NISSAN LEAF 2023 Owners Manual

1. Previous 5 times (History)Displays the average energy economy
for the previous 5 times
2. Current energy economy Displays the most recent average en-
ergy economy
3. Best energy economy Displays the best energy economy of
the past history 4. Regenerated energy (mileage)
Displays the amount of regenerated en-
ergy stored in the Li-ion battery in one
trip in terms of distance
If the vehicle has been driven mostly on
downhill roads, more energy is regener-
ated. This may cause the regenerated en-
ergy (mileage) (4) to show a longer distance
than the vehicle was driven or the current
energy economy (2) to show “99.9
miles/kWh.”
When the
button is pressed while the
ECO Drive Report is shown, the display
switches to the timer display. Either display
will continue to show for another 30 sec-
onds af ter the button is pressed. If the
doors are locked af ter placing the power
switch in the OFF position, the display turns
off before the preset time.
In the “Settings” menu, you can program
the ECO Drive Report to not appear when
the power switch is placed in the OFF posi-
tion. For additional information, see “Ve-
hicle information display” (P. 2-26). The vehicle range varies depending upon
the following factors:
• Speed
• Vehicle load
• Electrical load from vehicle accessories
• Traffic and road conditions
NISSAN recommends the following driv-
ing habits to help maximize vehicle
range:
Before driving:
• Follow the recommended periodic
maintenance.
• Keep tires inflated to the correct pressure.
• Keep wheels in correct alignment.
• Pre-heat or pre-cool the interior cabin while the vehicle is charging.
• Remove unnecessary cargo from the vehicle.
While driving:
• Drive in ECO mode. – The ECO mode helps reduce powerconsumption by reducing acceleration
when compared to the same accelera-
tor pedal position in the D (Drive) posi-
tion (normal mode).
LSD4312
INCREASING POWER ECONOMY
5-158Starting and driving

• Drive at a constant speed. Maintain cruis-ing speeds with a constant accelerator
position or by using cruise control when
appropriate.
• Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Gently press and release the accelerator pedal
for acceleration and deceleration.
• Drive at moderate speeds on the highway.
• Avoid frequent stopping and braking. Maintain a safe distance behind other
vehicles.
• Turn off the air conditioner/heater when it is not necessary.
• Select a moderate temperature setting for heating or cooling to help reduce
power consumption.
• Use the air conditioner/heater and close windows to reduce drag when cruising at
a highway speed. • Release the accelerator pedal to slow
down and do not apply the brakes when
traffic and road conditions allow.– This vehicle is equipped with a regen- erative brake system. The primary pur-
pose of the regenerative brake system
is to provide some power to recharge
the Li-ion battery and extend driving
range. A secondary benefit is “engine
braking” that operates based on Li-ion
battery conditions. In the D (Drive) posi-
tion, when the accelerator pedal is re-
leased, the regenerative brake system
provides some deceleration and some
power to the Li-ion battery.WARNING
• Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.
• Never leave the vehicle in the READY
to drive mode while the vehicle is
unattended.
• Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be applied
and the vehicle placed in the park po-
sition. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or
roll away and result in an accident.
• Do not leave children unattended in-
side the vehicle. They could unknow-
ingly activate switches or controls or
make the vehicle move. Unattended
children could become involved in
serious accidents.
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-159

•To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require
the assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly be-
come high enough to cause a signifi-
cant risk of injury or death to people
and pets.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Push the P (Park) position switch on theshif t lever.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into the street when parked on a slope, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
• HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB
O1:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb. • HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
O2:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
• HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO CURB
O3:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the power switch in the OFF position.
SSD0488
5-160Starting and driving

WARNING
• If the READY to drive indicator light is
off while driving, the power assist for
the steering will not work. Steering
will be harder to operate.
• When the power steering warning
light illuminates while the READY to
drive indicator light is on, the power
assist for the steering will cease op-
eration. You will still have control of
the vehicle but the steering will be
harder to operate.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assistance while driving to
operate the steering wheel with less effort.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power as-
sist for the steering wheel will be reduced.
This is to prevent overheating of the power
steering system and help protect it from
getting damaged. When the power assis-
tance is reduced, steering wheel operation
will become harder. When the temperature
of the power steering system goes down,
the power assistance level will return to
normal. Avoid repeating such steering
wheel operations that could cause the
power steering system to overheat. You may hear a noise when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light
illuminates while the READY to drive indica-
tor light is on, it may indicate the power
steering system is not functioning properly
and may need servicing. Have the power
steering system checked. It is recom-
mended that you visit a NISSAN certified
LEAF dealer for this service. For additional
information, see “Power steering warning
light” (P. 2-23).
The power assist for steering stops operat-
ing when both the power steering warning
light and READY to drive indicator light are
illuminated. You will still have control of the
vehicle. However, greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
This vehicle is equipped with two braking
systems:
1. Hydraulic brake system
2. Regenerative brake system
Hydraulic brake system
The hydraulic brake system is similar to the
brakes used on conventional vehicles.
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
Regenerative brake system
The primary purpose of the regenerative
brake system is to provide some power to
help recharge the Li-ion battery and ex-
tend driving range. A secondary benefit is
“engine braking” that operates based on
battery conditions.
In the D (Drive) range, when the accelerator
is released, the regenerative brake system
provides some deceleration and gener-
ates power for the Li-ion battery. Power is
also generated when the brake pedal is
applied.
POWER STEERING SYSTEM
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-161

