Hack to get rid of low speed creep

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

MarkBC

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 18, 2011
Messages
54
I have a 2012, 62,000 km on it now, I just lost one bar down to 11 a few months ago, that's pretty good. I hope my batteries will last 10 years which is what I was aiming for.

Now on to the complaints, things I don't like that would make me want to buy a new car rather than sticking it out with this one with a new battery set:

1. I HATE the low speed creep. This, more than anything, would make me want to buy a Kia Soul. I can't stress enough how much I REALLY HATE THE LOW SPEED CREEP. I don't understand why Nissan feels the legal need to do this but Tesla and Kia don't. Is there a hack to get rid of this so it just sits there rather than automatically hurling you towards cross traffic at a traffic light or into the end of your garage?

2. Can I switch Eco mode to be the main drive mode instead of D? Why do I have to flip the shifter twice to get it? And for that matter, why can't I program in my own regen preferences?

3. I HATE the climate control system, worst one in the world, I vastly prefer the fully manual simple one from my 1997 4runner. It's easier to list the things about the climate control system which I do like, which are ZERO. They did EVERYTHING wrong with this system. It overrides my every decision, won't let me do half the things I want to do, automatically turns A/C on any time I change anything, and it won't even let me hit the recirc button when it's on, I have to press two buttons to turn the danm thing off in order to turn on recirc which is pretty often, basically anytime I'm behind a stinky dino-burner and I don't want to gag. I doubt there's any effective hacks other than ripping the whole thing out which will leave me with nothing.

4. Has anyone moved their gear shifter onto the dash like the Prius? Much better location, doesn't get in the way there and lets you stretch out horizontally for a few hours while the car is charging if you want to take a nap.

That's what I don't like about the car but overall I like most other things and will probably stick with it. But can't some Russian hacker figure out how to crack the code and get rid of that awful low speed creep? I've had this thing 5 years, and I can say with certainty that I am not going to grow to like it ( the low speed creep, I mean)
 
If the car "hurls" you forward with no pressure on the accelerator, then you may have a defective throttle module, or something of the sort. The creep is normally pretty mild.

I share your frustration with the climate control system. There is a way to keep the windshield clear under normal conditions and still be able to use Recirculate at will, though. Just put it in floor only mode (down arrow only) and raise the fan above the lowest speed. Enough air gets blown over the windshield above the lowest setting to keep it clear, and Recirculate works fine in that mode. The windshield will, of course, fog in Recirculate if the A/C isn't on, so you have to either use Recirc sparingly or use the A/C for longer periods with it closed, freezing your feet. It's much, much easier and safer, though, to do it this way, instead of mashing at several buttons while looking away from the road, trying to block a diesel exhaust plume.

The 2013+ cars also have an 'underdocumented feature' that yours may have, or may lack: pressing the Recirculate button and holding it for several seconds will engage the auto recirculate or partial recirculate mode, allowing some fresh air in but blocking most (not all) exhaust fumes. If the feature is present, the recirculate light will flash two or three times after you hold the button down for two seconds or so.
 
MarkBC said:
I have a 2012, 62,000 km on it now, I just lost one bar down to 11 a few months ago, that's pretty good. I hope my batteries will last 10 years which is what I was aiming for.

Now on to the complaints, things I don't like that would make me want to buy a new car rather than sticking it out with this one with a new battery set:

1. I HATE the low speed creep. This, more than anything, would make me want to buy a Kia Soul. I can't stress enough how much I REALLY HATE THE LOW SPEED CREEP. I don't understand why Nissan feels the legal need to do this but Tesla and Kia don't. Is there a hack to get rid of this so it just sits there rather than automatically hurling you towards cross traffic at a traffic light or into the end of your garage?

2. Can I switch Eco mode to be the main drive mode instead of D? Why do I have to flip the shifter twice to get it? And for that matter, why can't I program in my own regen preferences?

