Info regarding LEAF campaign
This is what Nissan had to say about their issues that we reported on just last week:
Ernie, Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction. With that in mind, we want to bring to your attention important information regarding your Nissan LEAF™.
REASON FOR CAMPAIGN
On some 2011 Nissan LEAF vehicles, a diagnostic programming error may under certain conditions detect a “problem” with the air conditioning system that does not exist, preventing the vehicle from going into “Ready” mode the next time you attempt to start the car. This issue does not occur when the vehicle is being driven. However, the vehicle may not restart after being turned off.
WHAT NISSAN WILL DO
To assure your continued satisfaction and confidence in your car, your EV Certified Nissan Dealer will reprogram the Vehicle Control Module free of charge for parts and labor at a time and location that best meets your needs. Typically performed at your Nissan EV Dealer, the reprogramming can also be completed by an EV Certified technician at your home or place of business provided there is a suitable and safe work area. Please discuss with your Nissan EV Dealer regarding timing and location.
This reprogramming will address the failure to restart issue, as well as improve the accuracy of the driving range display.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Contact your EV Certified Nissan Dealer at your earliest convenience in order to arrange your appointment:
(Dealership name and contact info inserted here)
This service is free of charge and the work should take about one hour to complete. To ensure the least inconvenience to you, it is important that you have an appointment before bringing your vehicle to the dealer for service. Please bring this notice with you to your service appointment. Detailed instructions have been sent to your EV Certified Nissan Dealer.
If the dealer fails, or is unable to complete the service free of charge, you may contact the Nissan LEAF Call Center, Nissan North America, Inc., P.O. Box 685003, Franklin, TN 37068-5003. The toll free number is 1-877-N0-GAS-EV-(1-877-664-2738).
Thank you for providing us an opportunity to ensure on-going satisfaction with your Nissan LEAF. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
***
A couple things to be aware of. First – a campaign is not a recall. It is a voluntary effort on the part of the manufacturer to address an issue or issues that are not safety related. While no one will say that the ability to not restart your car is not a problem, your car will not stop functioning while driving and leave you stranded in the middle of the street.
Also, and probably more important to most, Nissan has offered to perform this campaign at a time and place of your choosing, meaning somewhere other than the dealership. I don’t know that I have ever seen another manufacturer make such an offer. While we can say that this should never have happened, there have been many campaigns issued by many manufacturers both foreign and domestic. That Nissan is willing to perform the campaign “at your home or place of business provided there is a suitable and safe work area” is, in our opinion, going beyond what could reasonably be expected. Nissan deserves kudos for their handling of this issue, and trying to make the best of a bad situation.
Dear Ernie,
That is good news. What I also read from the notice you received is that it will improve the accuracy of the driving range display which seems to be an issue with some poeple. I paitently await my Leaf now scheduled for some time the month of June.
Frank – thanks for pointing that out. I had meant to mention the tweak to the range display in my closing comments. Thanks for putting a little focus on it.