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Jasonwithana

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Messages
17
Hello everyone my name is Jason.

I am considering a purchase of a 2013 leaf with 42,000 miles

I do have concerns and a couple questions if anyone can help

1) main concern is the battery age. I have a lvl 2 charger and will charge it to see if the battery can go the 65 ish miles on a charge. But is there a device to load test the pack itself to see the quality of life of the pack? I know there is on the Prius but haven’t found that so far for the leaf

2) I have read that you can input different KWh batteries into the leaf. Can this be confirmed? BUT I have not been able to find anywhere that has a battery pack I can purchase? Where do you purchase new battery packs in the case of yours going dead?

Thanks in advance to any responses
 
Welcome. I'm going to link my used Leaf buying guide below. As for your other questions: LeafSpy Pro is the app you want. The registered version will allow you to see remaining battery capacity and also the state of charge of the individual cells, along with other useful info. And yes, you can transplant other Leaf batteries into a 24kwh Leaf, although it isn't a simple job - especially in the case of the 62kwh battery.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=538030
 
LeftieBiker said:
Welcome. I'm going to link my used Leaf buying guide below. As for your other questions: LeafSpy Pro is the app you want. The registered version will allow you to see remaining battery capacity and also the state of charge of the individual cells, along with other useful info. And yes, you can transplant other Leaf batteries into a 24kwh Leaf, although it isn't a simple job - especially in the case of the 62kwh battery.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=538030
Click to expand...

Thanks bud. I was navigating through the site and saw that leaf spy mentioned. I already payed the $15 for the app and bought a Bluetooth obd2 reader so hopefully Sunday I’ll be able to do a proper check. The gentleman only has the lvl 1 charger and told me today he charged it for 7 hours and got 40 miles. Doing some research that sounds about right. Obviously doesn’t tell you the quality of battery but miles per hours charged is appropriate or seems. I also purchased a lvl 2 (220v) which will be here Sunday

I have changed many Prius hybrid packs before and it’s become like second nature and pretty easy to do. I’d imagine the leaf isn’t much different once you just get through the interior to the pack itself..

I’m hoping the pack is good and won’t need to be replaced. He just got it back as a theft recovery Had to fix the ignition and change keys. But it’s rebuilt title now and I’m getting it for $4200.
 
For #2, Nissan dealers will NOT do it. You will need to find a 3rd-party and unfortunately, the larger packs will come from wrecked Leafs.

The only exception to the no Nissan dealer pack upgrades is those with 30 kWh Leafs (didn't exist until '16 SV, '16 SL and later '16 "S 30" and all '17) is that if you need a replacement, the 30 kWh has been discontinued and Nissan installs a 40 kWh pack as a replacement. See https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10171230-0001.pdf.
 
cwerdna said:
For #2, Nissan dealers will NOT do it. You will need to find a 3rd-party and unfortunately, the larger packs will come from wrecked Leafs.

The only exception to the no Nissan dealer pack upgrades is those with 30 kWh Leafs (didn't exist until '16 SV, '16 SL and later '16 "S 30" and all '17) is that if you need a replacement, the 30 kWh has been discontinued and Nissan installs a 40 kWh pack as a replacement. See https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10171230-0001.pdf.
Click to expand...

That’s been my biggest issue here. I haven’t found any companies that have new replacement battery packs. All I can find are single module replacements on eBay and those are “refurbished “. Which isn’t the highest of quality standards..

I’d imagine finding a wrecked leaf that still has a battery pack is next to impossible lol
 
cwerdna said:
For #2, Nissan dealers will NOT do it. You will need to find a 3rd-party and unfortunately, the larger packs will come from wrecked Leafs.

The only exception to the no Nissan dealer pack upgrades is those with 30 kWh Leafs (didn't exist until '16 SV, '16 SL and later '16 "S 30" and all '17) is that if you need a replacement, the 30 kWh has been discontinued and Nissan installs a 40 kWh pack as a replacement. See https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10171230-0001.pdf.
Click to expand...


Will all years battery packs swap into One another another??
 
Will all years battery packs swap into One another another??
Click to expand...

Pretty much, although it requires an adapter, IIRC, to replace a 2011 battery from a car with no battery warmer or heated seats and steering wheel with one from a Leaf that did have those things. The 62 kwh pack requires modifications to the battery mounts.
 
