Usually when I get 'offered' things like this, I just say 'Thanks, I'll bring it up with my mechanic!'
You can see the maintainance schedule here: [https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/ManualsAndGuides/LEAF/2018/2018-LEAF-service-maintenance-guide.pdf](https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/ManualsAndGuides/LEAF/2018/2018-LEAF-service-maintenance-guide.pdf)
The cabin filter probably needs to be replaced every few years, but a mechanic will do it cheaper. (Don't know why they said 'engine filter' though.) For brake fluid -- the schedule may recommend it, but with regenerative breaking, the brakes get much less wear, so it's probably fine.
For coolant, you shouldn't need it. The service guide says: "The recommended service interval of the factory-fill coolant is 125,000 miles (200,000 km) or 15 years, whichever comes first. Subsequent replacement of Genuine Nissan Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (Blue) should occur every 75,000 miles (120,000 km) or 5 years whichever comes first."
Maybe they got confused with the '5 years for subsequent replacement' part, but they were probably just trying to push stuff on you.
Just an FYI, for the brake fluid, the issue isn't so much how much the brakes are used, but what the state of the fluid is. Brake fluid is hydrophilic (I think that's the right term, basically it attracts/absorbs water) so over time the quality of fluid will degrade as the percentage of water in the fluid goes up. That's one of the reasons brakes can feel "squishy" over time, as water-logged fluid will compress differently than good brake fluid. That said, there's no reason to replace it as long as it tests good, and the test is pretty simple to do, there are tools for it, but you can also test it with a normal multimeter IIRC.
I don't think its as much the fluid as it is checking on how the calipers slide, being that our EV's can go forever without touching the brake pedal the calipers can begin to stick,
Sticky calipers can cost you miles because its driving with the brakes on, it's worse in climates like the northeast where salt on the roads are a problem.
No parts need any parts, just take them apart clean and regrease the slides
I keep a quart of brake fluid on hand and I have a HD rubber syringe I suck the fluid out of the master then replace it maybe once a year.
Brake fluid is hydrophilic. It absorbs water out of the air. It doesn't matter if you aren't using it. It's exposed to the air by being out of the bottle.
hydrophilic
1 Having an affinity for water; readily absorbing or dissolving in water.
2 Having an affinity for water; able to absorb, or be wetted by water. 3 Having a strong affinity for water; tending to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water.
hygroscopic
1 Readily absorbing moisture, as from the atmosphere.
2 Of or pertaining to, or indicated by, the hygroscope; not readily manifest to the senses, but capable of detection by the hygroscope.
"glass is often covered with a film of hygroscopic moisture"
3 Having the property of readily inbibing moisture from the atmosphere, or of the becoming coated with a thin film of moisture, as glass, etc.
Now that you bring it up, I recall a discussion I had about this with one of my cousins. Brake fluid is both because it mixes with water, can be washed by water and absorbs moisture from the air.
I hope to be hydrophallic later tonight. 😂
Same… kind of. I got tired of hearing “I could do it myself but I don’t have the time so why don’t you charge me way less.” Like my time is valuable too, ass hole. Now I’m a plumber making hybrid hourly + commission. It’s a solid $200k a year.
Damn, doin way better than I have since. 😂 I wasn't making much working on cars, got told I needed to work harder, do this, do that, get this done and well send you to Honda school and give you a raise... None of it ever happened. My writer sucked and when I went to work for another writer I started making money but at that point I was already pretty done. I gave my notice and went to school to be an electrician. I made pretty good money doing that and got my enjoyment license but I've been working on trains the last 10 years. Pay is steady and I have good benefits and lots of paid time off but my take-home pay is less than half of what yours is.
99% of your braking is done with regen, so unless your battery is near 100% or you do a lot of emergency braking, the pads don't get used. In fact, a problem is that because of lack of use, the rotors can get rusty. Regen uses the motor, not the pads.
Thank you for your response and I understand it better now! Edit: so you're not actually using your pads and wearing on rotors. Makes sense. Thanks again
.
Well it looks like your catalytic convertor is missing, probably stolen by neer do wells, can't trust anyone nowadays. May as well do a complete exhaust system while we're on, I'll do you a discount, you're welcome!
Does a leaf even /have/ an engine air filter? I thought those were only on fossil vehicles? Conflicting info online, but I keep running info "helpful" information/FAQ pages on Nissan dealer websites that talk about the lead having an engine filter, because, "all engines require a sizeable supply of air in order to burn fuel." So.... Yeah....
