The Most Obscure Leaf Facts - WAY Out There

[hill]

No ashtray.

NO coin changer either.
No handle (presumably for aiding in entry/exiting car) above driver's ceiling ... just on the passenger's side.

EDIT:
There actually IS a dent in the ceiling upholstery where the driver's handle would go/could go. I'm guessing that's where the passenger handle goes on the right handed driver's model. I'd think they'd put one on BOTH sides, as I often see weak/old people using the handles to help lift their self in/out of cars.

 

[DarkStar]

... can we go 92 mph in reverse?

Bill Davis, you have a call on line one. Bill Davis, line one...

I think max in R was found to be about 25.

Title was something like "things you can do but shouldn't"

FYI, I tested it a couple of times: On a flat, level surface, the maximum speed in reverse is 25 MPH, but you still have the same torque as regular drive.

 

[Kataphn]

Embarrassed to say that I thought I had a problem with the driver's side map light because it stayed on all the time. Started last night. Finally figured out I must have pushed on the plastic cover by mistake. Pushing cover turns either side on and off. I actually called customer service about it because, even though I looked in the manual, I missed it. CS said it was probably a switch problem! :lol: It's not a bug...it's a feature!

 

[hill]

The Leaf won't let itself go to neutral when plugged in. BUT - if you shift to neutral, THEN plug in, you've effectively defeated the safety feature. Why would I wana do that? Just to see how redundant the safety feature was designed. Fool proof ... but not idiot proof.

 

[jcesare]

The Leaf won't let itself go to neutral when plugged in. BUT - if you shift to neutral, THEN plug in, you've effectively defeated the safety feature. Why would I wana do that? Just to see how redundant the safety feature was designed. Fool proof ... but not idiot proof.

Just when you think it's idiot proof, along comes a dumber idiot.

 

[hill]

Just when you think it's idiot proof, along comes a dumber idiot.

... all in the name of science. Wana see my high votage DC burn scars? C'mon, admit it. Haven't you ever wondered how different AC shocks must feel different from DC?

 

[GeekEV]

The Leaf won't let itself go to neutral when plugged in. BUT - if you shift to neutral, THEN plug in, you've effectively defeated the safety feature. Why would I wana do that? Just to see how redundant the safety feature was designed. Fool proof ... but not idiot proof.

Hmm. How about when in drive?

 

[planet4ever]

Nah, it spits out the nozzle and starts flashing SOS on the three charging lights.

 

[DarkStar]

The Leaf won't let itself go to neutral when plugged in. BUT - if you shift to neutral, THEN plug in, you've effectively defeated the safety feature. Why would I wana do that? Just to see how redundant the safety feature was designed. Fool proof ... but not idiot proof.

So from neutral, when you press the power button it doesn't automatically go back into park?

 

[hill]

Nah, it spits out the nozzle and starts flashing SOS on the three charging lights.

After plugging the Leaf in while you're in neutral - if you then shut down the system entirely, I note a "power failure" dashlight warning will come on, the next time you start the Leaf ... but the warning light only comes up if you start the Leaf by pushing the "Power" button 2 times. Pressing the brake and the power button a 3rd time (which actually puts the Leaf in "ready" mode) clears the power failure dashlight/code.

 

[TomT]

I've experienced both, and RF burns as well. AC shocks are far worse and much more deadly. It takes 1/10 the ac current to stop the heart as DC current...

C'mon, admit it. Haven't you ever wondered how different AC shocks must feel different from DC?

 

[TEG]

Haven't you ever wondered how different AC shocks must feel different from DC?

I can tell you that AC makes your muscles "vibrate", but DC makes them "clamp down".
Even if AC is more dangerous at least you have more chance of convincing yourself to let go.
With DC sometimes you end up grabbing on harder to the metal bit.
Thankfully, I guess most shocks tend to be brushing against something.
You really don't want to grab onto high voltage DC electrodes with both hands!

