2014 SL has issues?

Hello all,

I leased a 2014 SL a few weeks ago. So far so good - love this car. However, there are a couple issues.

The first is that the hood is crooked! I didn't notice it until about a week after leasing, and now what is seen cannot be unseen. It is flush with the rest of the body on the left side of the car but it is not flush on the right side. It sticks up a tiny bit, maybe 1/16th to 1/8th inch. Anyone else have an issue like this? I notified the dealership right away and was told to bring it into service to have it looked at - unfortunately work is crazy right now and won't have time until maybe next week. I assume they'll take care of it for me under warranty or something.

The second issue may be nothing but.. when I leave home in the morning I back out of my garage into the street and then put it in drive. Within probably 30 feet of moving forward all of the doors lock. Just BEFORE all the doors lock, maybe 1 to 2 seconds before, there is a noticeable "clunk" noise and I have the sensation that I can feel it through the floorboard. Sometimes I think it's the trunk locking but I cannot tell. Is this normal?

The final issue - yesterday I was plugging in at home and I noticed the sensor thing on the dash for the first time. I looked closer and the bezel thing it is mounted in protrudes out awkwardly. It seems like it should be flush to the dash. I took a picture of it - this definitely doesn't look right to me but maybe that's how it mounts?

Don't know if the picture will load, here is the URL: http://imgur.com/2jzbDIv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

#2: Doors automatically lock at 15MPH. You can disable this in the settings on the console screen. Not sure what the clunk is, though. Try disabling the auto lock and see if it's still present.

#3: You should be able to press it back into place. They are just plastic tabs that look like it was never inserted fully, or was removed and not replaced properly. If not, like you mentioned for #1, take it in for service.

Thanks mctom987,

I tried pressing down on the bezel but it just pops back up. Maybe I need to press harder. I will try that tonight.

Typical Nissan USA car build issues.

EVDRIVER said:

Typical Nissan USA car build issues.

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Yup.. my rear Glass has been installed high on one side as someone put in more Glue than needed and Nissan says it is not leaking hence they won't fix it.

I am pushing for the case forward..

must be a Friday afternoon or Monday morning car :lol:

I have 2014 S and also hear the mechanical clunk once I get going, maybe 1 or 2 seconds after putting the car in drive and starting moving forward. Like something locks in :?:

NasGoreList said:

must be a Friday afternoon or Monday morning car :lol:

I have 2014 S and also hear the mechanical clunk once I get going, maybe 1 or 2 seconds after putting the car in drive and starting moving forward. Like something locks in :?:

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Yes that is exactly what it feels like - something "locks" once I start moving forward, but it's not the doors since they lock a few seconds later.

NasGoreList said:

must be a Friday afternoon or Monday morning car :lol:

I have 2014 S and also hear the mechanical clunk once I get going, maybe 1 or 2 seconds after putting the car in drive and starting moving forward. Like something locks in :?:

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In another Nissan product I drive, that."clunk" is the ABS engaging at about 15mph. Think of it as precharging so as to help you if needed later. Of course I can't say with certainty that the leaf "clunk" is the same.....

Bostaevski said:

The first is that the hood is crooked! I didn't notice it until about a week after leasing, and now what is seen cannot be unseen. It is flush with the rest of the body on the left side of the car but it is not flush on the right side. It sticks up a tiny bit, maybe 1/16th to 1/8th inch. Anyone else have an issue like this? I notified the dealership right away and was told to bring it into service to have it looked at - unfortunately work is crazy right now and won't have time until maybe next week. I assume they'll take care of it for me under warranty or something.

Click to expand...

The hood on my 2013 SL has a similar problem - it is slightly crooked, where it is closer the body on the passenger side than on the driver side. It doesn't stick out enough to notice with a click glance. I pointed it out when I signed the lease, just to be sure that they didn't claim it was damage at the end of the lease.

The slight clunk noise is from the electric power steering unit testing itself. This was explained in the 2011 owners manual. I recalled reading this.

Something to remember regarding strange noises... The LEAF is a very quiet car... sounds you'd never notice on a clunky ICEmobile with all the clattering under the hood can be quite pronounced. Apparently the wiper motor had to be replaced as the original in testing was too noisy.

As to fit and finish... having just had the front end bodywork reworked on my 2013 I can assure you the hood can likely be adjusted. Nearly everything under there can be.

Just FYI

Front bumper cover 185
Styro actual bumper 200
LED Headlight for SL 700
Charger hatch with camera 580

Needless to say I wish it had been a car instead of a truck that was hit. the bumpers would have matched and only cost me around 700.

Most of the other subchassis braces and brackets seemed reasonably priced at under 100.

