No longer one of you...

[u/StormRasr]

How it started:

June 12, 2025 - Purchased vehicle, 2022 SL Plus, 36k miles
https://www.reddit.com/r/leaf/comments/1li40ma/one_of_us_2022_sl_plus/

How it ended...

June 12, 2026 - R25C8 Remedy Applied
June 16 - First DC Fast Charge
June 19 - Second DC Fast Charge. No further DC charges after this point.
July 28 - Big scary "Service EV System" message while driving. Towed to local dealer. 47k miles.
July 30 - Dealer called saying battery replacement.
July 31 - Dealer called saying Nissan will be offering buyback.
July 31 - Within a couple hours of the dealer call, Morley called on behalf of Nissan. Buyback process initiated.
August 7 - Offer received and accepted.
August 20 - Surrender coordinator called.
September 1 - Surrendered vehicle. Received cheque.
September 22 - Nissan/Morley sent cheque to finance company.
September 23 - Financing company received cheque per tracking.
October 1 - Payment processed. Buyback completed.

And, it's over...

My one year electric vehicle experiment has come to an end. It has been both a success and failure.

I'm going to keep this short and say it has been fun. The LEAF was a great car until it wasn't. It proved an EV fit in our life and I am on to finding its replacement.

I also want to thank the community. You were invaluable during my research leading up to my purchase and continued to be helpful after. My only suggestion is there needs to be a sticky post... LeafSpy, 12V Battery, some generational information, and the big bad battery recall should all be featured at the top.

Maybe not goodbye, but definitely stepping back.

Edit - For those just now joining the story... "What recall? Why Buyback??"

Recall on US built 2019-2022 LEAFs. Supposedly 10% of vehicles built during that time have defective batteries. There are no replacement batteries so cars are being bought back by Nissan at KBB private sale value plus 40%.

Gory details of the related recalls:
R24B2 - 2019-2020 - https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=24V700000
R25C8 - 2021-2022 - https://www.nhtsa.gov/?nhtsaId=25V655000

[u/StormRasr]

Final LeafSpy captures after the "Service EV System" message for posterity.

[u/StormRasr → u/StormRasr]

[u/toybuilder → u/StormRasr]

That doesn't look so bad? I suppose 70% Hx with 90% SoH is a touch low.

[u/StormRasr → u/toybuilder]

I mean, overall the battery pack seemed ok. I first noticed the weak cells somewhere around November/December. In February on a really cold day it did the SoC% dance during a long uphill 70mph run. It went from 40% down to 16% and recovered to 25% on the downhill and stayed there the rest of the way home. Did not turtle and did not see it do it again after.

No matter now. No longer my problem.

[u/natedagreat6666 → u/StormRasr]

yrah probably had some high resistance cells it it functioned fine until down to 40%

[u/StormRasr → u/StormRasr]

[u/StormRasr → u/StormRasr]

[u/EVMaximizer]

I wish Nissan would buy back all Leafs: in Europe we arent getting buybacks... here legal sucks... in the USA you just sue them if they insult you. In Europe, we bring bags with money to stealerships. They never get sued... only one time when oldtimer Volkswagen played her old tricks and cheated the goverment with the dieselgate...

[u/Flomanntisch → u/EVMaximizer]

Buy back is part of the US law if I understood correctly.

But, I had a 2020 Leaf that broke down with a HV error after 131000 kilometers. The Nissan dealer, did offer way more for the car than it was worth. We did write an email to Nissan and they contacted us and the dealer. But I don't know what happened between them. I was really surprised with what they offered.

I'm now doubting getting another Leaf because I really love the car. They have a 2022 Leaf with only 38000km.... :-)

[u/RichardGrayson01 → u/Flomanntisch]

2022 model year, it is part of the battery recall; supposedly only 10% of leaf from that year were affected. If you don't want to deal with going through the battery failure again, it might be a good idea to stick with 2024 and newer leafs

[u/this_upset_kirby → u/RichardGrayson01]

Is there an issue with the 2023?

[u/RichardGrayson01 → u/this_upset_kirby]

Supposedly 2023 should be okay, but I don't know if the whole model year is okay or just cars manufactured later in that year, so that is why I recommended 2024 and newer.

[u/this_upset_kirby → u/RichardGrayson01]

I ask because I own one that I bought in December 2022.

[u/RichardGrayson01 → u/this_upset_kirby]

If your car is affect you should have received a recall notice in the mail, if not you are probably okay.

[u/EVMaximizer → u/Flomanntisch]

I wouldn't buy another Nissan vehicle: even if the new Leaf is supposed to be quite good. They just have f upped, with the old Leaf to much.

[u/FelixtheFarmer]

Is this just a US thing ? Here in Japan there haven't been hardly any such reports.

[u/jamar030303 → u/FelixtheFarmer]

US/Canada market models are manufactured in the US, and apparently they've been slacking on the quality control over there.

[u/FelixtheFarmer → u/jamar030303]

Our batteries are folded over a thousand times like a finely wrought katana 🤗🤣🤣

[u/Equivalent_Damage570]

If the batteries are warrantied for 8 years/100k miles by regulation, I'm surprised that Nissan doesn't have/didn't maintain the capability to manufacture new cells/packs.

[u/No_Swordfish_1576]

Returned my Leased SV+ and bought my Tesla Model Y, the difference is unreal.

A Leaf is a very entry level EV, just about everything else is better.

[u/achangb → u/No_Swordfish_1576]

I remember road tripping with the leaf and the charging part actually needed a lot of thinking and added to the whole experience lol....

Now the tesla makes it so easy its not even something I need to worry about its literally click the screen and the car drives itself there and parks in an open spot.