Nissan LEAF 2016 Owner's Manual

®

2016 LEAF

OWNER’S MANUAL

For your safety, read carefully and keep in this vehicle.

FOREWORD READ FIRST — THEN DRIVE SAFELY

Welcome to the growing family of new NISSAN
owners. This vehicle is delivered to you with
confidence. It was produced using the latest
techniques and strict quality control.

This manual was prepared to help you under­stand the operation and maintenance of your
vehicle so that you may enjoy many miles of
driving pleasure.Please read through this manual
before operating your vehicle.

A separate Warranty Information Booklet
explains details about the warranties cov­ering your vehicle. The NISSAN Service and
Maintenance Guide explains details about
maintaining and servicing your vehicle. Ad­ditionally, a separate Customer Care/
Lemon Law Booklet (U.S. only) will explain
how to resolve any concerns you may have
with your vehicle, as well as clarify your
rights under your state’s lemon law.

In addition to factory installed options, your ve­hicle may also be equipped with additional ac­cessories installed by NISSAN or by a NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer prior to delivery. It is impor­tant that you familiarize yourself with all disclo­sures, warnings, cautions, and instructions con­cerning proper use of such accessories prior to
operating the vehicle and/or accessory. See a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for details con­cerning the particular accessories with which
your vehicle is equipped.

A NISSAN certified LEAF dealer knows your
vehicle best. When you require any service or
have any questions, we will be glad to assist you
with the extensive resources available to us.

Before driving your vehicle, read your Owner’s
Manual carefully. This will ensure familiarity with
controls and maintenance requirements, assist­ing you in the safe operation of your vehicle.

WARNING

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION RE­MINDERS!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!

• NEVER drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.

• ALWAYS observe posted speed limits
and never drive too fast for conditions.

• ALWAYS give your full attention to
driving and avoid using vehicle fea­tures or taking other actions that could
distract you.

• ALWAYS use your seat belts and ap­propriate child restraint systems. Pre­teen children should be seated in the
rear seat.

• ALWAYS provide information about
the proper use of vehicle safety fea­tures to all occupants of the vehicle.

• ALWAYS review this Owner’s Manual
for important safety information.

MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHICLE

This vehicle should not be modified.
Modification could affect its perfor­mance, safety or durability, and may
even violate governmental regulations.
In addition, damage or performance
problems resulting from modification
may not be covered under NISSAN war­ranties.

WHEN READING THE MANUAL

This manual includes information for all features
and equipment available on this model. Features
and equipment in your vehicle may vary depend­ing on model, trim level, options selected, order,
date of production, region or availability. There­fore, you may find information about features or
equipment that are not included or installed on
your vehicle.

All information, specifications and illustrations in
this manual are those in effect at the time of print­ing. NISSAN reserves the right to change specifi­cations, performance, design or component sup­pliers without notice and without obligation. From
time to time, NISSAN may update or revise this
manual to provide Owners with the most accurate
information currently available. Please carefully
read and retain with this manual all revision updates
sent to you by NISSAN to ensure you have access
to accurate and up-to-date information regarding
your vehicle. Current versions of vehicle Owner’s
Manuals and any updates can also be found in the
Owner section of the NISSAN website at

https://owners.nissanusa.com/nowners/
navigation/manualsGuide

tions concerning any information in your Owner’s
Manual, contact NISSAN Consumer Affairs. See
the NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM page
in this Owner’s Manual for contact information.

.

If you have ques-

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
THIS MANUAL

You will see various symbols in this manual. They
are used in the following ways:

WARNING

This is used to indicate the presence of a
hazard that could cause death or serious
personal injury. To avoid or reduce the
risk, the procedures must be followed
precisely.

CAUTION

This is used to indicate the presence of a
hazard that could cause minor or moder­ate personal injury or damage to your
vehicle. To avoid or reduce the risk, the
procedures must be followed carefully.

If you see the symbol above, it means “Do not do
this” or “Do not let this happen”.

If you see a symbol similar to those above in an
illustration, it means the arrow points to the front
of the vehicle.

Arrows in an illustration that are similar to those
above indicate movement or action.

Arrows in an illustration that are similar to those
above call attention to an item in the illustration.

[ ]: Indicates a key/item displayed on the screen.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65
WARNING

WARNING

Certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­fects or other reproductive harm. In addi­tion, certain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component wear
contain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.

