karlboekelheide
Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2011
- Messages
- 6
I have two problems which might be related. The first, more serious, nearly causing a low speed collision, occurred only once, two days ago. The second has been occurring for at least a year. The dealers, I've been to two, can't find any problem or error reports.
This is a 2011 Leaf that has had all the software updates. It has 57,000 miles. Never been wrecked or damaged.
The first issue is the brakes not working in a quick stop that became a panic stop. I was panicked; the car wasn't stopping. I was pulling out of a driveway at less than 10 mph. A car had stopped to let me out and was obscuring a fast moving car in the next lane out. When I saw the fast car I applied the brakes quickly. There was very little slowing of the car. I had the pedal to the floor and the car moved leisurely another 2-3 feet, at 3-5 mph, nearly being hit by the fast car. I backed up. Waved my apology and let things clear out. As soon as practical I tried several quick stops at low speed. All were what I would expect. At the extreme all 4 wheels locked and stopped the car immediately. Other, not so extreme, stops stopped very quickly just as I would expect. I just got back from the dealer who had a technician speed 3 hours testing and looking. They could find nothing. No errors. Not reproducible.
The second issue, which may be related, has been occurring for at least a year. Once in about a month, or 1 in 100 starts, the brakes don't come online correctly. The light pedal pressure doesn't work. Normally at low speed the brakes are very responsive to light pressure. Before the software fix for "grabby brakes" they were over responsive. All of that is missing. You have to press the brake harder to get any braking. Braking does occur it's just a bit sluggish. Also there is no additional regen that would normally occur when the brake is pressed. Lastly, there is click that can be felt and heard near the top of the brake press stroke. This is not a normal sound and is only present when the brakes are in this condition. The conditions will persist as long as the car is on. If the car is turned off for at least a couple minutes everything returns to normal. The clicking sound stays even with the car off for some minutes. I have taken the car to a different dealer twice and they say they can't see any problem. My guess is that the first problem is actually a manifestation of the second one. Although I have become very acute to when the second one is happening, I didn't notice the car being in that state when I nearly caused a wreck. Usually I know as soon as I stop for the first time.
Has anyone any clue or pointers to how Nissan's crazy brake by wire system works? I'm an old guy and find it really disturbing that the brake pedal does not have a physical connection to a master cylinder that squirts brake fluid in the wheel cylinders if and when the computers goof up. I'm ready to pull the dash and see what makes the clicking sound.
This is a 2011 Leaf that has had all the software updates. It has 57,000 miles. Never been wrecked or damaged.
The first issue is the brakes not working in a quick stop that became a panic stop. I was panicked; the car wasn't stopping. I was pulling out of a driveway at less than 10 mph. A car had stopped to let me out and was obscuring a fast moving car in the next lane out. When I saw the fast car I applied the brakes quickly. There was very little slowing of the car. I had the pedal to the floor and the car moved leisurely another 2-3 feet, at 3-5 mph, nearly being hit by the fast car. I backed up. Waved my apology and let things clear out. As soon as practical I tried several quick stops at low speed. All were what I would expect. At the extreme all 4 wheels locked and stopped the car immediately. Other, not so extreme, stops stopped very quickly just as I would expect. I just got back from the dealer who had a technician speed 3 hours testing and looking. They could find nothing. No errors. Not reproducible.
The second issue, which may be related, has been occurring for at least a year. Once in about a month, or 1 in 100 starts, the brakes don't come online correctly. The light pedal pressure doesn't work. Normally at low speed the brakes are very responsive to light pressure. Before the software fix for "grabby brakes" they were over responsive. All of that is missing. You have to press the brake harder to get any braking. Braking does occur it's just a bit sluggish. Also there is no additional regen that would normally occur when the brake is pressed. Lastly, there is click that can be felt and heard near the top of the brake press stroke. This is not a normal sound and is only present when the brakes are in this condition. The conditions will persist as long as the car is on. If the car is turned off for at least a couple minutes everything returns to normal. The clicking sound stays even with the car off for some minutes. I have taken the car to a different dealer twice and they say they can't see any problem. My guess is that the first problem is actually a manifestation of the second one. Although I have become very acute to when the second one is happening, I didn't notice the car being in that state when I nearly caused a wreck. Usually I know as soon as I stop for the first time.
Has anyone any clue or pointers to how Nissan's crazy brake by wire system works? I'm an old guy and find it really disturbing that the brake pedal does not have a physical connection to a master cylinder that squirts brake fluid in the wheel cylinders if and when the computers goof up. I'm ready to pull the dash and see what makes the clicking sound.