Annoying Charge Port - or am I doing it wrong

[cch1]

When I go into the garage to drive off in my Model 3 every morning, I am perpetually annoyed by the need to open a door before the charge port will let go of the charger. Am I doing something wrong? One would think that the Bluetooth LE connection to my phone would allow the M3 to release the charger.

In case you were wondering, I back into my garage and the charger is on the back wall, so it's a whole three feet to the door and three feet back every time.

 

[jonotastic]

Yeah I have to open the door first OR unlock through the phone app. I was also wondering if there is a way for it to know my phone is on me and allow me to take it out.

 

[TiggerTime]

If you are using the Tesla charger you should be able to just press the button on the charge same as you do to open the door on the charger port this should release the connection.

 

[JeffK]

If you are using the Tesla charger you should be able to just press the button on the charge same as you do to open the door on the charger port this should release the connection.

Unless it's cold outside (in which case it unlocked the charge port already) the car must be unlocked in order to do this.

 

[cch1]

@TiggerTime ... I am using the Tesla charger and pressing the button does nothing until the car is unlocked by pressing a door handle.

 

[JeffK]

I guess one thing you could do would be to keep the car unlocked while in the garage...

Personally, I have a bag that I always place in the car before I unlock the charge port so I never notice.

 

[cch1]

I guess one thing you could do would be to keep the car unlocked while in the garage...

That is indeed an option. But it autolocks now when I go out of range with my phone -which is an awesome feature. So I would have to hunt down the unlock option on my phone ... which really isn't much better than doing the same thing in the morning.

 

[woodguyatl]

When I go into the garage to drive off in my Model 3 every morning, I am perpetually annoyed by the need to open a door before the charge port will let go of the charger. Am I doing something wrong? One would think that the Bluetooth LE connection to my phone would allow the M3 to release the charger.

In case you were wondering, I back into my garage and the charger is on the back wall, so it's a whole three feet to the door and three feet back every time.

If the App is open on my phone then just pushing the unlock button on the charger works.

 

[Zaxxon]

@TiggerTime ... I am using the Tesla charger and pressing the button does nothing until the car is unlocked by pressing a door handle.

This is not normal, assuming your phone key is with you. Should unlock via the button without touching the car or opening the app.

 

[Insilin]

I just get to the car hold the Tesla charger button and it unlocks and I pull it out while holding the button

 

[Perry]

This is not normal, assuming your phone key is with you. Should unlock via the button without touching the car or opening the app.

It is very normal. It does not unlock unless the car is awake. While asleep the car will not open the charger lock no matter what you do short of unlocking the doors which wakes up the car. For all those who claim the charge button works I believe what's happening for you is that you are waking the car up prior through the app. The car will wake, for example, if you check the SOC or precondition the climate or pretty much anything you do within the app.

Not saying this is how it should be. The car should unlock the charge-port through Bluetooth proximity just like it does the doors but unfortunately it does not. This problem could be fixed through a software update if enough of you report this bug (or bad design).

 

[sduck]

FWIW you don't have to actually open a door, you can just press in on the large end of the handle a little bit, there's a point where the car registers it and wakes up without having the door actually open.

 

[Az_Rael]

I guess one thing you could do would be to keep the car unlocked while in the garage...
.

This is not normal, assuming your phone key is with you. Should unlock via the button without touching the car or opening the app.

It is normal at least for me. I leave my car unlocked in the garage (walk away lock is disabled). I still have to “tickle” a rear door handle to unplug. (Tickle= push the handle enough to wake the car up, but not unlatch the door).

 

[Az_Rael]

so it's a whole three feet to the door and three feet back every time.

Open a rear door right by the charge port. Still works, less walking.

 

[Zaxxon]

I do not regularly open the app prior to entering the garage, and am definitely not waking the car first. Not sure why my button works routinely.

 

[Az_Rael]

I do not regularly open the app prior to entering the garage, and am definitely not waking the car first. Not sure why my button works routinely.

Did you have any of the “deep sleep” issues in the last releases (car not starting up for over 30 seconds when getting in the seat? It might be related to that bug.

Mystery of Tesla I suppose why some cars have issues and others don’t . My charge port door actually stopped responding at all to my wall charger button on the last software release. Fixed after the latest update tho. Still have to push a door handle to wake her up.

 

[cch1]

I have never had issues with "deep sleep" but I do have walk-away lock enabled and sentry mode disabled. I also do not routinely open the app prior to going into the garage in the morning but I have my phone with me. And in every case, the charge cable is locked into the port until I open a door (or "tickle" a door). This is on version 2019.8.3.

 

[cleveland97]

This is not normal, assuming your phone key is with you. Should unlock via the button without touching the car or opening the app.

Not true. This is normal behavior. Has been since I got my 3 more than 6 months ago. I'm not a fan of it, either, but it's normal.

There have been many threads on it. The only time you don't have to unlock the car first is if it's cold (below like 35 degrees F) - and the only reason the charge cable isn't locked in that situation is because Tesla unlocks the charge cable when it's done charging to avoid a situation where the charge cable is stuck in the car by ice forming around the lock mechanism.

Like others have said I've gotten pretty good at apply just enough pressure to the fat part of the rear door to unlock the car without actually opening the door.

 

[Zaxxon]

Really, folks, I believe you. It's just not normal on my car, which does sleep. Vagaries of Tesla, I suppose.

No, haven't had any issues resuming from sleep. A few times the screen has taken a few seconds to come on when entering, but nothing like 30 sec.