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Charging fails when plugged in?

Discussion in 'Prime Plug-in Charging' started by Mike_A, Oct 21, 2017.

  1. Mike_A

    Mike_A New Member

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    With due respect to Mr. Murphy, once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is a trip to the shop...

    This has happened to me exactly twice now in the ~5 months I've owned my Prime. Not sure if it's a HW issue or a SW bug, but I expect someone else has hit this.

    Plug the charger into the wall, plug the charger into the Prime, charging fails.

    Unplug both, wait ~20seconds, plug the charger into the wall, then the charger into the Prime, charging fails.

    Turn the Prime On, drive a few seconds, turn it off, try again charging still fails.

    Both times using the stock charger that came with the Prime, but in different locations.

    Anyone else seen this? Is there a fix/workaround? If it happens again and I take it in, is there something more useful for me to tell the technicians than "one session out of fifty it won't charge"?
     
    #1 Mike_A, Oct 21, 2017
  2. VTBIGDOG

    VTBIGDOG Active Member

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    What does "charging fails" mean? Are you getting an error on your dash display? Is the GFCI tripping? Do you have any schedule charging events that have been programmed in ? Also when you mention the "stock charger" are you referring to the cable that came with your car? If so that is not a charger, which is located inside your vehicle.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #2 VTBIGDOG, Oct 21, 2017
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    #3 bisco, Oct 21, 2017
  4. VTBIGDOG

    VTBIGDOG Active Member

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    Not sure how an EVSE could be designated as a "stock charger"

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #4 VTBIGDOG, Oct 22, 2017
  5. VTBIGDOG

    VTBIGDOG Active Member

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    "Plug the charger into the wall, plug the charger into the Prime, charging fails."

    Seems like he is talking about the cable only. We need more information

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #5 VTBIGDOG, Oct 22, 2017
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    he is talking about the cable. cable with brick and plug = EVSE.

    a lot of people call them chargers, it's easier. even charge point.
     
    #6 bisco, Oct 22, 2017
  7. Mark57

    Mark57 2021 Tesla Model 3 LR AWD

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    Some just say cable thingy. It's a technical term you know.
     
    #7 Mark57, Oct 22, 2017
  8. VTBIGDOG

    VTBIGDOG Active Member

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    Must not be a big deal to the OP, since a week has gone by without and response to our questions.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #8 VTBIGDOG, Oct 28, 2017
  9. AnneLW

    AnneLW Member

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    The one time that specific fail happened to me-- the car was fully charged and I didn't realize it.
     
    #9 AnneLW, Oct 31, 2017
  10. Mike_A

    Mike_A New Member

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    Sorry for the slow response, kind of a pain to type substantial replies on the phone. (and, of course, the next day everything worked fine)

    This has now happened to me a third time again today.

    First, to answer VTBIGDOG's questions:
    * By "charging fails" it would be more accurate to say that charging does not start. The brick on the wall-end of the EVSE makes it's expected clicking noises, the second light on the brick comes on. Lights on the dash do *not* come on, and if I check charging status in the Entune app it tells me "Your <car> has failed charging..."
    * There are no errors on the dash.
    * The GFCI is not tripped. EVSE brick shows both lights lit (i.e., should be charging)
    * I have never programmed any charging schedules, I leave it set to 'charge immediately on next plug-in'.
    * Yes, by stock charger I mean the level 1 EVSE that came with the car at the dealership.

    AnneLW: The car was not fully charged any of the times this happened. In all three cases the charge level has been under 50%

    Today I got home, plugged in, charging would not start. Drove around the cul-de-sac and tried again, still wouldn't charge. Drove a mile to the grocery store, bought some stuff, drove back, plugged in, still no dice. Brick on the EVSE says it should be charging, no blue lights on the dash, no messages on the dash.

    Potentially important: All three times this has happened I was using the supplied EVSE, but it has happened in different locations. This may just be coincidence though as I rarely charge at public chargers.
     
    #10 Mike_A, Nov 4, 2017
  11. VTBIGDOG

    VTBIGDOG Active Member

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    I think a visit to the dealership is in your near future. Thanks for the responses

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #11 VTBIGDOG, Nov 4, 2017
  12. nanobozho

    nanobozho Member

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    i am experiencing a possibly similar issue... intermittent failure to enter 'charge now' mode... usually resolved by powering the car up and shutting it off...

    got my prime last june... charged it most often on an overnight schedule... my drive to work is only a mile, so overnight charging was more than enuff...

    for the past couple of months of cold weather, i have been driving my granddaughter to & from school... so i drive about 1o miles to take her to school, then come home and plug in the prime to get some more charge before i go to work... i also pick her up from school, so i end up with a low charge by the time i get home... so i have been using 'charge now' more...

    the first couple of times this happened, i thought i must have forgotten to select 'charge now'... but i have been waiting and observing whether the charge cycle begins (flashing blue lights, etc)...

    intermittently, the blue light comes on solid (not flashing), then goes out... sometimes i get a 'charge failed' message, with the suggestion to check the charging cable...

    the cable does not appear to be the issue... unplugging it and then plugging it in again does not resolve the issue... the wall plug end, the same...

    the issue appears to be in the (entune) head... recently, i have noticed that i can start the car to accessory mode, then shut it down and the 'charge now' works...

    it seems very random... it has caused me to spend an extra few minutes when exiting the car confirming that the charging is working...

    notes: my charging cable stays plugged in, and hanging in my garage except when i travel out of town... i use both the screen option and sometimes the entune app to start charging... both have failed about the same number of times... i also have the overnight charging scheduled, but rarely use it anymore, because i prefer to use 'charge now' so that i have a charge if i find i have to leave unexpectedly during the evening...

    was looking for a thread to see if anyone else had experienced this, this one was the closest to what i experienced...

    my guess at this time i that it seems possible to 'confuse' the software in the entune head... tho i am interested in some of the discussion about the schedule overriding 'charge now'...

    any suggestion for troubleshooting? i want to make sure there is an issue before taking it to the dealership... want to eliminate possible issues occurring between the seat and the steering wheel...

    thx
     
    #12 nanobozho, Mar 15, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2018
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