Tesla Model Y Charging Port Button Issue: Won't Open with Wall Connector Button

[kelkel]

Hello fellow Tesla owners,

I'm encountering a peculiar issue with my Tesla Model Y's charging port and I'm seeking advice from the community. I've owned the vehicle for less than a month, and I'm unable to open the charging port by pressing the button on the wall connector. However, I can still open it using the Tesla mobile app and the car's screen.

I made an interesting observation that the button on the wall connector only works when the trunk is open. Has anyone else experienced this specific issue with their Model Y? If so, I would greatly appreciate any insights or solutions you may have found.

I'm curious to know if there is a way to fix this issue or if it requires a service appointment. Your experiences, troubleshooting steps, or suggestions for resolving this problem would be immensely helpful.

Thank you all in advance for your input and assistance!

 

[davewill]

Again, why not bypass the wand button entirely? A quick firm press on the cover near the bottom will activate the door same as the wand button.

Since we typically have several Teslas in the garage this keeps all of the charge port doors from flying open. Try it. It's easier IMO and cuts the presses of the button (a wear part) in half.

Because if this is actually broken, either in his brand new car or wall connector, I suspect he'd like it fixed.

 

[kelkel]

Because if this is actually broken, either in his brand new car or wall connector, I suspect he'd like it fixed.

exactly, if there is broken thing, I’d like to get it fixed when under warranty

 

[ewoodrick]

I need to try at supercharger today to find out whether charger issue or car. If it’s charger broken, will Tesla send a technician to replace the wall connector for me?

I am not sure of that, I'd actually guess no. It's covered by a different warranty.

 

[kelkel]

It works again after I install recently released software. It seem like something went wrong with system. System was refreshed by install the software.

 

[nemuro]

Piggybacking this, new MY, using V4 Supercharger.

I always have to tap the lightning bolt icon in the app or on the vehicle touchscreen. (later edit: found out I should tap the charging flap)

If I press the round button on the charger, near the charging port, it won't open the charging port, even if presong hard or holding it for about 1-2 seconds

Additionally, once the charging is complete, I have to hit the "unlock charge port" option otherwise I can't unplug the charger, don't know why it's stuck in if it's not charging anymore.

Gonna report what happens after the others pointed out I should press and hold the button + raising the charger above the charge port.

 

[ewoodrick]

Piggybacking this, new MY, using V4 Supercharger.

I always have to tap the lightning bolt icon in the app or on the vehicle touchscreen. (later edit: found out I should tap the charging flap)

If I press the round button on the charger, near the charging port, it won't open the charging port, even if presong hard or holding it for about 1-2 seconds

Additionally, once the charging is complete, I have to hit the "unlock charge port" option otherwise I can't unplug the charger, don't know why it's stuck in if it's not charging anymore.

Gonna report what happens after the others pointed out I should press and hold the button + raising the charger above the charge port.

A simple push is all that's needed. But if that doesn't work, it's much easier than that. Just slightly push the bottom of the charge door. It should open. And no need to close, it should do so for you as well.

Have you tried other Superchargers, destination chargers or home Tesla chargers? If all aren't working, probably time to open a Service Ticket.

 

[nemuro]

A simple push is all that's needed. But if that doesn't work, it's much easier than that. Just slightly push the bottom of the charge door. It should open. And no need to close, it should do so for you as well.

Have you tried other Superchargers, destination chargers or home Tesla chargers? If all aren't working, probably time to open a Service Ticket.

Tapping the flap does open it, the problem still remains I have to hit unlock charge port in the car even after I stopped charging.



Update at the local V4 Supercharger, I tried tapping the button above the charger, both holding it and tapping it. Same story.

As context I have my iPhone as my key and the option to close the care once I'm out of the car, today it actually closed the car while I was near the charging flap. I then repeated the above steps with the door ajar so as to make sure the car doesn't sleep during me trying to open the flap with the supercharger tip.

Will try a V3 to see what happens.