CALIFORNIA PERCHLORATE
ADVISORY

Some vehicle parts, such as lithium batter­ies, may contain perchlorate material. The
following advisory is provided: “Perchlorate
Material - special handling may apply, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.”

Bluetooth® is a trademark
owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
and licensed to Visteon.

SiriusXM® services require a
subscription after trial period
and are sold separately or as
a package. The satellite ser­vice is available only in the
48 contiguous USA and DC.
SiriusXM satellite service is
also available in Canada; see
www.siriusxm.ca.

© 2015 NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
All rights reserved. No part of this Owner’s

Manual may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

NISSAN CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM

NISSAN CARES ...

Both NISSAN and your NISSAN certified LEAF dealer are dedicated to serving all your automotive needs. Your satisfaction with your vehicle and your
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer are our primary concerns. Your NISSAN certified LEAF dealer is always available to assist you with all your automobile sales
and service needs.
However, if there is something that your NISSAN
certified LEAF dealer cannot assist you with or
you would like to provide NISSAN directly with
comments or questions, please contact the
NISSAN Consumer Affairs Department using our
toll-free number:

For U.S. customers

1-877-NOGASEV
(1-877-664-2738)

For Canadian customers

1-800-387-0122

We appreciate your interest in NISSAN and thank you for buying a quality NISSAN vehicle.

The Consumer Affairs Department will ask for the
following information:

• Your name, address, and telephone number

• Vehicle identification number (attached to the
top of the instrument panel on the driver’s side)

• Date of purchase

• Current odometer reading

• Your NISSAN certified LEAF dealer’s name

• Your comments or questions

OR

You can write to NISSAN with the information at:

For U.S. customers

Nissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003
or via e-mail at:
[e-mail]

For Canadian customers

Nissan Canada Inc.
5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Z5
or via e-mail at:
information.centre@nissancanada.
com

If you prefer, visit us at:
www.nissanusa.com (for U.S. customer) or
www.nissan.ca (for Canadian customers)

Table of

Illustrated table of contents

0

contents

EV Overview

Charging

Safety–Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system

Instruments and controls

Pre-driving checks and adjustments

Display screen, heater, air conditioner, audio and phone systems

Starting and driving

In case of emergency

Appearance and care

Maintenance and do-it yourself

Technical and consumer information

EV

CH

1
2

3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Index

10

0 Illustrated table of contents

Seats, seat belts and Supplemental Restraint System

(SRS) ..............................0-2

Exterior front ..........................0-3

Exterior rear ..........................0-4

Passenger compartment ...................0-5

Cockpit .............................0-6

Instrument panel........................0-8

Meters and gauges ......................0-9

Motor compartment .....................0-10

Warning and indicator lights ................0-11

SEATS, SEAT BELTS AND
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM (SRS)

1. Rear head restraints/headrests (P. 1-5)

2. Child restraint anchor points (for top tether
strap child restraint) (P. 1-18)

3. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supple­mental air bags (P. 1-38)

4. Front seat belt with pretensioner(s) and
shoulder height adjuster (P. 1-8, 1-38)

5. Front head restraints/headrests (P. 1-5)

6. Front seats (P. 1-2)

7. Supplemental front-impact air bags
(P. 1-38)

8. Front passenger air bag status light
(P. 1-38)

9. Occupant classification sensor (weight sen­sor) (P. 1-38)

10. Front seat-mounted side-impact supple-

mental air bags (P. 1-38)

11. Rear seats (P. 1-2)

12. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for

CHildren) system (P. 1-18)

0-2 Illustrated table of contents

EXTERIOR FRONT

6. Power windows (P. 2-55)

7. Child safety rear door lock (P. 3-4)

8. Doors

— Keys (P. 3-2)
— Door locks (P. 3-4)
— NISSAN Intelligent Key® system (P. 3-6)
— Security system (P. 2-35)

9. Tires

— Wheels and tires (P. 8-27, 9-6)
— Flat tire (P. 6-3)
— Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
(P. 2-16, 5-2)

10. Fog lights (if so equipped)

— Switch operation (P. 2-45)
— Bulb replacement (P. 8-22)

