Speak EV - Electric Car Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Nissan Leaf 12V battery totally dead

Jump to Latest
61 - 80 of 349 Posts
#61 ·
Ok as a test I reintroduced the OVMS module (CAR can) yesterday evening. Just checked now and 12V is flat/car doesn't start.

I'll continue any further discussion on the OVMS mailing list since this is something under development. I'll post back here should I have any 12V issues without the unit connected.
 
#62 ·
Ok so bottom line now is that I just tried something I should have a long time ago.

Ensure battery fully charged
Switch to OFF
switch headlight main beams on (no other fan etc powered up here...)
wait 10 minutes
Observe voltage is 7.0V and drive will not engage. In fact after switching the dash on it
a) wouldn't switch off again initially... did eventually
b) I cannot turn the headlights off. Moving the switch does nothing. The door/light alarm and central locking still work

I guess the computer's confused about life with the power situation

Lights are around 55W each? Rears are led so a few W. Let's call it 120W load.
10 minutes (and it was probably a lot less) is 1/6 hour
Best case that says the battery managed 1.6 Ah, more realistically the power had dropped down to little over 8 (really need 10+ to work) in 5 mins, so we're probably talking as little as 0.5 Ah
The battery is <insert term used for broken here>

Car booked into dealer (as it's a lease car) tomorrow, I have no reason to expect anything other than a <xxx> battery

Nigel.
 
#64 ·
I have had Pv panels over the years that would discharge battery's. I assume bad charge controller and the panel acts as a heater. No sure that makes sense but that was all it could be for us.
 
#65 ·
Kevin Sharpe said:
Tesla, Ampera/Volt, and Twizy owners are not reporting this issue.
Click to expand...
The Volt has been parked at the airport for 37 hours now - not plugged into charging, the drive battery at "zero" (on a Volt that's 30% - "full" is 80% on the 2012), and OVMS has been connected the entire time. All is well so far as I can tell from here... OVMS is live and talking still, so clearly there is adequate charge in the 12V battery. I'll be reunited with it in about 24 hours, and I expect that it will start and drive without incident.
 
#67 ·
All went well and as expected. So the Volt was parked at the airport, off charging, and with OVMS on for approximately 64 hours with no trouble starting it at the end of the stay and with no reported problem on the 12V battery. I will be repeating this - possibly with additional hours - next week.
 
#68 ·
So when I popped to the dealer last week the required 12V hasn't arrived.. Shame they didn't call beforehand

Now scheduled for next Monday as I've been out of the country this week..

Will reinstall ovms etc once the 12v issue is resolved
 
#69 ·
If it's of any consolation, LEAFs aren't the only EV to have had 12V battery issues:

http://gm-volt.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-13847.html

I've not had any issues, myself, though the dealer mentioned that they had to "replace the battery" before it was purchased (used) to resolve some issues. At the time I thought maybe they meant the high-voltage battery, but after reading over the last few months I've come to believe that it was the 12V that was the issue.

It may be, then, that the batteries, themselves, are defective instead of there being some kind of wiring or residual drain problem. It's not clear to me that the 12V battery charges while the high-voltage battery charges because some reports are that the 12V battery dies *while* the EV is plugged-in to the charging station.

As some reports seem to indicate that the problems persist until the battery is replaced it lends credence to the idea that the battery was defective, outright, and that there wasn't some kind of electrical design problem.
 
#71 ·
The dealer replacement battery is a genuine nissan part
KE241-45J05-NY

It's rated at 45 Ah (375A for what it's worth)

I was in the car around an hour on a conference call & web conference today - with fans on, using 12V power for tethering. Got caught short of time to get somewhere permanent. Anyway this was all on 12V. No lights but no issue, voltage ended up at 11.8-11.9V.

On my drive back I saw it charging at 14.5V ... and then just nearing home it dropped to 12.9/13 - which it does when the 12V is fully charged .. :)

I've now reinstalled OVMS as well as leafdd (which had been there anyway)
 
#72 ·
When researching the LEAF, I pointed my local Nissan dealer (Amsterdam, NL) to this issue. He contacted Nissan NL and they said that this issue was recognised and resolved now. Not sure if that only applies to new releases, or if there's a fix for existing owners.
 
Discussion starter · #73 ·
Bilgy_no1 said:
When researching the LEAF, I pointed my local Nissan dealer (Amsterdam, NL) to this issue. He contacted Nissan NL and they said that this issue was recognised and resolved now. Not sure if that only applies to new releases, or if there's a fix for existing owners.
Click to expand...
That's interesting, as Nissan UK deny there's a problem at all!

Maybe I should direct them back to this topic to learn something?!
 
#74 ·
Paul said:
That's interesting, as Nissan UK deny there's a problem at all!

Maybe I should direct them back to this topic to learn something?!
Click to expand...
Yes, I was surprised as well, given what I've read here. For me it was mostly a check to see how the dealer would act, and I was happy to see he went the extra mile.
 
#76 ·
FWIW, this is happening with our LEAF too. I've posted over on LeafTalk.

Came out to a flat 12V battery. No reason why -- nothing left on. . . Jumped it from our Van.

Hasn't happened again, but the battery is in poor condition. Dealer is a long way from here so I haven't taken it in yet.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
Discussion starter · #77 ·
@andrew*debbie I can't find it now but there was a big old conversation on the US site (mynissanleaf) but I don't think they came to any resolution.

Nissan UK are aware of this and have seen this thread and my posts/problems and as I've said here the Director's Office has a record too.

Please do get in touch and let them know and also say you know about mine? I really don't think they'll even look to tie this together unless really pushed. There may be nothing in it, but if they don't look they'll never find.
 
#78 ·
My thread on LeafTalk --> http://www.leaftalk.co.uk/showthread.php/16072-12V-battery-dead

The 12V battery is probably ruined. It has been sitting at about 20% which is not good for Lead batteries. I've been putting off taking the car in because the closest Nissan dealer is about 50 miles from home. Just decided to ask the dealer to look at it this week. I don't know if our car will meet the requirements for a warranty repair.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#80 ·
Friday, I dropped our Leaf at the dealer and asked them to check the 12V battery. They were not able to find a fault.

When I came to collect the car today (saturday) it was completely dead. They had to use the emergency key to unlock it.

I'm driving the dealer's Juke and the Leaf is going to get looked at on Monday. At least it failed at the dealer.
 
61 - 80 of 349 Posts
About this Discussion
348 Replies
79 Participants
Last post:
Hitstirrer
Speak EV - Electric Car Forums
posts
2M
members
78K
Since
2011
A community for enthusiasts of all makes and models of EV from BMW to Tesla, Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more. Join the electrifying discussion today!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General EV Discussions General Charging Discussions Renault ZOE First Gen Nissan LEAF (LEAF24 & LEAF30) Charging Locations