NHTSA Complaint #10663841 — 2012 NISSAN LEAF

MY 2012 NISSAN LEAF HAS A BATTERY CHARGE INDICATOR ON THE DASH THAT DOES NOT TRULY REFLECT HOW MUCH ACTUAL DRIVING RANGE MILEAGE IS LEFT. IN FACT, IT IS SO FAULTY THAT IT IS REFERRED TO ONLINE AS THE GOM OR GUESS-O-METER. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS I HAVE NO ACCURATE WAY OF KNOWING IF I WILL BE LEFT STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON AN EXPRESSWAY, A BUSY HIGHWAY, A BACK ROAD DETOUR, OR SIMPLY MILES AWAY FROM ANY CHARGING STATION. THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED HOW SERIOUS THIS PROBLEM WAS I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO COME AND GET ME. I LEFT MY HOME WITH 39 MILES OF CHARGE ON THE RANGE INDICATOR. IT WAS A COOL DAY SO THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS OFF. I DROVE SEVEN MILES AND MY CAR RAN OUT OF CHARGE LEAVING ME ALONE AND FRIGHTENED IN AN UNFAMILIAR AREA. I AM A 70 YEAR OLD WIDOW. AFTER RECEIVING A TOW HOME, I CHARGED THE CAR AND THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A BATTERY TEST. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND THAT THE PROBLEM MUST BE MY DRIVING STYLE. SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR MORE THAN A FEW MILES FROM MY HOME AT A TIME. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY TESTED PERIODICALLY AND VOICED MY CONCERN TO NISSAN BUT TO NO AVAIL. I CONTEND THAT IF A GAS DRIVEN AUTO HAD AN INACCURATE FUEL INDICATOR THAT CAUSED VEHICLE OPERATORS TO LOSE POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING THEN THE NTSB WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. I BELIEVE THAT MY NISSAN HAS A COMPARABLE PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR THREE YEARS NOW AND HAVE LESS THAN 4,600 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT ANYWHERE LEST I HAVE ONLY ONE THIRD OF REAL DRIVE TIME THAN IS DISPLAYED ON THE BATTERY DRIVE RANGE AND CHARGE INDICATOR. MY GUESS-O-METER IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ADVICE AND INPUT IN THIS REGARD. *TR