Unable to Restart after using AC (was AC causes failure)

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Boomer23 said:
I got an email this evening from my dealer service dept:

"An issue has arisen with the LEAF where the a/c system may not shut off and cause the car to go into failsafe mode and be inoperable. There is updated software to correct this issue, so we need you to bring in your vehicle for this. To prevent this from possibly happening please do not turn on the a/c or defrost system until the reprogramming is done."

They will have Nissan engineers in the dealership next week. I'll make an appointment.

By the way, I drove the car 40 miles the day after I brought it home. It was a hot day and I had the AC one a good part of the time. No problems.

My VIN is 889

It's cool that Connell is being proactive. I contacted the GM this morning, telling him about my experience and sent over a link to this thread. Hopefully other dealers follow suit and learn how to check for the error before delivering the vehicle. Apparently, the updates were supposed to happen at port. Some of us seem to have fallen through the cracks.
 
I agree that there should be someway to view our software version. Hell, you'd think that it would display at start-up. One of those TY polar bears to the person who can show us a screenshot! (j/k) :mrgreen:
 
garygid said:
Chances are that the 12v Reboot does NOT clear this error code, right?
It depends on the error code. Some are persistent and some aren't. Without knowing the exact error code, it's anyone's guess.

garygid said:
Is there any way for us to see the software versions in our car.
Yes. Connect a Nissan Consult III+ or Consult IV diag computer to the car and pull the info from the main computer.

That's guaranteed to work. There may be other options as well.

garygid said:
How much refrigerant does the Service Manual say the A/C system should have?
It's in the AC section (section I, HA, HA-14)**

The AC system has two levels of high-pressure response - the first is to send a message to the main vehicle control computer via the CAN buss. The computer is supposed to respond with a signal to turn the AC compressor motor off. If pressure continues to climb, there's a high pressure safety valve that vents refrigerant to the atmosphere. (HA-25)

garygid said:
Is there a set of screen/button presses to get to the LEAF's Service Screens?
(I thought I read somewhere long ago that there was.)
Service manual section N, AV, AV-155 says there's a vehicle maintenance screen on the telematics display. Menu route: Menu Button, Info icon, Maintenance


450 grams :p
 
I'm glad I'm still 'pending' and I hope posting this URL does not get me banned from the group.


http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/general/lemon.php
 
HOLY SH**!!

i am preparing for Sons BD and Vaca so left this thread for half a day and now i am 13 fricking pages behind??!!

so, sorry i am skipping to the end here, but...

there is ZERO chance of a coolant leak barring catastrophic damage to the unit.

Adjusting for "region" won't cut it for me. In terms of weather, my home in the San Bernardino Mountains might as well be considered a totally different "region"

that would be wrong. in colder weather the pressure would drop making a pressure change a non-issue. adjust for hottest condition u may encounter. (which means Phoenix i am guessing) u said it yourself, A/C not a priority at your home...so why adjust for home?

i am guessing that this has already been discussed so i will put it out. sounds like the issue is over pressure in the condensing unit so a trip to dealer to check and modify coolant is in order then? or is it a bad batch of compressors pulling high current that needs to be replaced?

another thing. every time i turn on defrost the A/C light comes on which is normal because that draws moisture out of the car which is all A/C really does. am i lucky in that i am just not running at high enough pressure?
 
Dave,

Apparently there was some software changes in the last 200 or so cars (March deliveries essentially). These are the only cars effected with this issue. These cars are going to have to have their software updated and it seems the owners of these cars started getting contact from their dealers yesterday afternoon. I've yet to hear from mine, but I expect I'll be hearing something soon. Of course this is all second hand information posted in this thread and nobody has seen anything official from Nissan.

I just perused the TSB's for the Leaf and can only find two. NTB-135a which is related to how to setup Carwings during PDI - pre-delivery inspection, or after replacing the TCU. The second TSB is NTB11-001 which just seems to be some general information about using the Consult-III and how to report errors to Nissan.
 
As per my earlier post about the car failing at 80 miles on March 31......... the car was towed to Miller Nissan on April 1 and 2 engineers from Japan were making the rounds reprogramming PCM on newly delivered Leafs. They had been to Thousand Oaks and worked their way to my car in Van Nuys. I was very surprised and pleased that they responded so quickly.

According to the dealer's technician it was all related to the higher air temperature. He stated that they were going to reprogram all of the cars currently at the port prior to delivery.

Car is working fine now.

