2013 NISSAN LEAF Owners Manual

Seat belts:Check that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, adjusters
and retractors) operate properly and smoothly,
and are installed securely. Check the belt web-
bing for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Steering wheel: Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive free play,
hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes: Make sure that all
warning lights and chimes are operating properly.
Windshield defroster: Check that the air emits
from the defroster outlets properly and in suffi-
cient quantity when operating the heater or air
conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*: Check that
the wipers and washers operate properly and
that the wipers do not streak.
Under hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically.
12-volt battery (for serviceable battery)*:
Check the fluid level in each cell.
It should be between the MAX and MIN lines.
Vehicles operated in high temperatures or under severe conditions require frequent checks of the
12-volt battery fluid level.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic ac-
cessories that consume battery power when
the engine is not running (Phone chargers,
GPS, DVD players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to be
charged to maintain battery health.
Brake fluid level*: Make sure that the brake
fluid level is between the MAX and MIN lines on
the reservoir.
Coolant level*: Check the coolant level when
the motor compartment is cold.
Fluid leaks: Check under the vehicle for water
or other fluid leaks after the vehicle has been
parked for a short period of time. Water dripping
from the air conditioner after use is normal. If you
notice any leaks, check for the cause and have it
corrected immediately. Radiator and hoses:
Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects, leaves,
etc., that may have accumulated. Make sure that
the hoses have no cracks, deformation, rot or
loose connections.
Underbody: The underbody is frequently ex-
posed to corrosive substances such as those
used on icy roads or to control dust. It is very
important to remove these substances, other-
wise rust will form on the floor pan and frame. At
the end of winter, the underbody should be thor-
oughly flushed with plain water, being careful to
clean those areas where mud and dirt may accu-
mulate. For additional information, see Cleaning
exterior in theAppearance and care section.
Windshield washer fluid*: Check that there is
an adequate amount of fluid in the reservoir.
8-4Maintenance and do-it yourself

When performing any inspection or maintenance
work on your vehicle, always take care to prevent
serious accidental injury to yourself or damage to
the vehicle. The following are general precau-
tions that should be closely observed.
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.
Obey the labels that are attached to
the vehicle.
Never disassemble, remove or replace high-voltage parts and cables as well
as their connectors. High-voltage
cables are colored orange.
Disassembling, removing or replacing those parts or cables can cause severe
burns or electric shock that may result
in serious injury or death. The vehicle
high voltage system has no user ser-
viceable parts. Take your vehicle to the
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for any
necessary maintenance. Park the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely and
chock the wheels to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. Push the P (Park)
position switch on the selector lever or
place the vehicle into the N (Neutral)
position.
If you must work with the EV (Electric vehicle) system is turned on, keep
hands, clothing, hair and tools away
from moving fans and any other mov-
ing parts.
Make sure that the power switch is in the OFF or LOCK position when per-
forming any part replacement or re-
pairs.
It is advisable to secure or remove any loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your vehicle.
Never get under the vehicle while it is supported only by a jack. If it is neces-
sary to work under the vehicle, support
it with safety stands.
Keep smoking materials, flames and sparks away from the 12-volt battery.
CAUTION
Do not work under the hood while the motor compartment is hot. Push the
power switch in the OFF position and
wait until it cools down.
Avoid direct contact with used coolant. Improperly disposed coolant and/or
other vehicle fluids can damage the
environment. Always conform to local
regulations for the disposal of vehicle
fluids.
Never connect or disconnect the bat- tery or any transistorized component
while the power switch is in the ON
position.
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto- matic cooling fan. It may come on at
any time without warning, even if the
power switch is not in the ACC, ON or
READY to drive position. To avoid in-
jury, always disconnect the negative
12-volt battery cable before working
near the fan.
Before performing any electrical main- tenance work on the vehicle such as
the battery, fuses or bulb replacement,
confirm the following:
– The charge connector is removedfrom the vehicle.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-5

– The Climate Ctrl. Timer and remoteclimate control are not active or op-
erating. See A/C-Heater Timer (Cli-
mete Ctrl. Timer) andRemote cli-
mate control in theVentilators and
climate control systems
section.
– The 12-volt battery is not being charged by the Li-ion battery and
that all charging status indicator
lights are off, see Charging the 12-
volt battery in theEV overview
section and Charge status indicator
light in the Charging
section.
The power switch is in the OFF posi- tion. Place the power switch in the ON
position and then in the OFF position
to prevent the 12-volt battery auto-
matically being charged by the Li-ion
battery. See Charging the 12-volt bat-
tery in the EV overview
section.
The “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
gives instructions regarding only those items that
are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A genuine NISSAN Service Manual is also avail-
able. See Owner’s manual/service manual order
information in theTechnical and consumer in-
formation section. You should be aware that incomplete or improper
servicing may result in operating difficulties and
could affect your warranty coverage.
If in doubt
about any servicing, we recommend that it
be done by a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer.
8-6Maintenance and do-it yourself