Jasonwithana said:
I’d imagine finding a wrecked leaf that still has a battery pack is next to impossible lol
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I did.
Here's a link to my story (https://www.myeva.org/blog/keeping-your-nissan-leaf) since you seem to be considering the possibility. Once you do a capacity test with LeafSpy, you'll know what you've really got (although the number of capacity bars--something less than 12 at this point--are a good indicator).
 
Stanton said:
Jasonwithana said:
I’d imagine finding a wrecked leaf that still has a battery pack is next to impossible lol
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I did.
Here's a link to my story (https://www.myeva.org/blog/keeping-your-nissan-leaf) since you seem to be considering the possibility. Once you do a capacity test with LeafSpy, you'll know what you've really got (although the number of capacity bars--something less than 12 at this point--are a good indicator).
Click to expand...


Thank you for the link. Now one thing I see was "gen1" which years are gen 1? Does the 2013 not have the extra "heat" plug?
 
Officially, the "Gen 1" Leaf is all the years before 2018. Unofficially, there is a distinction between the Japanese-made 2011 & 2012 Leafs and the US-built 2013+ years, with the later cars sometimes called "Gen 1.5" .
 
LeftieBiker said:
Welcome. I'm going to link my used Leaf buying guide below. As for your other questions: LeafSpy Pro is the app you want. The registered version will allow you to see remaining battery capacity and also the state of charge of the individual cells, along with other useful info. And yes, you can transplant other Leaf batteries into a 24kwh Leaf, although it isn't a simple job - especially in the case of the 62kwh battery.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=538030
Click to expand...

He just dropped the car off for me to check out for the weekend around 2 pm. Sent me a picture of it plugged in (110v charger) at 9 pm 3/10/23. Drove it approximately 2 miles to me and the car had a rage of 37 miles. The battery bars were at half. So that is a good sign at least it didn’t say it was full will 30 miles to empty. It was 30 (approximately half range) and showing half bars. So that makes me happy I think.. I didn’t say anything to him since I will check out the battery status with the tools I have tomorrow. But after 17 hours does 30 miles charge seem right? That’s only about 1.75 miles per hour charging. I know the lvl1 is trickle charger but man that seems very slow. Again I have a 220 lvl2 which will be delivered Tomorrow. So I said thank you and plugged it back in. Going to let it charge all day and night and see what we have as far as range tomorrow I guess.
 
The range estimator, known less than affectionately as the "Guess O Meter," isn't precise enough to use to estimate a car's battery capacity. The range test that you can do is fill the battery until charging ends, then set the dash digital gauge to show percent remaining charge. It should read 99% or 100% at the beginning. Reset the trip odometer, or write down the miles on it. Now drive the car normally, until that gauge shows 75% or 80% remaining. Then look at the trip odometer for miles driven on 20 or 25% charge, multiply that number by 4 (75%) or 5 (80%) to get a decent estimate of the car's actual range.
 
LeftieBiker said:
The range estimator, known less than affectionately as the "Guess O Meter," isn't precise enough to use to estimate a car's battery capacity. The range test that you can do is fill the battery until charging ends, then set the dash digital gauge to show percent remaining charge. It should read 99% or 100% at the beginning. Reset the trip odometer, or write down the miles on it. Now drive the car normally, until that gauge shows 75% or 80% remaining. Then look at the trip odometer for miles driven on 20 or 25% charge, multiply that number by 4 (75%) or 5 (80%) to get a decent estimate of the car's actual range.
Click to expand...



Perfect. I’ll do that tomorrow

The lvl 1 charger does say it’s done. And the three green dots disappeared on top of the dash and the plug symbol inside the digital dash are now off. I did again check the “guess I meter” and it says 30 miles to empty. But I will take your advise and actually drive it tomorrow for real real world numbers. And also use the leaf spy to double check all the modules
 
The Guess O Meter (GOM) can only take the previous few minutes of driving efficiency, and use them to estimate range to Empty. No wonder it's so bad at it! I'm guessing (heh) that there is either a stretch of highway driving or a fairly big uphill climb near your house, causing the low range estimation.
 
Jasonwithana said:
Stanton said:
Jasonwithana said:
I’d imagine finding a wrecked leaf that still has a battery pack is next to impossible lol
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I did.
Here's a link to my story (https://www.myeva.org/blog/keeping-your-nissan-leaf) since you seem to be considering the possibility. Once you do a capacity test with LeafSpy, you'll know what you've really got (although the number of capacity bars--something less than 12 at this point--are a good indicator).
Click to expand...

