Charging Port Door Opens Randomly

[nohubris]

I unplug in the morning and close the port door properly. Drive to work and park and lock the car. After leaving work I see the port door is closed yet when I get out at home the port door is open.

Air pressure due to its design opening while on the highway?

Sharp bumps from the road jarring it open?

This usually happens only on the way home from work, 40% of the trips.

Is this happening to anyone else?

Any of you Ford employees have an answer or good guess?

PS: My guess is that the cars knows I am home and is ready to eat.

 

[Evocus]

I'm not having this problem, although the plastic design doesn't give me the greatest confidence that I won't in the future. I would consider a trip to the dealer for a replacement part.

 

[nohubris]

The door itself or the attaching parts are not broken. Nothing to replace. My hunch is there may need to be a design change.

 

[Evocus]

I guess I was considering the ineffective latch mechanism as a likely manufacturing problem that could be corrected by replacing the door or the port latch.

 

[Fluke]

No problems with mine so far. I think the design with push to open push to close is interesting, but also wonder at its longevity. I also won't want to push to close it when it is covered in dirt and road salt in the winter since the cover spins under your finger and will probably lead to scratches in the paint at the indention.

EV car makers seem to think a clever charge port door is required, but these designs seem to have issues. At least Ford wisely chose to not make the door power-actuated.

 

[Gatorman82]

I have found mine open at the end of a drive, but just assumed I forgot to close it after unplugging. Now I'm not so sure. If it has opened by itself, it has only been once or twice.

 

[Charged Up]

I unplug in the morning and close the port door properly.

Can you describe how you close the door "properly" because some Ford videos actually show it being closed improperly.

 

[felkster]

I'm with Gatorman on this one. I have found it open a few times after a drive, but I've been blaming it on forgetfulness. It's something that I really hope to solve before Seattle's rainy season starts in a few months. I wonder if the port is waterproof/water resistant.

 

[Rwbill]

I have wondered about the weather worthiness. I'm planning on charging inside at home, but the dealer's already installed Leviton chargers are outside. Can you charge outside, in the rain? I wouldn't want to.

 

[Fluke]

No worries charging outside in the rain. I've done it many times at work with my Volt.

 

[Charged Up]

I wonder if people are closing the door properly. I know the first time I went to close it the inclination is to rotate the door back into position, and Ford even has a video showing someone do this, but that is not the proper way. Also, seem to remember that it is important to keep pressing the indentation all the way, until you hear the click.

From the manual:

The charge port door is designed for convenient “push-push”
opening and closing. Press on the door in the location of the indentation to
open the door. To close the door, press in the same location until the door
has rotated back into position and clicked into place

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pubs/content/~WOCFEV/~MUS~LEN/41/12fevog1e.pdf

 

[Rwbill]

thanks fluke. my instincts would steer me away from charging in the rain, but that sounds good. i'm wondering about the fit and all. until i see it myself it just seems to be courting disaster to have a high voltage battery being charged from a 240v ac source while it is raining and moisture dribbling all around the connection. maybe that isn't the case.

 

[Charged Up]

I've charged the Volt outside in the rain using a hard wired 240v EVSE many times. The only place I could see it being an issue is if you are using the 120 EVSE and plugging into an outside receptacle. You are relying on that receptacle to be properly wired and hopefully GFCI.


In the 120v case the danger is only when plugging into the receptacle, not the car. The EVSE doesn't throw juice to the car until it has a good connection and the pilot signal gives the ok.

 

[msmunger52]

I'm having problems with the charge door opening randomly. Like others I initially thought it was just my forgetfulness. But it has happened too often, and reading that others have experienced the same problem indicates a design flaw or possibly user error. I'll start listening for the "click" when I close it.

 

[whitgallman]

Yes, mine does it too!