Weird: Charge door opens randomly, but only at one location

[f308gt4]

2023 S Plaid.

One of my sons is in a rock climbing program that meets weekly. They have 2 buildings on opposite sides of the large parking complex: a main gym, and a training center and they alternate locations each week.

When I park at the training center, and only when I’m at the training center, as I wait for him in the car, I notice that the charge port door just opens. If I hit the close button it will open up again shortly afterwards. I tried the two button reset and it still happens. If I exit the car and wait until the doors lock, the charge port door will also open up again, even though I’m not in the car and it’s locked.

This happens only at the training center and has never happened anywhere else.

I read something a while back that pranksters could use an RF signal device to open up Tesla charge port doors. Could this be related to an alarm system or something present at this particular location that is doing this. It’s happened several times now, weeks apart, so I doubt that it’s a prankster, though I can’t rule that out.

Im wondering if I should schedule a service visit, though I doubt that they would be able to replicate the issue, as it has never happened anywhere else besides at this training center. Maybe I could try to schedule a mobile visit at the training center?

Has anyone else had a similar occurrence?

 

[brkaus]

The Model s/X charge port doesn’t lock.

It’s an encoded signal, not complicated from what I have read. Maybe someone has a broken Tesla charger there with the button stuck?

 

[EVRider-FL]

The Model s/X charge port doesn’t lock.

Since when? It should lock when the car is locked, but since the OP is sitting in the car, it’s probably unlocked.

 

[brkaus]

I know for sure the old model s (like mine in the garage) doesn’t lock. Could open with the charge wand button no matter the lock state (I think except if asleep).

 

[fholbert]

When the button is pressed on the charger handle, how does it open the door? RF? Bluetooth? Magic?

For the OP: Are other Tesla’s in the parking lot having the same issue?

 

[brkaus]

GitHub - akrutsinger/tesla-charge-port-signal: Guided reverse engineering of Tesla's charge port remote control signal

Guided reverse engineering of Tesla's charge port remote control signal - GitHub - akrutsinger/tesla-charge-port-signal: Guided reverse engineering of Tesla's charge port remote control signal

github.com

There have been several projects to build your own. Targeted towards folks that use j1772 evse without buttons.

 

[f308gt4]

When the button is pressed on the charger handle, how does it open the door? RF? Bluetooth? Magic?

For the OP: Are other Tesla’s in the parking lot having the same issue?

Unfortunately, I haven’t noticed other Teslas in the parking lot when this has happened. I will keep an eye out next time I am there.

I was doing some searching last night and found a post where some people were saying their garage door opener was triggering the charge port to open. One poster mentioned that the door opened on his S, but not his wife’s 3.

It’s an odd situation for sure.

 

[KalJoMoS]

When the button is pressed on the charger handle, how does it open the door? RF? Bluetooth? Magic?

It’s location based, the car knows this charger and allows it to open. When I just installed my HVWC the first few attempts to open the charge port it did triggered the car alarm, but after the car (and obviously Tesla mothership) had some sessions done it’s now fine.

 

[brkaus]

It’s location based, the car knows this charger and allows it to open. When I just installed my HVWC the first few attempts to open the charge port it did triggered the car alarm, but after the car (and obviously Tesla mothership) had some sessions done it’s now fine.

It might seam like that, but it’s very unlikely, imho.

 

[fholbert]

It’s location based, the car knows this charger and allows it to open. When I just installed my HVWC the first few attempts to open the charge port it did triggered the car alarm, but after the car (and obviously Tesla mothership) had some sessions done it’s now fine.

I don’t think it works that way. I say that because I use my mobile charger in other locations than my home.

 

[EVRider-FL]

I know for sure the old model s (like mine in the garage) doesn’t lock. Could open with the charge wand button no matter the lock state (I think except if asleep).

Ok, I just checked this on my 2023 Model S, and you're correct. I locked the car via the app, and couldn't open the charge port by pressing on it, but could open it using the button on my wall connector handle. Learn something new every day.

 

[KalJoMoS]

I don’t think it works that way. I say that because I use my mobile charger in other locations than my home.

Well I do it as well, if you did not know these places you have used your UMC are also saved on your car. The map system also allows you to select that place to navigate to.

 

[fholbert]

Well I do it as well, if you did not know these places you have used your UMC are also saved on your car. The map system also allows you to select that place to navigate to.

Why did it open the charging door the first time my mobile charger was used at a location the car had never seen?

 

[KalJoMoS]

It is always so, that once it’s the first time… But as someone have said, the car is constantly monitored by the mothership and if you have their units, that push on the button does communicate with it and allows this. If I’m not wrong that charging port does have dedicated sensor, so known equipment are allowed to. I don’t want to be mean, but that UMC you are carring with the car is not a charger. It’s Mobile Connector used for AC charging. The charger is constantly onboard the vehicle designed for both DC current and AC current.

 

[f308gt4]

Update: Today I picked up my son at the same place, and the charge port door did not open. Weird., considering it happened the last few times I was there.

BUT, earlier today, we went to Costco, seemingly like everyone else in SoCal. Since it was so crowded, we parked way out of the way from the entrance, not where we usually park. When we came back to the car, the charge port door was open.

I think it must be some signal that is operating at the same frequency as the button that activates the opening of the charge door.

 

[snowfree52]

someting similar happened to me last week, I go to the gym every day and last week when I got out of the gym, my plaid (wich was locked) had its charge port opened

There isn't any charging point at my gym

That is the only time it happened

 

[fjdomestic]

how about this ..refresh LR

charge port opens AND hatch while parked. happened 3 times the other day at the gym and at a local paint store. one of the times it happened I was in the car and the screen also went haywire opening the charge page.

the hatch also opened overnight the day it happened 3 x


then for the past few days nothing happened. I have a service appointment but am considering canceling it despite my 46,000 miles

thoughts appreciated!

 

[Russell]

how about this ..refresh LR

charge port opens AND hatch while parked. happened 3 times the other day at the gym and at a local paint store. one of the times it happened I was in the car and the screen also went haywire opening the charge page.

the hatch also opened overnight the day it happened 3 x

then for the past few days nothing happened. I have a service appointment but am considering canceling it despite my 46,000 miles

thoughts appreciated!

Ask Tesla if the log files show how the charge port and hatch were opened... by key fob, by touchscreen, pressing on charge port door or pressing button on hatch.