After 2,5 years of delivering Model S here in Europe, Tesla still delivers cars with charge port problems.
In short, there are three common problems:
- The charge port touches the body panel, holding the lid back so it doesn`t open
- The charge port freezes, holding the lid back so it doesn`t open
- Moist on the magnet makes the unlock function fail. The magnet never release the lid, so the lid doesn`t open.
Of course, after a winter or two I`m experienced, and know that pressing the charge port hard so that the magned flexes, and then pushing hard at the hinges of the charge port while pushing remote open (FOB trunk button for three seconds). This makes the door open in most cases. Some people use credit cards, ice scrapes etc.
My father took delivery of his 70D august 2015, and when he came home he couldn`t charge the car as the charge port did not open. He called me, and was able to open the charge port after some guidance.
It`s very strange that Tesla still delivers cars with such a unnecessary flaw. The european charge port should`ve been redesigned early spring 2014 after the first winter showed how terrible the design was. Tesla must know?
Making the charge port reliable and easy to operate must be one of the easiest flaws to fix on this car. Therefore I hope Tesla will swap the charge port on all delivered European cars over time. No rush, but it`s such a small and simple component. And the port probably needs some maintenance over time anyways, as it`s better to swap them after 5-10 years after some wear and tear, than to wait until something fails in such an important but cheap part of the car. Tesla could even swap it for a spring loaded lid that allows the user to open the charge port without remote (just press the charge port in when car unlocked - pops open like an ordinary fuel tank lid. And the electric motor could just be a way to release the spring loaded lid without the user pushing the lid. And the spring would make the lid pop open.
Maybe the US charge port have no issues like the ones we have here in Europe?
In short, there are three common problems:
- The charge port touches the body panel, holding the lid back so it doesn`t open
- The charge port freezes, holding the lid back so it doesn`t open
- Moist on the magnet makes the unlock function fail. The magnet never release the lid, so the lid doesn`t open.
Of course, after a winter or two I`m experienced, and know that pressing the charge port hard so that the magned flexes, and then pushing hard at the hinges of the charge port while pushing remote open (FOB trunk button for three seconds). This makes the door open in most cases. Some people use credit cards, ice scrapes etc.
My father took delivery of his 70D august 2015, and when he came home he couldn`t charge the car as the charge port did not open. He called me, and was able to open the charge port after some guidance.
It`s very strange that Tesla still delivers cars with such a unnecessary flaw. The european charge port should`ve been redesigned early spring 2014 after the first winter showed how terrible the design was. Tesla must know?
Making the charge port reliable and easy to operate must be one of the easiest flaws to fix on this car. Therefore I hope Tesla will swap the charge port on all delivered European cars over time. No rush, but it`s such a small and simple component. And the port probably needs some maintenance over time anyways, as it`s better to swap them after 5-10 years after some wear and tear, than to wait until something fails in such an important but cheap part of the car. Tesla could even swap it for a spring loaded lid that allows the user to open the charge port without remote (just press the charge port in when car unlocked - pops open like an ordinary fuel tank lid. And the electric motor could just be a way to release the spring loaded lid without the user pushing the lid. And the spring would make the lid pop open.
Maybe the US charge port have no issues like the ones we have here in Europe?