Trouble with removing charger nozzle from car

Discussion in 'Kia Niro' started by Susannah Margaret, Jan 14, 2020.

To remove this ad click here.

  1. Susannah Margaret

    Susannah Margaret New Member

    Has anyone had trouble having car charging port release the charger nozzle? Our Juice box has worked fine with our Bolt but after first time charging Niro this evening we couldn't get it out for 30 minutes.
    If so how did you resolve problem?
     
  2. To remove this ad click here.

  3. Emperor Niro

    Emperor Niro New Member

    I have issues with the Level 1 charger supplied with the vehicle but any other charger I have used releases just fine.
     
  4. Does the problem seem to be with the latch, or is it just a tight fit?

    I know people occasionally have this problem with different charging stations. If it's the latch, the method in the video below can help in a pinch. If it's just a super-tight fit, maybe a bit of petroleum jelly would help.

     
  5. TandM

    TandM Active Member

    Did you check to make sure the doors were unlocked? Out of habit now (even in our closed home garage) I press the remote button twice or when I open the door to sit down my coffee or whatever I just go ahead and press the unlock button.
     
  6. Hedge

    Hedge Member

    The plug locks after 15 seconds, and remains locked even if the car is unlock. There is a button that will switch the function to unlock the plug when charging is finished and the car is unlocked. I believe if the car is locked the plug will always be locked. I had to, gasp, read the manual to find this out. Also while the car is in non running mode so you can run the cc or radio you can't unlock the car to unlock the plug. You have to turn the car off then unlock to pull out the plug.
     
  7. To remove this ad click here.

  8. Here is the page from the owner's manual describing how the charge connector lock functions.
    Kia-Niro-EV-charge-connector-lock.jpg
     
  9. CR EV

    CR EV Active Member

    All doors have to be unlocked, after unlocking, you have about 10 seconds to unlatch the nozzle. Alternatively, unplug it from the wall, if it is a plug-in.
     
    Domenick likes this.
  10. Wait a second....this is ANOTHER setting that refuses to stay in the state I put it in ? If I unlock all the doors, which unlocks the charge port why doesn't it just stay unlocked until I lock the doors again??
     
  11. CR EV

    CR EV Active Member

    I'm not sure why it locks again, doesn't seem like a needed security feature, but that's the information in the grey 'quick tips' box on page 17 of the thin Features & Functions Guide. I've gotten pretty good at 'press door button, scoot to the cable'. Think of it as Niro aerobics :)
     
    Domenick likes this.
  12. To remove this ad click here.

  13. I have charged few enough times that I had not noticed that "feature." Just one of now three automated behaviors that annoy me.

    I did discover another pretty cool one....if the key is in the car cabin and the door is open a manual locking of the drivers side door with the other doors locked it quickly unlocks (maybe the behavior is broader, but these were the conditions when I observed it).
     
    Domenick likes this.
  14. Tim Knopf

    Tim Knopf New Member

    I noticed something similar just u#ing the granny charger that came with the car, but I found that if you hit “unlock” twice in quick succession on the key fob, the charge connector will come right out. That’s what works for me.
     
  15. CR EV

    CR EV Active Member

    All doors have to be unlocked (that's the double click) and after doing so, you have about 10 seconds to unhook the charger cable or it locks again. See page 17 of the thin Features & Functions Guide.
     
  16. davidtm

    davidtm Active Member

    (There is also a setting to allow unlock of all doors with one click)
     
  17. Bob Quinn

    Bob Quinn New Member

    I have a 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV and cannot, no matter what I do get the car to unlock the the charger plug. I have tried everything the manuals say, all the videos online, unlocked all the doors, car off, fully charged, etc... no luck. Every once in awhile when I set it to auto unlock after it fully charges, leave the car unlocked and charge it all night the plug will be unlocked in the morning, but this morning even that didn't work. I have to open the hood and use the emergency release to get the car to let go of the plug. It is becoming very frustrating and the KIA dealer I bought it from (Capitol KIA, San Jose) has a service department that doesn't appear to ever answer their phone. So I would really like to find a fix for this. I am contemplating disconnecting the solenoid the activates the lock or cutting off the pin. ANY help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.
     
    Hankh95 likes this.
  18. Danhen

    Danhen Active Member

    We have never had any trouble getting through to them. In fact we usually make our service appointments on line.
     
  19. TessD

    TessD New Member

    I just recently started having the same issue with my 2020 Kia Niro PHEV. Incredibly embarrassing but thank goodness for smart phones and the internet, I learned about the emergency release and was able to leave my very public parking space. I have noticed an unexpected clicking sound from the instrument panel that seems to be related to charging as well. Do you think it's possible it's a blown fuse?
     
  20. Hankh95

    Hankh95 New Member

    I am having the same issue - reviewed owners manual page in post above - no combination of the Auto/Lock button and hitting the key fob twice or unplugging the charger from the wall work - It stays locked in.
     
  21. Hankh95

    Hankh95 New Member

    IMG_0084.jpeg Finally figured it out. Make sure you unlock all doors then pull this emergency release cable pull in the front right of the engine compartment (2019 Kia Niro Plug in Hybrid). Image from owners manual.[​IMG]
     
  22. Michae

    Michae New Member

    We are developing a product that will fix this. https://ascencione.com/auto-open-close-electric-car-charger/
     
  23. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    There seems to be a J1772/Level 3 mis-match in the description of that tech:
    "That reveals your EV Charging Plugs ( J1772 plug ), so you can hook up your EV charger from a Level 3 charging station."
     

Share This Page