Charge Port closes too quickly - any options to customise length of time it stays open?

[essaunders]

I never open the charge port from the screen. I always open it by 'pressing' it (only works when the car is 'awake'). that's how I solve this problem. I did briefly look into getting a EVSE with the 'tesla button' but I just use my 10yr old 30am EVSE with the tesla adaptor (left on it all the time.).

Other notes. my Y is set to not lock while at 'home' (which is inside usually inside my garage)

 

[DenkiJidousha]

why did this get down voted? DenkiJidousha I don't get it? you can't do it when you just walk up to the car but in the ops scenario of having just got out you absolutely can ?

Nope, doesn't work for me.

As for the original poster, all too often after arriving home by the time I've got the cable in hand ready to plug it into the car, the charge port door has closed and does not open with a press (only after unlocking the car or using the app).

Could be phone bluetooth gremlins on top of the absurdly short timeout?

 

[kriscii]

In the mean time, I leave a door or the boot open

I use this method now after the first two times it caught me and realising pressing the bottom of the charge point doesn't work either at this point it became the obvious answer.

 

[Durzel]

I use this method now after the first two times it caught me and realising pressing the bottom of the charge point doesn't work either at this point it became the obvious answer.

A very minor point, but you need to have opened the boot before the car locks itself, because an open boot only stops the car locking, it doesn't unlock it.

 

[MrBadger]

You can unlock the car by pressing any door handle lightly as long as you have the phone on you. Rear passenger door handle ideal for unlocking car prior to pressing charge port flap. The right amount to press it may take a couple of goes to get use to - too much and you open the door which has the desired effect, but needs pushing closed after.

It makes perfect sense that the charge flap cannot be opened unless the car is unlocked or opened via the app. You don't want some jerk stuffing a half eaten burger in your charge port.

 

[kelvin 660]

I guess I'm lucky having the Tesla Wall Connector; just press the button and it opens the port, even if the car is locked but you must have your phone with you (or be within a few meters of the rear of the car).

To unlock the port, even when the car is locked and you have your phone with you, just press the button and it unlocks...

It's been working this way for a while now so I guess one of the over air updates fixed a problem where you would have to open the back door to get it to unlock...

 

[Cardo]

I guess I'm lucky having the Tesla Wall Connector; just press the button and it opens the port, even if the car is locked but you must have your phone with you (or be within a few meters of the rear of the car).

To unlock the port, even when the car is locked and you have your phone with you, just press the button and it unlocks...

It's been working this way for a while now so I guess one of the over air updates fixed a problem where you would have to open the back door to get it to unlock...

I retrofit the “Tesla button” onto my Zappi plug and it’s fantastic. It’s a huge quality of life improvement. I didn’t have too much of an issue when arriving home and plugging in, however being able to unplug without first unlocking the port from the app or screen it a massive improvement.

 

[Dilly]

can anyone confirm if this actually works for them though. With the doors unlocked yes you can tap the chargeport to open it, but according to the manual "Press the bottom of the charge port door when Model 3 is unlocked or an authenticated phone is nearby." this NEVER works for me if the car is locked.
pressing the chargeport door will only ever open if the car is unlocked, and with me the car will nearly always lock in the time it takes for me to go from the drivers door to the frunk, get the cable and walk to the back. I have to open the rear door and then press the chargeport every time. And more annoyingly if I have the charge cable in the boot, it doesn't count the boot opening as unlocking, so I have to open the boot, get the cable then open the rear door.....

Mine will only open if the car is unlocked. Stays open for about 30 seconds. Closes 10 seconds after the plug is removed

 

[Jason71]

Nope, doesn't work for me.

As for the original poster, all too often after arriving home by the time I've got the cable in hand ready to plug it into the car, the charge port door has closed and does not open with a press (only after unlocking the car or using the app).

Could be phone bluetooth gremlins on top of the absurdly short timeout?

yes if you walk away from the car to get the cable I can imagine that this might happen it is quite sensitive.
I generally get out. walk around the back of the car. open the charge port than get the cable. This always seems to work for me and the port has never closed again in the time it takes to unwind my cable. but I guess there are variables here like the strength of the BT signal and how long it takes to get your cable etc.
If I opened it from inside the car then got the cable I can see that this might be a problem timewise

 

[Dilly]

I guess I'm lucky having the Tesla Wall Connector; just press the button and it opens the port, even if the car is locked but you must have your phone with you (or be within a few meters of the rear of the car).

To unlock the port, even when the car is locked and you have your phone with you, just press the button and it unlocks...

