Classification:

EL09-004g

Reference:

Date:

NTB09-022g

November 20, 2015

12 VOLT BATTERY STORAGE AND MAINTENANCE
FOR NEW VEHICLES IN DEALER INVENTORY
This bulletin has been amended to include a statement on page 3 for an Infrared (IR) sensor on the
back of the GR8 head unit. Please discard all previous versions of this bulletin.

APPLIED VEHICLES: All new (unsold) Nissan vehicles in dealer inventory

SERVICE INFORMATION
Design and process changes have been made to improve battery voltage at dealer receipt.
Our goal is to deliver vehicles to customers with a 12 volt battery in excellent condition.
Proper dealership storage and maintenance of vehicle 12 volt batteries is essential to
insuring good battery operating life and customer satisfaction.
Dealers are responsible for maintaining vehicles in their inventory. 12 volt batteries in
vehicle inventory should always be kept at a full charge to prevent excessive discharge
during storage and so they are ready for delivery to customers at any time.
If 12 volt batteries in new vehicles are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time,
battery life may be drastically reduced which can lead to premature replacement and
customer dissatisfaction.
It is expected that each dealer will have a process to monitor and maintain battery State Of
Charge (SOC) for vehicles in dealer inventory. NNA field representatives may request
dealers to demonstrate their battery maintenance process and confirm its effectiveness.

Nissan Bulletins are intended for use by qualified technicians, not 'do-it-yourselfers'. Qualified technicians are
properly trained individuals who have the equipment, tools, safety instruction, and know-how to do a job
properly and safely. NOTE: If you believe that a described condition may apply to a particular vehicle, DO
NOT assume that it does. See your Nissan dealer to determine if this applies to your vehicle.
1/14

Required 12 Volt Battery Maintenance for Dealer’s New Vehicle Inventory
For unsold vehicles:





Maintain vehicles with transit mode and storage switch in inventory condition
(storage-mode) to reduce battery drain.
Have a process in place to test and maintain battery SOC for vehicles in dealer
inventory.
Have in place a robust pre-delivery inspection process to ensure the vehicle is not
sold or delivered in storage-mode.
Test each vehicle’s 12 volt battery during vehicle Check-In (within 72 hours if
delivered from NNA or upon receipt if dealer trade) and retain the Check-In battery
tester printout in the vehicle folder. This is the PDI battery test.

Perform PDI battery
test within 72 hrs of
delivery from NNA
or when received
through dealer trade

Vehicle IGN OFF for
at least 4 hrs with all
doors closed

Battery temperature
is above freezing
(above 0°C/32°F)

No

Use Midtronics GR8
(only) and perform
Diagnostic Charge

Direction Time –
Eleven (11) minutes
into test session you
will have Customer
Override option

Bring vehicle/battery
above freezing temp

Customer Override is
NOT an acceptable
option for PDI

Yes

Battery posts &
terminals are clean,
secure, and have
no corrosion

No

Continue charging
until session is
complete

Clean/secure
posts/terminals
Replace terminal(s)
as necessary
Use Recharge Battery
Code for PDI
Recharge warranty
claim

Yes

EXP800 or GR8:
Perform Check-In
Mode (select model
and model year)

Good

Diagnostic charge
test result
Replace

Check-In
test result

Good

Record test result and
battery voltage on
PDI form and attach
test strip print to PDI
folder

Recharge

Replace battery
Use Replace Battery
Code for warranty
claim and attach test
strip print to repair
order

Replace

Record test result
and battery voltage
on PDI form and
attach test strip print
to PDI folder

Perform battery check
using Inventory Mode
with EXP800 or GR8
every 30 days

Replace battery
Use Replace Battery
Code for warranty
claim and attach test
strip print to repair
order

Charge battery with
GR8 if required.

2/14

Perform OK Verify
test to confirm good
voltage
Record test result
and battery voltage
on PDI form and
attach test strip print
to PDI folder

NTB09-022g

Battery Testing


The Midtronics EXP-800 or Midtronics GR8 must be used to obtain the
Check-In printout. Refer to page 8 (EXP-800) or page 12 (GR8) for Check-In
Test procedure.



Effective 11/16/2015, GR8 diagnostic charge testing will incorporate use of the
Infrared (IR) sensor on the back of the head unit to help insure the battery is not too
cold to obtain accurate test results.



Effective 4/1/2015, testers must have SD cards installed to perform battery tests.
Prior to this date, SD cards were not needed. After this date, testers will not perform
without a SD card installed. For this reason, standard 4GB SD cards have been
distributed to all dealers.



Make sure the ignition is OFF, all doors closed, and then wait at least 30 seconds
before starting battery testing.



Make sure both tester cable clamps are securely attached to clean exposed battery
terminals or connectors, ensuring a good electrical connection.
NOTE: In some instances when the tester cables do not have a good connection, or
there is interference from the vehicle electrical systems, the testers can give a result
showing good voltage (greater than 12.5V) and 0 CCA. If this result is observed and
there are no signs of a weak battery when starting the vehicle, reattach the tester
leads making sure they have a good connection, and recheck the battery. If
subsequent testing provides the same result, replace the battery as directed.



