Cold Air, Only While Moving???

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retrodog

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2010
Messages
103
Location
Houston/Galveston TX
I got my 2015 S last November and it's only now getting warm enough in Houston to actually need the air conditioner. So I was driving home yesterday with an outside temp of 87, with partial sun. After sitting in the parking lot at the local Fry's Electronics store, I noticed that the air coming out of the vent was not very cool. Checked all the controls, recirculate was on, temp set down to 68, and even tried "Auto" (which kicked the fan speed up to warp 5) but nothing seemed to help or many any difference while sitting still in traffic. Even turned the temp setting down to 61, or whatever the lowest setting is. No affect. So then I got through the traffic holdup and started moving. It then started blowing cool air. It seemed to work all the way home (about 12 minute drive). I pulled into my driveway and just sat there with it running. It stopped blowing cold air again. I fiddled with the controls some more and nothing seemed to make any difference. So I drove around the neighborhood for a while and it was blowing cold air again.

Is this normal? I can't say I'm going to enjoy this when the real summer weather actually arrives That will downright suck. :(
 
It should blow cold air when stopped or moving less than 18 mi/hr (when pedestrian warning is on) and ice cold air once you are moving faster. The compressor runs slower at slow speeds to slightly reduce the underhood (and air flow over battery) temperature. From your description, it sounds like it may be low on refrigerant or the variable speed compressor may be running even slower than it should when stopped. There was a recall for refrigerant pipe cracking on S models, but I don't know if 2015 was included. You don't have the energy use displays since you have an S model, but you can see the compressor energy consumption using Leaf Spy.
 
MY 2013 SV will start to blow cool air only if it's briefly parked for a while after a longish trip, like when I stop at a store on the last leg of a day trip. When I drive again, the air is barely cool. Too hard to reproduce to have a dealer look at it, and it doesn't seem to get worse, so it's a design flaw, I guess.
 
GerryAZ said:
It should blow cold air when stopped or moving less than 18 mi/hr (when pedestrian warning is on) and ice cold air once you are moving faster. The compressor runs slower at slow speeds to slightly reduce the underhood (and air flow over battery) temperature. From your description, it sounds like it may be low on refrigerant or the variable speed compressor may be running even slower than it should when stopped. There was a recall for refrigerant pipe cracking on S models, but I don't know if 2015 was included. You don't have the energy use displays since you have an S model, but you can see the compressor energy consumption using Leaf Spy.
Thanks. I was considering plugging my OBDII sensor in and monitoring it. I ran by the auto parts store today and picked up one of those thermometers for hanging in the vent outlet. But I haven't tested it in a stationary position yet. During my driving, it was reading about 45 degrees coming out of the vent. And it seemed to stay on. Gonna have to monitor it with LeafSpy to see if/when it drops out though.
 
Well the analysis begins...

I was coming home from a business about three miles away on Friday and the ac seemed to run almost none after initial startup and idling. So I popped the OBDii thing on and brought up leaf spy. After shutting the car off completely and restarting it, the ac ran somewhat normal. It will shut off completely when motion of the vehicle comes to a stop for more than about 30-60 seconds and will usually come back on after it starts moving again. When running, it indicates pulling about 1000-2000 watts. But when coming back online after a stop, it shows up to 3800 watts for a brief period.

Kind of aggrivating. My Volt blows cold all the time. I wish the Leaf would.
 
My 2015 SL draws about 1.1 to 1.3 kW while parked with 95 F ambient temperature. It will draw over 3 kW when initially cooling down the interior once speed is above 18 mi/hr. A/C power draw while driving will vary depending upon interior temperature, evaporator temperature, ambient temperature, and refrigerant pressure. It may drop down to 300 watts and climb above 3 kW, as needed to cool interior.

There are settings via Consult 3+ to limit the maximum speed of the compressor while sitting still in traffic or using climate control timer/remote activation. If those settings are low, you could have insufficient cooling while stopped in traffic or using the climate control timer. I paid a diagnostic fee to have the dealer increase the compressor speed limitation settings as high as possible when I took the car in for the complementary 6-month inspection because I wanted the most cooling possible while stopped in traffic or using remote climate control.

Since your car is not cooling well and it should be under warranty, I suggest you take it to a dealer for repair.
 
retrodog said:
I got my 2015 S last November and it's only now getting warm enough in Houston to actually need the air conditioner. So I was driving home yesterday with an outside temp of 87, with partial sun. After sitting in the parking lot at the local Fry's Electronics store, I noticed that the air coming out of the vent was not very cool. Checked all the controls, recirculate was on, temp set down to 68, and even tried "Auto" (which kicked the fan speed up to warp 5) but nothing seemed to help or many any difference while sitting still in traffic. Even turned the temp setting down to 61, or whatever the lowest setting is. No affect. So then I got through the traffic holdup and started moving. It then started blowing cool air. It seemed to work all the way home (about 12 minute drive). I pulled into my driveway and just sat there with it running. It stopped blowing cold air again. I fiddled with the controls some more and nothing seemed to make any difference. So I drove around the neighborhood for a while and it was blowing cold air again.

