Beeping 12volt charging error

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Calldon

Member
Joined
May 22, 2016
Messages
14
I did not drive my leaf for a couple of months. The battery was charged and unplugged. A couple of days ago I was going to start it up and there was no power. The 12-volt battery must have Rundown. So I hook the 12 volt battery up to a charger and the car started beeping 3 short beeps several times but it would not charge.

So I connected another charger to it and put it on Trickle. The horn started beeping constantly and did not stop until I turned off the battery charger. The display on the battery charger read 80. But I can't find that error code anywhere.

I would just replace the battery except I parked it under a fifth wheel trailer at a campground where I can plug into 30 amps. Unfortunately I can only raise the hood a few inches, it bumps the trailer hitch above. I thought I could just charge the battery and move the car. But I keep getting beeping.

So are the three beeps a code? And what about the constant beeping on the second battery charger?

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
You need to disconnect and charge the 12volt battery. Depending on its age, it may be due for replacement. If it is, I would suggest an AGM style battery. The car will not function normally without a charged12v battery.

You may need to connect a tow cable to the car frame and drag it out far enough to get the hood open.
 
Agreed, I had this once with a low battery. Just disconnect the car's terminals and charge the 12V until it's full before reconnecting.
 
baustin said:
You need to disconnect and charge the 12volt battery. Depending on its age, it may be due for replacement. If it is, I would suggest an AGM style battery. The car will not function normally without a charged12v battery.

You may need to connect a tow cable to the car frame and drag it out far enough to get the hood open.

It may be possible to disconnect, charge, and reconnect the battery where it sits. Just be careful with the positive terminal and with whatever metal tools you use, and make sure the car is OFF.
 
disconnecting the battery; first start with the Negative terminal of the battery since when you touch the car body with a spanner all fine then do the Positive terminal and since the Negative terminal of the battery isn't connected any more to the body of the car no issues when touching with a spanner when disconnecting the positive terminal
connecting the battery just follow the reverse; Positive first then Negative
 
Since I can't open the hood but a few inches, would it be okay just to disconnect the negative terminal, then charge it, then reconnect the negative terminal?

I think there might be enough room for me to disconnect the negative terminal but not the positive terminal. If the negative terminal is disconnected from the battery, wouldn't the car be disconnected from the battery?
 
Calldon said:
Since I can't open the hood but a few inches, would it be okay just to disconnect the negative terminal, then charge it, then reconnect the negative terminal?

I think there might be enough room for me to disconnect the negative terminal but not the positive terminal. If the negative terminal is disconnected from the battery, wouldn't the car be disconnected from the battery?

That should work but do be careful. Remove the battery ground connection and secure the cable so it can't flop around, don't touch any of the charger leads to any part of the car (except the battery terminals) and like Leftie mentioned, be sure the car is OFF.
 
Thanks. the car is off. It won't start until there's power in the 12 volt battery. I get nothing at this point.
 
Is it necessary to disconnect the battery when using a trickle charger? There is a YouTube video of someone using a trickle charger on a Leaf without disconnecting the battery.
 
bda0009 said:
Is it necessary to disconnect the battery when using a trickle charger? There is a YouTube video of someone using a trickle charger on a Leaf without disconnecting the battery.

Nope, not necessary unless maybe if the 12 volt battery is dead, as in the first post in this topic. Just avoid sparks at the battery and damage to the current sensor by making the Negative connection last, away from the battery. There is a little unused screw flange at the top of the inverter stack (it looks like a valve cover for a gas engine) that is perfect for making the negative connection.
 
Thanks for the response. How to I test the 12 volt battery? It has a date of 2/17, which seems pretty new, but I am getting the 3 beeps. I have tried the trickle charge yesterday, but it does not seem to make a difference.
 
Please describe the three beeps. They can also be due to a charge timer being active, and trying to charge during the period it is set to not charge. Testing it is easy: let the car sit undisturbed for 15+ minutes then use a multimeter, set to DC Volts, to check the voltage between the Positive and Negative terminals. If it is below 12.2 volts then it may well be the problem.
 
I believe that when I stop the car and put it in park I get 3 short beeps. My daughter has been driving the car and that is how she described it. I am not charging the big battery. I was thinking it had something to do with the 12 volt battery, but maybe not. Voltage is about 12.5.

With an ICE I measure the voltage drop then the starter is engaged. So - as long as the battery can hold 12.2 volts it is healthy? Thanks.
 
12.5 volts is very typical for a Leaf, so likely no 12 volt battery issues. The car will occasionally charge the 12 volt battery, but in the case of pre-2015 Leafs it often doesn't charge it enough. The car tends to beep and play tinny music a LOT in the default mode. You can turn all of that off in the car's menu.
 
OK - thanks. Today it gave 3 short beeps when I put it in Drive, and not when I stopped and put it in Park. I have not changed any of the settings, but will take a look at those. My concern was that the beeps were a warning that would eventually leave me stranded.
 
AFAIK, any warning beep should be accompanied by a lit warning icon on the dash - as well as the master fault light, which lights up when any other icon does.
 
Just as an update, in case anyone else has this problem - it went away when I replaced one of the TPMS sensors.

One wheel had always shown a different tire pressure when viewed on LeafSpy - sometimes a few pounds off, sometimes a lot. The beeping and flashers going for two or three times started 2 months ago, then last week I started getting the yellow "low tire pressure" symbol on the dash - but it was intermittent, appearing a few miles down the road, then switching off. Throughout the whole thing I was checking tire pressures with a good gauge. When I took the TPMS sensor out, there was water in the tire. Anyway, problem solved.
 
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