2012 Nissan 12V Battery - Are Cell Covers Removable?

I have a 2012 Leaf with its original OEM Nissan 12 V battery. The cells appear to have cell covers.

Can these small covers be removed to add distilled water to the electrolyte or are they strictly vents?

I tried turning one with my fingers and could to budge it, but it has had 10 years to become attached to the case.

Thanks
baumgrenze

baumgrenze said:

I have a 2012 Leaf with its original OEM Nissan 12 V battery. The cells appear to have cell covers.

Can these small covers be removed to add distilled water to the electrolyte or are they strictly vents?

I tried turning one with my fingers and could to budge it, but it has had 10 years to become attached to the case.

Thanks
baumgrenze

Click to expand...

If it looks like both of my OEM batteries, then yes, you can use a flat blade to pop up those cell covers, clean around the spilled acid and look down in to the cells to check the water level, specific gravity, etc.

Yes, even the later Leafs, at least through 2013, use flooded cell batteries. That means you should add water to them at least once a year. Use only distilled water!

If the battery has a translucent white case, you can hold a bright flashlight against the case to check the electrolyte levels.

I remember putting close to 2 cups of distilled water in my 2013's 12 volt battery, after about 3 years of use.

Thanks to you both for encouraging me to explore opening the cells.
The version I have proved to have very tight threaded (standard) plugs. It took some persuasion with my 16" Chan-nel-lock pump pliers to get the caps loose. I ran to the grocery store and managed to score one of the last few bottles of distilled water. It must have taken about a pint to fill the cells so that the electrolyte was up to the collar inside the cell when checked with a bright flashlight shined into the battery. It is now on a charger. Perhaps it will bounce back. It does have 10 years of service experience; I hope it learned how to recharge in all that time.

Thanks again
baumgrenze

If you have 10 years of service on a 12V battery I would say you got your money's worth and just replace it.

A dead 12V battery can strand you in a Leaf and the batteries tend to fail without warning since there is no slow starting, like on an ICE, to indicate impending failure.

goldbrick said:

If you have 10 years of service on a 12V battery I would say you got your money's worth and just replace it.

Click to expand...

Says it all - 120 months for something worth $120. That battery provided good service for about $1 per month! Time to let it rest...

Distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis water is best (not reverse osmosis with minerals added). I have seen in other forums where some people think any bottled water is good. Don't use spring water or mineral water. Tap water would be better than that.