Annual battery check cost? (yes I know the 1st 2 are free)

TimLee said:

You may be correct that CA warranty is the same as overall US.
But there was some mention in another thread possibly about the BMW that the CA warranty was longer and my recollection was that at some point in the past decade or two the CA emissions warranties were longer.
But I don't have the details.

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It's to do with the pack being fundamental to the quantity of emissions produced by the vehicle, and therefore it needing to be as functional as the rest of the emissions equipment. 'Twas (and is) the same way with the Prius and other similar vehicles (Volt). However, that does not apply to the LEAF for somewhat obvious reasons.

I had my three year check done this week at Oakland Nissan at the same time as the P327 upgrade. I wasn't charged for the battery check, although the service writer did try to talk me into replacing the brake fluid, which I did last year, and alignment, even though my tires are wearing evenly.

Next year, I'm going to see whether Art's Automotive in Berkeley or Luscious Garage in S.F. are equipped to do the battery check. I really hate going to dealers.

Since you have to have a Consult 3+ and be able to "talk" directly to mother Nissan, it is not likely...

oakwcj said:

Next year, I'm going to see whether Art's Automotive in Berkeley or Luscious Garage in S.F. are equipped to do the battery check. I really hate going to dealers.

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kubel said:

mwalsh said:

Worth it to keep that warranty up though.

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It's not really needed. Nissan can't legally void the warranty for not having it done unless they can prove that not having it done caused damage some how (which is impossible, since it's just a report- it does absolutely nothing to the battery). ...

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Nissan could probably make a case that the yearly battery check could have tipped them off to an incipient problem that could have been averted or mitigated before it grew into a more expensive failure.

I'm having my One year battery check done next week, at Lia Nissan of Saratoga. There is no way they can try to charge for it, right? They are doing a 4 tire changeover (snows to all-seasons) for $79.95 and I'm afraid they are going to hit me elsewhere to make up for it. I've already told them not to replace the cabin filter because I have one at home ready to install, although I'd be happy to have them install it for, say, $50....

So let me get this straight.... The annual battery check is essentially the Leaf version of an oil change vis-a-vis the dealers?

1) Its about the same cost.
2) Its about the same frequency (or close to it).
3) It can only be done at a Nissan Certified Dealer.
4) Its "required" to maintain your warranty.
5) The first 2 years worth are free, and you have to have it done on your own dime afterwards.

Right.... Now I know how they sold getting certified to handle sales and service on the Leaf to the dealerships.

Perdita said:

So let me get this straight.... The annual battery check is essentially the Leaf version of an oil change vis-a-vis the dealers?

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Only for the first 100000 miles

Valdemar said:

Perdita said:

So let me get this straight.... The annual battery check is essentially the Leaf version of an oil change vis-a-vis the dealers?

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Only for the first 100000 miles

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Or 8 years, whichever comes :|

For low miles per year drivers like me (7,000 per year), years will run out long before the miles.
Unlikely my 2011 LEAF will ever see 100,000 miles.
Range will become unacceptable around year 8 to 10 at 50,000 miles. Unlikely battery replacement will be cost effective so the vehicle will be recycled at that point.
Might still be useful in a small distances "neighborhood" community.

Perdita said:

2) Its about the same frequency (or close to it).

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This is not necessarily true. I'm currently putting 20000 miles/year on my car which would require 2-5 oil changes depending on a vehicle, mineral vs. synthetic oil, considering you take your car to a shop to change oil this will cost $150 or more annually, vs. $65 or less for the battery checks on the Leaf. Not to mention the time one doesn't have to spend on extra visits for oil changes.

You don't have to have warranty period oil changes done by the dealer, you just have to save the receipts from whoever does them, unlike the battery check.

Speaking of which, I believe I got 5 stars all around. I haven't read it yet, because the dealership screwed up so very many other things that I've been busy trying to correct them. They didn't tell me they weren't certified to work on the Leaf, so neither recall repair was done, despite their assurance that the OCS *would* be done. They didn't put my snow tires back in the car, and they didn't replace the cabin filter, despite charging me for it. How do I know? The one I bought was sitting in the back, unopened. Even if they tell me they put a Nissan filter in, I'm now going to have to check, because you don't get a new cabin filter for $30 parts & labor...

I've been putting this off because the quick chargers have been down at both of the dealers I've used in the past, and I do need to charge in order to comfortably return home. It was easier when I was working for an employer very close to a Nissan dealership and could pick up the car at the end of the workday...

