New Charging Port Behavior

[stevezzzz]

I charge my Sig S in the garage using a NEMA 14-50 feed. Since I installed the latest software update (the Supercharger update, v1.15.8) I've observed differences in the way the car handles the charging connector lock and the charging annunciator lights.

Old Way:

1. With car unlocked, push the button on the charging connector to open the charging port door.
2. Plug in the charging cord.
3. Car engages the connector lock and initiates the charging sequence. Lights settle on green as charging begins.
4. Walk away; the car locks itself and turns off the annunciator lights around the charging port. You cannot unlock and remove the charging connector from the port.
5. Return to car with key fob. Unlock the car either by touching the door handle or double-clicking the fob.
6. Charging annunciator lights up green; click the button on the connector to unlock the adapter and pull to remove it from the port. Close charging port door.


New Way:

1.-3. Are the same.
4. Walk away; the car locks itself and leaves the annunciator lights on.
5. Return to car (immediately or hours later makes no difference) with or without the key fob in your possession. Annunciator lights are still on, steady green.
6. Press the button on the charging connector (remember, the car is still locked) to unlock the connector and pull to remove it from the charging port.

However, if in step 4. you manually lock the car with the key fob the charging port behavior reverts to the Old Way: that is, the lights go out and you have to unlock the car before you can unlock and remove the charging connector.

I called this in to the ownership experience team; the rep I spoke with checked his release notes but saw nothing to indicate this is an intentional change in behavior. Has anyone else with an S and the latest firmware update seen this behavior?

P.S. I wanted to start this as a locked thread for registered users only, but can't figure out how that's done...

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Steve, I don't have the car yet obviously but, speculating here...

Are you sure that, post-update, the car's actually locking itself (walk-away-locking) in step 4 above? Maybe, that setting toggled off when you installed the update and the car's actually not locked throughout when you were gone? That might explain why the charge port is behaving that way...

 

[dsm363]

I think Steve may be right. I just went out to my car which is charging right now and the light around the port was out. I couldn't unplug my car. When I used the keyfob to unlock the car, it turned back on and was glowing green.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I think Steve may be right. I just went out to my car which is charging right now and the light around the port was out. I couldn't unplug my car. When I used the keyfob to unlock the car, it turned back on and was glowing green.

Wait, Dave, you are still seeing the "Old Way" which is what's supposed to happen. Steve's saying that it has changed (atleast for him) such that the light keeps on glowing right through and the charging connector stays unlocked unless he had manually locked and unlocked the car with the key fob.

I suspect that walk-away-locking (without using the key fob explicitly) is not working for him or has been toggled to off by the update.

 

[bonnie]

My money is on Steve.

 

[dsm363]

Wait, Dave, you are still seeing the "Old Way" which is what's supposed to happen. Steve's saying that it has changed (atleast for him) such that the light keeps on glowing right through and the charging connector stays unlocked unless he had manually locked and unlocked the car with the key fob.

I suspect that walk-away-locking (without using the key fob explicitly) is not working for him or has been toggled to off by the update.

Sorry, long day. Yes, guess I'm still seeing the old way.

I have my car set to autolock on way away. I wonder if there is something going on with Steve's car. When my car is locked, I can't remove the charge cable from the port as it is still locked in place.

- - - Updated - - -

Steve: Does it make any difference if you are actively charging or have completed charging?

I printed out your first post and went back to my car. I'm getting the same results. When I manually lock the doors with the keyfob, I can't unplug the car without unlocking the doors. When I let the car auto-lock, I can walk back and unplug the car.

 

[stevezzzz]

My money is on Steve.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bonnie, however misplaced. :wink:

I'm thinking now that the behavior I'm seeing has got to do with the walk-away lock function, as gg_ said. The update didn't turn off walk-away locking, but it seems that until yesterday (perhaps only coincidentally after the software update) my S would always lock when I took the fob into the kitchen. Today it's a crap shoot: sometimes it locks, sometimes it doesn't. But if it's well and truly locked, the charging connector can't be removed. You may stand down and cease all head scratching on my behalf.

 

[mknox]

Does anyone think it would actually be better if the charge port lights stayed on all the time when plugged in instead of going dark when the car is locked?

I'm thinking if I'm at a public station and someone else pulls up and sees the lights out, they may think the car is fully charged and pull the J1772 to use on their own car. Don't most other EVs have charge port lights (or some other light) that stays on?

 

[dsm363]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bonnie, however misplaced. :wink:

I'm thinking now that the behavior I'm seeing has got to do with the walk-away lock function, as gg_ said. The update didn't turn off walk-away locking, but it seems that until yesterday (perhaps only coincidentally after the software update) my S would always lock when I took the fob into the kitchen. Today it's a crap shoot: sometimes it locks, sometimes it doesn't. But if it's well and truly locked, the charging connector can't be removed. You may stand down and cease all head scratching on my behalf.

I'm wondering about this now as well. Could the software update have increased the distance to auto-lock? Prior to the update, the car seemed to completely lock when I walked about 15 feet away. I walked maybe 45 feet away and left the key. Went back and am able to touch the handle and open the door. Not sure if that has anything to do with this though.

 

[NigelM]

I'm thinking if I'm at a public station and someone else pulls up and sees the lights out, they may think the car is fully charged and pull the J1772 to use on their own car.

Not possible if the car is locked.

 

[cinergi]

I just tried to reproduce this and I can't. While charging, when I walk away, the lights flash and the car locks. Including the charge port light. I can't remove the charge connector. (although holding the button down interrupts the charge -- that's probably not new)

 

[mknox]

Not possible if the car is locked.

I thought you could remove the J1772 from the adapter, but not the adapter from the car when it's locked???

 

[Larry Chanin]

Not possible if the car is locked.

I thought you could remove the J1772 from the adapter, but not the adapter from the car when it's locked???

That is correct.

Locking the charging cable is only true for High Power Wall Connectors.

For public chargers using the J1772 adapter the cable can be disconnected if someone presses the button on the connector handle.

The adapter still stays locked onto the charging port.

Can someone disconnect a locked Model S from a J1772 public charging station?

Larry

 

[cinergi]

As a result of making my video, I can confirm you can remove the J1772 while the adapter is locked into the car. There's nothing locking the J1772 onto the adapter -- thus nothing preventing you from removing it. The J1772 connector itself would need a locking feature.

 

[Robert.Boston]

P.S. I wanted to start this as a locked thread for registered users only, but can't figure out how that's done...

That's not an option on this forum; unlike the official Tesla forums, TMC doesn't have access to the master reservation records. It would be possible, though, to set up an "Owner's Group" with limited membership -- but owners will have to petition someone to be in, and someone will need to verify somehow who should be able to join.
</offtopic>

 

[mknox]

As a result of making my video, I can confirm you can remove the J1772 while the adapter is locked into the car. There's nothing locking the J1772 onto the adapter -- thus nothing preventing you from removing it. The J1772 connector itself would need a locking feature.

Thanks (and thanks for making that great series of videos). This is why I thought leaving the charge port lights on even while the car is locked would be useful. With the lights out at a public charge station, another EV driver might assume the car is fully charged and pull the J1772 to use on their own car.

 

[stevezzzz]

I think you have a good point. My delivery specialist said the charging port lights go out to avoid drawing attention to the car, but I think if enough of us ask for it Tessa might make it configurable in a future software release.

 

[strider]

I think you have a good point. My delivery specialist said the charging port lights go out to avoid drawing attention to the car, but I think if enough of us ask for it Tessa might make it configurable in a future software release.

Do they not light up while charging either? In the Roadster the blue (ready to charge) and green (done charging) lights will time out after a bit but when the car is actively charging the light will always pulse amber to indicate charging. I think this would satisfy mknox's concern. Did they change this on Model S?

 

[cinergi]

Both the Roadster (at least my 2.5) and the Model S will shut off the ring of charging lights around the connector when you lock the car. Otherwise they continue to remain lit.

 

[strider]

Both the Roadster (at least my 2.5) and the Model S will shut off the ring of charging lights around the connector when you lock the car. Otherwise they continue to remain lit.

But does it light up when charging even if the car is locked?