If you are a 2011 or 2012 Nissan LEAF owner concerned about your battery's longevity, or just wanted to know you had coverage, Nissan today made good on a pledge to "https://insideevs.com/news/317035/breaking-nissan-now-offically-warranties-battery-capacity-to-stay-above-70/."
Previously in December, executive VP of Nissan, Andy Palmer said this coming spring Nissan would put a new expanded, and more importantly - well defined warranty in place for 2011 and 2012 LEAF owners.
Well, spring is almost over, Brian Brockman, who is Senior Manager in Corporate Communications at Nissan, lets us know that day is here.
Very shortly all 2011/2012 LEAF owners will get a letter in the mail outlining this new program (shown below). Also, Nissan is requesting owners to go in and see their local Nissan dealer, to update older LEAF software to improve accuracy of the battery capacity meter and to provide "greater compatibility with an expanded range of EV charging equipment."
This new warranty provides a written directive from Nissan outlining some minimum standards the LEAF must achieve over time...a guarantee that was missing previously.
"In addition to the existing lithium-ion battery coverage provided under the Nissan Electric Vehicle Limited Warranty for defects in materials or workmanship, the lithium-ion battery for your 2011 or 2012 Nissan LEAF is now also warranted against capacity loss below nine (9) bars (or approximately below 70 percent) as shown on the vehicle’s battery capacity level gauge for a period of 60 months or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. "
Nissan today also acknowledged a previous commitment (from that same December announcement from Mr. Palmer on the battery warranty) to outline the exact battery pack replacement costs on or before June 20th. Naturally, we will bring you that news whenever it is announced.
Forthcoming Letter To LEAF Owners From Nissan:
Dear Nissan LEAF Owner:
Nissan values the feedback that we receive from our owners, and we try to use your comments to improve our products. With the goal to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction, Nissan is now offering two ongoing improvements for your Nissan LEAF.
First, Nissan is providing a new software enhancement for model year 2011-2012 LEAF vehicles, updating them with the software currently used in production for 2013 model year LEAF vehicles. The software enhancement is aimed at improving the accuracy of the battery capacity level gauge and providing greater compatibility with an expanded range of EV charging equipment.
Second, Nissan is now implementing expanded coverage under its New Electric Vehicle Limited Warranty, to protect against capacity loss in your LEAF’s lithium-ion battery, as previously announced by Nissan in December 2012.
SOFTWARE ENHANCEMENT
The 2013 LEAF features many improvements, including updated software that improves the performance of the battery capacity level gauge (outlined below) to more accurately reflect actual battery capacity. This update does not change the amount of capacity represented by the each of the bars in the meter.
In addition, the vehicle’s on-board charger software has been enhanced to improve compatibility with a broader range of EV charging equipment. By updating the software for 2011 and 2012 vehicles, Nissan is providing customers with the benefits of these ongoing improvements enjoyed by owners of the 2013 LEAF.
WHAT NISSAN WILL DO
To ensure your continued satisfaction and confidence in your car, your EV Certified Nissan dealer will update the software as described above at no cost to you for parts and labor.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Contact your EV Certified Nissan dealer at your earliest convenience in order to arrange your appointment. This service is free of charge and the work should take less than 2 hours to complete. To ensure the greatest convenience to you, it is important that you have an appointment before bringing your vehicle to the dealer for this service. Please bring this notice with you to your service appointment. Detailed instructions have been sent to your EV Certified Nissan dealer.
EXPANDED WARRANTY COVERAGE
In addition to the existing lithium-ion battery coverage provided under the Nissan Electric Vehicle Limited Warranty for defects in materials or workmanship, the lithium-ion battery for your 2011 or 2012 Nissan LEAF is now also warranted against capacity loss below nine (9) bars (or approximately below 70 percent) as shown on the vehicle’s battery capacity level gauge for a period of 60 months or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
This warranty covers any repairs needed to return battery capacity to a level of nine remaining bars on the vehicle’s battery capacity level gauge. If possible, the lithium-ion battery components will be repaired or replaced, and the original battery pack will be returned to the vehicle. If necessary, the lithium-ion battery will be replaced with either a new or remanufactured battery. Any repair or replacement made under this Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity Coverage may not return the battery to an “as new” condition with all 12 battery capacity bars, but it will provide the vehicle with a capacity level of nine bars or more on the battery capacity level gauge.
Please apply the label at the bottom of this letter to your Warranty Information Booklet. If your vehicle’s battery capacity level is currently at or above nine (9) bars, no further action is required.
If your vehicle’s battery capacity level gauge is already displaying eight (8) or fewer bars of capacity prior to the above referenced software update (and within the first 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first), your Nissan dealer will verify this condition and arrange for the repair or replacement of the lithium-ion battery in accordance with the terms of the warranty.
Please note that replacement lithium-ion batteries may require special ordering which may delay the actual repair by several weeks. Your patience in these circumstances is appreciated.
If you have any questions about this announcement, you may contact the Nissan LEAF Call Center at 877-N0-GAS-EV (877-664-2738), or by writing us at Nissan North America, Inc., P.O. Box 685003, Franklin, TN 37068-5003.
Thank you for providing us an opportunity to ensure your satisfaction. We hope you continue to enjoy smooth, zero emissions driving in your Nissan LEAF!
Big hat tip to reader John H, and to mynissanleaf.com