Testing a “cold” battery (below freezing) may result in incorrect test decisions. If a
“REPLACE” decision is reached yet the vehicle starts without hesitation, perform a
re-test after the vehicle (or battery only) has been in the shop overnight (to ensure
the battery is warm enough [above freezing]).



The EXP-800 is the first tool of choice for checking battery SOC due to its portability
and ease of use. The GR8 may also be used.



Charge as directed by the battery tester.
 Make sure both tester cable clamps are securely attached to clean exposed
battery terminals or connectors, ensuring a good electrical connection.
 If the tester indicates that the battery requires a charge, use the GR8 and allow
the tester to complete the charging process.
 A “REPLACE” decision after a long charging session may indicate the battery did
not reach the SOC threshold (typically 80%) within the allocated time, not that it
is a failed battery. Retesting the battery is likely to provide a more accurate result
the second time.
 The use of the “customer override” function in Midtronics’ diagnostic test mode
is not permitted for batteries that are identified as needing a recharge during
Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI) nor an option for PDI battery claims.



The time allowance for the Check-In battery check is included in the total PDI flat
rate time and will be reimbursed as part of the current PDI payment, even though the
remainder of PDI activities may take place at a later time.

3/14

NTB09-022g

Battery Maintenance
Proper storage and maintenance of vehicle batteries is essential to ensuring good 12 volt
battery operating life.
If a vehicle is being stored on the dealer lot, routinely check the battery SOC and charge
the battery as needed. Recommended checking intervals are:


Both battery cables connected: every 30 days.



Negative battery cable disconnected: every 90 days.

NOTE:
 If a vehicle is moved, it will affect the battery SOC (very short drives reduce the
battery SOC while long drives increase it).
 Anytime an engine is started, test the battery to confirm the SOC. If needed,
charge the battery to replenish the power consumed when starting.
 Dealers should discontinue the practice of starting an engine to see if the
battery is “good.” Batteries may still start an engine even with a low SOC and
the battery may be further damaged if the battery is not recharged after starting.
Battery checks should always be performed with one of the approved testers.
 Disconnecting the negative battery cable reduces the chance of battery damage
due to low SOC.
IMPORTANT: The battery must be fully charged before disconnecting the
negative cable.
 For display vehicles, be sure to check and charge daily to avoid low voltage
conditions.
 For accurate battery testing, use the EXP-800 or the GR8. Refer to page 9
(EXP-800) or page 13 (GR8) for battery inventory testing.

4/14

NTB09-022g

Battery Charging
Battery charging should be done with an appropriate battery charger:


The GR8 is recommended for charging Nissan batteries.
 The GR8 Diagnostic Charging program provides the best charging results for
Nissan batteries.



Any automotive battery charger set to a low charge rate can be used.
 Intelligent chargers with low charge rate and “pulsing” technology are preferred.
Any charger used should have an automatic shut-off to prevent overcharging.



Make sure both cable clamps are securely attached to clean exposed battery
terminals/clamps, ensuring a good electrical connection.



Idling the engine to charge the battery is NOT recommended since
effectiveness is highly dependent on vehicle storage conditions such as
temperature, vehicle type, and initial SOC.
NOTE:
 After any of the above charging methods, test the battery, using the EXP-800
or the GR8 “OK Verify” function, to confirm it is fully charged.
 Any time a battery is recharged or replaced; the EXP-800 or the GR8 “OK
Verify” function should be run to confirm that the battery is returned to
specification and that there are no other underlying vehicle issues. Retain the
printout of these test results in the vehicle folder for future reference.
 A “REPLACE” decision after a long charging session may indicate the battery
did not reach the SOC threshold (typically 80%) within the allocated time, not
that it is a failed battery. Retesting the battery is likely to provide a more
accurate result the second time.
 Make sure the ignition is OFF (dash lights are out) before exiting the
vehicle.

Midtronics GR8 and EXP-800 Information
IMPORTANT:
 A feature was added to the Midtronics GR8 and EXP-800 testers to ensure the latest
software is installed.
 Throughout the year, the testers will inform the user if an update is due and a
warning countdown will be displayed (approximately a 5 day period).
 If updates are not performed within the countdown timeframe, the battery service
functions will stop working until the update is installed.

5/14

NTB09-022g

Record Keeping
As batteries are maintained through testing and charging, Nissan recommends keeping a
detailed maintenance record in the vehicle folder.
In the case where a battery warranty claim is submitted for a battery condition found during
vehicle Check-In (within 72 hours if delivered from NNA or upon receipt if dealer trade), the
dealer may be asked in an audit to show the following battery records:
Test battery using the GR8 or EXP-800
Good Battery

Charge or Replace Battery

Record the test result
and battery voltage on
PDI form and attach test
strip print to PDI folder

Charge or replace battery
as directed by tester

Use Charge or
Replace Battery