: Nissan Leaf

Information

The LEAF’s touch screen system runs Windows Embedded Automotive 7. Windows Embedded Automotive 7 is the successor to
Windows CE (A Technical Companion to Windows Embedded Automotive 7, page 7). Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows.

CARWINGS

• To dismiss the “Accept/Decline” CARWINGS screen at start-up without taking hands off the steering wheel, hit the “Driving range button” on the steering wheel twice.
• For UK owners to access webpage goto http://www.nissan.co.uk/YouPlus.html. See also Carwings bugs section
• Apparently, the SIM card in the LEAF’s CARWINGS telematics module will (sort of) work in a phone, showing a 15-digit “phone number”. The phone number looks like 8823507000xxxxx.
  882-35 is the international network number for Jasper Wireless Inc., which is a partner of AT&T.

2G to 3G Switch-Over

CARWINGS in older LEAF SVs and SLs (2011-2015) works over AT&T’s 2G network. AT&T is terminating its 2G network at the end of 2016.

• How to tell if your LEAF’s CARWINGS already have 3G: go into “menu, carwings, carwings settings, down arrow, unit ID information.
  If TCUID starts with:
• 2012-1, or anything other than 2012: already 3G; requires no update.
• 2012-0: 2G; requires update.
• Upgrade path: an updated Telematics Control Unit (TCU) will allow CARWINGS to work on 3G.
• 2015 LEAFs will get free TCU update. Part number of new TCU was reported to be 283BO-6NF2A.
• 2011-2014 LEAF owners can pay a “co-pay” of $199 to update their TCU.
• The update procedure, “which will take a few hours, will leave customer’s cars with the same credentials and login information for NissanConnect EV (formerly CARWINGS) as before, and should restore full functionality to cars whose telematics systems would otherwise go dark on December 31, 2016.“
• You will need to provide the Nissan tech with your NissanConnect EV ID and password. They need the credential to perform some part of the upgrade.
• The service will continue for free, as before.

Lighting

Temperature of LEAF’s lighting, as measured with a Minolta color temperature meter:

LED headlights: 5012K

High beam: 3107K

Fog lights: 3011K

Parking lights: 3007K

Xenon light kits for high-beams & fog lights, from v-leds.com Interwiki: mnl++:

High beam: Xenon H9 35W light kit, w/ slim ballast.

High beam:Xenon headlight kit H9 6000K white w/ slim ballast.

High beam: Xenon headlight kit H9 5000K pure white w/ slim ballast.

Fog light: Xenon H11 35W kit, w/ slim ballast.

Replacement high beam bulbs (H9):

PIAA H9 highbeam bulbs: PIAA 19665 Xtra Xtreme White Plus 65W=120W H9 Bulb – Twin Pack

Hella H9 High Performance bulbs.

LED turn signals from eBay. Interwiki: mnl++

Sylvania now has bulbs listing for the 2011 LEAF.

List of LED replacement bulbs for back-up, license plate, front side marker, side turn signal, front & rear turn signal, rear hatch & interior & map lights.

Size of LED “festoon” bulbs to use for dome and cargo area lights: 31 mm, for example, these Lighting EVER 1.22″ / 31mm Festoon bulbs.

PIAA 3.5″ LED fog lights will fit LEAF SVs.

Source for 5K LED parking light bulbs.

2012 LEAF’s do not have a glove box light, though they have the wiring harness for it. You can get the socket & bulb (product SKU 24860-ZE0001) from, for example, courtesyparts.com and plug it in.

Audio, iPod, iPhone

• From the Nissan LEAF Facebook page:
  “Rollout on additional mobile platforms, including Android and some Blackberry phones will be announced this spring.
  January 20 at 4:53pm“.
• The audio’s USB port will work with a hard drive that does not work without external power. The USB port will probably supply high power (probably 500mA) and will probably charge phones. Interwiki: mnl++
• iPod/iPhone compatibility (from page 4-6 of the Navigation System Owner’s Guide:
• iPod
• Fifth generation iPod® (firmware version 1.3 or later)
• iPod Classic® (firmware version 1.1.2 or later)
• First generation iPod touch® (firmware version 2.2.1 or later)
• Second generation iPod touch® (firmware version 2.2.1 or later)
• First generation iPod nano® (firmware version 1.3.1 or later)
• Second generation iPod nano® (firmware version 1.1.3 or later)
• Third generation iPod nano® (firmware version 1.1 or later)
• Fourth generation iPod nano® (firmware version 1.0.3 or later)
• Fifth generation iPod nano® (firmware version 1.0.1PC or later)
• iPhone
• iPhone® (firmware version 3.1.3 or later)
• iPhone® 3G (firmware version 3.1.3 or later)
• iPhone® 3GS (firmware version 3.1.3 or later)
• iPhone® 4 (firmware version 4.0 or later)
• If you are receiving a phone call and press the “hold” button on the navigation unit’s screen, its voice tells the caller to “lease remain on the line and hold”.

Miscellaneous

Fuses:

Light for radio and climate control buttons, headlight adjuster, glove box light: fuse #47 in black box on driver side fender wall.

For GPS unit: #34 in fuse panel/box in front of 12V battery (under the hood, driver’s side).

2011 Nissan LEAF Power Supply Routing Circuit, from LEAF Service Manual, section “PG POWER SUPPLY, GROUND & CIRCUIT ELEMENTS”, pages PG-15 to PG-19:

Engine bay harness (“motor room harness”), from LEAF Service Manual, page PG-86:

LEAF accessories on Nissan Japan Web site (translate with Google Translate:

LED-lit Nissan hood logo

Blue LED ring around foglights.

