$370 battery cell diagnosis test fee? Is it normal?

My 2013 Nissan Leaf S went from 9 bars to 6 bars within 4000 miles. Range dropped from 69 miles down to 34z

So I went to the dealership to do a battery cell test and see if they could check the battery for any dead cells and maybe get the battery covered under the 100,000 defective battery warranty.

Guy told me it would be 110 dollar diagnosis fee..

Agreed and left.

They said that the capacity was bad and I needed a battery replacement but the battery was good because it held a charge and therefore not defective.

I asked for the battery cell test results and they went the back to get it to find out they never did a cell test because there was no lights on the dashboard.

Told them I came to see if my battery was good and how could they know if my battery was defective without a cell test.

Anyways I asked fir a battery cell test and they said it would be an additional two hours of labor at 130 dollars per hour.

So the initial battery cell test I was looking for would be 370 dollars

Is this normal?

Sounds like they are full of crap

It's not unusual, and it is wrong. Go to another dealership and have them refund the charge for the test they never performed. What is the "in service" date for your car? It may or may not still be under the 8 year/100k (or is it 80k?) mile battery defect warranty.

There is a lot more that can go wrong with a defective battery than just whether it can charge :lol: :lol:

So yes, yet another Nissan dealership that is LEAF incompetent and OP's dealership is a bottom dweller

OP, in your pursuit of a warranty replacement (presuming you still meet the mileage/time criteria), be VERY careful that whatever dealership you go to documents your complaints completely and to your satisfaction. If there is **any** way for Nissan to wiggle its way out of a warranty repair it will happen. Nissan follows the warranty language to the letter. So e.g. if your relevant complaint is logged ONE second after 8 years have passed since the car first entered service, you are SOL. Your complaint to the dealership should clearly state that you think the battery is defective (in those words), due to a loss of 3 capacity bars in 4,000 miles.

It is my understanding that all diagnostic charges are refunded if the battery is found to require warranty repair. In your shoes I would try to go to a competent dealership but keep the refund demand handy. No half decent dealership should have stopped the diagnostic routine where yours did. That $110 should have reached cell level diagnostics and a retrieval of DTCs given your complaint.

As an aside, I find it interesting that you know enough to suspect a faulty cell but do not use LEAFSpy. You should reconsider, if for no other reason than to be able to speak with the Nissan techs on a level they will take a bit more seriously, and to call them out if they try to BS you.

Good luck !

Nuproto said:

My 2013 Nissan Leaf S went from 9 bars to 6 bars within 4000 miles. Range dropped from 69 miles down to 34z

So I went to the dealership to do a battery cell test and see if they could check the battery for any dead cells and maybe get the battery covered under the 100,000 defective battery warranty.

Guy told me it would be 110 dollar diagnosis fee..

Agreed and left.

They said that the capacity was bad and I needed a battery replacement but the battery was good because it held a charge and therefore not defective.

I asked for the battery cell test results and they went the back to get it to find out they never did a cell test because there was no lights on the dashboard.

Told them I came to see if my battery was good and how could they know if my battery was defective without a cell test.

Anyways I asked fir a battery cell test and they said it would be an additional two hours of labor at 130 dollars per hour.

So the initial battery cell test I was looking for would be 370 dollars

Is this normal?

Sounds like they are full of crap

Click to expand...

The price is in the range I have seen. Makes LEAF Spy quite the bargain doncha think?

Andy11 said:

I did it for similar price. Not sure if it worth it, but better to do it, if you don't have other options.

Click to expand...

LEAF Spy Pro; $15
OBD; $25.
Information; Priceless.

DaveinOlyWA said:

Andy11 said:

I did it for similar price. Not sure if it worth it, but better to do it, if you don't have other options.

Click to expand...

LEAF Spy Pro; $15
OBD; $25.
Information; Priceless.

Click to expand...

OP should be aware though that neither the dealership or Nissan will look at, let alone accept any LeafSpy information. Its value is to make one an informed consumer.