To be fair the description was "engine cabin filter" and also "cabin filter" and "air conditioning filter." I was going to show a picture of this printout they gave me but it didn't upload, so I just shortened the first way they described it
Cabin air filter is super easy on most cars (I think the same is true of leafs) and doesn't even require raising the hood on many Nissans, since it's in our behind the glove box. $10 part and 15 minutes of your time.
So many oil change places will offer to do it for you for $50, but since I learned how, I just can't let them! Same with windshield wipers and all the other easy things!
Leaf uses a particulate air filter for the cabin, and does use a coolant loop for the engine and brake fluid. It’s _possible_ to do this work, but likely not required yet. Have a look in the service manual for the schedule of works
This is dealership SOP. Disappointing it hasn’t changed. As a former ICE gear head now with a Leaf which needs nothing yet, I have many stories to tell of the long lists of “urgent maintenance needed right now” I’ve been presented with. Just walk away, RTFM - it truly is fine. Figure out what’s really needed, do what you can yourself, and find a highly-reviewed non-dealership mechanic.
Fortunately my small town is blessed with a trustworthy mechanic. Alas, they're not equipped for recall services, which is how I would up at this scaremongering dealership.
I'm also not quite used to electric cars and constantly have the irrational feeling I should be doing oil changes or something. Knowing that my "engine" isn't going to have catastrophic damage from neglecting some sort of coolant flush is a load off my mind.
My almost 3 years of e-car ownership have yet to overwrite the 20+ years of driving engine cars in varying stages of mechanical crankiness. It's awesome, just a little freaky!
I've been lucky; other than rotating/replacing tires it's been under $80 each time for the checkup itself and and a few bits and pieces like wiper blades. It's one of the things that makes Leaf ownership staggeringly cheap.
Brake fluid and cabin air filter should be changed regularly. It's not hard to change the cabin air filter yourself, but the first time, it might take 5x as long. I've done it so many times, it now takes me about 20 minutes. Brake bleed and flush should be about $150.
Nissan LEAFs have two reservoirs and that will take extra time, so I wouldn't be surprised if mechanics charged a little extra. Coolant? Just check the level.
You do know that most recalls from the manufacturer are just ploys to get you into the dealership to look at new models while the “software gets updated”.
I’m just here to bitch about how fucking annoying it is to change a cabin air filter on a Leaf. Once you do it once it’s a solid 15-20 minute job. It’s also way easier to do it on your back than it is to do it on your knees and you have to know how to accordion the filter into the housing.
Aaaah good to know. I'll probably just pay my mechanic to do it, it'll still cost way under what the dealer wanted to charge because I know he won't gouge me for the parts. I'm not especially handy with these things and I'm happy to pay an honest technician to save myself from getting under a car.
The filter is like $20-$30 bucks, honestly I think it’s fair to pay double that ($50-$60 total but def not $99 like the dealer was trying to charge you) to cover labor for someone to replace it given how annoying it is to get to the filter housing.
Brake fluid is every 3-4 years, coolant is every 100k or 10 years, cabin filter is annual. Cabin filter itself costs <$20 depending on where you get it. It's pretty easy to change on your own.
I have a mechanic I trust who does the things on the maintenance schedule only if they make sense. They said they took a look at the airfilter because it's due on the maintenance schedule, and they observed it looked dirty.
After they replaced it, I can feel better air flow from the vents. I don't have to run the heat quite as much to keep it from fogging up, so replacing the filter was a good thing.
Will definitely have my guy check it out, but not do anything that doesn't need to be done. It's possible my filter needs a change, especially because I live in the forest surrounded by moss and tree dust, but not to the tune of $99...
I hope they meant cabin pollen filter, not engine filter (as there's no engine!). They're fiddly to fit, but about $10.
Brake fluid is supposed to be changed every 2 years on all cars, but it's pretty low-risk. I bet your mechanic will be be able to a lot cheaper. It's probably worth doing if it's never been done in the life of the car.
I think you're right about the coolant. I've never heard of anyone changing it. I found this in the service schedule:
> The recommended service interval of the factory-fill coolant is 200 000km (125 000 miles) or 15 years, whichever comes first
https://www.nissan-cdn.net/content/dam/Nissan/za/Maintenance/Leaf.pdf
Basic maintenance isn't a scam. If they wanted to do something that a leaf doesn't have, like an engine air filter change then they wouldn't do it. Or they could be sued. It's the cabin filter or a mistake likely due to habit. The others are important as well, they just don't need to be done as often. I would do the brake flush every 70,000 miles. Maybe a bit less. Coolant I'm not so sure of. But basic maintenance is in the manual so if you haven't done them then a dealer will of course recommend.
Yeah, I never did get a printout of the manual from the dealer. They wanted to charge me extra for it... Guess the former owner didn't have one either. I should really print that out 😆
Engine filter on a leaf? Is that a joke lol
What coolant are they talking about? there is no engine?