It's been working this way for a while now so I guess one of the over air updates fixed a problem where you would have to open the back door to get it to unlock...

Mine won’t open without unlocking even though the phone is in my hand and connected as a key.
i have been using a Siri shortcut to Tesla for watch app on my phone. I ask Siri to open or unlock the port. Siri eventually says there is a problem but 19 times out of 20 it works anyway.

 

[Mrklaw]

ignore the touchscreen, leave the drivers door ajar, walk calmly round the back of your car and unwind the cable, press the bottom of the charge port and it’ll pop open.

If you have a recent car with a power boot, you may be able to pop that, then close the drivers door - havne’t tried but that may keep the car unlocked and then you’re closer to be able to easily close the boot which would save you a few seconds

 

[mspohr]

Doesn't the button on the charger handle work to open the port? That's what I always use.
I use this on both official Tesla chargers and different brands of J1772 chargers and it just works.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Only tesla cables have the tesla button (or you can buy addons from evchargeking if you're into DIY).

It's the reason I have a tesla charger.. too many times stood in the rain trying to operate a mobile phone to the release cable. Putting it in you just have to open a door which is immensely irritating (on a 60k car you'd think they'd have thought about how you charge it) but workable.

 

[DSX63]

I know this is a first world problem, but it is still a bit annoying... Picture the scene: I pull up at home, put the car in Park, click on the Open Charger icon on the screen, and then rush out the car, rush round to the charger, rapidly unwind the cable (note: the Missus insists the cable be wound up except when in use "after all", she says, "that is why you told me we should get the Andersen charger in the first place as it is so much neater than the rest, even though it was more expensive!") anyway, back to my unwinding the cable... then just as I am about to plug the charger into the port, the port closes on me. All that rushing wasted ! And then I mess around with the phone App to open the charger from there.
So, like I said: a pretty trivial problem...but one I am hoping the folks on here have figured out how to resolve !

If ''the Missus'' is home perhaps you could just ring her a minute before you get home, then she can be there waiting with the cable. You pop the charger port, she pops in the charger cable - problem solved (Just to be clear - this also works if the 'Missus' is in the car and you're home - so not meant as a sexist reply. But maybe this version isn't such a good deal for you )

 

[LukeUK]

I leave the driver's door ajar, then close it on the walk past back to the house. Low tech. It works.

I keep meaning to fit a tesla button to my EO charger. It's on the 'round tuit' list.

 

[Jason71]

I leave the driver's door ajar, then close it on the walk past back to the house. Low tech. It works.

I keep meaning to fit a tesla button to my EO charger. It's on the 'round tuit' list.

My one of those got to big to manage so now I use a laterbase

 

[Adopado]

Doesn't the button on the charger handle work to open the port? That's what I always use.
I use this on both official Tesla chargers and different brands of J1772 chargers and it just works.

Most UK owners don't have Tesla charge points so don't have the magic button.

 

[gidster99]

OK - so with the help of some suggestions here I think I have a new way that works for me:
Park the car. Get out and close the door. Walk round to the charge port. Manually press the charge port (which does open as the car is awake from the just completed drive). Quickly unwind the wire and plug in. I was never used to be that far from plugging in when the port closed on me before ... and I think removing the time taken to walk round the car to then manually press the charge port is enough extra time to allow me to plug it in.
First world problem solved !
Thanks for all your help guys !
Though I do think it would be easy for Tesla to add a customisable port opening time!

 

[Plagued]

Surely the really simple fix here is if it actually operated as it states it should in the manual. If the car is unlocked OR you have a registered phone/fob then pressing on the charge port should open it. Maybe we should all put in service requests quoting the page in the manual and telling them our car is faulty

 

[Askey]

OK - so with the help of some suggestions here I think I have a new way that works for me:
Park the car. Get out and close the door. Walk round to the charge port. Manually press the charge port (which does open as the car is awake from the just completed drive). Quickly unwind the wire and plug in. I was never used to be that far from plugging in when the port closed on me before ... and I think removing the time taken to walk round the car to then manually press the charge port is enough extra time to allow me to plug it in.
First world problem solved !
Thanks for all your help guys !
Though I do think it would be easy for Tesla to add a customisable port opening time!

I agree. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to be able to customise the port closure time. I’ve only had my Y model four week so Tesla clearly not listening to people. But then your talking about a company who thought it was a good idea to remove the parking sensors from a vehicle that cost 60000 pounds!! Elon musk lost the plot.