3. I HATE the climate control system, worst one in the world, I vastly prefer the fully manual simple one from my 1997 4runner. It's easier to list the things about the climate control system which I do like, which are ZERO. They did EVERYTHING wrong with this system. It overrides my every decision, won't let me do half the things I want to do, automatically turns A/C on any time I change anything, and it won't even let me hit the recirc button when it's on, I have to press two buttons to turn the danm thing off in order to turn on recirc which is pretty often, basically anytime I'm behind a stinky dino-burner and I don't want to gag. I doubt there's any effective hacks other than ripping the whole thing out which will leave me with nothing.

4. Has anyone moved their gear shifter onto the dash like the Prius? Much better location, doesn't get in the way there and lets you stretch out horizontally for a few hours while the car is charging if you want to take a nap.

That's what I don't like about the car but overall I like most other things and will probably stick with it. But can't some Russian hacker figure out how to crack the code and get rid of that awful low speed creep? I've had this thing 5 years, and I can say with certainty that I am not going to grow to like it ( the low speed creep, I mean)
1. Personally it doesn't bother me, like Leftie I feel it's mild enough to not be really noticeable, but I can't see why it couldn't be a option to disable it, didn't realize Kia and Tesla don't have it, can you enable it on those vehicles or they just always off?
2. Totally agree, it's a constant PIA to keep having to double shift after every power down. I'm surprised you didn't mention the damn NAV nag screen, which also requires a confirmation after every power down :x oh they did fix the double shift/ECO on '13 and newer Leafs but you still need to push a button every time after power-down to enable B mode.
3. IMO the CC on the basic S models is much better, I think the SL(and probably SV??) are overly complicated and much prefer to KISS.
4. No but I agree, Prius got it right but if you want to see something worse just look at a Volt :roll: now that shifter is obnoxious IMO, huge and greatly in the way, it was one of the many things I really disliked about the Volt and pushed me towards the Leaf(back in '14). Note large obnoxious in the way shifters seem to be the norm though, even on new EVs/Hybrids, IMO just stick it on the dash and make it small, I mean were not shifting these vehicles like a clutch car, get it out of the way :idea:

Overall I think they got most things right on the Leaf, seen lots worse, unfortunately I've never seen a car just the way I like it and with the very few EV models available it's just kind of a pick your poison scenario, pick the one that has the least objectionable aspects and live with it :)
 
Pretty much agree on creep problem.
You can start using more neutral to switch the creep off.
I constantly keep my hand on shifter to switch it into N as soon as I want to.

Even if Nissan can not code the creep mode off it is possible to make a small
magic box that has few inputs and switches to Neutral every time vehicle
stops and brake pedal is held for another second. It then selects D (or even ECO)
as soon as accelerator is touched. It can also detect R and reengage Reverse.
It needs inputs from those small LED-s near the gearshifter, also brake lights
and vehicle speed signal from CANbus. Should be doable.
 
arnis said:
Pretty much agree on creep problem.
You can start using more neutral to switch the creep off.
I constantly keep my hand on shifter to switch it into N as soon as I want to.

Even if Nissan can not code the creep mode off it is possible to make a small
magic box that has few inputs and switches to Neutral every time vehicle
stops and brake pedal is held for another second. It then selects D (or even ECO)
as soon as accelerator is touched. It can also detect R and reengage Reverse.
It needs inputs from those small LED-s near the gearshifter, also brake lights
and vehicle speed signal from CANbus. Should be doable.

Interesting, do you know where I can get or make this?
 
another point is why on earth do i need to put the switch to the back for going forwards and forward going backwards. BMW with their i3 doing it right! push it forward for going forwards and backward for going backwards. why did Nissan copy the stupid automatic gear lever position while creating their new and first electric vehicle :evil:

one day i might just hack the switch and reverse it ;)
 
There is a reasonable reason. I would hate if it would reversed.
I like active driving style and I switch directions very fast.
If my hand moves due to G-forces in wrong direction I would get annoyed :D
 
To speak to the creep and weird shifter reverse thing, I was told at some early LEAF marketing events by actual Nissan folks (not the car models hired to re-read the brochures) that the idea was to make the LEAF drive and act as much like a "regular" car...

