Clarification on yearly battery test.

Hi all,
Just a quick question. I just got back from the dealer after completing my third year battery test. The dealer said that the tests are no longer paid for by Nissan after the second year. But the dealer was unsure if the tests were required to maintain the battery warranty after two years. I believe the tests are required all five years to maintain the battery warranty, correct?

Thanks for the help!
-Sean

seans said:

Hi all, Just a quick question. I just got back from the dealer after completing my third year battery test. The dealer said that the tests are no longer paid for by Nissan after the second year.

Click to expand...

Correct.

seans said:

....But the dealer was unsure if the tests were required to maintain the battery warranty after two years. I believe the tests are required all five years to maintain the battery warranty, correct?

Click to expand...

Open to debate. I wouldn't personally pass on getting them done, but then I'm a worry-wart.

mwalsh said:

seans said:

Hi all, Just a quick question. I just got back from the dealer after completing my third year battery test. The dealer said that the tests are no longer paid for by Nissan after the second year.

Click to expand...

After the 3rd year.

Click to expand...

I confirmed with Nissan Corporate that only the first two battery inspections are free. So if you've already had tests done after the first & second year, then you're paying for that third year test.

garsh said:

So if you've already had tests done after the first & second year, then you're paying for that third year test.

Click to expand...

Sorry, that's correct...I looked back at my records and I've paid for two so far. Corrected my previous post.

I know I have read it here as well, but our Dealer (so take that for whats it worth) said if we brought the car in before the second year was done the test would be free.

What's the cost of the battery check?

I had the second one done last month, so the next one will be on me.

w6vms said:

What's the cost of the battery check?

Click to expand...

After using a 15% off coupon from Costco, mine cost $20 with tax. Not too bad.

seans said:

But the dealer was unsure if the tests were required to maintain the battery warranty after two years. I believe the tests are required all five years to maintain the battery warranty, correct?

Click to expand...

Technically, the battery tests are required to maintain both the battery capacity warranty AND the 8 year battery manufacturing defects warranty. Considering how Nissan is quite willing to give your car the B0133 branding (capacity warranty voided) if you don't comply with their rules, I would definitely pay for the additional checks until the car has reached 5 years of age or 60k miles. It's debatable whether it's necessary to do so between the end of the capacity warranty and the end of the manufacturing defects warranty, since AFAIK few if any people have actually made a manufacturing defects warranty claim thus far.

Where do you go about getting said Costco coupon? Is it online somewhere, or is it in one of the pamphlets in the warehouses?

w6vms said:

What's the cost of the battery check?

I had the second one done last month, so the next one will be on me.

Click to expand...

My dealer covered my 3rd year check because they said it would be free when I dropped off the vehicle. But they said future checks would be charged at 0.5 hours. (BTW Nissan allows for 0.3 hours for the checks that are paid for.)

-Sean

RonDawg said:

seans said:

But the dealer was unsure if the tests were required to maintain the battery warranty after two years. I believe the tests are required all five years to maintain the battery warranty, correct?

Click to expand...

Technically, the battery tests are required to maintain both the battery capacity warranty AND the 8 year battery manufacturing defects warranty. Considering how Nissan is quite willing to give your car the B0133 branding (capacity warranty voided) if you don't comply with their rules, I would definitely pay for the additional checks until the car has reached 5 years of age or 60k miles. It's debatable whether it's necessary to do so between the end of the capacity warranty and the end of the manufacturing defects warranty, since AFAIK few if any people have actually made a manufacturing defects warranty claim thus far.

Click to expand...

Thanks for for info.

-Sean

I thought the law provided that if a specific item or service was required to maintain warranty, then the manufacturer and its dealerships were not allowed to have a monopoly and either had to provide it free of charge, or allow independent businesses to offer the same item or service. As far as I know, the battery check can only be done at a Nissan dealership. So I guess my understanding of the law is wrong?

ishiyakazuo said:

Where do you go about getting said Costco coupon? Is it online somewhere, or is it in one of the pamphlets in the warehouses?

Click to expand...

Here you go:
Costco: 15% Off Parts, Service & Accessories
Enter your zip code.
On the next page, enter your member information & make of car. They'll tell you which dealer closest to you is participating, and send you a coupon via email.

^^^ Thanks.

Yes, thanks! I was unaware of that Costco perk.

Nubo said:

I thought the law provided that if a specific item or service was required to maintain warranty, then the manufacturer and its dealerships were not allowed to have a monopoly and either had to provide it free of charge, or allow independent businesses to offer the same item or service. As far as I know, the battery check can only be done at a Nissan dealership. So I guess my understanding of the law is wrong?

Click to expand...

No. As far as I know, any repair shop can get EV savvy, purchase the Consult III machine from Nissan and do the battery checks or any other LEAF maintenance, repair and diagnostic work.

davewill said:

... As far as I know, any repair shop can get EV savvy, purchase the Consult III machine from Nissan and do the battery checks or any other LEAF maintenance, repair and diagnostic work.

Click to expand...

The Nissan certified LEAF technicians require periodic training. WV dealer failed to get the training and could not provide LEAF maintenance for a period of time.

Are the non Nissan service shops also doing that training?

Note that you will not necessarily get a Nissan Dealer... Here all it gave were independent shops...

garsh said:

On the next page, enter your member information & make of car. They'll tell you which dealer closest to you is participating, and send you a coupon via email.

Click to expand...

I really can't imagine how this would be a requirement for warranty fulfilment if you needed to get the battery replaced. The "test" does nothing but report data back to Nissan and there have been no cases where Nissan gets the information and then adjusts the car in any way. It is not a service that updates or modifies the car in any way, it is just a glorified survey of their battery packs. That's OK, but this can't then be tied to a failed pack being replaced.

I am fairly certain that if it had to be taken to court, you could successfully argue the battery checks are not a requirement.

I bring it up because I passed my 1 year battery check without getting it done. After scheduling it 3 times and leaving work in the middle of the day to accommodate their service department it was never done. A couple no shows, and one where they brought out a 12v battery test unit and looked at me like I was crazy when I said it was for the drive battery, not the aux battery. By the time the 3rd attempt failed, I was already at 2 months over and then with travelling and work, it never worked again.

First and probably last Nissan...

2k1Toaster said:

...

I am fairly certain that if it had to be taken to court, you could successfully argue the battery checks are not a requirement.

...

Click to expand...

Like many in forums it is easy for you to say that.
Have you actually done such a thing and prevailed against a large multinational corporation???