeStats=&jsonBaseURL=%2Fdownloads%2Ffolders%2F&searchCriteria.model_yr=2013&searchCriteria.make=NISSAN&searchCriteria.prod_ids=1837814.

Under (currently 4) associated documents, I see a letter from NHTSA dated March 11, 2016. I've briefly looked at the PDFs, but it confirms the change from service campaign to a recall and I see a mention of Transport Canada (Canada's equivalent of NHTSA, AFAIK).

It affects:
MY2013-15 Nissan LEAF (ZE0) built between November 19, 2012 through July 31, 2015.

I would assume this is the same recall I got in the late summer/fall. I took it in a few months ago. Today everyone at work has been telling me "did you check your car, your brakes are going to fail".

I'm very reluctant to let them touch anything relating to the breaks on my '13. I've driven it 2 winters with no break issues and it's break regen works SO much better than the pitiful regen on my '12. Didn't Nissan have a recall for the breaks on the older Leaf's where it basically broke regen? At least I seem to remember reading something to that effect. My guess is my '12 which was purchased used had that broke regen update done to it at some point, sure would explain the poor regen :idea:

As I said if it was the same one they did already up here in Canada that has now been extended to the US too then I don't notice any difference at all in the way the car handles friction brakes or regen in any temperature I've driven it in this winter.

 

[aarond12]

...a 3rd year brake fluid flush (reluctantly)...

Have a reputable mechanic test your brake fluid (if you don't feel you can do it yourself) before replacing it. Even after 3 years I doubt your brake fluid needs replacing, unless you're using your car as a taxi/Uber car. As for the cabin filter, it ain't difficult and a Cube air filter is cheap on Amazon.

 

[LeftieBiker]

...a 3rd year brake fluid flush (reluctantly)...

Have a reputable mechanic test your brake fluid (if you don't feel you can do it yourself) before replacing it. Even after 3 years I doubt your brake fluid needs replacing, unless you're using your car as a taxi/Uber car. As for the cabin filter, it ain't difficult and a Cube air filter is cheap on Amazon.

I don't mind paying the labor (if reasonable) charge for a new Fresh Breeze cabin filter. As for the break, er, brake fluid: I can test it, but don't want Nissan blaming me if it develops brake issues after the warranty ends. The climate here has gotten Screwy enough that it might actually need it because of high humidity.

 

[jjeff]

I see what you did there, or is it their :lol:
I hope Nissan's update doesn't break my brakes :idea:

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Find it interesting that this doesn't effect the early adopters (MY 2011 and 2012 isn't part of this recall) so what changed in 2013 ?

manufacturing location which likely means parts vendors as well. other than that; several things really. none have been dramatic but change from MY to MY has been rather steady... handful of tweaks here and there

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

...a 3rd year brake fluid flush (reluctantly)...

Have a reputable mechanic test your brake fluid (if you don't feel you can do it yourself) before replacing it. Even after 3 years I doubt your brake fluid needs replacing, unless you're using your car as a taxi/Uber car. As for the cabin filter, it ain't difficult and a Cube air filter is cheap on Amazon.

I don't mind paying the labor (if reasonable) charge for a new Fresh Breeze cabin filter. As for the break, er, brake fluid: I can test it, but don't want Nissan blaming me if it develops brake issues after the warranty ends. The climate here has gotten Screwy enough that it might actually need it because of high humidity.

after 3 years, its not a bad idea to get a flush keeping in mind if fluid is not changed that the fluid needs to last to the NEXT shop visit, not the current one. With the LEAF maintenance needs that could be another two years down the line...

 

[redLEAF]

Find it interesting that this doesn't effect the early adopters (MY 2011 and 2012 isn't part of this recall) so what changed in 2013 ?

manufacturing location which likely means parts vendors as well. other than that; several things really. none have been dramatic but change from MY to MY has been rather steady... handful of tweaks here and there

I do realize that other things changed from the earlier models; meant more specific to this brake recall; parts vendor change does make the most sense as production switched from Japan to the US

-- another discussion on an occasional 2015 LEAF driver not knowing that Nissan added a locking feature for the car charging was something I noticed for the two sets of switches to the left of the steering wheel they added a photo for -- nice feature update, but frustrating if unknown. The other one (again in the same control cluster) was the removal of a switch to be able to shut-off the low speed pedestrian warning on MY 2011 but it disappeared in the 2012 and left a 'blank'. I'm sure the changes will continue and perhaps something even more radical in LEAF 2.0 with 200 miles of range would probably lead to a whole new instrument cluster but who knows ...

 

[aarond12]

I'm not planning to get this recall done on my LEAF. I don't live in a cold climate and I don't want Nissan to put some software update on my vehicle that reduces regen. I drive in "B" mode all the time, which allows me to drive one-footed quite often. Changing the car's dynamics would mean relearning how to drive it. No thank you.

 

[ElectricEddy]

It's up at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?prodType=V&searchType=PROD&targetCategory=A&searchCriteria.model=LEAF&stats=1837814%2C2%2C2%2C32%2C12%2CLEAF&makeStats=&jsonBaseURL=%2Fdownloads%2Ffolders%2F&searchCriteria.model_yr=2013&searchCriteria.make=NISSAN&searchCriteria.prod_ids=1837814.

Under (currently 4) associated documents, I see a letter from NHTSA dated March 11, 2016. I've briefly looked at the PDFs, but it confirms the change from service campaign to a recall and I see a mention of Transport Canada (Canada's equivalent of NHTSA, AFAIK).

It affects:
MY2013-15 Nissan LEAF (ZE0) built between November 19, 2012 through July 31, 2015.

I would assume this is the same recall I got in the late summer/fall. I took it in a few months ago. Today everyone at work has been telling me "did you check your car, your brakes are going to fail".

I'm very reluctant to let them touch anything relating to the breaks on my '13. I've driven it 2 winters with no break issues and it's break regen works SO much better than the pitiful regen on my '12. Didn't Nissan have a recall for the breaks on the older Leaf's where it basically broke regen? At least I seem to remember reading something to that effect. My guess is my '12 which was purchased used had that broke regen update done to it at some point, sure would explain the poor regen :idea:

As I said if it was the same one they did already up here in Canada that has now been extended to the US too then I don't notice any difference at all in the way the car handles friction brakes or regen in any temperature I've driven it in this winter.

Actually I find it is a lot better and no "grabby brakes " anymore. I will have the fluid changed on the third year as moisture may cause problems in all those hydraulic ports. ( a little off topic but we do get some rain here, pumped 800 gallons out the crawlspace 2 days ago) :|