Air conditioning: comfort, and range in winter
On a ZE1 the AC circuit also helps cool the battery, and a weak heat pump costs you range.
On top of keeping you comfortable, the AC circuit on ZE1 (40 / 62 kWh) Leafs also helps cool the battery, so a weak system is worth fixing rather than living with.
We regas, leak-test with dye or nitrogen, replace cabin filters and repair compressors and lines. We also service the heat-pump heating fitted to many cold-package cars. When a heat pump weakens the car quietly falls back on resistive heating and you pay for it in range, so weak heating and weak cooling are often the same fault and worth diagnosing together.
Cabin filters get changed as part of a normal service, and HVAC fault codes get read at the same time, which is often where a "the air just isn't cold" complaint is actually answered.
Frequently asked
Does the Leaf air conditioning cool the battery?
On ZE1 40 kWh and 62 kWh cars the AC circuit helps cool the battery, so a weak system is worth fixing.
Why is my Leaf heater weak and my range worse in winter?
Many Leafs have a heat pump. When it weakens the car falls back on resistive heating, which uses far more energy, so you feel it as lost range.
Can you regas a Leaf air conditioning system?
Yes, and we leak-test with dye or nitrogen first so the gas does not simply leak out again.
Related
Book an air conditioning check
Regas, leak test and heat pump diagnosis, with HVAC codes read at the same time. Penrose, Auckland.
Booking request
We reply within the hour, Mon–Fri 7:30am–5pm.