Going to dealer tomorrow - Suggestions for possible warranty

ok I noticed the front right tire on my leaf is balding on the outside edge (and ONLY the front right tire) so something is clearly amiss mechanically on that corner. (tie rod? ball joint?) I only have 9100 miles on the car so clearly a warranty issue as those components should be good for 100,000 miles or more.

so they are going to look at it. if it is a mechanical fault covered under warranty can I get them to cover that tire?

it is not a huge deal they are cheap and I have 2 extra's but if warranty can cover it why use my $104 ?? I did pay $18 grand for the car afterall I should get more than 9100 miles on a tire.

let me know any suggestions on how to smooth contour the situation to maybe result in a replacement tire.

I can't speak directly to your issue, but if it's an alignment issue, that's only covered as part of adjustments. Per the '12's warranty booklet (and standard Nissan practice):

ADJUSTMENT COVERAGE
Service adjustments not usually associated with
the replacement of parts, such as wheel alignment,
are covered only during the first 12 months
or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.

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They found no mechanical problems.

I also hit no serious pot holes. any idea what could whack alignment in 9200 miles?

I am taking it to my guy for alignment ($40 versus deal $84)

I hope it IS out of alignment as I don't want to swap tires and just tear up the new tire.

they also fixed the whining door lock and slow passenger window.

alignment is VERY strange. although of course possible I have NEVER seen an alignment wear only 1 tire. ever.

usually if one tire is misaligned it causes a "shift" to new center in the steering wheel which puts both tires out of true which wears both tires.

unless ONLY camber is out?? this won't cause any pulling usually if it is slight and could wear just a single wheel.

It may be leaking air and chronically under-inflated.

nerys said:

...
I also hit no serious pot holes. any idea what could whack alignment in 9200 miles?
...

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You bought it used.
Previous driver may have hit something horrible.

But the LEAF is known to be bad about wearing the outside edge of the front tires.

Some of it has to do with Nissan specification for the front tire camber.
I got the following suggestion from someone else on MNL. I have not done this yet, but plan to when I replace the tires which are marginal at 24,000 miles.

The trick with camber is to adjust it at -1.0 (negative one). Spec is +0.3 till -1.2 deg. Usually they set it in the middle around -0.4. Setting -1.0 instead of -0.4 stopped wearing the outer edge on my car. Do it on the front wheel(s) where it wears the outer edge.

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LeftieBiker said:

It may be leaking air and chronically under-inflated.

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Wouldn't the TPMS have triggered if that was the case? It sounds to me like an alignment issue. Either toe or camber are off on that side. Or else you have done too many NASCAR oval runs turning left continuously.

TT

ttweed said:

Wouldn't the TPMS have triggered if that was the case? It sounds to me like an alignment issue. ...
TT

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Maybe, but my recollection was that it did not alarm until a fairly low pressure, 24 psig?

Lots of people have experienced outside tear wear even at the Nissan spec 36 psig (which is a bad value and too low).

Agree the camber is wrong.
But running too low an air pressure may have made it worse.

ttweed said:

LeftieBiker said:

It may be leaking air and chronically under-inflated.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't the TPMS have triggered if that was the case? It sounds to me like an alignment issue. Either toe or camber are off on that side. Or else you have done too many NASCAR oval runs turning left continuously.

TT

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I was thinking that perhaps it got just low enough to cause more wear, before being re-inflated with the others during service.