As a kid I was in a camping store and they had a pile of 6V lantern batteries with snap connectors. I started daisy chaining them one by one to each other. When I got to around 48V I could really start to feel it. By 72, I called it a day.

By the way, how many of us have tested a 9V battery with your tongue?!

 

[TomT]

I used to check the 67 volt A batteries that way... Yes, I'm old enough to have worked with tubes... :lol:

[By the way, how many of us have tested a 9V battery with your tongue?!

 

[mwalsh]

... can we go 92 mph in reverse?

Bill Davis, you have a call on line one. Bill Davis, line one...

I think max in R was found to be about 25.

Title was something like "things you can do but shouldn't"

Terry Grant is going to try for the World Reverse Speed record (currently 85mph and held by Steve Parrish) at Goodwood next month. He reckons the theoretical speed should be the vehicle maximum forward speed of 94mph. If we already know different, we should probably him know, so he doesn't embarrass himself:

http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/nissan-leaf-attempts-reverse-speed-record_30993#

 

[TNleaf]

Terry Grant is going to try for the World Reverse Speed record (currently 85mph and held by Steve Parrish) at Goodwood next month. He reckons the theoretical speed should be the vehicle maximum forward speed of 94mph. If we already know different, we should probably him know, so he doesn't embarrass himself:

http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/nissan-leaf-attempts-reverse-speed-record_30993#

If a big part of a car's top speed has to do with the aerodynamics of the car, wouldn't the top speed in reverse (assuming the transmission/engine is setup for it) be much lower?

 

[mwalsh]

If a big part of a car's top speed has to do with the aerodynamics of the car, wouldn't the top speed in reverse (assuming the transmission/engine is setup for it) be much lower?

Maybe.

Apparently the car is prevented from going at max reverse speed by "a standard safety feature", but for the even Nissan is going to deactivate the function:

http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/06/23/nissan-out-to-prove-that-goodwood-hill-records-are-no-juke/

 

[TNleaf]

If a big part of a car's top speed has to do with the aerodynamics of the car, wouldn't the top speed in reverse (assuming the transmission/engine is setup for it) be much lower?

Maybe.

Apparently the car is prevented from going at max reverse speed by "a standard safety feature", but for the even Nissan is going to deactivate the function:

http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/06/23/nissan-out-to-prove-that-goodwood-hill-records-are-no-juke/

True, I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of power needed to counter the wind resistance. For example, the top speed in the Bugatti Veyron (well over 250mph) is limited by the car's power/aerodynamics due to the massive amount of wind resistance at those speeds. Maybe that won't be a factor for the LEAF at 90+mph in reverse, my guess is that it will.

 

[mwalsh]

Terry Grant is going to try for the World Reverse Speed record (currently 85mph and held by Steve Parrish) at Goodwood next month.

Just to follow up on this and let you know that safety officials barred Nissan from running over a lack of testing prior to the event making it "too risky".

Apparently Nissan is still determined to try and will be testing the car at Goodwood this week, with a view to possibly making an attempt or the record next year.

 

[wishboneash]

This is a pretty good article/video as well ...
http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/06/03/gt1-michael-krumm-silverstone-nissan-leaf/

 

[aminorjourney]

I'll go with my 1st observation. When in reverse, the speedometer tells you how fast you're going. Yet even in reverse, the readout is a positive number. Anyone else have bizarre Leaf observations ?

Difference between speed and velocity is ...

*cues up Speed and Velocity, by They Might Be Giants*

I've got speed (that's how fast I am moving)!
I've got velocity (that's my speed and direction)!

...with that out of the way, let's listen to their Electric Car song, too.

Popular with both my kids... and my wife... and me! (That album is great fun)

Here's two from me.

If you get out of the car and ask your passenger to activate the lock it won't work. Only the lock on the side nearest the key fob will operate.

Secondly, you can actually give the car a one-fingered salute to turn it off while you're driving. You have to hold it down a few seconds, and then the car will turn off (with the wheels still moving)