Also, maybe I am a scaredy cat, but the last thing I would hack screw with is anything that deals with brakes, direction, and locomotion... Lighting, interior stuff, or components like suspension, fine. But floating around here are pictures of burned out LEAFs because of home brew battery augments, and the like....

But if you guys are true engineers, then have at it... :)
 
bitmanEV said:
another point is why on earth do i need to put the switch to the back for going forwards and forward going backwards. BMW with their i3 doing it right! push it forward for going forwards and backward for going backwards. why did Nissan copy the stupid automatic gear lever position while creating their new and first electric vehicle :evil:

one day i might just hack the switch and reverse it ;)
While I agree moving the mouse back to move forward and forward to go back seems counterintuitive, especially when explaining how to drive my Leaf to someone who has never driven one before, if I don't think and go off what feels natural it makes sense to me.
Coming from a floor shift automatic to make the car go forward you need to pull the shifter back(3 clicks) and once in drive to shift into reverse you move the shifter forward(2 clicks from drive). As Arnis said it makes sense as if you have your hand on the mouse and really step on it your hand will naturally move backwards. A Prius even works this way although on the Prius down is forward and up is reverse.
Personally I'd rather the Leaf be like the Prius and have the shifter mounted on the dash instead of wasting valuable floor space but it is what it is. Maybe the best type of shifter would be dash mounted push buttons with forward, reverse, neutral and park buttons......The Prius has a dedicated park button but forward/reverse and neutral share the same shifter stick. Personally on our Prius I never use the PARK button when turning off the car, I simply push the ON/OFF button which automatically puts the car in park, come to think of it I never use the PARK button on my Leaf either, I simply turn the car off, which automatically puts the car in park. My wife always puts her Prius in park prior to turning it off, I think it's just an added unnecessary step.
 
Again, due to "fast way of living" I would not like shifter be anywhere away from my hands.
So either Tesla/Mercedes style stalk near steering wheel or right next to handrest.

I also do not use P if I'm going to switch it off anyway. Absolutely pointless :)

It's true that it wastes some space. But I would rather go with BMW approach and add some
VALUABLE functionality. Twisting shifter clockwise/counterclockwise should change regen.
ECO button should be next to the stalk not on the steering wheel. Seat heaters should be
near the stalk not cupholders. Same with steering wheel heater button.
And I would put the START button very close to my hand as well.
Those buttons are ALWAYS USED - regen, ECO, START, D/R/P-selector, heating (if equipped),
parking sensors/camera (if equipped)- no reason to hide them in different corners.
 
This is what i don't get about these companies. Nissan is a US $130bil company (15,000 bil yen) , their profit in 2015 was US $8bil. Alll we want is another menu option that allows us to:
a) turn on/off creep
b) set default drive mode either D or ECO
c) set the regeneration value

Piss poor if the computer is too limited to accommodate this sort or program, and should cost about US $100k for a programmer to implement (or less depending on how hard the system is to program).
This is why Tesla is kicking these manufacturers butts, they understand their emerging market and they are not afraid to respond to their customers wants. Nissan could make a miniscule investment in firmware upgrade and all their savvy customers will be freaky impressed, but instead they have a vehicle that is getting older and feels like it has no love at all, alienating their most ardent supporters in the process.
Nissan, and all brands, will always have someone who will purchase their products, but the companies who get this sort of easy changes to their products will excel.
 
Alll we want is another menu option that allows us to:
a) turn on/off creep
b) set default drive mode either D or ECO
c) set the regeneration value

No, that is all that you want. Others find things like adjustable charge limits more important.
 
Japanese companies are conservative and Tesla is at the other end of the spectrum. In addition, things that change the regen or other driver functions are often considered a liability. Tesla is clearly not liability adverse. Each feature that requires a computer change like timers etc takes man hours and cost and in a car that sells in low volume they are sticking to the bare essentials to cut cost and speed development. These are all factors that are very LEAF specific and the reasons go on and on.
 
