Learn where the manual releases are for the charge port!

[jadnashuanh]

For whatever reason, I have not replicated it, this morning I could not get the charging plug to release from my i3 (USA version) until I called and asked how to do it. I had sent a preconditioning command to the vehicle, then went down, unlocked the car, and tried to remove the plug...the release button wouldn't budge! This was particularly annoying since the i3 was in front of my garage with my other car, so I couldn't use it and I had an appointment coming up soon. Well, I'm sure the info is in the user's manual, but I didn't remember it, but a call to the service department took them a few minutes to figure out themselves...

There's a black foam rubber plug, low on the frame, at the back of the rear door opening on the side where the charging port is. You grab that (it's held in with a plastic push pin) and pull it out, underneath it, there are two electric blue buttons. You have to work the one(s) you need out of their hole, and the head is attached to a plastic cord that you pull to release the door or the plug, whichever is needed. There are icons molded onto both the rubber plug and the buttons themselves that define their function. It took a much harder pull than I figured it would to release the thing, but I was able to then continue on.

After my appointment, I stopped at the dealers, and tried their free ChargePoint EVSE outside...on both plugs, I got a ground fault error. After talking to them, they said that they'd been having that issue with them, and to try the one inside, which I did, and it worked fine. It's charging again on my home unit, with no apparent errors. I tried turning the CB off to the EVSE, locking and unlocking the car a few times, but nothing I did worked except the manual release. So, I'll have to watch it, and hopefully it was a one-time glitch. I will say that it rained last night and the area around the plug was wet, but that is not the first time. Also, my EVSE sits in my garage, and when the i3 isn't parked inside, I built a pass-through behind a hinged mailbox (to hide the hole) to get it outside, so neither when I plugged it in was the plug nor the car wet.

Anyone else have a similar issue?

 

[Idleup]

Same problem drove me crazy the latch is not releasing what i do now is just dont push it all the way down and it works perfect. Something to do wher the release is not lifting it out of the lock position.

 

[GodFollower]

I have replaced a couple of these charge lock actuator drives now, when they get cold they seem to stick in either the locked or unlocked position. I have not seen one of the new/replaced actuators fail yet, so it would appear BMW made an improvement to the design.


If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation where the emergency release is not working either, you can do the following:

Stop the charging session first! Not a good idea to stick anything metal in there while charging, even if there is minimal risk of contacting anything live.

Using a small tool such as a pocket screwdriver or a bent coat hanger, and use it to push the locking pawl that is in the top center of the charge port. Most charger connectors have a seam in the middle, it works well to lay the tool in the seam so you know you are centered. Then you can manually push the charge lock back.