Have to open door before being able to unlock charger

Hello All,

I hope you can help, this is kind of an annoyance, not really a problem.

After an overnight charge, when the battery is full, I come out to my car in the morning. It has automatically shut down, and when I press the unlock button on my keyfob, it starts the charging session again (the lights on the plug illuminate). It will not allow me to unlock it at this point, unless I open a door.

My alternative strategy, which I have taken to doing every morning, is to open a door before I hit the unlock on the keyfob. This illuminates the lights on the plug in port, and the unlock button now works.

This can not be normal behavior. I should be able to hit the unlock button regardless of the status of the charge.

Is anyone else seeing this behavior?

Thanks!
Mike

Yes, seriously, this is the normal behavior of the e-Golf charge port lock, at least on 2015 cars.

This is what is actually happening - the car is unlocked, but sleeping. You press unlock on the key fob and the car wakes up and unlocks the doors (that were already unlocked) and the charge port. About a second after the car wakes up it realizes that the charge cable is connected and re-locks the charge port. At that point you have to press unlock on the key fob again to unlock the charge port. It will remain unlocked for a short time, maybe 15-30 seconds, then it will lock again.

So, what I do is not bother with the key fob. I just walk up to the driver's door, open it and push the unlock button inside the door. Then I shut the driver's door and go remove the charge cable. This is just one of the minor annoyances on the e-Golf that you will have to put up with. I don't expect VW to ever provide updates to change this behavior.

I only need to hit unlock on the remote and wait a second or 2 with my thumb lightly on the charge latch to detect when it's released (and prevent a re-latch.) My doors are usually unlocked before this, and I think I have the most trouble with the port latch if they were locked, but a second unlock press usually does the trick.

I'm using a delayed schedule to limit my 2015 SEL's charge to 90%, so that might make a difference.

jack8trades said:

I only need to hit unlock on the remote and wait a second or 2 with my thumb lightly on the charge latch to detect when it's released (and prevent a re-latch.) My doors are usually unlocked before this, and I think I have the most trouble with the port latch if they were locked, but a second unlock press usually does the trick.

I'm using a delayed schedule to limit my 2015 SEL's charge to 90%, so that might make a difference.

Click to expand...

Yes, if you are quick on the trigger after the first press on the fob, you can catch it before it re-locks.

miimura said:

Yes, if you are quick on the trigger after the first press on the fob, you can catch it before it re-locks.

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I should have worded it differently. With that continuous light pressure on the latch button before you press unlock on your remote, when the latch releases, the button goes down completely. Keep it down and it can't re-latch -- you can pull the connector out at will. You don't need to be quick.

I was opening the door and then hitting the unlock button for a while then i tried just hitting the unlock on the keyfob 1 time, waiting a second and then hitting it again and it unlocks the charge port.

Thanks everyone - I guess it's nice to know it's not just me, but it's definitely an annoying 'feature'

I find you don't *have* to open a door, but it's much more reliable if you do. I used to stand by the charging port clicking and clicking on the remote and randomly it would unlock the charging port. If I open the drivers door and then go to the charging port, it always disconnects with the next click on the remote.

Latest discovery (actually 2 discoveries last night) was that if I touch the passenger front door handle to unlock it ( touch the button or put hand inside handle), with my keyfob in range, in my pocket, it unlocks the the charger handle also. No need to press button on the Keyfob.

2nd discovery was that Rusnak BMW in Westlake Village blocked me in their parking lot at 8 pm, despite being listed as 24/7 on PlugShare, while I was in my car on my smart phone. I had to get creative and use the handicap sidewalk access to the road, driving on some sidewalk to get back on the street and leave. I was running on electron fumes before getting into the charging area, an hour and a half was barely enough to get me back home to the overnight charger in the garage. 3rd discovery was that the Level 3 Charge Point 100 at the BMW Design Center isn't close to 24kwh rating, 12 kwh might be more like it. I think that qualifies as "Level 2.5" charging, through the DC port. Someone throttled that one back to 50% of capacity, or it's partially broken. Don't know which.

