My charging socket door is cursed! Now won't open at all!

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Teddydogno1

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Since April I have been having the problem (second time) where the car says the charge socket flap door is open when it isn't. Have reported this a few times. Have not had it in for repair again yet.

As of two weeks ago, the door started "sticking" and not opening. I was able to get it open with a gently pry and a little percussion (instead of pushing it in, I had to lightly bang it with my fist). This was working reliably when it stuck (which was most of the time).

As of last night, this is no longer working. I could NOT get it open to charge Sparky. SOC is about 30% and the dealer is about 20 miles away. BUT we are going to be away until late next week so it will sit until then. I don't know if it will have enough juice to get to the dealer. If the range says I'll make it, should I risk it? Or should I request a flatbed tow so there is no issue?

Of course, if I can get it open before then I can charge it. Any non-destructive tips for opening the stuck flap???

Thanks folks.

2 yrs, 9 mo. 32,000 miles. Warranty in effect.

rob
 
I think there's a manual pull cord at the bottom of the passenger door jamb hidden behind a cover. If you don't find it, try opening the side flap in the boot and pull the manual cable like they do in the F56 ICE.
 
Teddydogno1 said:
Since April I have been having the problem (second time) where the car says the charge socket flap door is open when it isn't. Have reported this a few times. Have not had it in for repair again yet.

As of two weeks ago, the door started "sticking" and not opening. I was able to get it open with a gently pry and a little percussion (instead of pushing it in, I had to lightly bang it with my fist). This was working reliably when it stuck (which was most of the time).

As of last night, this is no longer working. I could NOT get it open to charge Sparky. SOC is about 30% and the dealer is about 20 miles away. BUT we are going to be away until late next week so it will sit until then. I don't know if it will have enough juice to get to the dealer. If the range says I'll make it, should I risk it? Or should I request a flatbed tow so there is no issue?

Of course, if I can get it open before then I can charge it. Any non-destructive tips for opening the stuck flap???

Thanks folks.

2 yrs, 9 mo. 32,000 miles. Warranty in effect.

rob
Click to expand...

If what teslarati97 suggests doesn't work, I wouldn't sweat it. Sparky won't lose any significant charge sitting for just a week, and 30% SOC is plenty to travel 20 miles (unless perhaps it's up a mountain in a snowstorm).
 
Ours has had the opposite problem with the flap. It won’t latch closed.

The problem seems to be that the post that pushes out the flap is either sticking or the mechanism behind it lacks spring. In order to make the flap lock close, I would push the post in, push it again and pull it out. It would come out another 1/2” beyond what it did on its own.

We don’t have a garage for the car and I figure that our tropical hot and salty environment might have something to do with the problem. I’ve now treated the post with FluidFilm (a lanolin-based lube), which has definitely helped, but the post still has about a 1/4” of travel available when pulled. But the flap latches without extra fiddling now.

Thanks for the tip on the hatch access. Maybe some spray lube in that area is in order.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
 
Update on the charger flap. I checked my vehicle and didn't find anything on both door jamb and boot flap. Back to the drawing board...
 
CuriousGeorge said:
Both are news to me - thank you!
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I will asume SE can have something like BMW I 3 to open a flap manually just pulling a cord which was located on door jamb very visible on SE is nothing there and suggestions to open small hutch / plug in trunk take you nowhere bc charging flap is much farther than you can reach . (IMG_1538.webp A pic. on I3 location )and I believe they just save money do not put such smart/ primitive device to help owners access a charging port in case of malfunctioning electric locking pin .Good job Mini SE ? Is very important when you acces a charging port a car must be unlocked which I assume some people may forget try to force that access panel to open
 
Rexsio said:
I will asume SE can have something like BMW I 3 to open a flap manually just pulling a cord which was located on door jamb very visible on SE is nothing there and suggestions to open small hutch / plug in trunk take you nowhere bc charging flap is much farther than you can reach . (View attachment 23078 A pic. on I3 location )and I believe they just save money do not put such smart/ primitive device to help owners access a charging port in case of malfunctioning electric locking pin .Good job Mini SE ? Is very important when you acces a charging port a car must be unlocked which I assume some people may forget try to force that access panel to open
Click to expand...
Also I’m questioning why a flap have to be lock can you do this to my battery electrons what you can do to gas car as syphoningIMG_1539.webp a gas ?
 
It's not as if someone could pour sugar into your battery! Maybe someone worried about a miscreant breaking off sticks in the charging port.
 
I did not think there would be an emergency release due to the "push in" style of latch. I have not looked, but not surprised others did not find one. The app says Sparky is still at 30% this morning. I don't have any preconditioning set right now either.

rob
 
Also forgot to add, you could try to retract the extending spring loaded plastic propeller locking mechanism? Might have to go at it from an angle like 1 o'clock facing the charger flap.

minipropeller.webp
 
We had to have the charger door "replaced" under warranty. They kept the car for a week and had to swap parts at the Mini Service Dept. It would either lock closed or lock open. Something internal to the spring lock posted by teslarati.
 
dropped Sparky off at the dealer. Had 30% SOC still when I left. Drove the 21 miles in Green+ at 60 MPH. Arrived with 15% SOC.

They also told me the basic bumper-to-bumper warranty is 4 years, not 3 like I thought. I presume also 48k miles. It is only the covered Service that is 3 years.

I got a loaner car: Brand new Cooper S 2-door with 402 miles! Pretty fun to drive. TOTALLY new interior with everything in the big, round center display. Really did need to walkthrough they gave me.
mini_cooperS_interior.jpg


mini_cooperS_right.jpg


mini_cooperS_rearjpg

Not sure exactly why, but I don't really like the current exterior look. I do like the interior, but doing everything on the screen takes some getting used to. For now, is very slow finding settings and "stuff."

rob
 
Puppethead said:
I suspect it's a holdover from the ICE F56, because locking the EV charge port hatch is silly.
Click to expand...
Its a different port and steel pressing for. Fuel door is different on F56

The assembly was replaced on my car under warranty and is under 200$
 
The service center sent me an update today. The locking/latching pin is broken, apparently both physically and electrically. They have to replace the entire assembly (again as that was the same repair for the false charge flap open message).

rob
 
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