82k full bars

is it possible that a used car dealership is selling an 2011 leaf SV with full capacity bars? don't think they're open today but his photo in his ad shows 12 bars

when I go look at it and test it, what are some other items to pay particular attention to? not sure if he has a carfax

If the car is in a very cool place, just maybe. Not many places that cool. Would be very close to losing a bar, at best.

If the traction battery was replaced, maybe. If car was in a cool climate. My 2014 lost the 12 bar last fall.

If the traction battery was replaced recently more likely. Get documentation. I think you can ask Nissan about the repair history of that VIN.

Most likely? BMS Reset.

thanks what is a BMS reset? also looks like 4 previous owners

babbles said:

thanks what is a BMS reset?

Click to expand...

If BMS firmware is updated, replacement cells or a new battery is installed, the BMS is reset so it shows the default initial condition of the battery, and can learn the new state of the battery. This is legit. The dealer's "Consult" tool can do this.

The BMS can be reset for no real reason. It will show 12 bars... for a short while. Then it will drop bars quickly until a better estimate of the true state of the battery is displayed. There was some shady fellow selling such a tool a while back.

There are a couple of other ways to fool the BMS for a short time.

So what to do? Do a test drive long enough to determine the health of the battery. Perhaps followed by a recharge at an L2 that records the energy delivered.

If the battery is original, or the battery was replaced before 2015, then it's a BMS reset. I'm going to link to my used Leaf buying guide shortly.

https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26662&p=538030

Never base a purchasing decision on the capacity bars, especially if they indicate better than average capacity. Always do a range test.

There are more details on how to do a range test in multiple posts here, but here's the short version:

• Drive near a highway on-ramp and pull over
• Note the current state of charge on the dashboard
• Reset the trip counter
• Drive on the highway, in the slow lane, and use the cruise control to drive at no more than 60 mph
• Drive until the state of charge drops by 25% compared to when you reset the trip counter
• Note the trip counter miles, multiply that times 4 - that's a decent approximation of the full range

There are a lot of variables, so it's an imperfect test, but it's good enough to expose a BMS reset.

appreciate it! I'm going to test it tomorrow

I have been suspicious that un-ethical dealers could apply the "BMS Reset" patch to make a car temporarily have 12 bars. I would definitely want to know what the repair history of the car is; was there a pack replacement? If there was no replacement, 12 bars after 82k miles sounds like a fairy tale.

Take it from someone who is on their third battery pack at 86k miles: there is no way a 2011 Leaf could still be at 12 capacity bars...on the original battery pack.
I love my Leaf, but I would never purchase a used Leaf without taking a LeafSpy reading (or similar) on the battery pack.

I think I'll take your advice on a 2011 leaf with supposed full bar capacity

Stanton said:

Take it from someone who is on their third battery pack at 86k miles: there is no way a 2011 Leaf could still be at 12 capacity bars...on the original battery pack.
I love my Leaf, but I would never purchase a used Leaf without taking a LeafSpy reading (or similar) on the battery pack.

Click to expand...

LeafSpy is fooled by a recent battery reset.

Correct. AntronX at https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=489807#p489807 was a victim and showed his LeafSpy readings.