My eGolf is only two weeks old but I just checked this. I went out to the garage, car was unlocked and done charging, stood by the handle and pushed the unlock button twice. The first click woke the car up and the second one released the handle. I simply removed and stowed it. No opening of my door or pushing the passenger door handle or anything like that.
I can see how that would be annoying. Why is it that some of our cars requires a song and dance and others are just a double click to remove handle?

JoulesThief said:

Latest discovery (actually 2 discoveries last night) was that if I touch the passenger front door handle to unlock it ( touch the button or put hand inside handle), with my keyfob in range, in my pocket, it unlocks the the charger handle also. No need to press button on the Keyfob.

Click to expand...

Interesting! I need to try this.

Bmwtech said:

My eGolf is only two weeks old but I just checked this. I went out to the garage, car was unlocked and done charging, stood by the handle and pushed the unlock button twice. The first click woke the car up and the second one released the handle. I simply removed and stowed it. No opening of my door or pushing the passenger door handle or anything like that.
I can see how that would be annoying. Why is it that some of our cars requires a song and dance and others are just a double click to remove handle?

Click to expand...

Maybe they've fixed it on later cars. Yours sounds like the way everyone thinks it should work, so either the other methods are mistaken assumptions on VWs part or working around software bugs.

I've come to the conclusion that mine is consistently inconsistent, with what works and unlocks it.

JoulesThief said:

I've come to the conclusion that mine is consistently inconsistent, with what works and unlocks it.

Click to expand...

Looks like I have the same odd behavior with my charger lock.

From what I've found is that if the charging unit goes to sleep you have to wake the charger (push either of the buttons) and then unlock it. If I don't wake the charging unit I have to open one of the doors to unlock the charging port.

I think it's a single click of the remote when the car is actively charging (i have all doors set to open with one remote unlock click).

I've seen this consistent behavior:
When the car is locked AND STILL CHARGING, one press unlocks the doors, cancels the charging, and releases the charge lock. It takes a few seconds.

I don't charge at a public station all that often, but when I do, I want the charging port to unlock when the charge is done, so that someone else can use it in the adjacent parking spot.

I charge at home 99% of the time - and I do not need to lock the charging port. It is always inconvenient, and sometimes it takes 30+ attempts to get the plug out! If I can't drive the car because I can't get the plug out - that is a fatal flaw!

This "feature" really needs to be changed.

NeilBlanchard said:

I don't charge at a public station all that often, but when I do, I want the charging port to unlock when the charge is done, so that someone else can use it in the adjacent parking spot.

I charge at home 99% of the time - and I do not need to lock the charging port. It is always inconvenient, and sometimes it takes 30+ attempts to get the plug out! If I can't drive the car because I can't get the plug out - that is a fatal flaw!

This "feature" really needs to be changed.

Click to expand...

Sadly, it was, in 2016 models.

The 'open a door' trick had been working well for me. I charge in my garage with the doors unlocked most of the time.
After the long Thanksgiving weekend though, even opening the drivers door didn't release the charging handle with the next click on the remote.

Just when I thought I'd found order in the world :roll:

I have a 2016 - I don't experience this like you all are. On mine you are able to remove charger at any time, locked or not. At least Ive never come across anything you all have experience....so far. Bet I go home today and will have issues now....

GadgetGav said:

The 'open a door' trick had been working well for me. I charge in my garage with the doors unlocked most of the time.
After the long Thanksgiving weekend though, even opening the drivers door didn't release the charging handle with the next click on the remote.

Just when I thought I'd found order in the world :roll:

Click to expand...

Double click the keyfob to unlock all the doors, then open right rear door, then hit the keyfob unlock button one more time, and that should unlock the charger handle. This is usually my last resort. Also, if you've pulled on the charge handle to remove it, push it back in firmly, before trying the last step