NissanConnect EV / Telematics Hardware Update, for the post-2G world

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To support @GerryAZ comments...
I never get the EV warning light from TCU time-outs, but as soon as I miss one of the "charging stopped/complete" messages, I pull the fuse.
Since I have a LiFePO4 12v battery, I know it is never "low" (replaced the lead acid almost 4 years ago).
 
GerryAZ said:
I have some more information to add: I had the EV System timeout and TCU communication errors this morning even though I did not use the EV Connect app to check status or start climate control. I received the EV System warning light when I turned the car on this morning and failed to get the plug-in reminder message after parking at home last night. Since my new AGM battery maintains a higher voltage while parked than the original, I don't think 12-volt battery level is the key issue.

You're saying that the TCU is attempting communications without having a request by the Connect app, right? That's a new one. Did you check
how your TCU is setup, e.g. was it setup to monitor an event, then power-up and attempt communications - resulting in a system error
& then a failure to communicate/power down?
 
lorenfb said:
GerryAZ said:
I have some more information to add: I had the EV System timeout and TCU communication errors this morning even though I did not use the EV Connect app to check status or start climate control. I received the EV System warning light when I turned the car on this morning and failed to get the plug-in reminder message after parking at home last night. Since my new AGM battery maintains a higher voltage while parked than the original, I don't think 12-volt battery level is the key issue.

You're saying that the TCU is attempting communications without having a request by the Connect app, right? That's a new one. Did you check
how your TCU is setup, e.g. was it setup to monitor an event, then power-up and attempt communications - resulting in a system error
& then a failure to communicate/power down?

I have plug in reminders at home, charging stopped, and charge complete notifications all programmed so the TCU will send messages even without remote requests for status update or remote climate control start/stop. I believe the TCU fails to complete its communications with the Nissan servers so it fails to sleep and then keeps other EV system modules active. This combination of events sets several DTCs and will drain the 12-volt battery if the car is parked for too long.
 
GerryAZ said:
lorenfb said:
GerryAZ said:
I have some more information to add: I had the EV System timeout and TCU communication errors this morning even though I did not use the EV Connect app to check status or start climate control. I received the EV System warning light when I turned the car on this morning and failed to get the plug-in reminder message after parking at home last night. Since my new AGM battery maintains a higher voltage while parked than the original, I don't think 12-volt battery level is the key issue.

You're saying that the TCU is attempting communications without having a request by the Connect app, right? That's a new one. Did you check
how your TCU is setup, e.g. was it setup to monitor an event, then power-up and attempt communications - resulting in a system error
& then a failure to communicate/power down?

I have plug in reminders at home, charging stopped, and charge complete notifications all programmed so the TCU will send messages even without remote requests for status update or remote climate control start/stop. I believe the TCU fails to complete its communications with the Nissan servers so it fails to sleep and then keeps other EV system modules active. This combination of events sets several DTCs and will drain the 12-volt battery if the car is parked for too long.

Then that explains it. As I indicated before, any TCU programmed communications with the Nissan servers, i.e. whether via the Connect app or not,
will cause the TCU to 'hang', resulting in an excess current drain on the battery when the vehicle is powered off. Eliminate the "reminders" until there's
a TCU fix, and you'll not have to continue to pull a fuse or potentially damage your 12V battery by excessive discharges.
 
I am not giving up the convenience of remote access and reminder messages. I can pull the fuse(s) once in a while and I am not concerned about discharging my new deep cycle battery. I have found that pulling the 20A fuse sometimes is not enough to clear/reset the TCU and I also need to pull the F/S (fail safe) 15A fuse adjacent to the 20A fuse already removed. I had the TCU replaced in December and I have only needed to pull fuse(s) three times so far to keep my remote access functioning. I am trying to help others by reporting about my experiences.
 
GerryAZ said:
I am not giving up the convenience of remote access and reminder messages. I can pull the fuse(s) once in a while and I am not concerned about discharging my new deep cycle battery. I have found that pulling the 20A fuse sometimes is not enough to clear/reset the TCU and I also need to pull the F/S (fail safe) 15A fuse adjacent to the 20A fuse already removed. I had the TCU replaced in December and I have only needed to pull fuse(s) three times so far to keep my remote access functioning. I am trying to help others by reporting about my experiences.

OK, then others should be aware of potential problems, e.g. dead 12V batteries, when using reminder messages with the updated TCU.
 
lorenfb said:
OK, then others should be aware of potential problems, e.g. dead 12V batteries, when using reminder messages with the updated TCU.

As far as I can tell, using the TCU doesn't greatly change the rate at which it fails.

I've had 3 fuse pulls. The first one I was not using any sort of daily TCU activity, perhaps once a week, and the TCU failed after less than two months. As having the TCU locking up seems hard on the 12V battery, I switched to using the "update after each trip" feature of Leaf Manager. Two fuse pulls in the next 7 months. Sure, not enough data. But if there is a relationship between activity and lockups, it is weak.

