2014 NISSAN LEAF Owners Manual

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 shift 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 removed
from the vehicle.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-5

– The Climate Ctrl. Timer and remote
climate control are not active or op-
erating. See “A/C-Heater Timer (Cli-
mate Ctrl. Timer)” and “Remote cli-
mate control” in the “Ventilators 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 the “EV overview”
section and “Charge status indica-
tor 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 the “Technical 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 holder
5. Coolant tank cap
6. Window washer fluid reservoir
7. Fuse/fusible link holder
MOTOR COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-7

The cooling system is filled at the factory with a
pre-diluted mixture of 50% genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and 50% wa-
ter to provide year-round anti-freeze and coolant
protection. The antifreeze solution contains rust
and corrosion inhibitors. Additional cooling sys-
tem 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 motor
and inverter.• When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure 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 manufacture’s
instructions to maintain minimum an-
tifreeze protection to −34°F (−37°C) .
The use of other types of coolant solu-
tions 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.
COOLING SYSTEM
8-8Maintenance and do-it yourself

CHECKING COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin 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 tankwhen 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.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.
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-9

When checking or replacement is required, we
recommend a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for
servicing.
CAUTION
• Use only Genuine NISSAN Matic S
ATF. Do not mix with other fluids.
• Using reduction gear fluid other than
Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF will
damage the reduction gear, which is
not covered by the NISSAN new ve-
hicle limited warranty.For additional brake fluid information, see “Ca-
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 equivalentDOT 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.
REDUCTION GEAR FLUID BRAKE FLUID
8-10Maintenance and do-it yourself

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 vehicle information
display. (See “Low washer warning (if so
equipped)” in the “Instruments and controls” sec-
tion.)
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.
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
Maintenance and do-it yourself8-11

• 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,
do not touch or rub your eyes. Thor-
oughly wash your hands. If the acid
contacts your eyes, skin or clothing,
immediately flush with water for at
least 15 minutes and seek medical at-
tention.
• Do not operate the vehicle if the fluid
in the 12-volt battery is low. Low 12-
volt battery fluid can cause a higher
load on the 12-volt battery which can
generate heat, reduce battery life, and
in some cases lead to an explosion.
• When working on or near a 12-volt
battery, always wear suitable eye pro-
tection and remove all jewelry.
• 12-volt battery posts, terminals and re-
lated accessories contain lead and
lead compounds. Wash hands after
handling.
• Keep the 12-volt battery out of the
reach of children.Check the fluid level in each cell. It should be
between the UPPER LEVEL
1and LOWER
LEVEL
2lines.
If it is necessary to add fluid, add only distilled
water to bring the level to the indicator in each
filler opening.Do not overfill.
12-VOLT BATTERY
8-12Maintenance and do-it yourself