Bostaevski said:

The first is that the hood is crooked! I didn't notice it until about a week after leasing, and now what is seen cannot be unseen. It is flush with the rest of the body on the left side of the car but it is not flush on the right side. It sticks up a tiny bit, maybe 1/16th to 1/8th inch. Anyone else have an issue like this?
...

The second issue may be nothing but.. when I leave home in the morning I back out of my garage into the street and then put it in drive. Within probably 30 feet of moving forward all of the doors lock. Just BEFORE all the doors lock, maybe 1 to 2 seconds before, there is a noticeable "clunk" noise and I have the sensation that I can feel it through the floorboard. Sometimes I think it's the trunk locking but I cannot tell. Is this normal?

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Re: the 1st issue, where are you looking? Near the front bumper, on the right and left long edges or near the windshield?

Re: the noise, sounds perfectly normal. I'm pretty sure that's the ABS brake check. On page 5-21 of my '13 manual under Starting and driving

Self-test feature
The ABS includes electronic sensors, electric pumps, hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature that tests the system each time you push the power switch in the READY to drive position and move the vehicle at a low speed in forward or reverse. When the self-test occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal. This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction. If the computer senses a malfunc- tion, it switches the ABS off and illuminates the ABS warning light on the instrument panel. The brake system then operates normally, but without anti-lock assistance.

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I feel and hear it on my '13.

EVDRIVER said:

Typical Nissan USA car build issues.

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I agree. I've closely inspected quite a few 2013/2014's and compared fit & finish with my Japan-built 2011. I'm convinced that my car is assembled to a much higher standard than the Smyrna cars. I'm over 3yrs/20K miles now, with not one single complaint. If only the battery wasn't losing capacity so quickly. Oh well....[sigh].

Unfortunately, Nissan's U.S plants are legend for poor quality...

cwerdna said:

Re: the 1st issue, where are you looking? Near the front bumper, on the right and left long edges or near the windshield?

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Near the front bumper and also near the windshield. I'm too lazy to take pics of my car but here's a couple stock photos. The green circles everything is fine - the hood is flush with the bumper/side panel. In the yellow circles, the gap between the hood and the respective panel appears wider, and is not flush to the adjacent panel.

As for the clunk - you're probably right, I bet I didn't read that part of the manual yet. So far I've only read the electronics parts and some of the navigation manual.

Thanks!

I have similar issue with the left front bumper is not flushed with the quarter panel, I can pushed it in but it will easily popped back out - may be slightly more than 1/16 of an inch, guess this is us nissan built quality.

I also have the same clunking noise but I think it is normal.

The other thing I discovered is the rear bumper, right above the license plate has an open slot, I checked other Leaf in the dealer and they all are like that - this is the first time I see this kind of design of all the cars I have driven in my life.

Within a week of purchasing my 2014 SL, it was back at our local dealership getting the hood realigned and glove box fit fixed. From the factory, the hood was substantially misaligned. The glove box had about a 1/3 inch gap on one side--I was surprised that it even closed.

The fit/finish of my 2012 was much better than the 2014.

Bostaevski said:

cwerdna said:

Re: the 1st issue, where are you looking? Near the front bumper, on the right and left long edges or near the windshield?

Click to expand...

Near the front bumper and also near the windshield. I'm too lazy to take pics of my car but here's a couple stock photos. The green circles everything is fine - the hood is flush with the bumper/side panel. In the yellow circles, the gap between the hood and the respective panel appears wider, and is not flush to the adjacent panel.

Click to expand...

Interesting.... awhile ago, I checked out brand new '13 and '14 Leafs on the lot at a local dealer and tried to compare those Leafs to mine where I bumped into someone. I've found that on some, if you compare the corners of the hood near the windshield vs. the A-pillar and fenders, one side of the hood is slightly higher than other.

Unfortunately, my bumper cover to hood gap has grown and is uneven now, due to my bumping, as well as the fenders to bumper cover (pics at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16551" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false. I've seen another '13+ Leaf at a public charging station that has a similar malady. I suspect they bumped someone/something as well.

My 2014 had a number off issues right off. The charge port door wouldn't close unless you really slammed it and had to be adjusted. The daytime running lights didn't work and when you turned on the headlights one didn't come on. They said broken wires and that was fixed. It is also making the clicking noise described in this thread

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=13583&hilit=clicking&start=40" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But I haven't gone back to have that fixed yet.

BIGneutrino said:

Within a week of purchasing my 2014 SL, it was back at our local dealership getting the hood realigned and glove box fit fixed. From the factory, the hood was substantially misaligned. The glove box had about a 1/3 inch gap on one side--I was surprised that it even closed.

The fit/finish of my 2012 was much better than the 2014.

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Did you have to pay for any of those fixes? I haven't been able to get back to the dealership yet but I'll be pissed if I have to pay :shock: