Tesla 3 charging door won't open

[Osnat]

I looked into this problem in the forum but with no success yet, so I'm hoping someone else might have another idea here. Starting this evening, my charging door will not open on my Model 3. I've tried:

all the standard ways (on screen, in the app, physically pushing it, using the button on the supercharging handle).

Also done a full reboots/restarts - holding the two steering wheel buttons with pressing the brake and waiting three minutes.
Nothing open it. the charging door make some noise, and on my phone I received the message "Failed to open charge port"

Any idea?

 

[TiggerTime]

This shows how to use the release just inside your truck. Hope this helps.

 

[RC2785]

try leaving it overnight and checking tomorrow, I've had some problems just fix themselves overnight. If it still doesn't work then you should schedule an appointment with the service center.

 

[Casmium]

Had that happen to me once, needed to charge so I forced it open with my fingernails, it's worked fine ever since.

 

[SMAlset]

This shows how to use the release just inside your truck. Hope this helps.

This wasn’t the OP’s issue. His charge door won’t open to insert the handle.

Today encountered the same issue on my 2 yr Model 3 alas why I’m here. Of course it’s a Saturday too . At least I’m at home. Tried exactly the same ways he did to access it with no luck. Car had 76 mi range, turned off cabin overheat protection and sentry off. Not checking app but when husband went out to do the reboots he noticed range was down to 67. Earlier this afternoon I did a service request for mobile and given date of 10/8. Automated app confirm response received with note saying it was being reviewed. Not sure I’ll hear from anyone until Monday though.

Curious how anyone with this issue had their’s resolved. After sending the signal it’s quiet, nothing happens and then you can hear some mechanical noise and then nothing.

 

[SageBrush]

Curious how anyone with this issue had their’s resolved. After sending the signal it’s quiet, nothing happens and then you can hear some mechanical noise and then nothing.

If your problem can be solved electronically, try powering down the car from the screen and then flip the the DC/DC disconnect for ... say 10 minutes.

 

[focher]

I had it happen once. Pulled the manual release inside the trunk as documented in the manual. Didn’t happen after that one time.

 

[Flexbomb]

Hopefully this helps as I just had this fixed:

I have a Tesla wall charger and the first symptom was that it started not opening with the handle button. I then used the mobile app and it said “door failed to open”. This was periodic and I ended up trying to use the cable for manual release. **note** the cable doesn’t open the door, it releases the latch inside for the charger. The way I got it to open was literally prying the door with my fingers... not happy sounds.

I ended up calling Tesla support and the guy came and told me it had to do with a “sensor” inside the charging port that told the car what position the door was and it was confused. He closed the door (when it kinda worked) and he told me that the sound of the door trying to close even when it was closed was a symptom (sounded like a faint clicking sound). He then replaced the whole port and it works fine.

The most instant improvement I’m noticing (although may not be related) is that I can press the button on the charger handle much further away to open the charging port (about a meter away). I used to have to get about a a couple inches from the door for it to open.

 

[Sophias_dad]

Strangely, I had this happen to me this morning(first time). I eventually opened it with a couple gentle whacks on the charge port door.

 

[Casmium]

Had that happen to me once, needed to charge so I forced it open with my fingernails, it's worked fine ever since.

Finally completely failed last month, service center replaced the door. Also noticed the button on the charger now activates at a further distance.

 

[SMAlset]

Hopefully this helps as I just had this fixed:

I have a Tesla wall charger and the first symptom was that it started not opening with the handle button. I then used the mobile app and it said “door failed to open”. This was periodic and I ended up trying to use the cable for manual release. **note** the cable doesn’t open the door, it releases the latch inside for the charger. The way I got it to open was literally prying the door with my fingers... not happy sounds.

I ended up calling Tesla support and the guy came and told me it had to do with a “sensor” inside the charging port that told the car what position the door was and it was confused. He closed the door (when it kinda worked) and he told me that the sound of the door trying to close even when it was closed was a symptom (sounded like a faint clicking sound). He then replaced the whole port and it works fine.

The most instant improvement I’m noticing (although may not be related) is that I can press the button on the charger handle much further away to open the charging port (about a meter away). I used to have to get about a a couple inches from the door for it to open.

Same app message as I recall about failure to open door. Both husband and I got it when we each tried charging from our phones. Suspect diagnosis will be the same as yours. We also tried the manual latch release in case it affected the door’s state and also shut down the car. Nothing helped.

After midnight we gave it one more try. Car had sat asleep for a while and the temps were much cooler (had been a hot day with car sitting in the sun). My husband had it fail on his app the first time but miraculously on the second try it opened and he was able to charge. Big relief. We’ve noted times for service. I’m keeping mobile appt. and will charge more frequently at home before it’s scheduled. Will let the thread know what I hear back from service. Car just turned two and really been problem free. The only error message my husband and I received came from trying with the app.

Appreciate all the replies.

 

[Flexbomb]

If it makes you feel better I asked the tech if I broke something when I pryed it open and he said no.

And then said “well we had to replace it anyways so no harm done”.

 

[SMAlset]

We resisted attempting to pry or hard press the door at all — which Tesla says not to do in the manual. I can totally understand the impulse to do however when you’re low on charge and just want to plug in.

I remember one new Model 3 owner at a SC who couldn't get her car home without needing The extra mileage. She had just driven the car from Fremont delivery center and stopped in Gilroy. The car’s charge door would not open. She had tried to pry open but still couldn’t do so. It was either a weekend or long holiday weekend. They said they couldn’t send roadside out since she still had enough range to drive back to either Santa Clara or Seaside, where she’d have to leave it. I think she lived like in Hollister so not in the direction she lived. Being new to the car she approached me for help in case she wasn’t doing something right. I’m pretty sure she ended up needing a new charge door. I sat in the car with her while she was on the phone with them as long as I could. Felt bad this was her first day with the car. Our MS had a bad charging port when we picked it up and had to leave it for replacement. Never had a problem after but not a great way to start.

 

[SMAlset]

Not a resolution yet but after sending in my app’s Service Request for mobile on Saturday around 1:20pm was unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised to get a text from service today at 2:55pm on Sunday asking if I had a time frame when I saw the failure message. Had no idea they had people looking over these service requests over the weekend.

 

[TM3blu]

Got this e-mail form Tesla to replace "charge port deadfronts". Is this the same issue?

Thank you for being a part of our Tesla family! We are proactively reaching out to perform an update to your vehicle at our Superior Service Center. For your convenience, no appointment is necessary! Feel free to stop by our Superior Service Center anytime between Mon – Fri, 9am – 4pm or Sat from 9:30am – 3:00pm to have the charge port deadfronts replaced with updated parts. This replacement typically takes less than 20 min.

 

[RayK]

That should not have anything to do with the port door not operating normally. It's the two pins inside the port that need replacing. Mine were done at the same time as the mobile HW3 upgrade and like the email says, should only take a few minutes.

Details here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10154509-9999.pdf

 

[SMAlset]

That should not have anything to do with the port door not operating normally. It's the two pins inside the port that need replacing. Mine were done at the same time as the mobile HW3 upgrade and like the email says, should only take a few minutes.

Details here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10154509-9999.pdf

Agreed. My charge port pins work was automatically done on a mobile visit earlier in the year for AC cleaning and filters. Hadn’t asked, they just did it, and when I asked about the line item said it was a pro-active replacement being done at service visits. Not related to the charge port door not opening.

 

[Flexbomb]

Not sure when you got your model 3 but mine also got the locking pin replaced with a unrelated issue “proactively”.

if you notice before it was more of a rectangular peg that locked the charging cable in. Now it’s more of a slanted looking piece. Apparently in the winter the old pin used to freeze and get stuck so this new one is supposed to fix that.

 

[EAV1]

During the last several weeks I've encountered a similar problem. Did not find any other thread describing exactly what has been happening to me. Now every time when I need to remove the Mobile Connector cable it does not unlock. Doesn't matter if I click "unlock" on the screen, on the app or on the cable itself. There is a clicking sound, but the cable remains stuck until I release it from the trunk. This sometimes happens with the Type 2 cable as well, but always with the "home" cable. I would really not want to schedule an appointment for this, so are there any tricks to fix this annoying issue? Thanks!

Edit: The weather has been freezing lately, but this problem first appeared when temperatures were above 0C, so is most likely not related to weather.

 

[Phlier]

During the last several weeks I've encountered a similar problem. Did not find any other thread describing exactly what has been happening to me. Now every time when I need to remove the Mobile Connector cable it does not unlock. Doesn't matter if I click "unlock" on the screen, on the app or on the cable itself. There is a clicking sound, but the cable remains stuck until I release it from the trunk. This sometimes happens with the Type 2 cable as well, but always with the "home" cable. I would really not want to schedule an appointment for this, so are there any tricks to fix this annoying issue? Thanks!

Edit: The weather has been freezing lately, but this problem first appeared when temperatures were above 0C, so is most likely not related to weather.

I was under the impression that European spec'd cars had a completely different charge port assembly than those built for the North America market.

You might want to post in the Europe forum, as any potential fixes for North American cars may not be applicable for European spec'd vehicles.

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting a picture of your charge port, with the door open? I think there's a lot of us North American guys/gals that are curious as to the differences between your charge port and ours.