Nissan Announces Voluntary Service Campaign For 2011/12 Leaf

By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Contributing Writer BIO

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield is a self-confessed petrol head. She grew up in a carless family but was able at a very early age to name cars passing her on... More

LATEST ARTICLE
Volvo S60 KERS Hybrid Prototype: Brief First Drive
Can you really improve fuel economy and performance just by taking a production car with a... Read More

• #13LEADERBOARD RANK
• 1409ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
• 22COMMENTS POSTED

1,674 views Feb 13, 2012

Follow Nikki

Add to circle

We find out what happens when our 2011 Nissan Leaf undergoes an essential software update.

Enlarge Photo

Nissan North America has announced its second voluntary service campaign for the all-electric Leaf since it went on sale in December 2010. 

Offered for free to all existing owners of the 11,000 Nissan Leafs that have been sold in the U.S. and Canada so far, the software update is designed to improve the functionality of the plug-in hatchback. 

According to Nissan North America Technology and Motorsports Communications Manager Steve Yaeger, the software update, while not mandatory, is recommended. 

“It’s something we strongly encourage everyone to do -- the upgrades are quite useful and improve the ownership experience,” he said. 

2011 Nissan Leaf Software Update

Enlarge Photo

According to Yaeger, the software update will improve the accuracy of the Leaf’s on-board range indicator, as well as well as improve the connectivity between the car and Nissan’s Carwings telematics service. 

It will also add an additional safety feature designed to sound if the driver’s door is opened while the vehicle is not in Park. 

The software update will also improve time-to-full charging estimates, allowing Leaf owners to better gauge how long it will take their cars to reach a full charge using the Carwings smartphone applications and Carwings Internet portal. 

Existing Leaf owners should hear from either Nissan or their local dealer in the coming few weeks about the update, which can be carried out at official Nissan dealerships without charge to the customer. 

Nissan hasn’t detailed how long the update will take on individual cars, but based on previous experience we’d expect the speed of the update to vary from dealer to dealer and car to car. 

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.