11. License plate installation (P. 9-10)

1. Charge port lid
—Charging lid switch (P. 3-19)
—Front camera (if so equipped) (P. 4-11)

2. Hood (P. 3-17)

3. Headlight and turn signal lights
— Switch operation (P. 2-42)
— Bulb replacement (P. 8-22)

4. Wiper and washer switch
— Switch operation (P. 2-38)
— Blade replacement (P. 8-13)
— Windshield-washer fluid (P. 8-11)

5. Outside mirrors
—Switch operation (P. 3-23)
— Side camera (if so equipped) (P. 4-11)

Illustrated table of contents 0-3

EXTERIOR REAR

6. Antenna
— Satellite radio antenna (P. 4-57)

7. Rear combination lights
— Bulb replacement (P. 8-22)

8. Rear hatch (P. 3-18)

1. Rear view camera (P. 4-3, 4-11)

2. Rear wiper and washer switch
— Switch operation (P. 2-38)
— Windshield-washer fluid (P. 8-11)

0-4 Illustrated table of contents

3. High-mounted stop light
— Bulb replacement (P. 8-22)

4. Rear window defroster (P. 2-41)

5. Solar cell module (if so equipped)

(P. EV-25)

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT

6. Front heated seat switch (P. 2-47)

7. Front cup holders (P. 2-51)

8. Door armrest
— Power window switch (P. 2-56)
— Power door lock switch (P. 3-4)
— Outside mirror remote control switch
(P. 3-23)

9. Console box (P. 2-51)

10. Emergency tire puncture repair kit (P. 6-3)

11. Cargo area
— Tonneau cover (if so equipped) (P. 2-51)
— EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment)
(P. CH-27)

1. Room light (P. 2-58)

2. Sun visors (P. 3-22)

3. Map lights
— Switch operation (P. 2-58)
— Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System
(without Navigation) microphone (P. 4-59)

— Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System
(with Navigation) microphone (Refer to LEAF
Navigation System Owner’s Manual)

4. Sunglasses holder (P. 2-51)

5. Mirror
— Inside rearview mirror (P. 3-23)
— HomeLink® (if so equipped) (P. 2-59)

Illustrated table of contents 0-5

COCKPIT

1. TRIP switch for twin trip odometer (P. 2-5)

2. Trip computer switch (P. 2-22)

3. Instrument brightness control switch
(P. 2-41)

4. Headlight, fog light and turn signal switch

— Headlight (P. 2-42)
— Turn signal light (P. 2-42)
— Fog light (if so equipped) (P. 2-45)

5. Steering-wheel-mounted controls (left side)

— Audio control (P. 4-56)
— Bluetooth® Hands-Free Phone System
control (P. 4-59)

6. Steering wheel

— Power steering system (P. 5-19)
— Horn (P. 2-46)
— Driver’s supplemental air bag (P. 1-38)

7. Wiper and washer switch (P. 2-38)

8. Steering-wheel-mounted controls
(right side)

— Cruise control switches (P. 5-16)
— ECO switch (P. 2-47)

9. Console box (P. 2-51)

10. Shift lever (P. 5-12)

11. Front heated seat switch (P. 2-47)

12. Tilting steering wheel lever (P. 3-21)

13. Charge port lid switch (P. 3-19)

14. Charge connector lock switch (P. CH-5)

15. Charge timer OFF switch (P. 2-50)

0-6 Illustrated table of contents

16. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF
switch (P. 2-48)

17. Heated steering wheel switch (if so
equipped) (P. 2-45)

18. Fuse box cover (P. 8-17)

Illustrated table of contents 0-7

INSTRUMENT PANEL

10. Front passenger air bag status light,
Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestri­ans (VSP) system warning light (P. 1-38,
2-14)

11. Auxiliary input jack (P. 4-38)

12. Power outlet (P. 2-50)

13. iPod® connector/USB connector
(P. 4-38)

14. Push-button power switch (P. 5-7)

15. Hood release handle (P. 3-17)

1. Side vents (P. 4-22)

2. Meters and gauges (P. 2-5)

3. Center multi-function control panel
— Navigation system (Refer to LEAF Naviga­tion System Owner’s Manual)
— Without navigation system (P. 4-38)

0-8 Illustrated table of contents

4. Hazard warning flasher switch (P. 6-2)

5. Center vents (P. 4-21)

6. Rear window defroster switch (P. 2-41)

7. Front passenger supplemental air bag
(P. 1-38)

8. Glove box (P. 2-51)

9. Heater and air conditioner control (P. 4-22)

METERS AND GAUGES

This vehicle is equipped with an upper display
and a lower display.

