Nissan Leaf 40 - Won't fast charge

whippet · 12-10-2021 9:32am #1

I thought I'd create a new thread for this - and hoping that someone might have some idea or even heard of the problem before.

I got a new Leaf 40 back in March and last week was the first time I actually took it somewhere outside of home charging range. And I discovered that my leaf will not accept charge from any Fast Charger.

I have both an Easy-Go and E-Cars account - with plenty of money on them and both companies have confirmed that the accounts are fine.

I have now tried 6 different Fast Chargers and each time the end result is the same - it won't charge. Depending on the unit I get error messages:

"Charging has been stopped by the Vehicle" - this is on the ESB Box

"ERR 0005" on the new Easy-Go (I believe this means it can't communicate with the car"

"Charging failed to start" - on some ESB Boxes

and then some of them don't even seem to recognising there is a car attached to it.

I have managed to us an Easy GO AC unit - but even a Type2 charge on a DC box won't recognise.

It was in with the Nissan dealer yesterday for a few hours and they are non the wiser. The mechanic was back and forth to Nissan and for some reason Nissan keep saying it must be a problem with the Charing accounts - but obviously not since the EasyGo AC charge worked and I got charged for it. They want to take the car for a couple of days to try figure it out .. which is alway a pain in the arse.

I'm hoping that someone might have an idea - could it be a software issue or is there some sort of sensor / comms unit on the car that might be faulty that talks to a DC charger

kaahooters · 12-10-2021 9:49am

dont all nissan garages have a chadmo charger installed to test this on? cant they just plug it in and see?

zg3409 · 12-10-2021 9:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058212729/nissan-leaf-40-wont-fast-charge

As I suggested on Facebook did you bring it to a dealer with a ChaDeMo charger like swords? If it's under warranty then it's the dealers problem. I suggest on insisting on a loaner EV until they diagnose and fix the problem. If you continue to drive and accept your car the onus is not on the dealer to fix it asap. If the dealer is down a car and if they have your car in the way they are more likely to work towards a fix. I recommend being polite and firm, try to speak to senior staff in person so you are not fobbed off. Keep a record of each communication or visit, keep a diary, and once car is with dealer chase it up every few days on the phone and ideally by email too copying Nissan Ireland. This way if it takes too long you have proof how long it is taking and how inconvenienced you have been. If they insist on a petrol or diesel car make sure they reimburse you for all petrol or diesel used as EVs are often 80% cheaper to run.

If they can't fix it in a few weeks ask for a replacement new vehicle with no extra payment. After all it's their issue, not yours. I would not go down the legal route until you have exhausted your options and have a good record of the steps you have taken so far.

whippet · 12-10-2021 9:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007880#Comment_118007880

apparently not!! I've been to two - one close by to where I was almost stranded and they charged it up on the AC charger on the forecourt and the dealer I bought it from don't have one .... I'm a little shocked to believe that there are car dealers selling cars that they can't test a major function of on site.

I wonder if kia or the other dealer have DC chargers on site

whippet · 12-10-2021 9:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007899#Comment_118007899

Cheers for that - I wasn't in a position to even drop the car anywhere last week .. but I have experience dealing with dealers and insisting on getting a fix !! I gave the dealer I got it from chance 1 to get a resolution ... hasn't happened.

There is no way I'm dropping a car in for a couple of day without a like for like replacement - which believe me is something dealers think is a luxury. If they don't have an EV for me to loan I will be looking for fuel money on top of the loaner.

I will be in the swords area next week for an afternoon so I'll make contact with them if I have to,

zg3409 · 12-10-2021 10:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007930#Comment_118007930

There are non swords dealers with ChaDeMo chargers, winsor belgard (tallaght) for example and a few others nationwide. At least at these places they have an on site test set up.

I suggest it might be worth ringing ahead, making a booking and arranging a replacement car. If you can't fast charge make sure you have the range to make it there and back and ask dealer to granny charge it. Also bring your public charge cable and have the car at least at 50% on arrival for fear they give you car back with low battery and no ability to fast charge. You don't want to arrive with 100% charge as they need to test charging with charge below 80%

There is a possibility the ChaDeMO never worked on this car so may be factory fault and difficult to diagnose and fix.

kaahooters · 12-10-2021 2:24pm

@whippet could you use leafspy to see if the car ever has been fast charged?

ltd440 · 12-10-2021 2:33pm

Have you a friend with an ev that you could borrow their esb card or easygo fob.

I see you're in the Dublin area,otherwise I'd offer to meet you and try one of my accounts.

whippet · 12-10-2021 2:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118009317#Comment_118009317

cheers for the offer - I'll be trying with my Father in law's ESB card this evening - but I'm not really holding out any hope !

whippet · 22-10-2021 7:40am

Just an update on this.

The car has been back with the dealer since Tuesday and so far absolutely no indication of what the issue is or what the resolution might be.

I have a loan of a new leaf .. but at what stage to I say enough is enough. I am assuming that Nissan have no idea either .. so not sure if bringing it to another dealer would be any use.

I’m away this weekend so don’t really need the car but I don’t want to be driving a loaner for much longer.

Orebro · 22-10-2021 9:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118056144#Comment_118056144

Don't really understand how you're making such a big deal out of this - the car is relatively new and under warranty, is in the dealers for repair and you have a like for like loaner - do you want them to cook breakfast for you also? Give them a chance to sort it!

whippet · 22-10-2021 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118056476#Comment_118056476

I am entitled to make a deal out of it ... I have a loaner which is a lower spec than mine; i've had to keep extending my insurance cover and am driving around like a mobile advertising unit with the branded car.