One suggestion.........if you have not had the reprogramming. If the warning lights show up while you are driving try to get home or to the dealer immediately if you can.
Do not shut off the car because you will not be able to start it.
 
palmermd said:
Apparently there was some software changes in the last 200 or so cars (March deliveries essentially). These are the only cars effected with this issue.
It sounds like they came out with a software update which wasn't properly tested, and has now been determined to have a fatal flaw. Probably they are going back to the original, working version for now while they sort this out. Just my guess.
 
i find it hard to believe that the A/C is not programmed for ALL cars to the hottest possible condition... this does not seem right.

and how is it, that all but 200 cars are fine? it sounds like a lemon batch of parts to me.
 
Has anyone heard a explaination from dealer service people as to why any sort of fault in the A/C system would cause the entire car to be set inoperable, potentally stranding the driver in a dangerous situation? Why isn't just the A/C system disabled? As others have mentioned, this seems to be overkill, and it's not clear that the software fix changes this.
 
My Leaf was delivered on 3/31. It looks like I belong to the batch of "unlucky 200".

After skimming through the 27 pages of this thread, is it correct to say that to have the best chance to avoid the problem (until a fix) is to

1) Not pre-climatize the vehicle
2) Start climate control only when vehicle is moving (best is not to use A/C)
3) And if the yellow warning light does come on, do not shutdown until at a safe/convenient location (or dealer)?
 
greenleaf said:
My Leaf was delivered on 3/31. It looks like I belong to the batch of "unlucky 200".

After skimming through the 27 pages of this thread, is it correct to say that to have the best chance to avoid the problem (until a fix) is to

1) Not pre-climatize the vehicle
2) Start climate control only when vehicle is moving (best is not to use A/C)
3) And if the yellow warning light does come on, do not shutdown until at a safe/convenient location (or dealer)?

Looks like you'd have all the bases covered; but you may want to consider disconnecting/reconnecting the 12V battery; so, you may want to carry a crescent wrench, a clean rag (to wipe acid off your hands), iodine (in case you scrape your knuckles). I used to carry that stuff in my '57 Chevy Belaire all the time. :lol:
 
greenleaf said:
My Leaf was delivered on 3/31. It looks like I belong to the batch of "unlucky 200".

After skimming through the 27 pages of this thread, is it correct to say that to have the best chance to avoid the problem (until a fix) is to

1) Not pre-climatize the vehicle
2) Start climate control only when vehicle is moving (best is not to use A/C)
3) And if the yellow warning light does come on, do not shutdown until at a safe/convenient location (or dealer)?

Yes, though I'm just playing it safer by not using climate control for the time being and enjoying the fresh air :mrgreen:
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
Adjusting for "region" won't cut it for me. In terms of weather, my home in the San Bernardino Mountains might as well be considered a totally different "region"
that would be wrong. in colder weather the pressure would drop making a pressure change a non-issue. adjust for hottest condition u may encounter. (which means Phoenix i am guessing) u said it yourself, A/C not a priority at your home...so why adjust for home?
I might have been overreacting, as my delivery date is rapidly approaching. Plus, I live in a small town where the tow truck driver could very well be someone with whom I am acquainted! As an early adopter, one has to expect bugs, but hopefully not too many major bugs like this one. I do intend to carry "emergency" supplies in the LEAF, which will include a long 20A-rated extension cord and now a crescent wrench. That said, I am very much looking forward to taking delivery and appreciate all of the information here.
 
sdbonez said:
greenleaf said:
My Leaf was delivered on 3/31. It looks like I belong to the batch of "unlucky 200".

After skimming through the 27 pages of this thread, is it correct to say that to have the best chance to avoid the problem (until a fix) is to

1) Not pre-climatize the vehicle
2) Start climate control only when vehicle is moving (best is not to use A/C)
3) And if the yellow warning light does come on, do not shutdown until at a safe/convenient location (or dealer)?

Yes, though I'm just playing it safer by not using climate control for the time being and enjoying the fresh air :mrgreen:
Thanks. Avoiding CC might be difficult for me when temps start to get close to 90 in the afternoon. Hopefully we can see a fix soon.
 
It was over 90 here in SD yesterday and I managed :)

btw, I'm on the phone with Nissan Leaf CC now. I asked them if they could tell me whether my VIN was impacted (knowing full well that this is a developing issue and my service manager, while aware of the problem, didn't yet have a fix or a list of impacted VINs). He went away for a bit and just came back and confirmed to me that yes my VIN #728 IS impacted.
 
how about we get away from VINs and go by delivery dates? i am sure it was a batch that came over on one boat... do we know that info?

i am confident i am not included, but might save several hundred calls if we had that info instead of just a VIN
 
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