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

Self-test feature
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) in-
cludes electronic sensors, electric pumps,
hydraulic solenoids and a computer. The
computer has a built-in diagnostic feature
that tests the system each time you place
the power switch in the READY to drive po-
sition and move the vehicle at a low speed
in forward or reverse. When the self-test
occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise
and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal.
This is normal and does not indicate a mal-
function. If the computer senses a mal-
function, it switches the ABS off and illumi-
nates the ABS warning light on the
instrument panel. The brake system then
operates normally, but without anti-lock
assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during
the self-test or while driving, have the ve-
hicle checked. It is recommended that you
visit a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for this
service.
Normal operation
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) oper-
ates at speeds above 3 to 6 mph (5 to 10
km/h). The speed varies according to road
conditions.When the ABS senses that one or more
wheels are close to locking up, the actuator
rapidly applies and releases hydraulic pres-
sure. This action is similar to pumping the
brakes very quickly. You may feel a pulsa-
tion in the brake pedal and hear a noise
from under the hood or feel a vibration
from the actuator when it is operating. This
is normal and indicates that the ABS is op-
erating properly. However, the pulsation
may indicate that road conditions are haz-
ardous and extra care is required while
driving.
BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force
than a conventional brake booster even
with light pedal force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
drivers responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times. The VDC system uses various sensors to
monitor driver inputs and vehicle motion.
Under certain driving conditions, the VDC
system helps to perform the following
functions.
• Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel
slip on one slipping drive wheel so power
is transferred to a drive wheel on the
same axle that is not slipping.
• Controls brake pressure and traction motor output to reduce drive wheel slip
based on vehicle speed (traction control
function).
• Controls brake pressure at individual wheels and traction motor output to help
the driver maintain control of the vehicle
in the following conditions:– Understeer (vehicle tends to not follow the steered path despite increased
steering input).
– Oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions).
The VDC system can help the driver main-
tain control of the vehicle, but it cannot
prevent loss of vehicle control in all driving
situations.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
5-164Starting and driving

When the VDC system operates, theindicator light in the instrument panel
flashes. When the indicator light flashes,
note the following items:
• The road may be slippery or the systemmay determine some action is required
to help keep the vehicle on the steered
path.
• You may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and hear a noise or vibration from
under the hood. This is normal and indi-
cates that the VDC system is working
properly.
• Adjust your speed and driving according to the road conditions.
For additional information, see “Slip indica-
tor light” (P. 2-24) and “Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) OFF indicator light” (P. 2-24).
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
indicator light illuminates in the ve-
hicle information display. The VDC system
automatically turns off when this indicator
light is lit. The vehicle information display is used to
turn off the VDC system. The VDC OFF indi-
cator light
, along with the AEB with
Pedestrian Detection and RAB warning
lights illuminate to indicate that the VDC,
AEB with Pedestrian Detection, and RAB
systems are off. When the vehicle informa-
tion display is used to turn off the system,
the VDC system still operates to prevent
one drive wheel from slipping by transfer-
ring power to a non-slipping wheel. The
indicator light flashes if this occurs. All
other VDC functions are off and the
indicator light will not flash. The VDC sys-
tem is automatically reset to on when the
power switch is placed in the OFF position
then back to the ON position. For additional
information, see “Vehicle information dis-
play” (P. 2-26).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic fea-
ture that tests the system each time you
start the EV and move the vehicle forward
or in reverse at a slow speed. When the
self-test occurs, you may hear a “clunk”
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed
and be especially careful when driv-
ing and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
• Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated
the VDC system may not operate
properly. This could adversely affect
vehicle handling performance, and
the
indicator light may flash or
theindicator light may
illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
the
indicator light may
illuminate.
Starting and driving5-165

•If traction motor control related
parts are not NISSAN recommended
or are extremely deteriorated, the
indicator light may illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may illuminate. Do not drive on
these types of roads.
• When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the EV system af ter driving
onto a stable surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns,
the system optimizes the distribution of
force to each of the four wheels depending
on the radius of the turn.
WARNING
• The VDC system is designed to help
the driver maintain controllability
but does not prevent accidents due
to abrupt steering operation at high
speeds or by careless or dangerous
driving techniques. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful when
driving and cornering on slippery
surfaces and always drive carefully.
• Do not modif y the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not NISSAN recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deterio-
rated, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly. This could adversely af-
fect vehicle handling performance,
and the
indicator light may flash
or both theandindicator
lights may illuminate.
• If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the VDC sys-
tem may not operate properly and
both the
and theindicator
lights may illuminate. •
If EV system control related parts are
not NISSAN recommended or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may
illuminate.
• When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may illuminate.
Do not drive on these types of roads.
• When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator light may
flash or both theandindi-
cator lights may illuminate. This is
not a malfunction. Restart the EV
system af ter driving onto a stable
surface.
• If wheels or tires other than the
NISSAN recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the
indicator
light may flash or both theandindicator lights may illuminate.
• The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road.
5-166Starting and driving

The chassis control is an electric control
module that includes the following
functions:
• Intelligent Trace Control
• Intelligent Ride Control
INTELLIGENT TRACE CONTROL
(I-TC)
This system senses driving based on the
driver’s steering and acceleration/braking
patterns, and controls brake pressure at
individual wheels to aid tracing at corners
and help smooth vehicle response.
The I-TC can be set to on (enabled) or off (dis-
abled) through the vehicle information display
“Settings” page. For additional information, see
“Vehicle information display” (P. 2-26).
When the VDC system is turned off in the
vehicle information display, the I-TC is also
turned off.When the I-TC is operated and the “Chassis
Control” mode is selected in the vehicle in-
formation display, the I-TC graphics are
shown in the vehicle information display.
For additional information, see “Vehicle in-
formation display” (P. 2-26).
If the “Chassis Control System Error: See
Owner’s Manual” warning message ap-
pears in the vehicle information display, it
may indicate that the I-TC is not function-
ing properly. Have the system checked as
soon as possible. It is recommended that
you visit a NISSAN certified LEAF dealer for
this service.
LSD3008
CHASSIS CONTROL
Starting and driving5-167