1. Master warning lights (P. 2-18)

2. ECO indicator (P. 2-10)

3. Speedometer (P. 2-6)

4. Clock (P. 2-11)

5. Outside air temperature (P. 2-10)

6. Turn signal/Hazard indicator light (P. 2-21)

7. Li-ion battery capacity level gauge (P. 2-10)

8. Li-ion battery available charge gauge
(P. 2-9)

9. Driving range (P. 2-8)

10. Vehicle information display (P. 2-22)

11. READY to drive indicator light (P. 2-20)

12. ECO mode indicator light

—ECO switch (P. 2-47)
— Odometer/twin trip odometer (P. 2-6)
— Trip computer (P. 2-27)
— Shift “P” warning (P. 2-26)
— Indicator for timer (P. 2-35)

13. Power meter (P. 2-7)

14. Warning and indicator lights (P. 2-12)

15. Li-ion battery temperature gauge (P. 2-6)

Illustrated table of contents 0-9

MOTOR COMPARTMENT

1. Brake fluid reservoir (P. 8-10)

2. 12-volt battery (P. 8-12)

3. Fuse holder (P. 8-17)

4. Fuse/Fusible link holder (P. 8-17)

5. Coolant reservoir cap (P. 8-8)

6. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir (P. 8-11)

7. Fuse/Fusible link holder (P. 8-17)

0-10 Illustrated table of contents

WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS

Warn-

ing

light

Name Page

Warn-

ing

light

Name Page

Warn-

ing

light

Name Page

12-volt battery charge
warning light

Anti-lock Braking Sys­tem (ABS) warning light

Approaching Vehicle
Sound for Pedestrians
(VSP) system warning
light

BRAKE system warning
light (yellow)

BRAKE warning light
(red)

Electric shift control sys­tem warning light

2-13

2-14

2-14

2-14

2-15

2-16

EV system warning light 2-16

Headlight warning light 2-16

Low battery charge
warning light

Low tire pressure warn­ing light

Master warning light
(red/yellow)

Power steering warning
light

Seat belt warning light 2-18

2-16

2-16

2-18

2-18

Supplemental air bag
warning light

Indica-

tor

light

ECO mode switch indi­cator light

Exterior light indicator
light

Front fog light indicator
light (if so equipped)

Front passenger air bag
status light

High beam indicator
light (blue)

Name Page

Illustrated table of contents 0-11

2-19

2-19

2-19

2-19

2-19

2-19

Indica-

tor

light

Name Page

Plug-in indicator light 2-20

Power limitation indica­tor light

READY to drive indica­tor light

Security indicator light 2-20

Slip indicator light 2-21

Turn signal/hazard indi­cator lights

Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) OFF indicator
light

2-21

0-12 Illustrated table of contents

2-20

2-20

2-21

EV Overview

The EV (Electric Vehicle) system .............EV-2

Li-ion battery .........................EV-2

Driving with a discharged Li-ion battery .......EV-3

Charging the 12-volt battery..............EV-5

Li-ion battery warmer (if so equipped) ........EV-5

High voltage precautions..................EV-7

High-voltage components ...............EV-7

Road accident precautions ................EV-8

Emergency shut-off system ..............EV-9

EV (Electric Vehicle) characteristics ...........EV-9

Noise and vibration ..................EV-10

Life with an EV (scene guide) ..............EV-10

Charging the Li-ion battery ..............EV-10

Before driving your vehicle (models with navigation

system) .........................EV-13

Starting your vehicle..................EV-17

Driving the vehicle ...................EV-18

Charging after driving .................EV-22

Efficient use of your vehicle ...............EV-23

Range ..........................EV-23

Improve driving range .................EV-23

Li-ion battery life ....................EV-24

Li-ion battery maintenance ..............EV-25

EV unique information...................EV-25

Meters and indicators .................EV-25

Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians (VSP)