 

[davewill]

This is a bit weird. Using the button on the handle to open the flap depends on a wireless signal from the handle. However, removing the handle by pushing that button doesn't rely on the wireless signal at all, it uses the proximity signal wire in the connector. It would make sense for one or the other not to work, but to have both not work, you'd normally suspect the physical locking mechanism. However, the unlock control on the dash works which kinda rules that out.

It makes it hard to guess where the problem might be.

I think it's time to have the service center look at it.

 

[nemuro]

This is a bit weird. Using the button on the handle to open the flap depends on a wireless signal from the handle. However, removing the handle by pushing that button doesn't rely on the wireless signal at all, it uses the proximity signal wire in the connector. It would make sense for one or the other not to work, but to have both not work, you'd normally suspect the physical locking mechanism. However, the unlock control on the dash works which kinda rules that out.

It makes it hard to guess where the problem might be.

I think it's time to have the service center look at it.

So I take it that once it stops charging (or once I stop it myself from charging) the port should be unlocked automatically and shouldn't require me to unlock it from the screen?
Wondering now if this may be due to the fact that I'm charging on the go, in another country than where I bought the car and where I live.

 

[davewill]

So I take it that once it stops charging (or once I stop it myself from charging) the port should be unlocked automatically and shouldn't require me to unlock it from the screen?
Wondering now if this may be due to the fact that I'm charging on the go, in another country than where I bought the car and where I live.

The car being "done" charging has nothing to do with unlocking the charge port. The charge port will unlock if the car is unlocked and you push the button on the handle OR you unlock it from the screen in the car OR from your phone.

The only time I've had the car refuse to release the handle is if the car isn't unlocked because the phone as key has failed. That happens occasionally, and launching the Tesla app always clears that up.

Now, sometimes it can take a few seconds for the car to wake, unlock because of your phone's presence, then unlock the port and I find it works best to hold the button until the car responds. However, you've done that and it didn't work, so something is definitely wrong.

 

[ewoodrick]

Tapping the flap does open it, the problem still remains I have to hit unlock charge port in the car even after I stopped charging.



Update at the local V4 Supercharger, I tried tapping the button above the charger, both holding it and tapping it. Same story.

As context I have my iPhone as my key and the option to close the care once I'm out of the car, today it actually closed the car while I was near the charging flap. I then repeated the above steps with the door ajar so as to make sure the car doesn't sleep during me trying to open the flap with the supercharger tip.

Will try a V3 to see what happens.

The words that you are saying doesn't seem to quite agree with what I'm saying.

The button is the circle withn the circle. When you press it, you can feel the indent. That then send the signal for the car to open the charge port.
As well as I can remember, once you pull the plug out after charging, it will close itself in a few seconds.

 

[nemuro]

That's the button I kept pressing since day one when I realized my local V4 doesn't open the charger flap.

 

[ewoodrick]

That's the button I kept pressing since day one when I realized my local V4 doesn't open the charger flap.

And you felt it depress/click?

It may just be time to open a service ticket.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Question: why not press on the cover? Way easier than opening the hatch.

This is what I do - exit the vehicle (in our garage) - grab the TWC cable handle - strong tap on the the base of the charging port with my hand/fingers - charging port opens up - plug it in - close front driver door - walk away. I've had mixed results using the button on the TWC itself - sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Tapping the base of the door itself with my hand and/or the TWC handle works every time in comparison.

 

[nemuro]

And you felt it depress/click?

It may just be time to open a service ticket.

Yes I did.

As an update it appears the problem is the specific V4 charger near me that has been Recently installed and maybe not everything is configured yet.
I stopped at a v3 and tried several wands that all open the charge port effortlessly.

 

[Togg]

Our models: Y & 3

Problems: 1) Charge port door won't open to allow charging, or 2) if charge cable was previously plugged in, now charge cable is locked in and the cable button is unresponsive to disconnect the cable!

Specifically: Pressing and holding the charge cable button near charge door, AND/OR gently pressing the charge port door inwards won't open charge port door. And the reverse is true that we can't open the door to charge the car when it's asleep.