Is this normal? I can't say I'm going to enjoy this when the real summer weather actually arrives That will downright suck. :(

Mine was missing the relay that turns the under hood fans on when I first picked it up.
 
Sounds like the cooling fan has tanked. Been down that warm road in another auto, when the electric fans don't turn the only cooling effect you get is when in motion and air flows over the A/C coil.
 
At the dealership service center this morning. Needs an ac controller unit. Has to come from Dallas, should be here tomorrow. Getting a free rental under warranty. Glad they found the problem. But makes me worry about quality issues.

I think the service manager told me that my car got the recall service on the pipe cracking issue last may
 
retrodog said:
I think the service manager told me that my car got the recall service on the pipe cracking issue last may
The broken AC pipe only affected S trim levels model year 2013 to 2015. It can be found at http://x.nissanhelp.com/forums/Knowledgebase/links/802/.

A well-known tech up in the PNW who's active on https://www.facebook.com/groups/seattlenissanleaf/ has mentioned they've actually received new Leafs fresh off the truck w/the broken pipe.
 
I got it back today. Haven't gotten a chance to test it thoroughly yet but it seemed like it was functioning correctly. The paperwork says that they changed out the ac fan controller.
 
This is crap. I can't believe this is actually happening on the newer 2018 models. I'm so glad we didn't buy a new 2018 model thinking that it would solve this problem. I won't buy a new 2019 model either if this problem still persists. I'll just take the 60 kWh battery and put it in my 2011, which Nissan would have to do, based on the Nissan Leaf Battery Degradation Class Action Settlement lawsuit, which says Nissan must use the most current up-to-date model year batteries for battery replacements. We've been dealing with this AC blowing warm intermittenly issue for several years, ever since around 2012. In 2011, everything was great car was ALWAYS blowing cool. Then they did a software update and everything went to crap with their AC system. Here in Arizona where its 115 degrees you can definitely feel when it starts blowing warm. I'm sure if you're in Japan or other cooler countries that never go above 85 Degrees you won't even notice it. Here are the links throughout the years with the same stupid problem:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26191

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26215

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=20422

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21281

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=23883

Attn: Nissan, please run a patch to fix this problem. It's very annoying to have to shut your car off and turn it back on at a stoplight just to have the AC work again

:oops:
 
...Anybody with the new 62 kWh Leaf Plus have the same intermittent A/C blowing warm issue?
 
I'll just take the 60 kWh battery and put it in my 2011, which Nissan would have to do, based on the Nissan Leaf Battery Degradation Class Action Settlement lawsuit, which says Nissan must use the most current up-to-date model year batteries for battery replacements.

Unfortunately, since they are still making the 40kwh pack, you'd have to settle for one of those.
I seem to recall that there was a way to bypass the 'warm air A/C mode'...no, looking back, the A/C fan (I assume the one on the condenser) controller was at fault. I'd have them check that, and adjust any limits mentioned by Gerry up to maximum cold.
 
dsh said:
I have submitted Case # 35668713 to EV Customer Service re: 2011- Current LEAF's A/C Blowing Warm Air Intermittently. if anybody experiences or has the same issues, please add your complaints to the Case # above... maybe Nissan will finally get this corrected and/or offer a software update, as it appears a previous software update caused the problem in the first place.

Why do you make me see this three times?
 
dsh said:
This is crap. I can't believe this is actually happening on the newer 2018 models. I'm so glad we didn't buy a new 2018 model thinking that it would solve this problem. I won't buy a new 2019 model either if this problem still persists. I'll just take the 60 kWh battery and put it in my 2011, which Nissan would have to do, based on the Nissan Leaf Battery Degradation Class Action Settlement lawsuit, which says Nissan must use the most current up-to-date model year batteries for battery replacements. We've been dealing with this AC blowing warm intermittenly issue for several years, ever since around 2012. In 2011, everything was great car was ALWAYS blowing cool. Then they did a software update and everything went to crap with their AC system. Here in Arizona where its 115 degrees you can definitely feel when it starts blowing warm. I'm sure if you're in Japan or other cooler countries that never go above 85 Degrees you won't even notice it. Here are the links throughout the years with the same stupid problem:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26191

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26215

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=20422

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21281

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=23883

Attn: Nissan, please run a patch to fix this problem. It's very annoying to have to shut your car off and turn it back on at a stoplight just to have the AC work again

:oops:

Finally :roll: had LEAF Technician at Peoria Nissan increase the compressor speed to 500RPM (Maximum allowable), including the Pre-Climate mode setting. I set the temperature on 60 degrees, use the "D" Drive mode with the climate Auto Setting on, and it does not blow warm air anymore, even when car is stopped. So appears this does the trick. Thank you again to GerryAZ for his input.
 
That sounds to me like a band-aid fix that is covering the symptoms of a larger problem. I'm sure it's much more comfortable now, but keep an eye (?) on it.
 
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