Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register
  • We just completed a significant update, but we still have some fixes and adjustments to make, so please bear with us for the time being. Cheers!

Mobile Charger Loose

jjs1

Member
Jun 22, 2020
141
86
Orange County, CA
Tonight my 3 day old MY was due for its first charge. I plugged it in and it gave me flashing orange and the error: "Charge cable may not be plugged securely into the vehicle."

I am still able to charge 16/32A at about 14mi/hr. My brother owns an X and lives close by. His charging cable fits more snug into my charge port and gives me a full 32/32A. When inserting mine, it is ever so slightly loose. Luckily it doesn't seem like a problem with the car itself - just the cable.

Going to head to the service center on Monday to see if they can quickly swap out my mobile charger. Don't want to wait for an appointment so fingers crossed that they can do it. Anyone else run into a similar issue?
 

Matsayz

Active Member
Jul 6, 2019
1,066
765
Las Vegas
Thanks! How would I go about getting mobile service? I already scheduled a service appointment to fix the cosmetic issues for the car - but that's in two weeks. It doesn't look like I can schedule an additional service.

Mobile Service will be an option if it’s available when you went to make the appt for the repair/fix in the app. There are only so many and they’re always busy so you may or may not have that option presented to you when scheduling service.

You mentioned that the car was ready to be charged... do you not keep it plugged in while parked? If it’s not an option due to apartment or condo living I understand. If you’re just not charging it because it still have whatever % then that’s different and not usually recommended (won’t hurt but just doesn’t make sense).

A plugged in Tesla is a happy Tesla
 
  • Like
Reactions: aburrows

wwww

New Member
Jun 28, 2020
4
1
San Francisco
I think I am having this problem too. Cannot get the car to charge reliably with the included mobile connector. It refuses to lock the connector, and if I replug it 10-20 times I can sometimes get it to charge but it won't lock and shows an error message.

I think the bottom two pins are not seated correctly (pictured).

Trying to get mobile service to swap it out.

IMG_5279.jpeg
 

jjs1

Member
Jun 22, 2020
141
86
Orange County, CA
I think I am having this problem too. Cannot get the car to charge reliably with the included mobile connector. It refuses to lock the connector, and if I replug it 10-20 times I can sometimes get it to charge but it won't lock and shows an error message.

I think the bottom two pins are not seated correctly (pictured).

Trying to get mobile service to swap it out.

View attachment 557777

I went down to the delivery center and they tested mine on a Model 3 and it worked fine. When they tested on the Model Y, same error. So, this cable with a Model Y causes a failure. Not sure why - but they gave me a new mobile charger and it works fine. The Tesla worker was a prick and told me I was plugging it in wrong. Just glad I got out there rather quickly with what I needed.
 

jjs1

Member
Jun 22, 2020
141
86
Orange County, CA
Mobile Service will be an option if it’s available when you went to make the appt for the repair/fix in the app. There are only so many and they’re always busy so you may or may not have that option presented to you when scheduling service.

You mentioned that the car was ready to be charged... do you not keep it plugged in while parked? If it’s not an option due to apartment or condo living I understand. If you’re just not charging it because it still have whatever % then that’s different and not usually recommended (won’t hurt but just doesn’t make sense).

A plugged in Tesla is a happy Tesla

Interesting. So it's best to charge daily? I was treating it as any other car I guess. Fuel up when I'm running low.
 

Matsayz

Active Member
Jul 6, 2019
1,066
765
Las Vegas
Interesting. So it's best to charge daily? I was treating it as any other car I guess. Fuel up when I'm running low.

You can but there’s no reason to not plug it in when you get home. Part of owning an EV is leaving home with a “full tank” every day. I understand if you don’t use more than 30miles a day but it just seems silly not to leave it plugged in. If your electric utility has a plan to charge at lower rates at night you can schedule the car to charge during those hours too.

Say you want to drive 2hrs away tomorrow but the car only has enough battery for 45mins... you realize this while sitting on the couch on your phone so you just open the Tesla app and move the charging bar to the right and boom you’ve got a full battery for your trip tomorrow.

I’d wager 99% of EV owners will plug in there car when they park at home for the night (if they have the ability)
 
  • Helpful
Reactions: Rocky_H

PalmBeachPaul

Member
Oct 7, 2019
51
53
Palm Beach FL
I had the same issue on my mobile charger but not with a supercharger on my trip so I know the car was not the issue. It would feel very loose and only charge at reduced current. Luckily I have a dealer about 20 miles away. I went there a day after my delivery with this issue and they dealt with it without an appointment. Tesla first told me it worked fine on other vehicles but then determined that the two small connectors used for communication and not power were out of position. This resulted in the MY not knowing it was properly plugged in and it wouldn’t lock the charger into the car. They replaced the Mobil charger and I was all set.
 

PalmBeachPaul

Member
Oct 7, 2019
51
53
Palm Beach FL
I think I am having this problem too. Cannot get the car to charge reliably with the included mobile connector. It refuses to lock the connector, and if I replug it 10-20 times I can sometimes get it to charge but it won't lock and shows an error message.

I think the bottom two pins are not seated correctly (pictured).

Trying to get mobile service to swap it out.

View attachment 557777
That is correct. These pins “communicate” with the car to tell it that your charger is plugged in. They (like mine) were misaligned so the car didn’t know it was plugged in and didn’t lock the charger into the MY. Yours are more poorly aligned than mine. I was at least able to charge at 16 Amps and top off my car at a slow rate.
 
  • Helpful
Reactions: Rocky_H

PalmBeachPaul

Member
Oct 7, 2019
51
53
Palm Beach FL
Thanks! How would I go about getting mobile service? I already scheduled a service appointment to fix the cosmetic issues for the car - but that's in two weeks. It doesn't look like I can schedule an additional service.


If you are close to a dealer, go there without an appointment and get it swapped. That is what I did. I told them it couldn’t charge and they dealt with it without an issue. BTW when they logged my service as completed it cancelled my Mobil service appointment so I had to rebook it a day or 2 later.
 

jjs1

Member
Jun 22, 2020
141
86
Orange County, CA
If you are close to a dealer, go there without an appointment and get it swapped. That is what I did. I told them it couldn’t charge and they dealt with it without an issue. BTW when they logged my service as completed it cancelled my Mobil service appointment so I had to rebook it a day or 2 later.

Yep - I went yesterday afternoon and swapped it out. The employee I spoke with was a dick. Tried to tell me I didn't plug it in right. After a few minutes, I was able to get him to test it on a Model Y floor model and it failed. Unfortunately, I left my J1772 adapter in my old mobile charger. So, I need to make another trip down there to get it back. :mad:
 

jjs1

Member
Jun 22, 2020
141
86
Orange County, CA
What's interesting is this seems to be an issue only on the Y's. If plugged into a 3 or X, the charger works fine. Hope I don't run into any issues at the Super Chargers.
 

About Us

Formed in 2006, Tesla Motors Club (TMC) was the first independent online Tesla community. Today it remains the largest and most dynamic community of Tesla enthusiasts. Learn more.

Do you value your experience at TMC? Consider becoming a Supporting Member of Tesla Motors Club. As a thank you for your contribution, you'll get nearly no ads in the Community and Groups sections. Additional perks are available depending on the level of contribution. Please visit the Account Upgrades page for more details.


SUPPORT TMC
Top