2011 Nissan Leaf Battery Replacement

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Nissan Leaf Battery Cost

DIY 2011 Nissan Leaf Battery Pack swap

The cost of replacing a Nissan LEAF battery is given as follows depending on the battery type:

62 kWh: $12,000-$15,000

Li-ion Battery Coverage: 100,000 miles/8 years

Li-ion Battery Capacity Coverage: 100,000 miles/8 years

2011-2017

Li-ion Battery Coverage: 100,000 miles/8 years

Li-ion Battery Capacity Coverage: 60,000 miles/5 years

Remember that I mentioned the possibility of a partial battery replacement that will only involve the swapping out of one malfunctioning/faulty component or more. A Nissan LEAF owner may also want to upgrade from an old battery model to the latest one during a full replacement. You may not be able to perform a refurbishment or swap at the time it is needed because of the shortage or unavailability of the necessary parts in your location.

How Does A Car Battery Work

The battery in your vehicle is there to provide a jolt of electrical energy to start the engine and to provide engine-off accessory power for a limited amount of time. Once the engine is running, the alternator takes over to power the accessories and charge the battery. Car batteries typically feature six connected cells in a lead-acid formulation, or up to 12 cells in a 24-volt system found in heavy trucks or other large vehicles.

Read Also: Electric Vehicle Battery Replacement Cost

New Or Get A Used Nissan Leaf Battery

This is another good question. Should you go for a new or a used battery? The answer is, it depends. It mostly depends on the life of the battery pack that you want to purchase. If the used battery pack is a good battery pack that has low miles on it and is fairly new considering the age then go for it.

If the battery pack is old and still has low mileage, then you should avoid it. As we said, with age, car batteries lose their capacity and if the battery pack is more than 10 years old then it probably lost half of its capacity. This will result in an extremely low range for your Leaf. But you will still pay the money for the battery pack and still get nothing in return.

Thats why getting a battery from the dealership would be a smarter idea. You might spend quite more on the battery pack. But you will get a warranty with it and the battery will last for a good 10 years before it needs another replacement.

Also, if you are on the market for a Nissan Leaf that is selling for a premium and the battery is old. Then its good to consider lowballing the price if you dont want to end up in a money pit. Getting the car for a cheaper price is going to give you leverage to have when you will need a battery replacement.

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History Of The Nissan Leaf

The Nissan LEAF has been around for a while, and has âthe distinction of being the first widely available and affordable all-electric car,â according to Consumer Reports. Edmunds credits the LEAF as being âfirst, full-electric mainstream vehicle to be put on sale for the American consumer.â The 2021 model is a mid-priced new vehicle with two battery capacity options, and a range of up to 226 miles, putting it on par with other second-generation EVs. However, older models, starting with the 2011, are some of the least expensive used EVs available. Read on to find out what to ask, what to know, and if a Leaf may be right for you.

First Generation LEAF – 2011 to 2017

A 2011 LEAF can be found for just a few thousand dollars and can provide a good, if local, EV experience. However, the initial battery pack had only 24 kWh capacity and 73 miles or range, and Nissan did not install any temperature control in the battery management system. This meant that many early Leaf batteries suffered serious degradation, and many early Leaf drivers had to get replacement batteries or live with severely curtailed range. However, the early model, which comes in SL or SV trim, is reliable, safe, and a pioneer of electric vehicles.

Second Generation – 2018 to current

New Challenges To Navigate

nissan leaf battery pack for sale

With my new battery pack in hand, it was time to tackle another critical element prior to the actual battery swap: the CAN-bridge converter and associated adapter cable.

Almost every production EV links the battery pack to the caror more specifically, the Battery Management System with a unique code. This makes it difficult for third party entities to remove/install battery packs outside of an authorized repair network.

Therefore, something like a CAN-bridge is required to translate messages between the “old” BMS and “new” battery pack. Even more importantly, one needs a way to program the new battery pack’s unique code, or “spoof” it, such that the two can talk to each other unimpeded.

For various reasons, I chose the latter solution from Dala’s EV Repair, a shop that also supplies the 22-pin to 36-pin adapter cable required to adapt the “old” control interface to the “new” battery pack. Now all that remained was the actual battery swap, which was performed at Chris Murphy’s Automotive.

This consisted of replacing the over 600-lb 24 kWh pack in my car with the over 700-lb 40 kWh pack from the salvage car, as well as installing the 22-pin to 36-pin adapter cable.

Bridge install

Tip: The battery covers should follow the battery pack. In other words, I returned the battery covers from the salvage car to the 40 kWh pack after it was installed in my car.

All that remained was to reconnect the high-voltage disconnect and 12v battery in my car and start it up.

Bridge wiring

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Why Are Nissan Leaf Batteries So Expensive To Replace

After the original battery packs degrade in an electric vehicle, owners may wish to refurbish, replace, or upgrade their battery packs instead of purchasing a new electric car. Factory support and pricing from Nissan for replacement LEAF batteries in the US has been inconsistent over the years. The manufacturer initially offered a replacement battery pack for $5,499 plus installation in the U.S., but then later raised the price to $8,500 before temporarily dropping support altogether only to then reinstate a support program. As of January 2020, LEAF owners began reporting that Nissan had once again officially lowered the cost of the 24kWh batteries to $5,500 under the Leaf Battery Replacement Program, with a $1,000 trade-in credit for the return of the original battery making the battery $4,500 plus the cost of labor and tax. The Gen1 LEAF battery pack replacements also require a few additional parts to fit the new 24kWh pack, which features updated battery chemistry, and the old battery must be returned to Nissan to qualify.

The consensus from automakers and industry experts is that the cost of EV batteries are continually decreasing as more research and development is performed. In fact, since 2019, the average price of a lithium-ion battery pack has dropped by 80%. However, replacement costs for the 1st generation Nissan LEAF batteries, if you can source a battery pack at all, have actually increased on average over time.

Autocheck Vehicle History Summary

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Why Choose A Diehard Battery For Your Leaf

We know whatâs best for your Nissan Leaf, which is why we exclusively carry the best. Your vehicle needs a reliable, durable and powerful battery that can handle most extreme environments and weather conditions. DieHard batteries shatter expectations and house the latest technology to meet the growing power needs of modern vehicles A DieHard battery isn’t an ordinary car battery. It’s extraordinary. Choose a DieHard battery for your Nissan Leaf and drive with confidence knowing that performance will be there when you’re counting on it. That’s the kind of battery we deliver.

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Nissan LEAF 62kwh Battery Swap

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Why Bother With A Used Leaf

An important question that comes with all the above information on battery replacement costs and limited options for replacement is: why bother with a used Nissan Leaf at all? If any Leaf could potentially turn into a Clayton Brander story, then why even get one at all?

In fact, buying a used Leaf and then facing the possibility of battery replacement is, in most cases, still a much more financially viable option. Heres why:

Can You Replace Gen1 Leaf Batteries With Gen2 Leaf Batteries

A common question among Nissan LEAF owners looking to replace their batteries is whether it is possible to upgrade their original 24 kWh battery packs to either the 40 kWh or 62 kWh battery packs found in the second-generation Leaf . In theory, this sounds like a better solution, as they are more common and offer increased range and performance over early LEAF models.

While the Gen2 40 kWh pack is an exact mechanical match to the early 24 kWh LEAF battery packs , the 62 kWh pack is not. There are also ground clearance and weight issues with the 62 kWh pack that would require additional modifications to your LEAF, making the swap even more daunting and unlikely worth the costs.

Both sized packs require electrical modifications in the form of a CAN-bridge converter and adapter cable, which will need to be sourced from an independent EV specialist, as they are not offered from Nissan. Almost every production EV links the battery pack to the car or more specifically, the Battery Management System with a unique code. This makes it difficult for third party mechanics to remove/install battery packs outside of an authorized repair network. Therefore, something like a CAN-bridge is required to translate messages between the old BMS and new battery pack. Even more importantly, one needs a way to program the new battery packs unique code, or spoof it, such that the two can talk to each other unimpeded.

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Nissan Battery Replacement Program Cost

Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:20 pm
Delivery Date: 07 Oct 2011
Leaf Number: 6427
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 7:15 pm
Delivery Date: 12 Mar 2015
Location: New Orleans
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:31 pm
Delivery Date: 28 Jul 2013
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 9:48 pm
Delivery Date: 08 Mar 2013
Location: East Bay CA

Darryl wrote:The first questions I would ask myself is “Do I really need a new battery? Or can I continue to use the car with less range between charges.” As the battery technology is greatly changing and who knows what next year my offer. A third party battery? More KWh battery? Better heat resistance?

Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:50 pm
Delivery Date: 12 Jun 2011
Leaf Number: 3871
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:36 am
Leaf Number: 408264
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:20 pm
Delivery Date: 07 Oct 2011
Leaf Number: 6427
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 2:44 pm
Leaf Number: 401511
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:41 pm
Delivery Date: 26 Feb 2021
Leaf Number: 306291
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:41 pm
Delivery Date: 26 Feb 2021
Leaf Number: 306291

Can You Replace A Nissan Leaf Battery Pack At Home

Nissan Leaf Battery Pack For Sale

Generally speaking, no. If you have a fully-equipped garage at home with a vehicle lift and a healthy amount of both automotive and electrical experience, with suppliers identified for all of the critical parts to ensure compatibility of the new pack with your LEAF, it is possible. However, for 99.99% of LEAF owners out there this is a non-viable option. You also will not get the same warranty coverages you would from Nissan or a certified independent repair shop, potentially mitigating any cost-savings down the road.

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Warranty On Nissan Leaf Battery

Warranties have been known to promise the world on first impressions but when you get into the small print they can quickly unravel. While the warranty on Nissan Leaf batteries wont leave you in despair, there are a couple of key points to be aware of.

Firstly, the battery warranty for the first-generation Nissan Leaf is different to that of the second-generation Leaf. Early cars came with a five-year or 60,000-mile warranty. During that time Nissan would repair or replace the damaged battery components required to bring the capacity back up to a minimal level.

Early Leafs use a bar system to indicate the health of a battery – there are 12 bars and once it falls below nine the warranty comes into play. Nissan will then carry out the necessary works to return the Leaf back to at least nine bars. As 24kWh models are amongst the oldest, the majority will be out of manufacturer battery warranty cover by now.

When Nissan launched the 30kWh Leaf it upped its warranty offering. The same nine out of 12 battery health bars caveat remained but the warranty now lasted for eight years or 100,000 miles. This means that newer Leaf models should still be covered by the Nissan battery warranty.

Cost Of A Donor Cars Battery Pack

Some choose to go down this route. It might be an attractive option on paper, but it usually isnt worth it.

Using a donor cars battery pack involves going to the salvage yard and looking to buy a scrapped Leaf of the same age and trim as yours.

Youll need to pay the scrapper. You might be able to buy the battery outright, separate from the car. After the purchase, youll need to pay an EV specialist mechanic to remove the old batteries and replace them with your new ones.

Before buying anything, you should find out how much charge the battery has. If its any less than 90%, its not worth it. At this point, these are still likely to cost $5,000 to $7,000 even if theyre in mediocre condition.

Since this approach is common, youll struggle to find any Nissan Leafs or their batteries in a salvage yard.

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How Long Do They Last

Batteries on the Leaf last for quite a lot of time. But if you own some of the early models of the Leaf. You probably lost quite a lot of juice. According to research, the first generation of the Nissan Leaf is losing about a quarter of its capacity over 5 years. This means that these Nissan Leaf vehicles that were produced somewhere between 2010 to 2015 have lost around half of their capacity and you cannot expect to go more than 30 to 50 miles on a single charge which is disappointing.

Thats why you need to be aware of these old models before you rush out and get one. You need to learn if this vehicle had already its battery swapped with a new one and when was that performed.

If the Leaf that you intend to buy has a battery that has never been swapped. You need to deduct the price of a new battery pack from its retail value. Then you get the right cost of that Nissan Leaf. And Nissan Leaf battery replacement cost can be quite hefty. But more on that in the next chapter.

The important bit is that you need to be aware of this and not get ripped off by someone. Knowing how things work will be crucial for you and your budget.

Luckily new Leaf vehicles have a big warranty on the powertrain and the battery, unlike their predecessors. Which is standard for all EVs sold in the US. The warranty is a standard 8-year warranty or 100,000 miles on the battery pack.

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