Charge port light

etc.

There is a report that it is possible to have the dealer re-program a LEAF’s “auto lock” behavior, changing between “lock when shifted out of ‘P'” and “lock when reaching 20 mph”.

LEAF with front bumper cover removed, showing front bumper, windshield washer reservoir, radiator, alarm horn

Front wiper blade refill part numbers, 2011-2015:

Driver side: 28895-1AA0A

Passenger side: 28895-1AA1A

How-Tos

Lighting How-Tos

• How to add LED “eyebrow” running lights, for a Chrysler 300 but may be applicable to LEAF’s as well.
• How to remove side marker lens: slide lens horizontally Need to find out whether to front or back or car! about 1/4″then lift trailing edge of lens.
• Adding PIAA fog lights to SV LEAF, with lots of pics:
  
• LEAF w/ HID high beam upgrade Interwiki: mnl++
  
• Detailed instructions + lots of pics on adding LED DRL’s that is on only when the car is on.
• Converting fog lights to white DRL.
• Adding LED driving lights, using an “add-a-circuit” on a switched fuse (which is on when the car is ON or when the car is charging).
• Pics and some more notes here.
  
• LEAF w/ LED driving lights & 5K LED parking lights
  
• Replacing the parking lights’ bulb with LEDs from superbrightleds.com:
• LED bulb for parking light: 194 LED Bulb – 9 SMD LED Wedge Base Tower.
• LED bulb for license plate: 194 LED Bulb – 5 SMD LED Wide Angle Wedge Base

Other How-Tos

How to separate rear wiper blade from wiper arm.

Adding back-up camera to LEAF SV: parts and detailed instructions.

Nissan has an impact sensor add-on for the alarm system. It senses glass breakage, vibration, etc. and triggers the OEM alarm.

Part number is 999M2-VW007.

Here are installation instructions, for a 2008 Nissan Rogue; installation for the LEAF is probably the same: it installs under the driver’s side dash near the steering column.

Price ranges from about $51 to $60.

Adding HomeLink remote: HomeLink remotes are available on eBay.

How to make the VSP (Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians) noise default to “off”.
And how to add a “turn VSP off” button in 2012 LEAFs.

Seat heaters: adding front and rear seat heaters in your 2011 LEAF, from the SF BayLeaf group (IN PROGRESS, 12/27/2011).

Alternate means of splicing/tapping wires, from posi-lock.com: Posi-Lock, Posi-Twist, and Posi-Tap.

Changing auto-lock-after-driving-away feature (also auto-unlock-when-turning-off feature).

GPS’ “secret” screen displays fine-grain GPS-based speed.

To reset power window’s express-up feature:
“As per the owners manual, just pull the switch up and hold it for three seconds after it reaches the top to reset it.“

Replacing front 6.5″ door speakers with aftermarket speakers.

How to edit stored point-of-interest (POI) data, at leafic.com.

Using maps.google.com to program a destination into LEAF’s navigation system.

Send addresses to your LEAF’s navigation system via the Web, at leafic.com.

Replacing the stock horn.

How to keep back-up camera displaying while you’re driving:

CARWINGS instructions.

Plug-n-play navi speed override + rear view camera hack kit.

Step-by-step guide on how to disable navigation unit’s speed override, with lots of pics.

Bugs/Issues

CARWINGS

• List of CarWings issues, at leafic.com.
• Difficult to get to (UK) Carwings user portal when already logged in. Issue raised with UK support. Workarounds are:
• Simply click on “You+Nissan” icon (not intuitive I know)
• Logout and login again
• Logout and login again and store Carwings webpage as bookmark.
• CARWINGS fails to connect:
  Some LEAF owners report an issue where CARWINGS would not work, getting a “Connection to Center Failed” error message. The fix apparently only takes a couple of minutes. Various explanations of the problem and/or its fix include:
• “They only said that they had to ‘reset the module’ for Carwings..something about it losing it’s config somehow.”
• A “TCU replacement” was done, because “it appears that Nissan shares some data with Carwings prior to delivery, and something in that information block needed to be updated”.

Navigation system

“Crashed the nav system: anyone else?” Interwiki: mnl++

Navigation & range bug: If, in plotting a route, the LEAF’s navigation system encounters an area with incomplete map information, it will not inform you in advance, so the “miles to destination” will be incorrect and you may not find out until you’re actually driving into that area. At that point, you may find out that your destination is too far away to reach with the remaining battery charge!

Other systems

• Navigation display constantly cycling open/close when car is off, but is OK when car is on. One possible fix is to pull the TCU’s fuse (Telematics Communication Unit). It’s fuse #34
  
  Another possible (but less likely to work) fix is to disconnect the 12V battery for a while then re-connect; instructions for disconnecting the 12V battery is here.
• “Car won’t turn off” problem, resolution: replace “meter board”.
• Center display autonomously rebooted.
• “Center display screen blanked out … radio kept playing. … could not turn off radio“; things return to normal after power off/on.
• Plugging iPhone into USB port freezes up LEAF’s audio control for about 30 seconds, and a couple of fixes Interwiki: mnl++ :
• Disconnect 12V battery for for 15 minutes and reconnect.
• Have dealer update CARWINGS.
• Problem charging Android phone from USB port. Interwiki: mnl++
• Issue with Bluetooth phone calls: if call drops, has to “cycle” phone’s Bluetooth to get it to pair up again.
• The dashboard’s clock is separate from the navigation unit’s clock; they display different times.
  Instructions on how to set either clock.
• List of dashboard issues, at leafic.com.
• List of audio issues, at leafic.com.
• List of navigation system issues, at leafic.com.

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