Faulty Mobile Connector?

[JLOC]

My Model Y was just delivered Monday, March 1st, and it charged normally the first night. However, on night 2, I plugged the mobile connector into the charge port, and I hear a number of clicks before the T turns amber in color. The Tesla app tells me "charge cable may not be plugged securely into the vehicle," and the car is also displaying an error.

However, the car is charging, albeit at 16 miles per hour, v. the 32 it charged at last night. I tried unplugging and replugging the mobile connector (and I checked for any debris), and I tried a second NEMA 14-50 outlet at our home, both with the same results. My sister uses our outlets when she comes to visit, and she has never had an issue with her mobile connector, so I am wondering if I am dealing with a faulty mobile connector?

I already have a service appointment for Thursday (to have homelink installed), so I've updated my appointment to advise of this new issue.

 

[angus[Y]oung]

I have read here in the community that the charge port can be very tight when the vehicle is new, and you have to insert quite firmly to get it fully connected.

 

[jcanoe]

Make sure that the NEMA 14-50 power plug pigtail is fully inserted into the Mobile Connector chassis. Also, don't leave the Mobile Connector chassis hanging, supported only by the power plug connector.

 

[JLOC]

Make sure that the NEMA 14-50 power plug pigtail is fully inserted into the Mobile Connector chassis. Also, don't leave the Mobile Connector chassis hanging, supported only by the power plug connector.

I have read here in the community that the charge port can be very tight when the vehicle is new, and you have to insert quite firmly to get it fully connected.

Thanks. First, I did check the 14-50 power plug pigtail was fully inserted, and I did make sure the charge port was all the way in (and I did put additional pressure to see if that would help).

Second, I do have the mobile connector chassis supported by a Tornado U hook, so that the chassis is not just left dangling. I also have one of those cord organizers to wrap the cord around.

Third, when I got into the car this morning, the car was charged, although I was getting the error "regenerative braking temporarily reduced. Regen will increase as vehicle is driven," and I got the error code DI_a201. Not sure if the regen issue is related to the charging issue.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Thanks. First, I did check the 14-50 power plug pigtail was fully inserted, and I did make sure the charge port was all the way in (and I did put additional pressure to see if that would help).

Second, I do have the mobile connector chassis supported by a Tornado U hook, so that the chassis is not just left dangling. I also have one of those cord organizers to wrap the cord around.

Third, when I got into the car this morning, the car was charged, although I was getting the error "regenerative braking temporarily reduced. Regen will increase as vehicle is driven," and I got the error code DI_a201. Not sure if the regen issue is related to the charging issue.

What level did you set the car to charge to? 100%? 90%? Something else?

 

[JLOC]

What level did you set the car to charge to? 100%? 90%? Something else?

Charge level set to the maximum level for "Daily," which I believe is 90%.

Not sure if it makes a difference, but I live in Southern California, and temperature was in the 50's this morning.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Charge level set to the maximum level for "Daily," which I believe is 90%.

Not sure if it makes a difference, but I live in Southern California, and temperature was in the 50's this morning.

Charging to 90% should be fine. I just wanted to make sure you weren't setting it to 100% unless you had a long trip planned.

The regen reduced message would've been due to the colder temperature.

 

[jcanoe]

The message re reduced regenerative braking is because the battery pack was not warmed as it would be if you had preconditioned the vehicle for ~20 minutes.

The next time you charge the Tesla check the charging status screen. The screen will display the charging voltage and charging amperage in real time. You should observe the charging voltage at 240V (+/- 5 volts) and 32 amps once the charging ramps up to the 32A limit of the Mobile Connector w/14-50 power plug.

 

[JLOC]

Charging to 90% should be fine. I just wanted to make sure you weren't setting it to 100% unless you had a long trip planned.

The regen reduced message would've been due to the colder temperature.

The message re reduced regenerative braking is because the battery pack was not warmed as it would be if you had preconditioned the vehicle for ~20 minutes.

The next time you charge the Tesla check the charging status screen. The screen will display the charging voltage and charging amperage in real time. You should observe the charging voltage at 240V (+/- 5 volts) and 32 amps once the charging ramps up to the 32A limit of the Mobile Connector w/14-50 power plug.

Thank you! I've got a mobile service coming tomorrow anyway, so they will check on my charging issue for me as well. Thanks again for your help!

 

[JLOC]

The mobile service technician initially thought I had a faulty charge port, but it turned out to be a bad mobile connector. He switched it out and everything looks to be working as normal again. Hallelujah.

 

[jcanoe]

The mobile service technician initially thought I had a faulty charge port, but it turned out to be a bad mobile connector. He switched it out and everything looks to be working as normal again. Hallelujah.

Glad to hear that the source of the problem was just the Mobile Connector.

 

[Harry Mobile]

The mobile service technician initially thought I had a faulty charge port, but it turned out to be a bad mobile connector. He switched it out and everything looks to be working as normal again. Hallelujah.

Hi there! I just bought a used model 3 and am having the same issue. Did they swap the mobile connectors out or did you have to purchase a new one? Thank you.

 

[JLOC]

Hi there! I just bought a used model 3 and am having the same issue. Did they swap the mobile connectors out or did you have to purchase a new one? Thank you.

The tech just swapped out the mobile connector for me. He had a brand new one (still in plastic) when he came for the mobile service.

 

[Huladog]

The tech just swapped out the mobile connector for me. He had a brand new one (still in plastic) when he came for the mobile service.

Ran into the same issue and mobile tech showed me where one tiny pin in one of the ports of the mobile connector was slightly out of alignment causing the problems. Ditto tech just swapped out the entire mobile connector which leads me to believe it is pretty common so they're ready with a spare.

 

[Sideman7]

For what it's worth, mine was bad as well when I got my car at the end of the year. I ended up going to the service center and they swapped it out for me. Oddly enough, the mobile charger worked on an X they tried it on, but would do nothing on my car. The new one works fine.