How often this happens: Just about every day! This occurs very often when we're trying to unplug to drive the car somewhere, especially after the car has charged in our garage and I just walk up to it and try to unplug it, but find the charge door unresponsive. (And for me it's way too much trouble to get out my phone, find the Tesla app, and the control to open the charge port door, thought that remains an emergency option.)

Frustration level: 8

My solution: Reach over and momentarily open the back door via the door handle (not the back hatch which won't work for me). Note, if you can't open the back door, then first unlock the car via phone app, credit card, or key fob if you have one (rare).)

This seems to be the most effective way to quickly wake up the car. Yes, the car does seem to go to sleep, and once it's asleep it's harder to open the charge port and other doors.

In other words, when the car has gone to sleep, like if I haven't used it for awhile, then after momentarily opening the back door (or I suspect any door, but not the hatches) only then I can press and hold the home-charge-cord-button or gently press the charge-port-door to open the charge port.

URGENT improvement request! I find this charge-port-door going-to-sleep-business extremely frustrating, to the point that I now grimace before recommending a Tesla to anyone ... for fear that they will hate it because of this stupid little annoying, daily problem! PLEASE redesign the charge port door system so that it is similar to the back door latch, in that it should always operate instantly!!, rather than depending on if the car is awake or not. What would you think if you got in the car to drive and the steering wheel was unresponsive? Well, this is similar I think.

 

[QtownTaxiGreg]

Our models: Y & 3

Problems: 1) Charge port door won't open to allow charging, or 2) if charge cable was previously plugged in, now charge cable is locked in and the cable button is unresponsive to disconnect the cable!

Specifically: Pressing and holding the charge cable button near charge door, AND/OR gently pressing the charge port door inwards won't open charge port door. And the reverse is true that we can't open the door to charge the car when it's asleep.

How often this happens: Just about every day! This occurs very often when we're trying to unplug to drive the car somewhere, especially after the car has charged in our garage and I just walk up to it and try to unplug it, but find the charge door unresponsive. (And for me it's way too much trouble to get out my phone, find the Tesla app, and the control to open the charge port door, thought that remains an emergency option.)

Frustration level: 8

My solution: Reach over and momentarily open the back door via the door handle (not the back hatch which won't work for me). Note, if you can't open the back door, then first unlock the car via phone app, credit card, or key fob if you have one (rare).)

This seems to be the most effective way to quickly wake up the car. Yes, the car does seem to go to sleep, and once it's asleep it's harder to open the charge port and other doors.

In other words, when the car has gone to sleep, like if I haven't used it for awhile, then after momentarily opening the back door (or I suspect any door, but not the hatches) only then I can press and hold the home-charge-cord-button or gently press the charge-port-door to open the charge port.

URGENT improvement request! I find this charge-port-door going-to-sleep-business extremely frustrating, to the point that I now grimace before recommending a Tesla to anyone ... for fear that they will hate it because of this stupid little annoying, daily problem! PLEASE redesign the charge port door system so that it is similar to the back door latch, in that it should always operate instantly!!, rather than depending on if the car is awake or not. What would you think if you got in the car to drive and the steering wheel was unresponsive? Well, this is similar I think.

Much as you don't sleep with your butthole open I think the Tesla is best being awake for that also.

 

[QtownTaxiGreg]

The car needs to be awake to talk to the wall unit. Needs to be idiot proof against going to sleep next to a supercharger too I suppose.

 

[Togg]

The car needs to be awake to talk to the wall unit. Needs to be idiot proof against going to sleep next to a supercharger too I suppose.

At first blush it seemed idiot proof, i.e. when new.

But after a few years of ownership, it hasn't turned out to be that way, or perhaps I have become more of an idiot. Whatever the case after a few years we're still hating how it is.

... another solution would be to have some easy way to know if and when the car is sleeping, like a gentile snoring sound or a flashing light or something. So at least we have a clue as to what exactly is needed to get the door open at any given time. I don't like this idea, but if they can't make it wake up seamlessly, then we need some indicator to help us deal with it.


... or perhaps this problem was caused partly from the chip shortage issue, but I don't think so as our M3 was from before that time.