LeftieBiker said:
Alll we want is another menu option that allows us to:
a) turn on/off creep
b) set default drive mode either D or ECO
c) set the regeneration value

No, that is all that you want. Others find things like adjustable charge limits more important.
Personally I'd like b and c, a doesn't really matter to me, I'd also like adjustable charge limits(probably next after B and C. I do agree with JCPanosh though, these are small things and would be relatively easy to implement, they could even be somewhat hidden in a menu so the average Joe that doesn't know what they mean would not mess things up. None of the things mentioned are safety or liability related so other than just not figuring people would want such a feature, I can't see why Nissan couldn't easily add such customizable features......if they cared.
 
bitmanEV said:
another point is why on earth do i need to put the switch to the back for going forwards and forward going backwards. BMW with their i3 doing it right! push it forward for going forwards and backward for going backwards. why did Nissan copy the stupid automatic gear lever position while creating their new and first electric vehicle :evil:

one day i might just hack the switch and reverse it ;)


+100. Forward to go forward, back to go back. I have already had one high stress situation where I was turning around on a narrow road and needed to make a 3 point turn. Grabbed shifter and pulled back.. Ooops. Luckily nobody was hurt and I avoided the curb.
 
Leafchacho said:
bitmanEV said:
another point is why on earth do i need to put the switch to the back for going forwards and forward going backwards. BMW with their i3 doing it right! push it forward for going forwards and backward for going backwards. why did Nissan copy the stupid automatic gear lever position while creating their new and first electric vehicle :evil:

one day i might just hack the switch and reverse it ;)


+100. Forward to go forward, back to go back. I have already had one high stress situation where I was turning around on a narrow road and needed to make a 3 point turn. Grabbed shifter and pulled back.. Ooops. Luckily nobody was hurt and I avoided the curb.

I actually like the "forward to go backwards", "backwards to go forwards" thing. When I think about it outside of the car, it seems wrong, but when I'm driving, it totally makes sense. I think there are two reasons for this: (1) Automatics usually arrange the gears "PRNDL", so if you have a non-column shift automatic, you're already used to this, and (2) I've driven plenty of stick shifts where reverse was left-front and first was left-back.

But none of this matters, because anyone who isn't a savage knows that all automatics should have a column-shift. :D

And of course the "three on the tree" is the ultimate way to shift a manual, if only because every time you shift from first to second it looks like you're flipping off the drivers in front of you! (I'm talking about you, 1968 Bronco!)
 
we are becoming a society of people obsessed with requiring endless customization and personalization. Just because YOU think that a product needs a modification does not mean that anyone else would even think of it... Or care.

I would like a car that serves me cherry cheesecake in the morning. I don't think Nissan will oblige.

I have seen how Tesla has catered to techno-crats (to put it nicely), with "all systems" controlled and customized by the giant video screen. They can keep it, as I will NEVER own a Tesla for many reasons. If you really like customized.... That is your car!!!
 
I guess I'm a creep lover. For 4 years I drove a Porsche 914 that I converted with an Azure Dynamics system and wished I had creep! What I hated was the VSP. Fortunately, someone quickly solved that flaw. I fixed my VSP to silence except when I care to hear it. I built a parallel system to sound like a steam engine. I've tweaked all the annoyances. I've got better speakers, louder horns, brighter fogs, a 2" hitch, an all-voltage charging cable, a four roof grab handle, modified graphics, and factory original creep. I too plan to drive the little fella ten years or more.
 
ceejones said:
I guess I'm a creep lover. For 4 years I drove a Porsche 914 that I converted with an Azure Dynamics system and wished I had creep! What I hated was the VSP. Fortunately, someone quickly solved that flaw. I fixed my VSP to silence except when I care to hear it. I built a parallel system to sound like a steam engine. I've tweaked all the annoyances. I've got better speakers, louder horns, brighter fogs, a 2" hitch, an all-voltage charging cable, a four roof grab handle, modified graphics, and factory original creep. I too plan to drive the little fella ten years or more.

Now I simply must know about this steam engine sound thing...

Details?
 
Back
Top