My Leaf Starts but Won't Go into Gear

We've had our Leaf for about a month and have loved it for commuting and around town errands. It's fantastic. However, two days ago when I went to start it, it turned on and the display lights did their thing, but a bunch of other warning lights came on (the car with an exclamation point, the PS light, the exclamation point light, and a few others) and the car won't go into gear. When I try to put it in reverse or drive, it goes into neutral and won't go anywhere. The parking break is off, it's unplugged, and I'm not doing anything different from any other time I've driven. It was very cold the other day and yesterday and today (around 15 degrees in the morning), so maybe that has something to do with it. I guess I'll have it towed to the dealer to have them sort it out, but I thought I'd check here too. It's a bummer to have a one-month old car giving me problems. Especially a car that I like so much.
Thanks.

Call roadside assistance to have it picked up and taken to dealer for check. Try not to trouble shoot too much so the dealer will see exactly what you see.

Ian B

disconnect 12v battery for 2 min or so and try again it worked many times before

I have had a similar situation once or twice. I pushed the start button with my foot on the brake and it shut off. I then pushed the start button foot on brake the car sang to me as it always does and then I was in business. I think there is a state where the car looks like it is on but it is maybe in an accessory mode. I didn't give it much thought considering that I was able to get it squared away.

My guess is that you either didn't push on the brake pedal as you started the car; slightly jumped the gun and pressed the on button ahead of the brake pedal; or didn't press on the brake pedal with sufficient force while you pressed the on button.

This has happened to me a couple of times over 18 months. I just shut the car off, make sure my foot is on the brake, turn it on, and everything is fine.

Easiest way to know the car is on, after you power on the car, the steering wheel moves freely for turning. If it doesn't, the car is not on.

Ian B

jimcmorr said:

I think there is a state where the car looks like it is on but it is maybe in an accessory mode.

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There are four states, which Nissan calls OFF, AUX, ON, READY. In AUX state the central console is lit up and you can use many of its controls, but the dashboard is black. Your "looks like it is on" state is indeed what Nissan calls ON. The dash lights up, but the green car is missing in the center of it, and you can't shift into gear. You can use the windows and get heated or cooled air, which you can't do in AUX state.

As others have said, you get to the ON state by not having the brake depressed when you press the power button (typically twice).

Ray

Hi,

Have you resolved this issue? How did you resolve it?
I would like to know since my Nissan Leaf started to do the exact same thing today. The Leaf powers on, the radio works and dashboarods lights up, but it will not go into reverse or drive. I have tried turning is off and back on many many times. And I do step on the brake each time I try to turn it on.

JS888 said:

Hi,

Have you resolved this issue? How did you resolve it?
I would like to know since my Nissan Leaf started to do the exact same thing today. The Leaf powers on, the radio works and dashboarods lights up, but it will not go into reverse or drive. I have tried turning is off and back on many many times. And I do step on the brake each time I try to turn it on.

Click to expand...

Does green light with vehicle symbol comes ON on dashboard? If not check for fault codes. If you don't have LeafSpy app and obd adapter or there is no fault code, then most likely your brake pedal sensor is faulty.