Thank you for the link. Now one thing I see was "gen1" which years are gen 1? Does the 2013 not have the extra "heat" plug?
Click to expand...
If you look at the pictures (in my article) carefully, you will see that I filled that "heat" plug with silicone. My 2011 is an early version without the "hooks" for a battery heater, and it doesn't affect the pack operation/communications (unless of course you're driving it in Alaska).
 
LeftieBiker said:
The Guess O Meter (GOM) can only take the previous few minutes of driving efficiency, and use them to estimate range to Empty. No wonder it's so bad at it! I'm guessing (heh) that there is either a stretch of highway driving or a fairly big uphill climb near your house, causing the low range estimation.
Click to expand...

Just drove it around. Battery meter 100% upon starting. She fell fast. Down to 70% in 5.5 miles. Without even testing with the leafspy my guess is the pack is on its last leg but that’s just a guess Started with the guess o meter at 30 miles. Drove the 5.5 miles and the guess o meter says 16 to empty. I was driving very modest and slow no ac no heat windows up.
 
Stanton said:
Jasonwithana said:
Stanton said:
That's exactly what I did.
Here's a link to my story (https://www.myeva.org/blog/keeping-your-nissan-leaf) since you seem to be considering the possibility. Once you do a capacity test with LeafSpy, you'll know what you've really got (although the number of capacity bars--something less than 12 at this point--are a good indicator).
Click to expand...

Thank you for the link. Now one thing I see was "gen1" which years are gen 1? Does the 2013 not have the extra "heat" plug?
Click to expand...
If you look at the pictures (in my article) carefully, you will see that I filled that "heat" plug with silicone. My 2011 is an early version without the "hooks" for a battery heater, and it doesn't affect the pack operation/communications (unless of course you're driving it in Alaska).
Click to expand...

Yes I saw that

I was just wondering when they started putting the heating on what years. I see this car has heated seats And all that so is that a good indicator that this one will have the heat plug?
 
The cold weather package wasn't standard on US '11 Leafs.

The equivalent, including battery warmer became standard on '12 Leafs:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1061942_2012-nissan-leaf-heated-seats-wheel-battery-as-standard
https://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/19/2012-nissan-leaf-higher-price-tag-standard-equipment/
https://www.cars.com/articles/2012-nissan-leaf-battery-warmer-more-details-1420663161727/
https://usa.nissannews.com/en-US/releases/release-3b65d33e214f4458ba230be9c0977e43-US-2012-nissan-leaf-press-kit
"Enhancements for the 2012 model year include the addition of a standard battery heater, heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors and rear HVAC duct on all models. Also, a Quick Charge Port is now standard on the LEAF SL."

For dealers, when ordering a replacement 24 kWh, there are many different part numbers depending on which vehicle it's going into. See page 19 of https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10171223-0001.pdf.
 
cwerdna said:
The cold weather package wasn't standard on US '11 Leafs.

The equivalent, including battery warmer became standard on '12 Leafs:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1061942_2012-nissan-leaf-heated-seats-wheel-battery-as-standard
https://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/19/2012-nissan-leaf-higher-price-tag-standard-equipment/
https://www.cars.com/articles/2012-nissan-leaf-battery-warmer-more-details-1420663161727/
https://usa.nissannews.com/en-US/releases/release-3b65d33e214f4458ba230be9c0977e43-US-2012-nissan-leaf-press-kit
"Enhancements for the 2012 model year include the addition of a standard battery heater, heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, heated outside mirrors and rear HVAC duct on all models. Also, a Quick Charge Port is now standard on the LEAF SL."

For dealers, when ordering a replacement 24 kWh, there are many different part numbers depending on which vehicle it's going into. See page 19 of https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10171223-0001.pdf.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I live in Vegas so the heater probably isn’t necessary. But I’m trying to learn as much as I can about the cars as possible.
 
Jasonwithana said:
LeftieBiker said:
The Guess O Meter (GOM) can only take the previous few minutes of driving efficiency, and use them to estimate range to Empty. No wonder it's so bad at it! I'm guessing (heh) that there is either a stretch of highway driving or a fairly big uphill climb near your house, causing the low range estimation.
Click to expand...

Just drove it around. Battery meter 100% upon starting. She fell fast. Down to 70% in 5.5 miles. Without even testing with the leafspy my guess is the pack is on its last leg but that’s just a guess Started with the guess o meter at 30 miles. Drove the 5.5 miles and the guess o meter says 16 to empty. I was driving very modest and slow no ac no heat windows up.
Click to expand...

The GOM tends to drift towards accuracy as the end of a trip nears. It rarely actually reaches accuracy, but it improves.
 

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