12v battery replacement recommendations?

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
For your 2011 Nissan LEAF, you should look for a replacement 12V accessory battery that meets the following criteria:

- Group 24 or 24F size
- Lead-acid type (AGM is not required)
- CCA (cold cranking amps) of at least 300
- Reserve capacity of at least 90 minutes
- Reliable brand with a warranty of at least 3 years

AGM batteries are not necessary for your LEAF, but they offer benefits such as reduced maintenance, longer life, and better vibration resistance. However, AGM batteries tend to be more expensive than lead-acid batteries.
 
I find it interesting Tesla will no longer uses a 12 volt lead/acid battery; but, has switched to a small 12 volt 7 amp Lithium module that is tendered by their traction battery. So far they have installed them in the Model S and X with updates planned for the remaining models.
Perhaps Nissan should take note...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJH1r1s8B6Y
 
fotajoye said:
I find it interesting Tesla will no longer uses a 12 volt lead/acid battery; but, has switched to a small 12 volt 7 amp Lithium module that is tendered by their traction battery. So far they have installed them in the Model S and X with updates planned for the remaining models.
Perhaps Nissan should take note...
This is a good idea and one I think all EVs should implement. However, you have to remember that (most) car manufacturers by 12v batteries in "bulk" across many models...so doing something specific to an EV (which is all that Tesla has) is probably not cost effective.
You can see from my signature that I'm "all in" on Lithium starter batteries (10 years and counting).
 
Agree...as is often the case, cost and profit dictates direction; and, in this case, many makers got it wrong; takes a Tesla/Musk thing to overcome these consequences of clouded judgement and to move more toward the concerns of the people who drive the car.
 
I don't see anything wrong with putting a normal 12V SLA battery in an EV but it does appear Nissan did a mediocre job of programming the charging algorithm for the Leaf. With the small loads in an EV it seems like any old SLA battery should last a long time if maintained well.

Hot temperatures are going to degrade the battery but even in Phoenix or something the temps under a Leaf hood are much lower than under an ICE hood so the damage should be less.

There are certainly factors where a Li battery outperforms a SLA but if you need to drive the car when it's -20F outside there are issues with Li as well.
 
I like the characteristics of the LiFePO4 chemistry in this application, i.e., as a 12 volt steady, auxiliary DC power source,; and, it appears the answer to charging below freezing is handled by charging the battery slowly, as described by LefieBiker and bobkart. And, the fact that bobkart has used it for 3.5 years already.
In any case, I'll report back if I encounter any problems.
 
I've actually been running LiFePo4 batteries (Ping brand) since 2014. The one I got in 2015 is still in use in my Sister's EZIP bike. I've charged them in a cold garage, but have never tried to charge one when the garage was near or below freezing, and have never charged one when it was hot.
 
goldbrick said:
....

Hot temperatures are going to degrade the battery but even in Phoenix or something the temps under a Leaf hood are much lower than under an ICE hood so the damage should be less.
....

My stock 12v in DFW, TX succumbs to heat every year. It required annual top up with distilled water. TX is only slightly less hotter than AZ!
 
R1200RT said:
goldbrick said:
....

Hot temperatures are going to degrade the battery but even in Phoenix or something the temps under a Leaf hood are much lower than under an ICE hood so the damage should be less.
....

My stock 12v in DFW, TX succumbs to heat every year. It required annual top up with distilled water. TX is only slightly less hotter than AZ!
Yes, stock OEM 12V batteries fail early in the heat. That is why I replace them with high-quality AGM batteries as soon as they get weak. I have experience with flooded cell batteries (both OEM and replacements before AGM was readily available) failing after 6 months to 18 months even with frequent addition of distilled water. The lower under hood temperatures of the LEAF's definitely help since the OEM batteries in my 2011, 2015, and 2015 each survived over 2 years. I typically get at least 4 years from AGM batteries without corrosion under the hood caused by gassing/evaporation of acid from flooded cell batteries in vehicles with high under hood temperatures, longer on other vehicles.
 
GerryAZ said:
Yes, stock OEM 12V batteries fail early in the heat. That is why I replace them with high-quality AGM batteries as soon as they get weak. I have experience with flooded cell batteries (both OEM and replacements before AGM was readily available) failing after 6 months to 18 months even with frequent addition of distilled water. The lower under hood temperatures of the LEAF's definitely help since the OEM batteries in my 2011, 2015, and 2015 each survived over 2 years. I typically get at least 4 years from AGM batteries without corrosion under the hood caused by gassing/evaporation of acid from flooded cell batteries in vehicles with high under hood temperatures, longer on other vehicles.
How long have you had your current AGM battery and what's its voltage?
 