system..........................EV-28

Electric shift control system .............EV-29

LED headlight (low beam) (if so equipped) . . . .EV-29

Solar cell module (if so equipped)..........EV-30

Driving range (if so equipped) ............EV-30

THE EV (ELECTRIC VEHICLE)
SYSTEM LI-ION BATTERY

The LEAF is an electric vehicle. Some of the
vehicle’s systems operate differently and have
different operating characteristics than vehicles
equipped with an internal combustion engine. It is
important to carefully review the entire Owner’s
Manual for this reason. The main difference is the
LEAF is powered by electricity. The LEAF does
not require and it is not capable of using gasoline
like a vehicle powered by a traditional internal
combustion engine. The LEAF uses electricity
stored in the lithium ion (Li-ion) battery. The vehi­cle’s Li-ion battery must be charged with electric­ity before the vehicle can be driven. As the vehicle
operates, the Li-ion battery gradually discharges.
If the Li-ion battery becomes completely dis­charged, the vehicle will not operate until it is
re-charged.

This vehicle uses two types of batteries. One is
the 12-volt battery that is the same as the battery
in vehicles powered by gasoline engines, the
other is the Li-ion battery (high voltage).

The 12-volt battery provides power to the vehicle
systems and features such as the audio system,
supplemental restraint systems, headlights and
windshield wipers.

The Li-ion battery provides power to the electric
motor (traction motor) that moves the vehicle.

The Li-ion battery also charges the 12-volt bat­tery.

The vehicle must be plugged in for the Li-ion
battery to be charged. Additionally, the vehicle
system can extend the vehicle range by convert­ing driving force into electricity that is stored in
the Li-ion battery while the vehicle is decelerating
or being driven downhill. This is called regenera­tive brake. This vehicle is considered to be an
environmentally friendly vehicle because it does
not emit exhaust gases, such as carbon dioxide
and nitrogen oxide.

Your vehicle contains a sealed Li-ion high
voltage battery. If the Li-ion battery is
disposed of improperly, there is a risk of
severe burns and electrical shock that
may result in serious injury or death and
there is also a risk of environmental dam­age.

To prevent damage to the Li-ion battery:

• Do not expose a vehicle to extreme
ambient temperatures for extended
periods.

• Do not store a vehicle in temperatures
below −13°F (−25°C) for more than
seven days.

• Do not leave your vehicle for more than
14 days where the Li-ion battery avail­able charge gauge reaches a zero or
near zero (state of charge).

• Do not use the Li-ion battery for any
other purpose.

WARNING

CAUTION

EV-2 EV Overview

NOTE:

• If the outside temperature is −13°F
(−25°C) or less, the Li-ion battery may
freeze and it cannot be charged or provide
power to run the vehicle. Move the vehicle
to a warm location.

• The capacity of the Li-ion battery in your
vehicle to hold a charge will, like all such
batteries, decrease with time and usage.
As the battery ages and capacity de­creases, this will result in a decrease from
the vehicle’s initial mileage range. This is
normal, expected, and not indicative of
any defect in your Li-ion battery. NISSAN
estimates that battery capacity will be ap­proximately 80% of original capacity after
five years, although this is only an esti­mate, and this percentage may vary (and
could be significantly lower) depending
on individual vehicle and Li-ion battery
usage.

• The Li-ion battery has limited service life,
and when its charging capacity falls below
a specific level, the EV system warning
light will illuminate. Owners should bring
their vehicle in for inspection and possible
battery replacement.

• The Li-ion battery has a limited service
life. Contact a NISSAN certified LEAF
dealer for information about recycling or
disposal of the Li-ion battery. Do not at­tempt to recycle or dispose of the Li-ion
battery yourself.

DRIVING WITH A DISCHARGED
LI-ION BATTERY

When a destination is set in the navigation sys­tem that exceeds the available vehicle range, the
navigation system automatically searches the lo­cation of nearby charging stations. When the
nearby charging station locations are displayed,
charge the Li-ion battery as soon as possible
(models with navigation system).

Warning lights illuminate on the instrument panel
and messages are displayed on the vehicle infor­mation display to inform you that the Li-ion bat­tery charge is low. Instructions are also displayed
on the navigation system screen to direct you to
nearby charging stations (models with navigation
system).

The vehicle’s range is very limited when these
warning lights illuminate and messages are dis­played. Follow the instructions on the navigation
screen (models with navigation system) and im­mediately charge the vehicle at the nearest
charging station.

