Nissan Leaf "T/M System Malfunction" - What's Wrong? How to Fix?

Overall, your Nissan Leaf is quite a good vehicle that isn't prone to many problems with reliability. Actually, it's one of the best electric cars when it comes to the simplicity of its construction and reliability. But still, the Lead can come with some common problems that bother you now and then and sometimes even block the EV making it impossible to drive it.

T/M system malfunction message highlights

• Common reasons:low 12V battery, software problems
• How to fix:charge or replace the small battery, inspect the car
• Possible consequences:dead battery won't let you drive your car
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$200-$450

So, what's the "T/M System Malfunction" error telling you about?

A lot of users try to find the answer to a seemingly simple question: what does that "T/M" stand for? Actually, Nissan states in their manual that this means Transaxle & Transmission. We don't see any logic in it, but it's Nissan, their engineers are quite strange guys even though they know how to make cars.

So, the "T/M System Malfunction. Visit Dealer" message may appear when there is a problem with the transmission. Are you surprised to know that your Nissan Leaf has the transmission? No, it's not the ordinary torque converter or CVT. It's a special type of transmission which has basically two modes - Reverse and Drive. All other features are programmed and don't really have anything to do with the hardware in your vehicle.

Now we've figured out what exactly is wrong with the Nissan Leaf when it tells you "T/M System Malfunction". Let's dive deeper to see the reasons for the problem.

What are the obvious reasons for the "T/M System Malfunction" message?

We've come up with the idea that not all error messages that Nissan throws at you really have something to do with the things that are broken. For example, when the 12V battery in this car is dead, which happens quite often, the vehicle may show dozens of types of error messages. Even codes during diagnosis may be different.

But here are some common things you should know about this message in your Leaf:

• it often appears when you accidentally change the position of the shift lever which may result in the bad behavior of the vehicle;
• very often, the problem occurs when the wiring fails in the lever and its systems;
• when water damages some electronic modules of the transmission control system, this error message may pop up;
• the dead 12V battery may also be the reason why the Leaf refuses to drive and shows you this weird message;
• one more thing is actually the transmission - it's really reliable and long-lasting but some cases of problems have been registered.

So, this error message doesn't point you in any certain direction. It tells you more about where to look (the transmission system) but any DIY methods will help much.

How exactly does this error appear?

When you happen to see the "T/M System Malfunction. Visit Dealer" message, the vehicle will probably go to Neutral and stop wherever you are. You may put your gear selector in any position, but the car will remain in Neutral and will not drive.

Here's what you should do first in this situation:

• make sure you are not causing any problems on the road;
• put an emergency sign 20-40 feet from your vehicle to let others know your Leaf is broken;
• ask someone to help you push the Leaf to the side of the road;
• call the police if you suppose the position of your Nissan may be dangerous;
• call the dealer and arrange the meeting as soon as possible;
• call the tow truck and have your vehicle towed to the dealership.

Of course, you may also try dealing with the problem before that. And we'll tell you some mild do-it-yourself methods on how to try and regain control over your car. But anyway, the given above algorithm is the best in terms of safety and security. Also, avoid any DIY methods if your vehicle is under warranty. You will void the warranty once you disassemble something in the vehicle and try to repair it.

What can you do to solve the problem immediately?

There isn't much you can do, but here's one trick you should try:

• put your vehicle in Neutral - we mean to change the position of the selector to N;
• engage handbrake to prevent the rolling-back issue;
• turn off the vehicle and wait for at least one minute;
• while the car is off, make sure you aren't causing any danger on the road;
• turn on the car and wait for 20 seconds to see if the error is still there;
• if it is, turn off the vehicle again, put the selector in Parking (P) and wait for another minute or two;
• after that start your car without changing the position of the selector and see if the error message is still there.

This is the only thing you may do without voiding your warranty or risking your vehicle's health. Unfortunately, in many cases, you will not succeed in resetting the control modules and gaining control over your Nissan Leaf, but it's worth trying.

In some cases, the vehicle will reset the error and will not see any problems. It will allow you to drive to the dealership so you will not have to pay for towing.

Repairing the Leaf after the "T/M System Malfunction" message

Well, you can't repair your Leaf by yourself unless you have a lot of experience and also tools for this. The best option is to go directly to the dealership. Your Leaf will be diagnosed and repaired if needed.

Unfortunately, the error may disappear after some time and the dealer will not see any problems with your Leaf. You shouldn't agree to just take your car from the dealership without proper diagnosis and repair.

Here's what will happen during repair:

• the mechanic will use special Nissan diagnostic equipment to read the codes;
• after that the certain module that was pointed to by the code will be taken off the vehicle;
• the mechanic will test the module in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation;
• in most cases, the problematic module will be just replaced with the new OEM one;
• after that, one more round of diagnosis should be completed;
• if there are no codes and the Leaf works just fine, you will be able to get your car;
• if the problems are still there, the vehicle will be diagnosed once again and then repaired.

There is no reason to tell you how exactly the transmission or other modules are disassembled and tested because you will not do that without professional help. So, just take your car to a professional mechanic to avoid problems.

Water damage - how to locate it and deal with it?

In many cases, the "T/M System Malfunction" message in your Nissan Leaf may be due to water damage in some of the important modules. For example, you may have spilled some coffee or coke right onto the shift lever. Some liquid got inside and started the corrosion process. After some time, this will result in really bad contact or some other problems.

Your Nissan Leaf consists of hundreds of electronic modules that are all afraid of water. They are not made to contact with water, so any type of flood means death for your Nissan Leaf.

Here's how the water damage is described:

• at first, the vehicle may start and drive just like it normally does, and nothing changes;
• after 1 or 2 months, the problems may start showing themselves;
• first of all, different error messages pop up and then disappear with no logic in them;
• after some time, the vehicle may just not start because of bad contact in the electric system.

Water damage is usually characterized by spontaneous error messages with different codes and problems that disappear after some time. For example, you may turn off and then start your Leaf and it won't show any other error messages or codes. It means, some electronic control module went crazy and is going to get on your nerves.

Final words

If you see the "T/M System Malfunction" error message in your Leaf, the best solution is to go to the dealership as fast as you can. But you should also make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive or it doesn't create any dangerous situation on the road. In most cases, it's something with the transmission. But the problems may be different, including water damage or other issues.