Charging cable difficult to plug in and unplug

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by DirkW, Dec 13, 2021.

  1. DirkW

    DirkW Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2018
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    Location:
    Grand Haven, MI
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Three Touring
    When I first purchased my 2018 Prius Prime, plugging in and unplugging was easy. Now the plug is hard to plug in and unplug. I have to lean my entire body on the plug to get it to snap in. Anyone have a solution?
     
  2. road2cycle

    road2cycle Active Member

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    Jan 18, 2021
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    Location:
    Sonoma County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    Have you looked for any obstructions on the plug end or the receptacle end?
    Have you looked at the contacts on the electrical connectors for corrosion/oxidation/etc.?
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Plug-in Base
    maybe some vasoline?
     
  4. Old Bear

    Old Bear Senior Member

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    Sep 15, 2017
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    Location:
    Boston, Massachusetts USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    If you have the same problem when using a public charging station, then I would have the dealer inspect the connector on your Prime for damage.

    Similarly, if you do not have the problem when using a public charging station, you should do a careful inspection of the J-1772 connector on your OEM charging cable.

    Be aware that there is a locking mechanism on the Prime which can be set to prohibit the J-1772 connector from being removed from the car. Some of the Primes have a sensor which will not release the connector unless you have your key fob in your pocket. You should not be able to remove a locked connector, even with a lot of force, but you still should check that your Prime is not locking the charging cable and that the locking mechanism is not damaged.

    (Also, I think the suggestion about using Vaseline was meant in jest. Getting grease on the metallic surfaces of the electrical connectors will prevent them from making a secure electrical connection and could result in your being unable to charge your Prime or your having the J-1772 connector overheat.)