When you put the shif t lever in the B mode
and take your foot off the accelerator
pedal, more regenerative brake is applied
than in the D (Drive) position. However, dur-
ing high-speed driving you may feel that
regenerative brake provides less decelera-
tion than the engine braking in an ordinary
vehicle. This is normal.
Less deceleration is provided by the regen-
erative brake system when the Li-ion bat-
tery is fully charged. Regenerative brake is
automatically reduced when the Li-ion
battery is fully charged to prevent the Li-ion
battery from becoming overcharged. Re-
generative brake is also automatically re-
duced when the battery temperature is
high/low (indicated by the red/blue zones
on the battery temperature gauge) to pre-
vent 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 regenerative brake system
operation.NOTE:
• When applying the regenerativebrakes, you may hear a sound coming
from the regenerative brake system.
This is a normal operating characteris-
tic of an EV.
• If the power switch position is in a po- sition other than ON or READY to drive,
you can stop the vehicle by depressing
the brake pedal. However, greater foot
pressure on the brake pedal will be re-
quired to stop the vehicle, and the
stopping distance will be longer.
• When depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal feel will not be smooth or
may change when the cooperative re-
generative brake system activates.
However, the electronically controlled
brake system is operating normally
and this does not indicate a
malfunction.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will cause overheating of
the brakes, wearing out of the brake pads
and shoes faster, and will reduce driving
range. To help reduce brake wear, and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and select B mode before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and
could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
• While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking or accelerat-
ing. Abrupt braking or accelerating
could cause the wheels to skid, which
could result in an accident.
• If the brake pedal is depressed with
the EV system OFF, you may feel an
increased brake pedal effort and a
decreased pedal stroke. If the BRAKE
warning light does not illuminate
and the brake pedal feels like it has
returned to its normal state af ter the
EV system is started, this indicates
that there is no malfunction and the
vehicle can be operated normally.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet. As
a result, the braking distance will be longer
and the vehicle may pull to one side during
braking.
5-162Starting and driving
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly tapping the brake pedal
to heat up the brakes. Do this until the
brakes return to normal. Avoid driving the
vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
have dried.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or rotors are replaced, in order
to assure the best braking performance.
This procedure is described in the Genuine
NISSAN Service Manual, and it can be per-
formed by a certified repair facility. It is rec-
ommended that you visit a NISSAN certi-
fied LEAF dealer.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS)
WARNING
• The ABS is a sophisticated device, but
it cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that stop-
ping distances on slippery surfaces
will be longer than on normal sur-
faces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if
you are using tire chains. Always
maintain a safe distance from the ve-
hicle in front of you. Ultimately, the
driver is responsible for safety.
• Tire type and condition may also af-
fect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
– For additional information, see
“Wheels and tires” (P. 8-25). The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels
do not lock during hard braking or when
braking on slippery surfaces. The system
detects the rotation speed at each wheel
and varies the brake fluid pressure to pre-
vent each wheel from locking and sliding.
By preventing each wheel from locking, the
system helps the driver maintain steering
control and helps to minimize swerving
and spinning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
Anti-lock Braking System will operate to
prevent the wheels from locking up. Steer
the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping
distances.
Starting and driving5-163
•The system may not detect the fol-
lowing objects: fluff y objects such as
snow, cloth, cotton, glass, wool, etc.,
and thin objects such as rope, wire
and chain, etc., or wedge-shaped
objects.
If your vehicle sustains damage to the rear
bumper fascia, leaving it misaligned or
bent, the sensing zone may be altered
causing inaccurate measurement of ob-
stacles or false alarms.
CAUTION
• Excessive noise (such as audio sys-
tem volume or an open vehicle win-
dow) will interfere with the tone and
it may not be heard.
• Keep the sonar sensors (located on
the bumper fascia) free from snow,
ice and large accumulations of dirt.
Do not clean the sensors with sharp
objects. If the sensors are covered,
the accuracy of the sonar function
will be diminished.