Triggerhappy007 said:
GerryAZ said:
Yes, stock OEM 12V batteries fail early in the heat. That is why I replace them with high-quality AGM batteries as soon as they get weak. I have experience with flooded cell batteries (both OEM and replacements before AGM was readily available) failing after 6 months to 18 months even with frequent addition of distilled water. The lower under hood temperatures of the LEAF's definitely help since the OEM batteries in my 2011, 2015, and 2015 each survived over 2 years. I typically get at least 4 years from AGM batteries without corrosion under the hood caused by gassing/evaporation of acid from flooded cell batteries in vehicles with high under hood temperatures, longer on other vehicles.
How long have you had your current AGM battery and what's its voltage?
The yellow top Optima deep cycle AGM was installed in my LEAF on November 30, 2021. An external charger has never been connected to it. The car has been off for about an hour without being plugged in so the 12V battery is down to 12.64 volts. The voltage is slightly above 12.8 when the car's modules go to sleep after driving or charging before dropping slowly over time until the car is driven or charged again.
 
Before removing the 12v battery is there any required step? Just disconnect the negative, then positive and vice versa for new battery installation? First time I will be doing it on the 2018 40kw model however the original battery is working fine until now. Not sure if I should replace it or not even though it's been more than 5 years now. What do you think? Since it dies so suddenly, how to be sure what to do and when to replace it to avoid getting stranded somewhere?
 
Astral said:
Before removing the 12v battery is there any required step? Just disconnect the negative, then positive and vice versa for new battery installation? First time I will be doing it on the 2018 40kw model however the original battery is working fine until now. Not sure if I should replace it or not even though it's been more than 5 years now. What do you think? Since it dies so suddenly, how to be sure what to do and when to replace it to avoid getting stranded somewhere?

  • Make sure Leaf is Off (I know obvious)
  • Disconnect Negative First, move to side
  • Disconnect Positive
  • Unscrew straps, remove old battery
  • Put in New Battery, strap down to secure.
  • Connect Positive First
  • Carefully connect Negative, you'll see a big spark and hear a pop as the computer capacitor is charged back up, that's normal. Try to get a secure Negative connection while tightening so it isn't sparking and resetting the computer over and over while you are tightening it down. This is never an issue in ICE vehicles because they are truly remain "off", but the Leaf is basically a PC running 24/7 so keep that in mind. :mrgreen:
  • Turn on Leaf to make sure everything is working, then reset your power window settings because that is the only thing lost for some reason when you change batteries. :lol:
 
Thanks for this, I changed the battery many times in my ICE, just owned the Leaf for past 6 months so wanted to make sure :)

Regarding the windows, as I remember from previous cars, I reset it by holding the "up" button on the drivers side for 10sec until it remembers the position of the window?
 
knightmb said:
Astral said:
Before removing the 12v battery is there any required step? Just disconnect the negative, then positive and vice versa for new battery installation? First time I will be doing it on the 2018 40kw model however the original battery is working fine until now. Not sure if I should replace it or not even though it's been more than 5 years now. What do you think? Since it dies so suddenly, how to be sure what to do and when to replace it to avoid getting stranded somewhere?

  • Make sure Leaf is Off (I know obvious)
  • Disconnect Negative First, move to side
  • Disconnect Positive
  • Unscrew straps, remove old battery
  • Put in New Battery, strap down to secure.
  • Connect Positive First
  • Carefully connect Negative, you'll see a big spark and hear a pop as the computer capacitor is charged back up, that's normal. Try to get a secure Negative connection while tightening so it isn't sparking and resetting the computer over and over while you are tightening it down. This is never an issue in ICE vehicles because they are truly remain "off", but the Leaf is basically a PC running 24/7 so keep that in mind. :mrgreen:
  • Turn on Leaf to make sure everything is working, then reset your power window settings because that is the only thing lost for some reason when you change batteries. :lol:

Actually, a vehicle CAN system, e.g. the CAN Gateway, and vehicle ECUs enter the sleep-mode (power-down) the same in both a BEV and a ICEV, i.e. there's always some very small standby current (10-20ma). A Leaf power-down mode is significantly less than a "PC running 24/7", at least an order of magnitude less.
 
I have replaced the battery, all good. Nothing dramatic happened when connecting the negative terminal, there was a negligible spark barely visible and no "pop" sound.

Windows worked immediately for going down automatically but for going up I just had to press 2-3sec in the up position and it re-learned it.

The only thing I completely forgot about is all the customized menus I created, this is all gone. So I have to re-do those on the dash.
 
People have installed lithium iron (LiFePO4) batteries, with good results, in warmer climates. Most replacements, though, if they aren't OEM type flooded cell batteries, are AGM type, which work better in the Leaf than the OEM.
 
rmcshaffry said:
Has anyone here successfully replaced their Leaf's 12v car battery with a deep cycle battery?
-Robin
I have been using Optima yellow-top Deep Cycle AGM batteries in LEAF's since 2013 (replaced OEM flooded-cell battery in 2011 LEAF in 2013). Group size D51R is the correct size and terminal arrangement.
 
Back
Top