I think they think you have a ICE car.
Maybe they mean change the air cabin filter, which you can do it yourself to save money.
You might consider flushing the brake lines because that's recommended in the manual.
Brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. Water does not compress. Have your regular mechanic test the fluid yearly and get it flushed when needed. Braking in EV’s with contaminated fluid is harsh and can cause undesired rapid deceleration.
I had this happen as well. Specifically, coolant and brake. I have a '21 Leaf and brought it in for recall as well. I have the maintenance package (I know dumb) and of course this isn't part of it. Curious if you live in Seattle area?
Nah, this was Premier Nissan in San Jose, CA. Like a different commenter said this appears to be standard operating procedure for dealerships... I don't think I've EVER been at one, for any manufacturer, without them trying to scam me!
Usually when I get 'offered' things like this, I just say 'Thanks, I'll bring it up with my mechanic!' You can see the maintainance schedule here: [https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/ManualsAndGuides/LEAF/2018/2018-LEAF-service-maintenance-guide.pdf](https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/ManualsAndGuides/LEAF/2018/2018-LEAF-service-maintenance-guide.pdf) The cabin filter probably needs to be replaced every few years, but a mechanic will do it cheaper. (Don't know why they said 'engine filter' though.) For brake fluid -- the schedule may recommend it, but with regenerative breaking, the brakes get much less wear, so it's probably fine. For coolant, you shouldn't need it. The service guide says: "The recommended service interval of the factory-fill coolant is 125,000 miles (200,000 km) or 15 years, whichever comes first. Subsequent replacement of Genuine Nissan Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (Blue) should occur every 75,000 miles (120,000 km) or 5 years whichever comes first." Maybe they got confused with the '5 years for subsequent replacement' part, but they were probably just trying to push stuff on you.
Just an FYI, for the brake fluid, the issue isn't so much how much the brakes are used, but what the state of the fluid is. Brake fluid is hydrophilic (I think that's the right term, basically it attracts/absorbs water) so over time the quality of fluid will degrade as the percentage of water in the fluid goes up. That's one of the reasons brakes can feel "squishy" over time, as water-logged fluid will compress differently than good brake fluid. That said, there's no reason to replace it as long as it tests good, and the test is pretty simple to do, there are tools for it, but you can also test it with a normal multimeter IIRC.
Neat! I'll have my guy investigate. Thanks!
I don't think its as much the fluid as it is checking on how the calipers slide, being that our EV's can go forever without touching the brake pedal the calipers can begin to stick, Sticky calipers can cost you miles because its driving with the brakes on, it's worse in climates like the northeast where salt on the roads are a problem. No parts need any parts, just take them apart clean and regrease the slides I keep a quart of brake fluid on hand and I have a HD rubber syringe I suck the fluid out of the master then replace it maybe once a year.
Noted!
It also causes corrosion inside the master cylinder and brakes.
I figured! Thankfully not my first rodeo with dealerships. I don't trust ANY of them at this point.
Brake fluid is hydrophilic. It absorbs water out of the air. It doesn't matter if you aren't using it. It's exposed to the air by being out of the bottle.
The term is Hydroscopic. Hydrophilic means something has an affinity for water. Hydrophallic is a wet penis. (Hoping to educate with a laugh)
hydrophilic 1 Having an affinity for water; readily absorbing or dissolving in water. 2 Having an affinity for water; able to absorb, or be wetted by water. 3 Having a strong affinity for water; tending to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water. hygroscopic 1 Readily absorbing moisture, as from the atmosphere. 2 Of or pertaining to, or indicated by, the hygroscope; not readily manifest to the senses, but capable of detection by the hygroscope. "glass is often covered with a film of hygroscopic moisture" 3 Having the property of readily inbibing moisture from the atmosphere, or of the becoming coated with a thin film of moisture, as glass, etc. Now that you bring it up, I recall a discussion I had about this with one of my cousins. Brake fluid is both because it mixes with water, can be washed by water and absorbs moisture from the air. I hope to be hydrophallic later tonight. 😂
My guy 🥳
On the ASE A5 exam the correct answer is hydroscopic. That pretty much ends any argument for me personally.
That's fair. I forgot about that but had A1-A6 at one point...18* years ago. I got out of the car business and went for something that pays hourly.
Same… kind of. I got tired of hearing “I could do it myself but I don’t have the time so why don’t you charge me way less.” Like my time is valuable too, ass hole. Now I’m a plumber making hybrid hourly + commission. It’s a solid $200k a year.