SYSTEM OPERATION
The system informs with a visual and au-
dible alert of rear obstacles when the shif t
lever is in the R (Reverse) position. Sonar Operation Table
RR Sensor
Range Sound Display Px †
Roo
Nx † Dx †
o – Display/Beep when detect
† – Display on camera view
x – No Display and Beep
The system is deactivated at speeds above
6 mph (10 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
The intermittent tone will stop af ter 3 sec-
onds when an obstacle is detected by only
the corner sensor and the distance does
not change. The tone will stop if the ob-
stacle moves away from the vehicle or if
the vehicle moves away from the obstacle.
When the object is detected, the indicator
(green) appears and blinks and the tone
sounds intermittently. When the vehicle
moves closer to the object, the color of the
indicator turns yellow and the rate of the
blinking increases. When the vehicle is very
close to the object, the indicator stops blinking and turns red, and the tone
sounds continuously.
When the corner of the vehicle moves
closer to an object, the corner sonar indi-
cator
OAappears. When the center of the
vehicle moves close to an object, the cen-
ter sonar indicator
OBappears
LSD3773
Starting and driving5-169
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The sonar sensorsO1are located on the
rear bumper. Always keep the area near
the sonar sensors clean.
The sonar sensors may be blocked by tem-
porary ambient conditions such as splash-
ing water, mist or fog.
The blocked condition may also be caused
by objects such as ice, frost or dirt ob-
structing the sonar sensors.
Check for and remove objects obstructing
the area around the sonar sensors. Do not attach stickers (including transpar-
ent material), install accessories or apply
additional paint near the sonar sensors.
Do not strike or damage the area around
the sonar sensors. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN dealer if the area around
the sonar sensors is damaged due to a
collision.
WARNING
• Never rely solely on the hill start as-
sist system to prevent the vehicle
from moving backward on a hill. Al-
ways drive carefully and attentively.
Depress the brake pedal when the
vehicle is stopped on a steep hill. Be
especially careful when stopped on a
hill on frozen or muddy roads. Failure
to prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards may result in a loss of
control of the vehicle and possible
serious injury or death.
• The hill start assist system is not de-
signed to hold the vehicle at a stand-
still on a hill. Depress the brake pedal
when the vehicle is stopped on a
steep hill. Failure to do so may cause
the vehicle to roll backwards and
may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
• The hill start assist may not prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards
on a hill under all load or road condi-
tions. Always be prepared to depress
the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from rolling backwards. Failure
to do so may result in a collision or
serious personal injury.
LSD2843
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM
5-172Starting and driving
The hill start assist system automatically
keeps the brakes applied to help prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards in the
time it takes the driver to release the brake
pedal and apply the accelerator when the
vehicle is stopped on a hill.
Hill start assist will operate automatically
under the following conditions:
• The shif t lever is placed in the D (Drive), Bmode, or R (Reverse) position.
• The vehicle is stopped completely on a hill by applying the brake.
The maximum holding time is 2 seconds.
Af ter 2 seconds the vehicle will begin to roll
back and hill start assist will stop operating
completely.
Hill start assist will not operate when the
shif t lever is placed in the N (Neutral) or P
(Park) position or on a flat and level road.CAUTION
To prevent damage to the Li-ion bat-
tery: Do not store the vehicle in tem-
peratures below -13°F (-25°C) for over
seven days. 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.
NOTE:
• Connect the charger to the vehicle and place the power switch in the OFF po-
sition when parking the vehicle if tem-
peratures may go below -4°F (-20°C).
For models with 40 kWh battery
model, this provides external power to
the Li-ion battery warmer (if so
equipped) when it operates and does
not discharge the Li-ion battery. Ve-
hicle driving range is reduced if the Li-
ion battery warmer (if so equipped) op-
erates (Li-ion battery temperature
approximately -4°F (-20°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 (if so equipped) operates. • The predicted charging time displayed
on the meter and navigation system (if
so equipped) increases when the Li-ion
battery warmer (if so equipped)
operates.
• Vehicle range may be substantially re- duced in extremely cold conditions (for
example under -4°F (-20°C)).
• Using the climate control system to heat the cabin when outside tempera-
ture is below 32°F (0°C) uses more elec-
tricity and affects vehicle range more
than when using the heater when the
temperature is above 32°F (0°C).
• Climate control performance is re- duced when using the Climate Ctrl.