Sure, I do wish Nissan would fix this. But I still want to use the remote climate control start in winter, and check up on the charging remotely perhaps weekly.
 
WetEV said:
lorenfb said:
OK, then others should be aware of potential problems, e.g. dead 12V batteries, when using reminder messages with the updated TCU.

As far as I can tell, using the TCU doesn't greatly change the rate at which it fails.

I've had 3 fuse pulls. The first one I was not using any sort of daily TCU activity, perhaps once a week, and the TCU failed after less than two months. As having the TCU locking up seems hard on the 12V battery, I switched to using the "update after each trip" feature of Leaf Manager. Two fuse pulls in the next 7 months. Sure, not enough data. But if there is a relationship between activity and lockups, it is weak.

Try not using any TCU functions. I've had NO problems or fuse pulls in over 9 months. The TCU just doesn't become active without any
presetting of modes or use. So what can be said with certainty is that there's a lower probability of the TCU 'hanging' if it's not used.
 
lorenfb said:
WetEV said:
Two fuse pulls in the next 7 months. Sure, not enough data. But if there is a relationship between activity and lockups, it is weak.

Try not using any TCU functions. I've had NO problems or fuse pulls in over 9 months. The TCU just doesn't become active without any
presetting of modes or use. So what can be said with certainty is that there's a lower probability of the TCU 'hanging' if it's not used.

If the rate of TCU fails is purely random with time, what are the odds you would have 0 and I would have 3 over the same time period?

As I said, not enough data. Many theories, and I see no convincing evidence. I am not saying you are wrong, just that I'm not convinced.

I've also noticed what looked a TCU hang that cleared without a fuse pull. If you never use the remote features, would you notice this? Maybe you didn't have 0 hangs after all.

Also, the car uses the TCU to update charging stations. How did you stop that?

And what if I really do want to use the remote features of the car?
 
WetEV said:
lorenfb said:
WetEV said:
Two fuse pulls in the next 7 months. Sure, not enough data. But if there is a relationship between activity and lockups, it is weak.

Try not using any TCU functions. I've had NO problems or fuse pulls in over 9 months. The TCU just doesn't become active without any
presetting of modes or use. So what can be said with certainty is that there's a lower probability of the TCU 'hanging' if it's not used.

WetEV said:
If the rate of TCU fails is purely random with time,

That's your assumption. It's very rare that automotive electronics fail on a random basis, i.e. the failure is correlated to some
external occurrence (water damage, vibration, over-voltage, design error, etc.).

WetEV said:
As I said, not enough data. Many theories, and I see no convincing evidence. I am not saying you are wrong, just that I'm not convinced.

1. Most who have problems use the Nissan app Connect or reminders, i.e. the TCU waits for an end of transmission
before powering down.
2. It's unlikely that the TCU fully powers-up without a remote request (or a reminder mode to transmit) causing other
ECUs on its CAN to also power-up resulting in a high current drain on the 12V battery. One wouldn't expect the TCU
system design to be that grossly marginal, i.e. a remote request would have to occur in its startup routine as the
TCU constantly monitors its radio in the low power mode.

WetEV said:
I've also noticed what looked a TCU hang that cleared without a fuse pull. If you never use the remote features, would you notice this? Maybe you didn't have 0 hangs after all.

Right, some remote requests, i.e. various TCU remote requests require different outcomes (different microcode routines), may not
result in TCU hangs.

WetEV said:
Also, the car uses the TCU to update charging stations. How did you stop that?

Yes, I've used the charging station update without any problems, but again that function has a unique routine when completed
immediately powers down the TCU. Whereas other routines may enter a 'standby' mode waiting for a remote input (from Connect)
to power down.

It's become obvious this doesn't have a simple solution, e.g. OTA update or a dealer re-flash, and may not even be fully understood by Nissan.
It's a problem that the TCU vendor needs to analyze and fully understand to determine a fix. And there may not be fix without replacing
this 3G TCU, which Nissan most likely doesn't care to do at this time.

You're correct that comprehensive data is lacking to draw any definitive conclusions, but some of us have to make some assumptions to
avoid 12V battery problems until the issue is resolved.
 
Does anyone know if there is an easy safe way to disconnect just the TCU from the 12v line? I have a 2013 which seems to have developed dead 12v battery occasional issues sometime after I had the TCU upgrade installed, and I would like to disconnect the power from the TCU to confirm that fixes the issue. Apologies if this answer is posted already.

Regards, JDEARM
 
Hi.

I guess I'll post the same thing every couple of months for those catching up. The issue is with the TCU getting stuck in a loop calling the Carwings backend system.

