Nissan Technician Nearly Costs $60K by Mistakenly Replacing High-Voltage Battery—Turns Out It Was Just the 12V One

A Nissan-certified technician caused an embarrassing mix-up while servicing an electric vehicle: his colleague was about to replace a high-voltage battery pack worth tens of thousands of dollars—only for the work order to actually call for replacing a standard 12-volt battery. The video, posted on TikTok by Miami-based technician Nick Pichirilo, has garnered over 1.1 million views. In the clip, he asks his coworker, “The customer’s waiting—how much longer until the battery’s ready?” His colleague looks puzzled until Pichirilo reveals the punchline: “Dude, it’s the 12-volt battery.” Although electric vehicles are powered by high-voltage battery packs, they still rely on a 12-volt battery to power up control systems, activate the high-voltage system, and supply electricity to low-voltage components like headlights and audio systems. Mistakenly replacing the high-voltage battery could cost between $5,000 and $20,000, whereas a 12-volt battery typically costs only $100 to $300. Many online commenters joked, “How did the bill end up at $62,500?” Others questioned whether the video was staged, noting that dealerships rarely keep expensive high-voltage battery packs in stock. Regardless, the clip serves as a humorous reminder: when repairing EVs, always double-check which “battery” you’re supposed to replace.