Timer or Remote Climate Control while
the Li-ion battery warmer (if so
equipped) operates (for models with
40 kWh battery model). Set only the
charging timer [End Time] when charg-
ing in cold weather. The vehicle auto-
matically determines when to start
charging to fully charge the Li-ion bat-
tery, even if the Li-ion battery warmer
operates. Charging ends before the set
end time if the Li-ion battery is fully
charged.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
Starting and driving5-173
•Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry
pavement.
• Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
• Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while on
the ice, and avoid any sudden steer-
ing maneuvers.
• Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
FREEING A FROZEN CHARGE PORT
LID
When the charge port is frozen, melt the ice
using a hair dryer.
PARKING BRAKE
CAUTION
• When parking in an area where the
outside temperature is below 32°F
(0°C), the parking brake, if applied,
may freeze in place and may be diffi-
cult to release.
• For safe parking, it is recommended
that you place the shif t lever in the P
(Park) position and securely block
the wheels.
Starting and driving5-175
CAUTION
• Always connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (−) to body
ground (for example, as illustrated),
not to the 12-volt battery.
• Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the motor
compartment and that the cable
clamps do not contact any other
metal.
8. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
OB.
9. While the booster vehicle
OBengine is
running, place the EV system in the
READY to drive position.
CAUTION
If the system does not start right away,
push the power switch to the OFF posi-
tion and wait 10 seconds before trying
again.
10. Af ter starting your EV system, carefully disconnect the negative cable and
then the positive cable (
O4→O3→O2
→O1) and keep in the READY to drive
position over 20 minutes to charge the
12-volt battery. 11. If necessary, connect the vehicle to a
charging station or EVSE (Electric Ve-
hicle Supply Equipment) to charge the
Li-ion battery. Be sure to read the
“Charging” section and follow the proce-
dures and guidelines described. The ve-
hicle cannot be driven until the Li-ion
battery is charged.
12. Af ter jump starting your vehicle it is rec- ommended you visit a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer to have the 12V battery
tested.
NOTE:
If it is not possible to turn the system ON
by following this procedure, it is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer immediately. If the power limitation indicator light
illuminates, the 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 no power is available to drive
the vehicle. Contact Roadside assistance;
refer to a NISSAN Warranty Information
Booklet.
If possible, place the power switch in the
OFF position while waiting for assistance to
prevent discharging the 12-volt battery.
NOTE:
If the Li-ion battery becomes completely
discharged:
• The vehicle is automatically placed in
the ON position and it will not be pos-
sible to switch to the READY to drive
position.
• The vehicle is automatically switched to the N (Neutral) position and it will not
be possible to drive the vehicle.
IF THE LI-ION BATTERY BECOMES
COMPLETELY DISCHARGED
6-12In case of emergency
WARNING
If the vehicle is in the N (Neutral) posi-
tion and the Li-ion battery and the 12-
volt battery become completely dis-
charged, the vehicle cannot be placed
in the P (Park) position. If this occurs,
place suitable blocks at both the front
and back of a wheel to prevent the ve-
hicle from moving. Failure to block a
wheel may allow the vehicle to move
unexpectedly which may result in seri-
ous personal injury or death.
To place the vehicle in the READY to drive
position so the vehicle can be driven,
charge the Li-ion battery until the driving
range on the instrument panel changes
from “---” to a numeric distance.
NOTE:
• Some vibration may occur when the vehicle is stopped in case the Li-ion
battery becomes completely dis-
charged. This is not the malfunction of
the system.
• If the Li-ion battery is completely dis- charged, it is required to charge until
the low battery charge warning light
turns off (white) from on (yellow). Do not attempt to start the system by
pushing the vehicle.
CAUTION
An EV cannot be push-started or tow-
started. Attempting to do so may cause
traction motor damage. When towing your vehicle, all State (Provin-
cial in Canada) and local regulations for
towing must be followed.
Incorrect towing equipment could dam-
age your vehicle. Towing instructions are
available from a NISSAN certified LEAF
dealer. Local service operators are familiar
with the applicable laws and procedures
for towing. To assure proper towing and to
prevent accidental damage to your vehicle,
NISSAN recommends that you have a ser-
vice operator tow your vehicle. It is advis-
able to have the service operator carefully
read the following precautions.
WARNING
• Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
• Never get under your vehicle af ter it
has been lif ted by a tow truck.
PUSH STARTING TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
In case of emergency6-13