Had the 36 month battery checkup on our Leaf yesterday. Dealer charged $57.50 for it. I refused all other maintenance service and took the car to Discount Tire afterwards and had the wheels rotated for free. The battery report was a joke, as usual, showing excellent in all categories, even though I am down to 76% capacity @ 50.24 Ahr. now.

TT

ttweed said:

even though I am down to 76% capacity @ 50.24 Ahr. now.

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Sound like you may have a chance at getting to invoke the battery warranty. The heat waves we've been getting should help, my battery has been at 85-98F the last couple days.

Anyone recall at what Ah/GID approximately you lose each bar? I lost my 12th around 55.25 Ah. 11th goes in the low 51 Ah range? 10th goes in the low 47 Ah range? 9th goes in the low 43 Ah range?

abasile said:

I've been putting this off because the quick chargers have been down at both of the dealers I've used in the past, and I do need to charge in order to comfortably return home. It was easier when I was working for an employer very close to a Nissan dealership and could pick up the car at the end of the workday...

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Could be worse: I have to plan an overnight stay at a motel in Silverton to make the 184 mile round trip to the dealer in Durango. It is going to make that basically useless battery check quite expensive! (I had to delay the trip this year because a rock slide closed Red Mountain Pass for a number of weeks — you've seen it, the road is not for the faint-of-heart.)

ttweed said:

Had the 36 month battery checkup on our Leaf yesterday. Dealer charged $57.50 for it. I refused all other maintenance service and took the car to Discount Tire afterwards and had the wheels rotated for free. The battery report was a joke, as usual, showing excellent in all categories, even though I am down to 76% capacity @ 50.24 Ahr. now.

TT

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Tom, which dealer are you using now? We just lost our first bar at 27,400m, 40 months. Got new Ecopias about 2 months ago. Need to get third battery check. And I guess the (second?) software update that cuts the regen, though I'm not too keen on that.

Wade

ps. What device do you use to get your % capacity/Ahr reading?

I had my 3-year battery check done recently. The dealer did not charge for the service. It was the only maintenance performed at 3-year/16,000 miles. May have been an oversight by the manager, as it was probably their 1st 3rd year battery check. I am not complaining.

We didn't have access to Ahr when I lost the 12th bar but 100% charge was around 231Gids. 11th bar went at 51.47Ahr. Expecting to lose the 10th any time. Presently at 47.11Ahr (71%). 100% charge is ~200Gids. ~43Ahr is what I remember being reported for losing the 9th bar.

drees said:

Anyone recall at what Ah/GID approximately you lose each bar? I lost my 12th around 55.25 Ah. 11th goes in the low 51 Ah range? 10th goes in the low 47 Ah range? 9th goes in the low 43 Ah range?

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wsbca said:

Tom, which dealer are you using now?

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Pacific Nissan (closest to my house). They couldn't find the 36-month battery check procedure in their service database, only the 12- and 24-month, which were free. I may have been the first one there to have it.

ps. What device do you use to get your % capacity/Ahr reading?

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I'm using the Leaf Spy app on a Nexus 7 running Kit Kat, and a Chinese GT-i9500 clone smartphone running Android 4.2.9. Both work OK with it, but on different bluetooth ports, so I end up resetting the ELM mini-adapter a lot.

Drees--I lost my second bar at 51.75 Ahr, and then over the winter, I actually gained some capacity back, peaking at 52.03 in the coldest weather in Jan. (but the 11th bar never came back). It took until the weather started turning warm in April to get down below 51 Ahr. It's dropped more rapidly in this heat wave, down to 50.24 Ahr yesterday. I don't know if I'll make it down far enough to invoke the warranty by 60K miles unless this summer is wicked hot.

TT

My local Nissan dealer did the 36 month battery check for free! I also had the grabby brake TSB done at the same time.

Nubo said:

kubel said:

mwalsh said:

Worth it to keep that warranty up though.

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It's not really needed. Nissan can't legally void the warranty for not having it done unless they can prove that not having it done caused damage some how (which is impossible, since it's just a report- it does absolutely nothing to the battery). ...

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Nissan could probably make a case that the yearly battery check could have tipped them off to an incipient problem that could have been averted or mitigated before it grew into a more expensive failure.

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+1

Also, it is clear at this point that the report tells Nissan whether or not the owner has abused the battery. That seems to be at least as important to Nissan as learning how the batteries are doing.