Warranty and service

EVDriver33 · 2021-10-16

I've been recently robbed at daylight by a Nissan dealer charging £287 for a "major" service. What's the story on Nissan Leaf and warranty (both general and battery) if service is not performed? Surely there has to be a way around that?

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farmergiles

· #2 · Oct 16, 2021

You didn't need to go to a Nissan dealer. They are not legally allowed to insist on this these days.

However finding an independent that would do it is another matter. Try the Hevra website for a local EV approved garage.
The service record needs to be stamped by the qualified garage.

It cost me £139 for the first service which is nothing more than an inspection and cabin filter, so £287 is not horrendous if they changed the brake fluid (& coolant if required).

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Bungle

· #3 · Oct 18, 2021

The only slight fly in the ointment is that to maintain the 7 year battery warrantee you need the Nissan print out done once a year (which other than for the warrantee is not worth the paper it is written on). I am not sure what would happen if you asked for just the battery print out, I imagine they would charge you their standard diagnostic fee (which is I think £120).

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farmergiles

· #4 · Oct 18, 2021

Bungle said:
The only slight fly in the ointment is that to maintain the 7 year battery warrantee you need the Nissan print out done once a year (which other than for the warrantee is not worth the paper it is written on). I am not sure what would happen if you asked for just the battery print out, I imagine they would charge you their standard diagnostic fee (which is I think £120).

Please show me in the warranty booklet where this is stipulated. I have just read through all the conditions and no such requirement is stated. If it's not stated, it can't be used as a reason for voiding the warranty.

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GOSPORT DAVE

· #5 · Oct 18, 2021 (Edited)

Link to the warranty booklet:

warranty_book.pdf (nissan.co.uk)

States:

"4.5 Periodic Maintenance Service: The periodic maintenance services are a minimum requirement for warranty. They should be performed in accordance with the NISSAN recommended maintenance schedule. Additional maintenance service may be required since weather and atmospheric conditions, varying roads, vehicle usage and individual driving habits greatly influence the need for such service."

NISSAN LEAF Periodic Maintenance Schedule

Leaf.pdf (nissan-cdn.net)

EV battery-usage report – required at every service.

A third party garage can carry out most of the basic service but unless they have the equipment to carry out the “EV battery-usage report” – then you have to take it to an authorised NISSAN Dealer.

I know that it’s all protectionist crap and all that, but the battery is just so much money and integral value to the overall car, that you just can’t chance it, you have to have that battery warranty in place. It’s a “bite the bullet” one I an afraid.

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farmergiles

· #6 · Oct 18, 2021

GOSPORT DAVE said:
Link to the warranty booklet:

warranty_book.pdf (nissan.co.uk)

States:

"4.5 Periodic Maintenance Service: The periodic maintenance services are a minimum requirement for warranty. They should be performed in accordance with the NISSAN recommended maintenance schedule. Additional maintenance service may be required since weather and atmospheric conditions, varying roads, vehicle usage and individual driving habits greatly influence the need for such service."

NISSAN LEAF Periodic Maintenance Schedule

Leaf.pdf (nissan-cdn.net)

EV battery-usage report – required at every service.

A third party garage can carry out most of the basic service but unless they have the equipment to carry out the “EV battery-usage report” – then you have to take it to an authorised NISSAN Dealer.

I know that it’s all protectionist crap and all that, but the battery is just so much money and integral value to the overall car, that you just can’t chance it, you have to have that battery warranty in place. It’s a “bite the bullet” one I an afraid.

Those tables don't exist in my service/warranty booklet and I cannot find them in the main manual either.
What page numbers are they on. If they are not included in the documentation, they don't exist as regards warranty voidance.
Maybe they only applied to the Leaf 1?

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Astolat

· #7 · Oct 18, 2021

I agree, I’ve looked for them in mine, and I can’t find them (68 40kWh). If necessary, I’d take it to the County Court - it would never stand up. I keep asking for a more detailed battery report, and all they can give is the readout of the number of bars. I’ve not managed to get to an independent garage yet, but if I did, I’d take a picture of the battery status on the dashboard and staple it to the service booklet - as far as I can see there’s no more information on the official battery report than that.