1. Brake fluid reservoir
2. 12-volt battery
3. Fuse/fusible link holder
4. Fuse/fusible link holder5. Coolant tank cap
6. Window washer fluid reservoir
7. Fuse/fusible link holderThe cooling system is filled at the factory with a
pre-diluted mixture of 50% genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and 50%
water to provide year-round anti-freeze and cool-
ant protection. The antifreeze solution contains
rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional cooling
system additives are not necessary.
WARNING
Never remove the coolant tank cap when the motor compartment is hot.
Wait until the motor compartment cool
down.
The coolant tank is equipped with a special type coolant tank cap. To pre-
vent damage to the motor compart-
ment, use only a Genuine NISSAN
coolant tank cap.
CAUTION
Never use any additives in the coolant such as radiator sealer in the cooling
system. This may cause damage to
electrical equipment such as the mo-
tor and inverter.
MOTOR COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS COOLING SYSTEM
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-7

When adding or replacing coolant, besure to use only a Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-
diluted to provide antifreeze protec-
tion to 34°F (37°C) . If additional
freeze protection is needed due to the
weather conditions where you operate
your vehicle, add Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
concentrate following the directions
on the container. If and equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is
used, follow the coolant manufac-
ture’s instructions to maintain mini-
mum antifreeze protection to 34°F
(37°C) . The use of other types of
coolant solutions other than Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) or equivalent may damage the
cooling system. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 125,000 miles (200,000 km)
or 15 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) ,
including Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (green) , or the use
of non-distilled water will reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-filled
coolant. Refer to the NISSAN Service
and Maintenance Guide for more de-
tails.
CHECKING COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir when
the high voltage parts are cold. If the coolant
level is below the MIN level
2, open the reservoir
cap and add coolant up to the MAX level
1.If
the reservoir is empty, check the coolant level in
the coolant tank when the high voltage parts
are cold. If there is insufficient coolant in the
coolant tank, fill the coolant tank with coolant up
to the reservoir cap opening and also add it to the
reservoir up to the MAX level
1.
Tighten the cap securely after adding coolant.
8-8Maintenance and do-it yourself

If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked by a NISSAN cer-
tified LEAF dealer.
CHANGING COOLANT
Major cooling system repairs should be per-
formed by a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer. The
service procedures can be found in the appropri-
ate NISSAN Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance.
WARNING
To avoid the danger of being scalded, never change the coolant when the
motor compartment is hot.
Never remove the coolant tank cap when the motor compartment is hot.
Serious burns could be caused by
high-pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator.
Avoid direct skin contact with used coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
Keep coolant out of reach of children and pets. Coolant must be disposed of properly. Check
your local regulations.
When checking or replacement is required, we
recommend a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for
servicing.
CAUTION
Use only Genuine NISSAN Matic Fluid S. Do not mix with other fluids.
Using reduction gear fluid other than Genuine NISSAN Matic Fluid S will
damage the reduction gear, which is
not covered by the NISSAN new ve-
hicle limited warranty.
REDUCTION GEAR FLUID
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-9

For additional brake fluid information, seeCa-
pacities and recommended lubricants in the
Technical and consumer information section of
this manual.
WARNING
Use only new fluid from a sealed con- tainer. Old, inferior or contaminated
fluid may damage the brake system.
The use of improper fluids can damage
the brake system, and affect the vehi-
cle’s stopping ability.
Clean the filler cap before removing.
Brake fluid is poisonous and should be stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
Do not spill the fluid on any painted sur-
faces. This will damage the paint. If fluid
is spilled, immediately wash the surface
with water. Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the fluid is
below the MIN line
1or the brake warning light
illuminates, add Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy
Duty Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT 3fluid up to
the MAX line
2. If fluid must be added fre-
quently, the system should be checked by a
NISSAN certified LEAF dealer. Except for Canada
To check the fluid level, use your finger to plug the
center hole
1of the cap/tube assembly, then
remove it from the reservoir. If there is no fluid in
the tube, add fluid.
For Canada
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir periodically.
Add window washer fluid when the low washer
fluid warning appears on the dot matrix liquid
crystal display. (See 9. Low washer warning (if
so equipped) in theInstruments and controls
section.)
BRAKE FLUID WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-10Maintenance and do-it yourself

To fill the window washer fluid reservoir, lift the
cap and pour the window washer fluid into the
reservoir opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a windshield
washer antifreeze. Follow the manufacturer’s in-
structions for the mixture ratio.
Fill the window washer fluid reservoir periodically.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when driving
conditions require an increased amount of win-
dow washer fluid.
Recommended fluid:
Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concen-
trate Cleaner & Antifreeze or equivalent
CAUTION
Do not substitute anti-freeze coolant for window washer solution. This may
result in damage to the paint.
Do not fill the window washer reservoir tank with washer fluid concentrates at
full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the window washer reser-
voir tank. Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates
with water to the manufacturer’s rec-
ommended levels before pouring the
fluid into the window washer reservoir
tank. Do not use the window washer
reservoir tank to mix the washer fluid
concentrate and water. Keep the 12-volt battery surface clean and dry.
Clean the 12-volt battery with a solution of
baking soda and water.
Make certain the terminal connections are clean and securely tightened.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic ac- cessories that consume battery power when
the engine is not running (Phone chargers,
GPS, DVD players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to be
charged to maintain battery health.
WARNING
Do not expose the 12-volt battery to flames or electrical sparks. Hydrogen
gas generated by the 12-volt battery is
explosive. Do not allow 12-volt battery
fluid to contact your skin, eyes, fabrics
or painted surfaces. After touching a
12-volt battery or 12-volt battery cap,
12-VOLT BATTERY
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-11