[Dave Mc]

During a recent visit to an EA charging station, the charge plug got locked in my car (I didn't have the app open ready to swipe to charge & the station timed out but didn't unlock the plug). I ended up having to call tech support & the tech had me hit the unlock button on my keyfob several times in quick succession. Success! Just hoping to save someone else a call if this happens to them.

 

[Froggy]

Been there, done that.

 

[GCook]

During a recent visit to an EA charging station, the charge plug got locked in my car (I didn't have the app open ready to swipe to charge & the station timed out but didn't unlock the plug). I ended up having to call tech support & the tech had me hit the unlock button on my keyfob several times in quick succession. Success! Just hoping to save someone else a call if this happens to them.

had the same thing happen, the keyfob approach worked the second time it happened, but the first time i had to follow the instructions in the manual to pull the release that's in the right sidewall of the trunk,behind a carpet flap.

 

[estebin]

It seems that the few times I have used any charger, have not owned my ID4 long, it seems I have to attempt a different way of disconnecting the charge cable. I have only charged at Electrify America about 3 times and the first time was great, when it was done just disconnected. Second time had to call the number. The third, and other times with different chargers including home, I have used the key fob, stop charging through car net app, stop charging through car screen, etc. I have not found one simple way to know which process will work and hopefully work easily.
This is very different to my previous ride, Prius Prime, which was just either disconnect or press the unlock button to free and disconnect. This whole guessing game has made me miss the simplicity of the Prius Prime.
Would setting the car to open unlock when done charging solve this guessing game? However I do not like the idea of leaving it free for anyone to pull the charger out, especially at my home since I charge in my drive way.

 

[Nai3t]

I have:

1. Waited
2. Unlocked the car @ the door handle
3. Pulled the emergency cable
4. Pulled and broke the cable (then waited)
5. Pressed the remote 3 times

Those were my initial trials, trying to figure out EA as well. I'm at the point now where the 3 clicks is reliable, but is that fails, I give it a minute, and it releases.

 

[ExCivilian]

Presumably that setting would help with your situation but, given we've had so many different errors/issues with the charge settings, it's anyone's guess what would happen if you change it.

It might blow the EVSE out the side like an escape pod!

 

[Nai3t]

I am curious if the same problems would appear on EVGo or others, definite lack of data in that regard.

 

[Eyedeefour]

This literally just happened to me at an electrify America about an hour ago. Mostly just playing with unlock and lock and it finally turned white and let me remove it. I was heading to a meeting so I was a little concerned but it eventually let me go. I do not see a gap to put a screwdriver in there if you were really screwed like some other manufacturers have to get to the clip. Car said charging error and I went to a different pump and it worked. Their software is definitely buggy.

 

[gte574j]

Happens with every EVSE I have ever tried, hit or miss, but I would say 50% of the time I'm not able to pull the charger head out. Same thing happens at home except for charging overnight if it completes the full cycle it seems to always be unlocked, but any other time it locks up. It also starts and stops charging when I lock the door but I have a feeling its actually not charging, just drawing AC power for running the fan or charging the 12V battery...not sure.
Also agree with previous comments I have NEVER had any similar issues with my Leaf or Model S even after 200k miles combined.

 

[theboomr]

I wonder if there's some particular software bug causing this only on a subset of ID.4s? I've never experienced this so far, every time the EA chargers have failed to initialize or whatever, and the handle is "stuck", I am able to get it out with just a single click of the unlock button on the fob.

 

[gte574j]

Thanks for the info. I still wonder why the charge port even locks, if the session is over or not active it should be unlocked. Generally I find folks that kick their charge points rude, I’m a fan of sharing and interrupting others charging sessions if warranted or invited to do so.

 

[gorj]

I have had my ID4 for four weeks and every visit to EA is different with either the plugging in and starting the charge or the unplugging at the end of the charge. Sometimes EA starts charging but no charging data is shown on the screen and I do not get a text thanking me for charging when the charge is finished. But it does charge the ID4. Sometimes when the charge is completed the charge plug seems stuck and I do a little dance with the remote locking and un locking the door and the plug comes out! Sometimes when I plug in, it seems to start charging and times out and tells me to unplug and plug back in - that can be a challenge because it will not always unplug without going through the dance! I really think EA and VOA need to get their game together. I have used a free destination charger and have none of these issues. Just plug in and charge, stop the charge on the screen and unplug. Easy Peasy.

 

[AmyB]

During a recent visit to an EA charging station, the charge plug got locked in my car (I didn't have the app open ready to swipe to charge & the station timed out but didn't unlock the plug). I ended up having to call tech support & the tech had me hit the unlock button on my keyfob several times in quick succession. Success! Just hoping to save someone else a call if this happens to them.

Just happened to me this morning for the first time w my home charger. Nothing was working and I eventually just unplugged the charger from the wall.

 

[gorj]

Just happened to me this morning for the first time w my home charger. Nothing was working and I eventually just unplugged the charger from the wall.

Have found when that happens you lock the car with the remote, then unlock the car with the remote and it will come out. Also check the screen and be sure it is really not charging. Or also hit the icon that shows stop charging.

 

[BlueDH]

I have found that hitting the unlock button 2 or 3 times and depressing the plug button firmly will release the charger plug.

 

[Keowee]

OEMs and DC fast charging stations continue to report challenges. In the early days of SAE CCS we had problems with missed charges or wont initiate (early testing with heavy duty buses). Ford Mach E users have to make sure car is unlocked before charge initiates ( frustrating to learn). For safety reasons the unlock process requires voltage or energy levels to drop. As commented, the car or charger needs to power down to disconnect and the DC Fast Charger needs to recognize a safe condition. For ID.4 the stop charging from screen and unlock key fob seem most reliable for me

Hopefully EA and VW are tracking these faults!

Old 2015 logic for unlock

 

[Spin]

Have found when that happens you lock the car with the remote, then unlock the car with the remote and it will come out. Also check the screen and be sure it is really not charging. Or also hit the icon that shows stop charging.

This seems to work for me as well.

 

[Huey52]

… or worst case call EA and they can usually assist with unlock. But it really shouldn’t be this difficult.
However I do recognize there are certain safe conditions that must first be met, as Keowee well describes.

 

[JimmyVW]

It's interesting to read about this issue so much here, as i read a lot of message boards in Europe as well, and there i hardly ever read about this issue.
occasionally an ID3, but haven't come across an ID4 yet. Makes me feel it's something with the EA chargers.

 

[Timbobh]

My Chargepoint L2 EVSE is locked every morning. A single press of the unlock button on the key fob releases the charging cable every time. Is there a setting I can activate or something else I can do to cause the plug to unlock when charging is complete? The key fob work around is okay, but it sort of defeats the purpose of such a fancy key if I need to fish it out of my pocket every morning to drive away...