EV Overview EV-3

on the vehicle information display at the same
time to indicate low Li-ion battery charge:

• The low battery charge warning light

• The master warning light

• “Li-ion battery level is Low” warning message
is displayed on the vehicle information dis­play

• For additional information, refer to “Li-ion
battery low charge warning” in the “Instru­ments and controls” section of this manual.

• Messages are displayed on navigation sys­tem screen (if so equipped)

There are three levels of information that will be
displayed as the Li-ion battery becomes dis­charged:

1. The following warning lights illuminate on the
instrument panel and messages are displayed

EV-4 EV Overview

• The driving range flashes

䊊

1

.

NOTE:

Due to traffic conditions, it may be diffi­cult to get to the charging station sug­gested by the navigation system. If the
Li-ion battery is almost completely dis­charged, drive directly to the nearest
charging station (models with naviga­tion system).

2. If the vehicle is driven and the Li-ion battery
continues to discharge, the driving range on
the instrument panel changes to “—-”

Messages are displayed on the Navigation Sys­tem screen (if so equipped). For additional infor­mation, refer to “Low battery warning” in the “In­struments and controls” section of this manual.

3. When the power limitation indicator light

illuminates, traction motor output is lim­ited resulting in reduced vehicle speed. Stop
the vehicle in a safe location before the Li-ion
battery becomes completely discharged and
there is no power available to drive the ve-

䊊

2

.

hicle. Contact Roadside assistance service
shown in your NISSAN Warranty Information
Booklet. For additional information, refer to “If
the Li-ion battery becomes completely dis­charged” in the “In case of emergency” sec­tion of this manual.

CHARGING THE 12-VOLT BATTERY

The 12-volt battery is charged automatically us­ing electricity stored in the Li-ion battery.

When the 12-volt battery is being charged, the
charge status indicator light on the instrument
panel flashes (except when charging the Li-ion
battery or the power switch is in the READY to
drive position). For additional information, refer to
“Charge status indicator lights” in the “Charging”
section of this manual.

While vehicle is driven

The Li-ion battery charges the 12-volt battery as
necessary when the power switch is in the
READY to drive position or ON position.

The 12-volt battery is not charged in the following
conditions.

• When the power switch is in the ACC position.
When the power switch is in the ON position and

•
the shift position is in the N (Neutral) position.

While the vehicle is not in use

When the EV (Electric Vehicle) system is off for
an extended time, the 12-volt battery may be
automatically charged for a short period of time
on a regular basis.

LI-ION BATTERY WARMER (IF SO
EQUIPPED)

CAUTION

The Li-ion battery warmer does not oper­ate if the available Li-ion battery charge
is less than approximately 30% and the
charger is not connected to the vehicle.
To help prevent the Li-ion battery from
freezing, do not leave the vehicle in an
environment if temperatures may go be­low -1°F (-17°C) unless the vehicle is con­nected to a charger.

The Li-ion battery warmer helps to prevent the
Li-ion battery from freezing and helps to prevent
significant reductions in the Li-ion battery output
when the temperature is cold. The Li-ion battery
warmer automatically turns on when the Li-ion
battery temperature is approximately -1°F
(-17°C) or colder. The Li-ion battery warmer au­tomatically turns off when the Li-ion battery tem­perture is approximately 14°F (-10°C) or higher.

EV Overview EV-5

The Li-ion battery warmer uses electrical power
from an external source when a charger is con­nected to the vehicle. The Li-ion battery warmer
uses electrical power from the Li-ion battery
when the charger is not connected to the vehicle.

NOTE:

• Connect the charger to the vehicle and
place the power switch in the OFF posi­tion when parking the vehicle if tempera­tures may go below -1°F (-17°C). This pro­vides external power to the Li-ion battery
warmer when it operates and does not
discharge the Li-ion battery.

• The charging status indicator lights illumi­nate in a specific pattern when the Li-ion
battery warmer operates. The charging
status indicator lights use the same pat­tern to indicate 12-volt battery charging,
Climate Ctrl. Timer operation or Remote
Climate Control operation (models with
navigation system). The charging status
indicator lights do not change if the Li-ion
battery warmer operates at the same time
as the above features. For additional in­formation, refer to “Charge status indica­tor lights” in the “Charging” section of this
manual.

• The Li-ion battery warmer uses Li-ion bat­tery power to operate, even if the vehicle
is connected to a charger when:

– the vehicle’s power switch is in the ON

position.