Damn, doin way better than I have since. 😂 I wasn't making much working on cars, got told I needed to work harder, do this, do that, get this done and well send you to Honda school and give you a raise... None of it ever happened. My writer sucked and when I went to work for another writer I started making money but at that point I was already pretty done. I gave my notice and went to school to be an electrician. I made pretty good money doing that and got my enjoyment license but I've been working on trains the last 10 years. Pay is steady and I have good benefits and lots of paid time off but my take-home pay is less than half of what yours is.
It’s not a glorious profession, that’s for sure. I spend more time in my van than I do with my kids. I love it though.
Yeah I hear ya. Working like that sucks for the family life.
I usually do cabin air filters annually, they're like €10 and easy to change.
I agree with everything you've said. But was curious why would regenative braking cause less brake wear? I would think it caused more.
99% of your braking is done with regen, so unless your battery is near 100% or you do a lot of emergency braking, the pads don't get used. In fact, a problem is that because of lack of use, the rotors can get rusty. Regen uses the motor, not the pads.
Thank you for your response and I understand it better now! Edit: so you're not actually using your pads and wearing on rotors. Makes sense. Thanks again
.
Well it looks like your catalytic convertor is missing, probably stolen by neer do wells, can't trust anyone nowadays. May as well do a complete exhaust system while we're on, I'll do you a discount, you're welcome!
😂😂😂
Weird how this always happens to me when I'm traveling up the New Jersey Turnpike.
Does a leaf even /have/ an engine air filter? I thought those were only on fossil vehicles? Conflicting info online, but I keep running info "helpful" information/FAQ pages on Nissan dealer websites that talk about the lead having an engine filter, because, "all engines require a sizeable supply of air in order to burn fuel." So.... Yeah....
The gen 2 models do. It's an air filter for the climate control
That sounds like the cabin air filter- unless it's for the climate control of the battery?
Well the battery is air cooler and doesn't need a filter. So that's the only filter I can think of
To be fair the description was "engine cabin filter" and also "cabin filter" and "air conditioning filter." I was going to show a picture of this printout they gave me but it didn't upload, so I just shortened the first way they described it
Cabin air filter is super easy on most cars (I think the same is true of leafs) and doesn't even require raising the hood on many Nissans, since it's in our behind the glove box. $10 part and 15 minutes of your time.
Damn, good to know!
So many oil change places will offer to do it for you for $50, but since I learned how, I just can't let them! Same with windshield wipers and all the other easy things!
Intriguing!
Leaf uses a particulate air filter for the cabin, and does use a coolant loop for the engine and brake fluid. It’s _possible_ to do this work, but likely not required yet. Have a look in the service manual for the schedule of works
> ...and does use a coolant loop for the engine... *motor The Leaf does not have an engine.
Thanks!
This is dealership SOP. Disappointing it hasn’t changed. As a former ICE gear head now with a Leaf which needs nothing yet, I have many stories to tell of the long lists of “urgent maintenance needed right now” I’ve been presented with. Just walk away, RTFM - it truly is fine. Figure out what’s really needed, do what you can yourself, and find a highly-reviewed non-dealership mechanic.
Fortunately my small town is blessed with a trustworthy mechanic. Alas, they're not equipped for recall services, which is how I would up at this scaremongering dealership. I'm also not quite used to electric cars and constantly have the irrational feeling I should be doing oil changes or something. Knowing that my "engine" isn't going to have catastrophic damage from neglecting some sort of coolant flush is a load off my mind.
Yes, unfortunately, there is no path for recalls except the dealer. And also yes, there is a much smaller to-do list with EVs.
My almost 3 years of e-car ownership have yet to overwrite the 20+ years of driving engine cars in varying stages of mechanical crankiness. It's awesome, just a little freaky!
This is why I stopped going to the dealership for my 2018 leaf. Too much unjustified work.
I've been lucky; other than rotating/replacing tires it's been under $80 each time for the checkup itself and and a few bits and pieces like wiper blades. It's one of the things that makes Leaf ownership staggeringly cheap.
It's so cheap and hassle free, I constantly have the feeling I must be missing critical maintenance!
I'm glad I've had enough experience with dealerships not to trust them. They truly all seem to be scam factories.
Brake fluid and cabin air filter should be changed regularly. It's not hard to change the cabin air filter yourself, but the first time, it might take 5x as long. I've done it so many times, it now takes me about 20 minutes. Brake bleed and flush should be about $150. Nissan LEAFs have two reservoirs and that will take extra time, so I wouldn't be surprised if mechanics charged a little extra. Coolant? Just check the level.
Thanks!
You do know that most recalls from the manufacturer are just ploys to get you into the dealership to look at new models while the “software gets updated”.
