2011 NISSAN LEAF battery

To start charging:
1. Push the P position switch to place thevehicle in the P (Park) position and apply the
electric parking brake.
2. When charging the Li-ion battery, place the power switch in the OFF position. When the
power switch is in the ON position, the Li-
ion battery will not start charging.
3. Open the charge port lid and charge port cap. See “Charge port lid” and “Charge port
cap” in the “3. Pre-driving checks and
adjustments” section.
CAUTION
.Be sure to insert the charge con-
nector straight into the quick charge
port right up to the base. Failure to
do so may result in the Li-ion battery
not charging or could cause damage
to the charging equipment.

12-volt battery charge
warning light2-13

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 heater (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 ........................................ EV-13
Starting your vehicle .................................................... EV-16 Driving the vehicle ..................................................... EV-17
At home after driving ................................................. EV-21
Efficient use of your vehicle ............................................ EV-22
Range ............................................................................ EV-22
Improve driving range ............................................... EV-22
Li-ion battery life ......................................................... EV-23
Li-ion battery maintenance ...................................... EV-23
EV unique information ...................................................... EV-24 Meters and indicators ............................................... EV-24
Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians
(VSP) system .............................................................. EV-27
Electric shift control system .................................... EV-29
Electric parking brake ............................................... EV-29
LED headlight (low beam) ....................................... EV-29
Solar cell module (if so equipped) ........................ EV-30
Driving range button ................................................ EV-30

WARNING
Your vehicle contains a sealed Li-ion
high voltage battery. If the Li-ion bat-
tery 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.

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 dis-
charged and there is no power available to
drive the vehicle. Contact Roadside assis-
tance service shown in your NISSAN
Warranty Information Booklet. See “If the
Li-ion battery becomes completely dis-
charged” in the “6. In case of emergency”
section.

CHARGING THE 12-VOLT BATTERY
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.
While the vehicle is not in use
When the EV (Electric Vehicle) system is off, the
12-volt battery charges automatically for 5
minutes every 5 days.
The charge timing resets to 5 days without
charging the 12-volt battery if:
.The vehicle is placed in the READY to drive
position for more than 5 minutes.
. The Li-ion battery is charged for more than 5
minutes.
When charging the 12-volt battery, the charge
status indicator light on the instrument panel
illuminates. See “Charging status indicator
lights” in the “CH. Charging” section.
LI-ION BATTERY HEATER (if so
equipped)
CAUTION
The Li-ion battery heater 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 tempera-
tures may go below -48F (-208C) unless
the vehicle is connected to a charger.
The Li-ion battery heater 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
heater automatically turns on when the Li-ion
battery temperature is approximately -48 F
(-208C) or colder. The Li-ion battery heater
automatically turns off when the Li-ion battery
temperture is approximately 148F (-108C) or
higher.
The Li-ion battery heater uses electrical power
from an external source when a charger is
connected to the vehicle. The Li-ion battery
heater 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 -48 F
(-208C) . This provides external power
to the Li-ion battery heater 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 heater operates. The
charging status indicator lights use the
same pattern to indicate 12-volt battery
charging, A/C-Heater Timer (Climate
Ctrl. Timer) operation or Remote Cli-
mate Control operation. The charging
status indicator lights do not change if
the Li-ion battery heater operates at
the same time as the above features.
See “Charging status indicator lights”
in the “CH. Charging” section.
. The Li-ion battery heater uses Li-ion
battery power to operate, even if the
vehicle is connected to a charger when:
EV OverviewEV-5

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 selec-
tor 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, see
“High-voltage components” earlier
in this section. To avoid personal
injury, never touch high-voltage wir-
ing, 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. There-
fore, 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 manga-
nate from the Li-ion battery, never
touch the fluid leak inside or out-
side the vehicle. If the fluid contacts
your skin or eyes, wash it off
immediately with a large amount of
water and receive immediate medi-
cal 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 ser-
vices. Advise 1st 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 har-
ness, removed prior to painting. Li-
ion battery packs exposed to heat in
the paint booth will experience
capacity loss. Damaged Li-ion bat-
tery packs may also pose safety
risks to untrained mechanics and
repair personnel.
ROAD ACCIDENT PRECAUTIONS

ging the Li-ion battery.
If the light illuminates when the EV system
becomes hot due to continuous hill climbing
either continue driving at a slower safe speed, or
stop the vehicle in a safe location. If this
indicator does not turn off, contact a NISSAN
certified dealer.
If the indicator illuminate when a part in the EV
system has malfunctioned. If the indicator
illuminates in a situation other than those
described above, or if it does not turn off, there
may be a system malfunction. Contact a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.