– there is no electrical power being sup-

plied to the charging equipment.

• When the Li-ion battery warmer is already
in operation using an external power
source, it will continue to use the external
power even if the power switch is placed
in the ON position.

• Vehicle driving range is reduced if the
Li-ion battery warmer operates (Li-ion
battery temperature approximately -1°F
(-17°C) or colder) while driving the vehicle.
You may need to charge the Li-ion battery
sooner than in warmer temperatures.

• The Li-ion battery requires more time to
charge when the Li-ion battery warmer
operates.

• The predicted charging time displayed on
the meter and navigation system (models
with navigation system) increases when
the Li-ion battery warmer operates.

• Climate control performance is reduced
when using the Climate Ctrl. Timer or Re­mote Climate Control (models with navi­gation system) while the Li-ion battery
warmer operates.

• The Li-ion battery may not charge to the
expected level using the charging timer
when [Start Time] (models with navigation
system) and [End Time] are set while the
Li-ion battery warmer operates.

• Set the Charging Timer [End Time] when
charging in cold weather. The vehicle au­tomatically determines when to start
charging to fully charge the Li-ion battery,
even if the Li-ion battery warmer operates.
Charging ends before the set end time if
the Li-ion battery is fully charged.

EV-6 EV Overview

HIGH VOLTAGE PRECAUTIONS

HIGH-VOLTAGE COMPONENTS

WARNING

• The EV (Electric Vehicle) system uses
high voltage up to approximately DC
400 volt. The system can be hot during
and after starting and when the vehicle
is shut off. Be careful of both the high
voltage and the high temperature. Fol­low the warning labels that are at­tached to the vehicle.

• Never disassemble, remove or replace
high-voltage parts and cables as well
as their connectors because they can
cause severe burns or electric shock
that may result in serious injury or
death. High-voltage cables are colored
orange. The vehicle high voltage sys­tem has no user serviceable parts.
Take your vehicle to a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer for any necessary mainte­nance.

1. Traction motor and reduction gear

2. Traction motor inverter

3. Power delivery module (PDM) (Charger,
DC/DC Converter, Junction Box)

High-voltage wire harnesses (colored orange)

4.

5. Li-ion battery

6. Service plug

EV Overview EV-7

ROAD ACCIDENT PRECAUTIONS

WARNING

In case of a collision:

• If your vehicle is drivable, pull your
vehicle off the road, push the P (Park)
position switch on the shift lever, apply
the parking brake and turn the EV
(Electric Vehicle) system off.

• Check your vehicle to see if there are
exposed high-voltage parts or cables.
For their locations, refer to “High volt­age components” in this section. To
avoid personal injury, never touch
high-voltage wiring, connectors, and
other high-voltage parts, such as in­verter unit and Li-ion battery. An elec­tric shock may occur if exposed electric
wires are visible when viewed from
inside or outside of your vehicle.
Therefore, never touch exposed elec­tric wires.

• If the vehicle receives a strong impact
to the floor while driving, stop the ve­hicle in a safe location and check the
floor.

• Leaks or damage to the Li-ion battery
may result in a fire. If you discover
them, contact emergency services im­mediately. Since the fluid leak may be
lithium manganate from the Li-ion bat­tery, never touch the fluid leak inside
or outside the vehicle. If the fluid con­tacts your skin or eyes, wash it off
immediately with a large amount of
water and receive immediate medical
attention to help avoid serious injury.

• If a fire occurs in the EV (Electric Ve­hicle), leave the vehicle as soon as
possible. Only use a type ABC, BC or C
fire extinguisher that is meant for use
on electrical fires. Using a small
amount of water or the incorrect fire
extinguisher can result in serious in­jury or death from electrical shock.

• If your vehicle needs to be towed, do it
with the front wheels raised. If the
front wheels are on the ground when
towing, the traction motor may gener­ate electricity. This may damage the
components of the EV (Electric Ve­hicle) system and cause a fire.

• If you are not able to safely assess the
vehicle due to vehicle damage, do not
touch the vehicle. Leave the vehicle
and contact emergency services. Ad­vise first responders that this is an
electric vehicle.