The solution is simple, yet Draconian: decline all data sharing inside your car, disable all charging station updates, etc. Anything that calls out of the car should be disabled. This will, of course, disable most of what's good about the TCU. You can still use it to send (one way) climate control commands to your car, something I use quite often.

It's been a couple of months since my last 12V battery issue after I did the above. No fuse pulls, battery replacing or funky stuff to do.

Don't like it? Let's sue Nissan so they finally fix it.

JR
 
I have the non-communicating TCU issue since the upgrade and when I learned of the audio fuse pull, I have had to do it twice. I haven't had any accessory battery issues yet though.
I have made numerous calls to Nissan for this issue and they keep moving it up to a higher level(I'm told). I don't know how high it needs to go to get it resolved. The Nissan people I talk to are always polite and apologetic for my problem, but can never offer acknowledgement of a known problem. I have had a few calls back from Nissan basically inquiring if my issue has been solved. Of course I tell them no and relate the temporary audio fuse pull solution. They don't seem to know about that either, but will pass that over to the tech folks.
I have filled out a few surveys about my calls to Nissan and continue to tell them the problem is not solved and about the temp fix. I will continue to do this and maybe they will eventually solve the problem. Seems to me that a software update to reset the TCU once a month could resolve some of these issues.
 
Leafboy said:
I have the non-communicating TCU issue since the upgrade and when I learned of the audio fuse pull, I have had to do it twice. I haven't had any accessory battery issues yet though.
I have made numerous calls to Nissan for this issue and they keep moving it up to a higher level(I'm told). I don't know how high it needs to go to get it resolved. The Nissan people I talk to are always polite and apologetic for my problem, but can never offer acknowledgement of a known problem. I have had a few calls back from Nissan basically inquiring if my issue has been solved. Of course I tell them no and relate the temporary audio fuse pull solution. They don't seem to know about that either, but will pass that over to the tech folks.
I have filled out a few surveys about my calls to Nissan and continue to tell them the problem is not solved and about the temp fix. I will continue to do this and maybe they will eventually solve the problem. Seems to me that a software update to reset the TCU once a month could resolve some of these issues.
If the fuse pull works and then the problem starts again after a period of time, then your 12v battery is weak and you should replace it.
 
I received the EV System warning light (amber car with exclamation point) with car parked in the driveway and not plugged in a few days ago. Error codes indicated EV system incomplete shutdown and TCU antenna failure. It appears that the TCU failed to connect to the server when it tried to send a plug-in reminder. The voltage of the 12-volt battery was fine and everything returned to normal after I used LEAF Spy to clear the DTCs. I did not pull the fuse(s) or disconnect the battery. I received charge complete notification the next morning and the TCU has been working fine since.
 
VitaminJ said:
If the fuse pull works and then the problem starts again after a period of time, then your 12v battery is weak and you should replace it.

Ummm...no.
If the fuse pull works and then the problem starts again after a period of time, then the TCU has "timed out" again.
Dead 12v batteries may be a symptom of TCU issues, but the TCU can "time out" with a perfectly good 12v battery (mine does all the time).
 
Have had the battery drain issue since the TCU 3G upgrade in the summer. The last time I could get the car to the dealer before the 12v battery went completely dead. I have all the symptoms outlined in previous posts.

The dealer tells me Nissan is aware of the problem and is working on a solution. There is no permanent fix yet. They turned off the TCU: 12v battery does not die now. I was told I would be contacted when there is a solution. No time frame on when that would be.
 
I got mine upgraded but required two trips. I bought a 2015 and saw that there were open campaigns, brake, front passenger airbag and TCU 2G to 3G. I called Nissan and found out the upgrade of the Telematics was free for 2015 models (as well as the brake and front airbag passenger sensor). On earlier models 2014 and earlier it was $199. The Campaign number is PC450 for the 2015. I called told them this and made appointment. I showed up and made sure they knew there was no charge. They did the work but the paperwork said TCU disabled. I said why they did not upgrade it. They said that cost $199. I said no and called Nissan on the spot. I gave them the PC450 number. After cooling my heals in the waiting room another 15 minutes the manager came out and said their mistake. Well they did not have the TCU part. So I had to come back. I did a week later and it went well.

I think the 2014 and earlier campaign number is PC499. If you have a 2015 it is PC450 and no charge. Make sure you tell dealer this and demand they order part. If they balk call Nissan.
 
Just wondering if anyone has tried to get Telematics working in a 2016 Nissan Leaf originally sold in the USA but now located in Canada.

I was able to get registered on Nissan USA. And when I drove near the border I could sign in.

But I can't roam in Canada, as soon as I get a bit to far from the border I lose service.

I'm assuming it's unrelated to the 2g/3g issues described here as I assume the 2016's have 3g service.
 
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