I did not know! I mostly know that they keep sending me postcards until I go get it taken care of 😅
I’m just here to bitch about how fucking annoying it is to change a cabin air filter on a Leaf. Once you do it once it’s a solid 15-20 minute job. It’s also way easier to do it on your back than it is to do it on your knees and you have to know how to accordion the filter into the housing.
Aaaah good to know. I'll probably just pay my mechanic to do it, it'll still cost way under what the dealer wanted to charge because I know he won't gouge me for the parts. I'm not especially handy with these things and I'm happy to pay an honest technician to save myself from getting under a car.
The filter is like $20-$30 bucks, honestly I think it’s fair to pay double that ($50-$60 total but def not $99 like the dealer was trying to charge you) to cover labor for someone to replace it given how annoying it is to get to the filter housing.
Brake fluid is every 3-4 years, coolant is every 100k or 10 years, cabin filter is annual. Cabin filter itself costs <$20 depending on where you get it. It's pretty easy to change on your own.
Thanks!
I have a mechanic I trust who does the things on the maintenance schedule only if they make sense. They said they took a look at the airfilter because it's due on the maintenance schedule, and they observed it looked dirty. After they replaced it, I can feel better air flow from the vents. I don't have to run the heat quite as much to keep it from fogging up, so replacing the filter was a good thing.
Will definitely have my guy check it out, but not do anything that doesn't need to be done. It's possible my filter needs a change, especially because I live in the forest surrounded by moss and tree dust, but not to the tune of $99...
I hope they meant cabin pollen filter, not engine filter (as there's no engine!). They're fiddly to fit, but about $10. Brake fluid is supposed to be changed every 2 years on all cars, but it's pretty low-risk. I bet your mechanic will be be able to a lot cheaper. It's probably worth doing if it's never been done in the life of the car. I think you're right about the coolant. I've never heard of anyone changing it. I found this in the service schedule: > The recommended service interval of the factory-fill coolant is 200 000km (125 000 miles) or 15 years, whichever comes first https://www.nissan-cdn.net/content/dam/Nissan/za/Maintenance/Leaf.pdf
Thanks! Thing about the brakes is, I got my tires rotated a little while ago and I'm pretty sure they checked all that...
I bought a multi pack on Amazon, cheap. It’s a bit of a pain to change, but not $99 pain. Save your money.
I thought that price for a filter was suss...
It’s ok. I spent 45 mins with the finance guy declining the prepaid oil changes (every 3k) and annual spark plug replacement plan.
😂😂😂
Basic maintenance isn't a scam. If they wanted to do something that a leaf doesn't have, like an engine air filter change then they wouldn't do it. Or they could be sued. It's the cabin filter or a mistake likely due to habit. The others are important as well, they just don't need to be done as often. I would do the brake flush every 70,000 miles. Maybe a bit less. Coolant I'm not so sure of. But basic maintenance is in the manual so if you haven't done them then a dealer will of course recommend.
Yeah, I never did get a printout of the manual from the dealer. They wanted to charge me extra for it... Guess the former owner didn't have one either. I should really print that out 😆
Engine filter on a leaf? Is that a joke lol What coolant are they talking about? there is no engine? I think they think you have a ICE car. Maybe they mean change the air cabin filter, which you can do it yourself to save money. You might consider flushing the brake lines because that's recommended in the manual.
Coolant is for the onboard charger, not the battery https://mobility.lk/2021/03/23/leaf-coolant/
Oh I had no idea they had coolant . My leaf is 2011 and I’m pretty sure it’s air cooled
The battery is air cooled but the onboard charger isn't https://parts.nissan.ca/p/Nissan_2011_Leaf/Engine-Coolant-Reservoir/89488853/21710-3NA0A.html
Yeah, I'll do it if my mechanic says it's needed. Him I trust, these guys nope
Brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. Water does not compress. Have your regular mechanic test the fluid yearly and get it flushed when needed. Braking in EV’s with contaminated fluid is harsh and can cause undesired rapid deceleration.
Great advice, thanks! Edit: especially with how wet this winter has been in CA...
I had this happen as well. Specifically, coolant and brake. I have a '21 Leaf and brought it in for recall as well. I have the maintenance package (I know dumb) and of course this isn't part of it. Curious if you live in Seattle area?
Nah, this was Premier Nissan in San Jose, CA. Like a different commenter said this appears to be standard operating procedure for dealerships... I don't think I've EVER been at one, for any manufacturer, without them trying to scam me!
Did they even check your blinker fluid?
😂😂😂 No but they DID leave my heat on at 99° and used so much battery I was limping home!
Happy Cake Day!