Unable to unlock charging port

[tencate]

I have a relatively early car, VIN 2350 and about 2500 miles on it now. This has happened to me a couple of times and I haven't found a thread on it yet so thought I'd post my first thread. At night I'll frequently put the car on a 110V 20A circuit just to charge a few handful of miles overnight and so it's easy to warm it up in the morning. Twice now I've reached the charge limit I've set and when I go to unlock the charge port, I can't. I'm stuck, unable to remove the charge plug (the mobile one Tesla furnishes). If I have to stop charging BEFORE I reach my charge limit, I simply stop charging and unlock the port and all is well. There are ways around it but it seems I should be able to simply unlock the charge port once the car is "fully charged" Am I missing something? Oh, software update on the car is still at 50.12.

 

[MelindaV]

is the car unlocked when you try to remove the cord?

 

[DR61]

On another thread I saw recently, someone showed a manual plug release in the trunk area.

 

[Maevra]

it seems I should be able to simply unlock the charge port once the car is "fully charged" Am I missing something? Oh, software update on the car is still at 50.12.

Can you clarify when you say "unlock the charge port", are you just pulling out the handle immediately OR are you pressing the little circle at the top of the handle before pulling the cord out AND the handle STILL remains stuck?

Even if the car is no longer actively charging, the charge port will remain "locked" into the car to decrease the likelihood of it loosening, so you always need to unlock it. You can't just pull it out without tapping the button.

 

[tencate]

To clarify, the car is unlocked when I'm doing this, and---like when I terminate the charge early---I just go to the main screen and touch the unlock charge port. That doesn't work. I haven't tried pressing the little circle at the top of the handle! I'll try that next time. The thought never occurred to me. I thought that only opened and closed the charge port door.

 

[Maevra]

To clarify, the car is unlocked when I'm doing this, and---like when I terminate the charge early---I just go to the main screen and touch the unlock charge port. That doesn't work. I haven't tried pressing the little circle at the top of the handle! I'll try that next time. The thought never occurred to me. I thought that only opened and closed the charge port door.

Yeah, the "unlock charge port" command from the UI or app should unlock the handle, but from personal experience it doesn't work all the time. Pressing the button on the handle seems to be more dependable. It both opens the charge port door and can unlock the charger.

 

[tencate]

Yeah, the "unlock charge port" command from the UI or app should unlock the handle, but from personal experience it doesn't work all the time.

Is there a place we can report little "bugs" like this to Tesla?

 

[Maevra]

Yeah, the "unlock charge port" command from the UI or app should unlock the handle, but from personal experience it doesn't work all the time.

Is there a place we can report little "bugs" like this to Tesla?

Calling customer service is usually the best way to make sure a bug is accurately reported. Also be sure to note the time of the behavior so they can check diagnostics in that timeframe.

 

[3V Pilot]

On another thread I saw recently, someone showed a manual plug release in the trunk area.

Do you have a link? This would be some good info to have and I haven't seen anything about a manual release.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

To clarify, the car is unlocked when I'm doing this, and---like when I terminate the charge early---I just go to the main screen and touch the unlock charge port. That doesn't work. I haven't tried pressing the little circle at the top of the handle! I'll try that next time. The thought never occurred to me. I thought that only opened and closed the charge port door.

You shouldn’t need to go inside the car. With your phone on you the car will unlock on approach and then you press the dot on the charge cable handle, wait for the Tesla logo to turn white, and then safely remove it.

 

[atebit]

That was one of biggest first world problem with the Model S , depending on how I approached it it wouldn’t see my fob & unlock the car, so I had to do the “charge cable dance” to get the car to unlock the port. Wonder if some similar corner case is to blame here?

 

[tencate]

As a postscript, the car reported to me this morning that my Charge Port Door Needs Service and to contact Tesla Service at my earliest convenience. I did so, they're now testing it remotely, opening and closing and locking and unlocking. Pretty neat. Perhaps not relevant but I'm enjoying watching the charge port door show as they try and diagnose why the warning message went on.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

As a postscript, the car reported to me this morning that my Charge Port Door Needs Service and to contact Tesla Service at my earliest convenience. I did so, they're now testing it remotely, opening and closing and locking and unlocking. Pretty neat. Perhaps not relevant but I'm enjoying watching the charge port door show as they try and diagnose why the warning message went on.

I had that error and the fix was to replace the whole door/unit.

 

[tencate]

Yeah, I remember seeing the photos. We'll see what they say when they call me back.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Yeah, I remember seeing the photos. We'll see what they say when they call me back.

Good luck with it. You can rest assured Tesla will take care of it!!

 

[TesLou]

Sorry you early birds are having problems. I keep telling myself my Aug-Oct timeframe will be worth the wait so all of these kinds of issues will be ironed out. I hope I’m right.

 

[SoFlaModel3]

Sorry you early birds are having problems. I keep telling myself my Aug-Oct timeframe will be worth the wait so all of these kinds of issues will be ironed out. I hope I’m right.

I’m sure it will be. Honestly though look at something like the iPhone. A mature product that’s now 10 years old and yet they put out software updates that have been brutally bad. No one is immune to bugs but in the car world you’ll see it more in a Tesla because the software is everything.

I live Elon’s Tweet “you won’t care” and apply it to anything and everything that might pop up because it’s true. My music streaming didn’t work today — I think I enjoyed the car even more today!

 

[BellevueEd]

Sorry you early birds are having problems. I keep telling myself my Aug-Oct timeframe will be worth the wait so all of these kinds of issues will be ironed out. I hope I’m right.

You're aware of the pioneers and the arrows issue?

 

[tencate]

Another update. After resetting the error message, remotely testing the door, and updating me to 2018.4 the error message reappeared this morning. The Charge Port Door Needs Service alert is back on. I gave them a call and left a message, Scottsdale is the nearest Service Center to me when I call (but perhaps Denver is closer). I noticed occasionally the door will open at random and this morning it tried to close onto the charging wand more than a couple of times. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[tencate]

Tesla Remote Service is coming to visit me on Monday to see what's up. Likely they'll be replacing the charge port door they tell me. I'll also mention the issue with being unable to unlock the charge port from the UI inside the car too. Only with the wand. Stay tuned. Pretty neat that they make house calls for those of us in the middle of nowhere.