NHTSA complaint: 2011 NISSAN LEAF — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE RUN INTO WHAT I BELIEVE IS A SMALL DESIGN FLAW. WHILE USER ERROR IS CLEARLY INVOLVED, A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX COULD PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. SCENARIO: 1) LEAF IS PARKED IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT ON A SLIGHT DOWNHILL SLOPE. 2) STARTUP SOUND IS TURNED OFF. 3) PUSH START BUTTON WHILE NOT PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL ADEQUATELY - LEAF GOES INTO ACCESSORY MODE. 4) TRY TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, NOT LOOKING AT DASH SCREEN TO SEE THAT LEAF IS IN ACCESSORY MODE. 5) PRESS DOWN ON PARKING BRAKE LEVER TO DISENGAGE PARKING BRAKE. 6) PRESS ACCELERATOR. RESULT: THE LEAF IS STILL IN ACCESSORY MODE, BUT HAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AFTER STEP #4. ONCE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF AND FOOT IS ON ACCELERATOR, THERE IS NOTHING TO KEEP THE LEAF FROM ROLLING FORWARD. THIS IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL, IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR. ONE TIME I HIT A SHOPPING CART, BUT FORTUNATELY PUT THE BRAKE ON IN TIME AND THE FRONT LICENSE PLATE HOLDER PROTECTED MY LEAF FROM DAMAGE. COMMENT: IN MY OPINION, TRYING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE WHILE THE LEAF IS IN ACCESSORY MODE SHOULD NOT PUT THE LEAF IN NEUTRAL--IT SHOULD STILL BE IN PARK. THIS SIMPLE CHANGE WOULD PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS HAPPENING. THE LEAF CAN STILL SHIFT TO NEUTRAL IN ACCESSORY MODE BY MOVING THE SHIFTER TO THE LEFT AND HOLDING IT THERE FOR 2 SECONDS. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation