Charging port cover not opening

I wondered if it was a safety feature that you have to push it twice to open it, it doesn't open on the first push just in case it's done by accident. But if you have to push it several times you may have a problem.

Koops said:

I found a few threads about charging port cover / flap not closing reliably. I’ve got the opposite issue where it takes several taps on the cover before it opens and I’m concerned that before long it will refuse to open. Initially I thought due to cold weather but if anything it's worse now, temperatures have increased to around 5-10°C in South UK. My SE LR is going for its first service in a couple of weeks and I’ve asked that this is investigated. Has anyone experienced similar problem / had it fixed?

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See my previous posts, but I'm glad to report after copious amounts for WD40 and WD40 contact cleaner my "Sticky Port Door" is back to normal.

Mine is the MG 5 LR.....Since above post ITS NOW STUCK SHUT

Koops said:

UPDATE
I have found that if I push the middle of the outboard end of the flap (location circled green) it opens much more reliably than pushing the upper outboard end if the flap (location circled red), which is how I have been trying to open it recently.

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Yes, I noticed that too, and have programmed my fingers to press near the green spot on your photo.

You are correct, the green circle in the photo is the lock for the flap. Pushing on the circled red part on the outside of the flap I wouldn't guarantee it would unlatch the lock to to the plastic flexing.
The lock mechanism is similar to that of a retractable pen, so you have to push it in to unlock it, same goes for locking it, the flap has to be pushed in and then released and it should lock.

The projecting rectangle below the locking pin on the flap I believe to be a magnet for the sensor in the corresponding cut out in the charging port. and is responsible for the "Charging door open" alarm on the drivers display.
FYI. the little cut out in the charging port tends to fill up with water if you charge in the wet or during cold spells the melted water collects in there and freezes the projecting rectangle in place, and was the reason my charging flap freezing shut during the colder months. Just check and remove any collected water especially if it's likely to be freezing overnight.

One of my earliest impressions of the car was opening and closing the charging door and thinking..."Oh, that's flimsy, let's see how long that lasts."

RaspberryMan said:

One of my earliest impressions of the car was opening and closing the charging door and thinking..."Oh, that's flimsy, let's see how long that lasts."

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After having an MG5 it did seems flimsy but then I realised I needed to push it open in the middle of the side rather than the top or bottom then seemed more solid.

Time wlll tell...I am very careful when using it, minimum pressure and only in exactly the right place. I still think it will break within a couple of years.

Mine is 2 years 4 months (in my ownership, 2 years 7 months since build) and is perfectly fine.

That's reassuring actually, as long as it lasts three years (lease time) I'll be happy...

...still feels fragile as hell though.

Just a gentle push with 1 finger is all that's needed. It's only fragile for the ham fisted.

That's the thing though, a gentle push with one finger doesn't engage the lock, it needs a gentle push followed by considerable extra pressure to get the 'click' into place. Maybe it's just mine, but I can assure you I am anything but "ham-fisted".

Perhaps some silicone spray in the locking mechanism will reduce the amount of pressure needed.