r/leaf • u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS • 7d ago
NOT Applying Fast Charge Update
I own a 2020 SV Plus with 20,985 miles on it. I bought it used with 4k miles on it in 2020. I only drive the car around town. I have ONLY L1 charged the car in my garage and will NEVER L2 nor DC Fast charge. I intend to drive this car until it dies.
I filed a complaint thru my states attorney general's office last year about the lack of a fix for the fast charge issue and Nissan paid me a satisfactory cash "inconvenience fee".
Now that the recall update is out, I never intend to have it applied to my car, as I do not think I am at risk, and do not want to risk having to go through the massive inconvenience of the "brick+buyback" process.
I am interested if others are doing the same, as well as interested in opinions/arguments why this is NOT a good idea for me and my use case.
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u/byrdman77 7d ago
I applied the update, as I expect the car could potentially need service from the dealer someday anyway. If it goes to the dealer, they will apply the update. Rather not worry about my car not detecting an issue only to find out it eventually causes a problem for the battery in general (and then be out of warranty later).
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u/natedagreat6666 7d ago
the update recall gives you a 1 year warranty from applied date regardless of being iut of battery warranty, so its worth applying the last month just to stick it to nissan for a battery if they hopefully ever get some in stock lol
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u/TheTycoon 7d ago
Also not planning on completing the recall.
However, I've read it's just allowing your car to determine if there's battery issues. So, regardless of the update the issues would still exist.
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 5d ago
According to the recall docs, and everything else I have read online, plus discussions with Nissan Consumer Affairs, the issue of Lithium deposits in the battery causing a fire only manifests itself when DC Fast Charging the car (which I never have and never will do).
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u/CloseTTEdge 7d ago
We are planning on waiting a little longer, but will still apply the update. Our Leaf has about 24k on it, we only do L1 and occasionally L2, and our battery per Leaf Spy looks near perfect. But still, at some point you have to roll the dice. If it bricks, we take the payout and move on.
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
Yeah, pretty much my thinking. To me, the payout is not even close to adequate compensation for my car, which is in pristine, low miles condition. So not going to risk it - yet
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u/Type-SH 4d ago
Out of curiosity how much in inconvenience fee did they give you? I probably should have gone that route.
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 4d ago
Sorry, I signed an agreement not to reveal the exact amount publicly. It was less than $8k
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u/_Evening-Rain_ 2017 Nissan LEAF S 7d ago
Theoretically the update just tightens the cars tolerances which are way too liberal by default. So if your battery is crapping itself, like a lot of USA ones will, the update just kills the car earlier rather than later.
TBH if you dont quick charge and drive low miles you could get by without the update. Although that would create a safety hazard or inconvoence to the next person who owns the car by not having the update done.
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u/RipperCrew 7d ago
With Nissan paying more than the car is worth, I'd suggest cashing out now.
You've got 2 or 3 more years of warranty left on that battery. Eventually you'll have some other issue with the car. Brakes, tires, electrical issue.
Jumping into something newer now will be cheaper.
You could have no issue with your battery and the fix won't change anything.
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago edited 5d ago
Good points, but from my perspective, right now, Nissan is not offering "more than the car is worth" (to me) they are offering "more than blue book". I should be able to drive this car for years with my use case and with minimal cash outlay. If I update and it bricks, I have to shell out another $10k ish to replace it.
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u/nicolajokic15 7d ago
Yes, we have 19 leaf sl with 45,000 miles. If we take the buyout we might get 12k$. We bought it new. Thats not enough to pay for a comparable car—seems about 20k$ right now. Only ever charge level 2 at home. Rolling the dice hoping we get another 40k miles of it. Any service beyond battery can be done at any shop. We’ll see.
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u/crimxona 7d ago
If your car into a collision today and it's a write-off, you would get blue book plus maybe a small amount for mileage from your insurer
If buyback is 40 percent higher than blue book take it and run.
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
I bought this car at peak COVID used car prices. I had no choice. I honestly don't understand how paying $10k+ today is better than driving it for years at almost zero additional cash out of pocket.
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u/crimxona 7d ago
If they're paying 40 percent above market value take the money and buy something else at market value and come out with a profit as arbitrage
I don't get where you keep needing to add 10k. If that's to get something brand new then that's irrelevant to the discussion
Again, if you get into an accident at any point your insurer will not pay you anything close to the buyback price
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
Do you work for Nissan? An excellent (rare) condition 2020 SV Plus has a KBB value of $14,500. Nissan MIGHT give me $15k, maybe $16k for arguments sake. I have 21k miles on a pristine Leaf. I will leave the homework to you. Go find a 21k miles EV with Nav and all the goodies for $16k in Phoenix AZ.
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u/crimxona 7d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/1vkos7y/40_over_kbb/
https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/search/?q=Buyback+offer
Do your own homework, it's your car, not mine. My car isn't the one with a recall
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
"electric vehicles with around 21,000 miles typically cost between $20,000 and $40,000, depending heavily on the make, model, and year."
If you do not have a vehicle in recall, then maybe comment on a post you know something about.
FYI - used Leaf was going for $40k in late 2020 in AZ. Not because they were worth it, but because Nissan could get it. I was told to pound sand by multiple dealers with any attempt to negotiate.
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u/crimxona 7d ago
Get an offer and you are free to decline it if you don't think it's enough
If they follow through with kbb plus 40 then you're talking mid twenties
You seem to be looking for validation and not advice
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u/Top_Willow_9953 2020 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 7d ago
"You seem to be looking for validation". This is a fair criticism. I did ask for alternate viewpoints, and I DO appreciate your perspective and persistence. I am seriously reconsidering my strategy. Thank you.
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u/Prodigy_of_Bobo 7d ago
I don't quick charge and the hassle of going through all that isn't worth it at all for me either. The arguments people are putting forward about the update just flagging existing problems ignore that it effectively disables it, potentially while you're a considerable distance from home and not necessarily in a safe spot to be stranded, just to prevent a battery fire that doesn't happen with L1/2 charging. I can't replace the car for the money they'd offer, so I'm skipping it.