And if I had an indication as to what was actually wrong with my car and even an estimated time frame for resolution I wouldn't be annoyed. But so far after having the car for a day last week and four days this week they are none the wiser and it seems Nissan are none the wiser. They seemed convinced that the issue was my Ecars account but when I was able to show them that my account had no issue charging their car they went back to the drawing board of calling Nissan and nothing back.

slave1 · 22-10-2021 3:15pm

Reality is no local dealer has in depth electrical knowledge when it comes to HV battery components. Same with Tesla even, if an issue they just replace the battery

whippet · 22-10-2021 3:47pm

Well .. they want the loaner back today ... they are hoping that Nissan will have some idea what to do at some stage next week and I'll have to bring it back in for 'couple of days next week' ....

so in essence I still have a car that isn't capable of being driven outside of home charging range for the foreseeable future

i am planning a trip down the south west next weekend and looks likely that I won't be able to bring the car and will need to take the PHEV

my question now is at what stage do I request either my money back or a new car ?

Orebro · 22-10-2021 11:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118058472#Comment_118058472

I'd be telling them you're keeping the loaner until your car is fixed!

slave1 · 23-10-2021 8:48am

Can’t believe a dealer sends a faulty car back to customer like that, unreal neglect of their responsibilities

slave1 · 23-10-2021 8:49am

I’d be emailing them your insurance charge too

the_amazing_raisin · 23-10-2021 2:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118058472#Comment_118058472

If they've told you they can't or won't repair it then I believe your next step is to contact SIMI and the CCPC, you're likely entitled to some compensation

Personally I'd try to drag out of them exactly what they've done. Often they'll just plug into the diagnostic port and check if there's any error codes. Have they taken the car to a fast charger and tried it out for example? Or are they just waiting on Nissan to tell them what to do?

the_amazing_raisin · 23-10-2021 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118061263#Comment_118061263

That's fairly standard these days though isn't it? They basically check for error codes and slap in whatever replacement parts are giving errors, and hand the customer a nice bill for the trouble

Gone are the days when garages actually knew how a car worked or repaired anything, electric or ICE

You'd seriously wonder about not being able to figure out an EV though, there's not exactly much complexity to them

whippet · 23-10-2021 4:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118062544#Comment_118062544

They have tried it on two fast chargers and I know they have as I've seen it on the app and location of the car.

so far they have found no error codes and it has been back and forth with Nissan. He has said that Nissan should have a solution by Thursday and I can drop the car back then.

but as they don't have a clue what is wrong I'm assuming saying by Thursday is just nonsense.

it will probably need a replacement of the whole charging system if they can't identify the individual fault .. so that must be the nuclear option Nissan don't want to go down.

so I've decided if I don't have a resolution or resolution plan by close of business Thursday I'm going to request either a new car or full refund. And I'll refuse to give the loaner back until one or the other is offered

whippet · 08-11-2021 1:23pm

by way of an update - since my last post nothing has happened - but today I've dropped it back in to the dealer who say they have instructions from Nissan to swap out a number of parts - they are confident that it should be resolved today - but I'm not holding my breath.

The delay in getting it back in was partly my fault and the dealers - I have been away a bit over the last couple of weeks and the dealer was struggling with staff due to illness.

so ... the saga continues !!

whippet · 10-11-2021 9:54am

so .. between Nissan and the Dealer they have decided the PCM (Power Control Module) is faulty ... and a replacement is 'a couple of weeks away'.

I'm really not happy as everything I reported to them about the problem should have lead them to this conclusion a lot earlier but it seems Nissan's default position is that the problem is with the users E-Cars / Easy-Go account .. which there was so much back and forth on for about a week in total.

whippet · 23-11-2021 3:49pm

another update to this.

Car went in yesterday to have the new PCM installed .. promised I'd have it back today working. But just received a call to say that it still won't DC charge. So Nissan are still head scratching. I'm away for a few days and if I don't arrive back to Ireland to a working leaf on Friday I will be insisting on a new Leaf from Nissan.

slave1 · 23-11-2021 4:47pm

Feel for ya bud, very frustrating, the EV electrics dealer/repairs/user knowledge is ultra low on the ground

whippet · 23-11-2021 5:59pm

I can see from the App that they have tried the DC Charging again this afternoon with no success … so they have replaced all the parts that it could possibly be and yet they can’t get it to work.

whippet · 25-11-2021 12:37pm

and another update - apparently they now believe there is a fault somewhere in wiring loom - I haven't had a full conversation about it yet ... but I'm assuming this isn't a quick and easy job - probably another couple of weeks to wait for parts etc .... maybe by Christmas I might be able to enjoy a DC charge

whippet · 25-11-2021 3:27pm

well Christmas seems to be optimistic now.

Just spoke to the mechanic - the loom could take up to 4/5 weeks to come in. Full on dash out replacement. Apparently is a faulty block connector - he will show me photos soon.

zg3409 · 26-11-2021 12:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118221270#Comment_118221270

You would think if fault is identified it could be temporarily repaired, until new loom is ready. I hope they gave you an EV as a loaner. At least they might get there eventually.

whippet · 26-11-2021 12:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118225663#Comment_118225663

There is a temp fix but he said he couldn't stand over it working .. so kinda pointless as if you can't trust the temp fix I can't depend on being able to DC charge if needed.

to be fair to the dealer they are about 40 man hours in to the warranty job at this stage and have given me a new leaf 62 as a loaner when needed.

whippet · 13-12-2021 12:43pm

Finally - a conclusion - picking car up this evening and I’ve been told all is working perfectly. Problem first reported to dealer at end of September and after 5 occasions of leaving the car with them it has finally been resolved.

So - fingers crossed when I attempt a DC charge this evening it will work !!

slave1 · 13-12-2021 12:59pm

I'd be stiffing them your insurance transfer costs (if you had any).

Glad finally resolved for you.

Nissan Leaf 40 - Won't fast charge

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