Charge port.. uh.. flapping?

[Jason Bourne]

I'm having this problem also. I took delivery of my Model 3 this week and when I picked it up, the battery was charged to 90%. I never charged it, in fact I didn't even unpack the UMC.

Earlier today, I was at my parents house showing them the car and we were standing a few feet from the car. The passenger doors were open, then all of a sudden, the charge port door opened and closed itself a few times. Then it stayed open. So I pushed it closed gently and it reopened. Once we walked away from the car and it locked itself, the charge port door stayed closed. When I got in the car to leave my parents' house, the screen had flickering vertical lines and weird colors. I held both steering wheel buttons until the screen went black to reset it and when the screen came back on, the screen was fine and I drove away.

Then after I got home from their house and pulled in my driveway, the charge port door spontaneously opened on its own again. Later this afternoon, I finally unpacked the UMC, plugged it in to my NEMA 14-50 and charged the car.

The charge port door didn't open while I was driving, and I'm only aware of it happening today when I had less than 100 miles of range left. It's almost like Little Shop Of Horrors saying Feed me Seymour!

Anyone have any idea why it's doing that?

 

[mblakele]

Possibly Phantom touch on the Model 3 opening the charge port

 

[N5329K]

Who know what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
The Phantom Touch strikes again!
Robin

 

[Esme Es Mejor]

You seem to have an invisible touch, yeah...

 

[Jason Bourne]

Possibly Phantom touch on the Model 3 opening the charge port

If that's what it is, is it only solved by Tesla replacing the screen?

 

[mblakele]

If that's what it is, is it only solved by Tesla replacing the screen?

Maybe. It's worth checking for the factory screen protector first. Sometimes they forget to remove it, and it may make the problem worse. More data needed.

If it were my car and it were Sunday when the SC is closed, I'd try one more thing. After removing any factory screen protector I'd also try a deep power-off: Controls -> E-Brake/Power Off -> Power Off. Then don't touch the brakes or doors or any controls for three minutes. Use a timer if possible so you get the full three minutes. After about two minutes you should hear some quiet noises as various systems shut down. After the full three minutes, wake the car again with the brake pedal.

I have no idea if that'll help, but I don't think it could hurt.

 

[ℬête Noire]

This is another example of KISS....or lack of it.
The Volt used to have a remote charge door feature (press the button on the FOB or inside the car, and the charge door would pop open). Was cool at first "Hey guys, check this out!" but I found it was actually more hassle than it was worth. Plus cutting out the remote charge door would surely have saved Tesla a few dollars on each unit.

When I get to the point of going a whole week without forgetting the close the Bolt charing access panel, thus having to park, get out, close it, and get back in, I may be more inclined to agree with you.

 

[N5329K]

Maybe. It's worth checking for the factory screen protector first. Sometimes they forget to remove it, and it may make the problem worse. More data needed.

If it were my car and it were Sunday when the SC is closed, I'd try one more thing. After removing any factory screen protector I'd also try a deep power-off: Controls -> E-Brake/Power Off -> Power Off. Then don't touch the brakes or doors or any controls for three minutes. Use a timer if possible so you get the full three minutes. After about two minutes you should hear some quiet noises as various systems shut down. After the full three minutes, wake the car again with the brake pedal.

I have no idea if that'll help, but I don't think it could hurt.

CTL-ALT-DEL.
That and a chicken dance works every time.
Seriously, this is the natural outcome of making a simple thing ridiculously complex. Looks cool when it works (I'm looking at you, Falcon Wings). Maddening when it doesn't.
Arthur Clarke said that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
I would add:
"Any workaround to a sufficiently over-complicated piece of design is indistinguishable from a Monty Python skit."

Robin

 

[danbry39]

My daughter had this exact problem on the Model 3 she's using. Called Tesla and set up an appointment that day. It was fixed the next. When I spoke to the gentleman who completed the repair (replacing the charge door and its housing), he told me that they were aware of the problem. He asked if we use microfiber to clean the car, to which we answered "yes". He explained that doing so can build up a static charge, which, if I'm understanding correctly, can trigger the sensor in the charge door. He thought that the newest software update addressed the issue.

 

[danbry39]

By the way, we really owe our thanks to Tesla and its staff. They really went out of their way to be helpful. Our service center is always fun to stop by at and just hang out.

 

[K-MTG]

One of my friends charge port cover fell off after a car wash so Tesla replaced it for him