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farmergiles

· #8 · Oct 19, 2021

Astolat said:
I agree, I’ve looked for them in mine, and I can’t find them (68 40kWh). If necessary, I’d take it to the County Court - it would never stand up. I keep asking for a more detailed battery report, and all they can give is the readout of the number of bars. I’ve not managed to get to an independent garage yet, but if I did, I’d take a picture of the battery status on the dashboard and staple it to the service booklet - as far as I can see there’s no more information on the official battery report than that.

When my first service was done, the service desk person told me I had not been mistreating the battery. (probably similar data as Leaf Spy provides)

The only warnings in the battery warranty section are about not exposing the battery to extremes of temperature and not leaving it for long periods at very low SOc or above 98%.

I am sure the battery report available to Nissan will record these two no, nos and perhaps use them as a reason to void the battery warranty. Otherwise, in the absence of other specific conditions, the warranty must be honoured.

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GOSPORT DAVE

· #9 · Oct 19, 2021

farmergiles said:
Those tables don't exist in my service/warranty booklet and I cannot find them in the main manual either.
What page numbers are they on. If they are not included in the documentation, they don't exist as regards warranty voidance.
Maybe they only applied to the Leaf 1?

Enclosed - NISSAN Service Schedule from last service - Still includes battery usage report.

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farmergiles

· #10 · Oct 19, 2021

GOSPORT DAVE said:
Enclosed - NISSAN Service Schedule from last service - Still includes battery usage report.

View attachment 151364

Yes, but not a warranty condition.

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Astolat

· #11 · Oct 19, 2021

farmergiles said:
Yes, but not a warranty condition.

Well, I do see the point Dave is making. The warranty condition is that the service is carried out according to Nissan's maintenance schedule, and the maintenance schedule includes the battery check.

However, this is a consumer contract, and the term has to be fair or else it is unenforceable. The battery check information that is provided shows three things: the number of battery bars, a narrative (but not a score) for how often the car has been rapid charged, and a narrative (but not a score) for consumption in relation to mileage. It's clear that more detailed scores are available for the last two; I've now been assured twice by different dealers' service depts that no more detailed figure is available for the first.

The excuse for the battery check is presumably to alert the owner to whether the battery is beginning to degrade faster than expected, and if so to what the causes might be so they can be corrected. If I check the battery bars from time to time, and I'm confident that the metrics Nissan have from the car will show that I would always have been told that I was doing so in a way that is positive for the battery, it would surely be unfair for them to try and rely on that condition.

Another approach is to effectively do the same check yourself. The battery bars check is there on the dashboard if you look for it. I suppose I could dedicate one of the trip computers for an annual summary that I photoed and reset each year for consumption v mileage. Is the number of rapid charges available from the dashboard? Or should i just get a LeafSpy anyway, and print off my own report each year to staple with the annual service?

I'm quite tempted to report them to the CMA anyway - the real reason for the clause is obviously to get round the rules saying that a dealer servicing provision for warranty protection is illegal.

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GOSPORT DAVE

· #12 · Oct 19, 2021

I totally agree, putting the battery diagnostic check in the maintenance schedule is obviously a blatant move to protect main dealer revenue streams.

If the printout was detailed analysis of the battery and it's cells so that owner could make a informed judgement on how the battery was holding up, then it would be a bit more palatable . But it's not, just a mirror of the battery status screen, which you can read anytime through the menu's. I am sure that the narrative recommendations are drawn down from the energy consumed data that is continuous up loaded every time the vehicle is used, nothing to do with a diagnostic check.

When I was given the printout, I was told that the battery was in great shape and keep doing what you are doing, a patronising pat on the back. Especially when I have LeafSpy connected, and I actually know that the battery has lost 5% SOC. LOL.

However it is what it is and the battery diagnostic check is on the maintenance schedule and cynical me, thinks that they will use none compliance to wriggle out of their battery warranty responsibilities.

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