• In the event of an accident that re­quires body repair and painting, the
vehicle should be delivered to a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer to have
the Li-ion battery pack and high volt­age parts such as the inverter, includ­ing the wiring harness, removed prior
to painting. Li-ion battery packs ex­posed to heat in the paint booth will
experience capacity loss. Damaged Li­ion battery packs may also pose safety
risks to untrained mechanics and re­pair personnel.

EV-8 EV Overview

EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF SYSTEM

The emergency shut-off system is activated and
the high-voltage system automatically turns off in
the following conditions:

- Front and side collisions in which the air bags
are deployed.

- Certain rear collisions.

- Certain EV (Electric Vehicle) system malfunc­tions

For the above collisions and certain other EV
system malfunctions, the READY to drive indica­tor light will turn off. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights and au­dible reminders” in the “Instruments and con­trols” section of this manual.

The emergency shut-off activates for the above
collisions to minimize risk of an event that could
cause injury or an accident. If the emergency shut­off system activates, the EV system may not be
switched to the READY to drive position; contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer. Even if the power
switch is switched to the READY to drive position,
the system may shut-off suddenly. Therefore, drive
cautiously to the nearest NISSAN certified LEAF
dealer or contact a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer
as soon as possible.

EV (ELECTRIC VEHICLE)
CHARACTERISTICS

WARNING

• Pay special attention to pedestrians.
Because there is no engine noise, pe­destrians may not know the vehicle is
approaching, moving or about to
move, and may step into the path of
vehicle travel.

• When leaving the vehicle, be sure to
turn off the EV (Electric Vehicle) sys­tem.

• Be sure to push the P (Park) position
switch on the shift lever and apply the
parking brake when parking because
the vehicle can move when the READY
to drive indicator light is ON. When the
READY to drive indicator light is ON,
do not leave your vehicle in a shift
position other than the P (Park) posi­tion.

• Keep the brake pedal depressed until
you are ready to drive. When the ve­hicle is in the D (Drive) position, B or R
(Reverse) position, if you release the
brake pedal and do not depress the
accelerator, the vehicle will creep and
may start abruptly. This may cause se­rious injury or death.

NOTE:

• The vehicle cannot run with a discharged
Li-ion battery. Repeated acceleration con­sumes more power from the Li-ion battery
than driving at a steady speed.

•

This vehicle is equipped with a regenerative
brake system. The primary purpose of the
regenerative brake system is to provide
some power to recharge the Li-ion battery
and extend driving range. A secondary ben­efit is “engine braking” that operates based
on Li-ion battery conditions.

•

In the D (Drive) position, when the accelera­tor pedal is released, the regenerative
brake system provides some deceleration.

• When you put the shift lever in the B
position and take your foot off the accel­erator pedal, more regenerative brake is
applied than in the D (Drive) position.

EV Overview EV-9

• Less deceleration is provided by the re­generative brake system when the Li-ion
battery is fully charged. The regenerative
brake is automatically reduced when the
Li-ion battery is fully charged to prevent
the Li-ion battery from becoming over­charged. The regenerative brake is also
automatically reduced when the battery
temperature is high/low (indicated by the
red/blue zones on the Li-ion battery tem­perature gauge) to prevent Li-ion battery
damage.

• The brake pedal should be used to slow or
stop the vehicle depending on traffic or
road conditions. The vehicle brakes are
not affected by the regenerative brake
system operation.

NOISE AND VIBRATION

You might experience the following noise or vi­bration as a normal characteristic of this vehicle.

• Traction motor noise from the motor
compartment.

• Water pump and radiator fan noise while
charging.

• Compressor and radiator fan noise when the
Climate Ctrl. Timer or remote climate control
(models with navigation system) is used.

• Relay operation noise and vibration at start-up
and shut-down of the EV (Electric Vehicle) sys­tem (power switch placed in the ON and OFF
position).

• Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians
(VSP).

LIFE WITH AN EV (SCENE GUIDE)

This section provides a brief explanation for the
most important LEAF functions. For additional
information, refer to the specific sections of this
manual for detailed explanations of the vehicle
features and operation.

CHARGING THE LI-ION BATTERY

WARNING

The EV (Electric Vehicle) system uses a
high voltage current. Failure to follow the
proper handling instructions may cause
serious injury or death. Be sure to read
the “Charging” section and follow the
procedures and guidelines described.

EV-10 EV Overview

EV Overview EV-11