Problems connecting to Rapid Chargers - and I'm not a Newbie!

[greeiig]

Hi all. It's been a while since I last did a long trip. Last week I did a longish road trip through France so had to use rapid chargers quite a lot
I've previously done this without any issues - apart from the usual hassle of using apps vs charge cards etc. My favourite one to use in France has been Ionity - I could usually connect and charge with no problems..
But on this trip I had loads of problems stemming from the charger not seeming to be able to connect with the car. I'd go to the charger, do the usual initiation, be told to connect the charger to the car. Then wait, and wait, then get told the session had stopped, or just not started as there was an error.
Most times I would try again, and it might then work, or not. Then I'd move to another charger in the row, it might then work, or not. I don't think I ever was completely unable to charge, but I had to make multiple attempts. This happened particularly with Ionity and TotalEnergies.
One time I initiated the charger, then plugged in when it told me to, but it errorred. I then tried again but this time put the cable in first, and it worked.
Other times, the same trick didn't work, but moving to a different charger did.
This never happened to me on previous trip. My MG5 is a December 2021 model, starting to get on a bit, but only 3.5 years old.
I thought I'd gotten over the whole "charging is a hassle" phase so this was so annoying...

Any ideas what might be causing this? I had a full service just in January, so should have had a software update. I'm worried that it's to do with the physical connection between the car plug and the charging cable, in which case perhaps it's just going to get worse. Perhaps I should ask MG for a software update, or perhaps a new socket!

Any suggestion from you wise sages?

 

[rjb1970]

I find this occasionally, and a fail safe I've found is to lock the car once the plug is in the socket. Sometimes it doesn't quite catch for whatever reason, but locking the car also locks the charge port so helps it stay put.

 

[Pebblefeline]

How’s your 12V battery? Is it the original?

If the 12V starts to fail then charging can become a bit iffy.

 

[Coulomb]

I'm worried that it's to do with the physical connection between the car plug and the charging cable, in which case perhaps it's just going to get worse.

It could be the charging socket. There was a post recently about someone getting their CCS port replaced as the two DC pins were corroded. That fixed their rapid charging problems.

Sadly, I can't find that post now, with the forum software or with Google. Perhaps take a good look at the big pins in the charging port. [ Edit: or the comms pins. ] If there is visible corrosion, then the dealer should be able to fix it.

Edit: here is that post:

Post in thread 'Anyone else getting dcdc charge fault & more errors leading to MG5 breakdown?'

Saturday at 10:46 AM

Cheers dude, I’m getting the same with my MG5 right now! I’m going to buy a new 12v battery this morning, fit it the try to clear the faults. I’m thinking the initial fault was the CCU as the car won’t charge and now I’ve tampered with the 12v battery it’s throwing up every fault on the dash!!!

Those errors will clear after a few miles of driving.
The only thing in my car's history (as stated earlier) that is similar was a failure to charge on DC for a few days/attempts followed by hv battery fault that would not clear. Weeks in the garage eventually turned up corrosion on the...

• 5teep

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[Gomev]

...
One time I initiated the charger, then plugged in when it told me to, but it errorred. I then tried again but this time put the cable in first, and it worked.
...

Any suggestion from you wise sages?

I always found that time to initiate communication seemed important, and so I always plug in first regardless of the instructions on the charger and have never had a problem with regard to this action. - Exception would be where the charger won't release the cable until you initiate, and obviously there have been a few fails over the years but not due to order of events.
In my experience the charger couldn't really care less where the connector is sitting before you initiate the process, be it sitting in the chargers holster, laying on the floor or shoved in the 'hole' in the car where you charge it. After all it isn't doing anything until you tell it to do so. If it is already in the 'hole' then as soon as you give it the go on charger then it can start communicating immediately.
Has worked for me for nearly 5 years but others may have different opinions.

 

[greeiig]

Thanks for the responses - very helpful.

a fail safe I've found is to lock the car once the plug is in the socket.

I always plug in first regardless of the instructions on the charger and have never had a problem with regard to this action.

I will try plugging in and locking first and see if that makes a difference. Main issue is that I rarely need to do en-route rapid charging so it will probably be another 6 months before I have to try it.

If the 12V starts to fail then charging can become a bit iffy.

I have my original battery but the voltage appears fine and I've had no issues with it, so I don't think that's the problem

It could be the charging socket. There was a post recently about someone getting their CCS port replaced as the two DC pins were corroded. That fixed their rapid charging problems.

I will also look into the charging socket corrosion point next time I get the car serviced. the DC pins (the two at the bottom) are generally sealed off 99% of the time but I guess it's possible.

I'd really like to get back to being relaxed about charging. I get so annoyed about the EV haters going on about it and I'd never go back, but we really need to sort it out so starting a charge is quicker

 

[5teep]

It could be the charging socket. There was a post recently about someone getting their CCS port replaced as the two DC pins were corroded. That fixed their rapid charging problems.

Sadly, I can't find that post now, with the forum software or with Google. Perhaps take a good look at the big pins in the charging port. If there is visible corrosion, then the dealer should be able to fix it.

That was me and yes it could be an issue, the charge port is supposed to be protected by rubber caps but it's not water proof and connectors themselves can be wet which can lead to corrosion. Even if light, it might still affect communications between the car and charger.

I'm finding with my 'newer' car that if I leave it off even for a couple of minutes before I try to start a charge it will fail as the car seems to go into a hibernate syle mode and doesn't respond to the charger.

 

[5teep]

Thanks for the responses - very helpful.


I will try plugging in and locking first and see if that makes a difference. Main issue is that I rarely need to do en-route rapid charging so it will probably be another 6 months before I have to try it.


I have my original battery but the voltage appears fine and I've had no issues with it, so I don't think that's the problem



I will also look into the charging socket corrosion point next time I get the car serviced. the DC pins (the two at the bottom) are generally sealed off 99% of the time but I guess it's possible.

I'd really like to get back to being relaxed about charging. I get so annoyed about the EV haters going on about it and I'd never go back, but we really need to sort it out so starting a charge is quicker

It's more likely to be the smaller communicating pins at the top.

 

[xblackwolf90]

Locking the car first seems to be quite an important step for me.

If it's not locked, charging can be hit and miss starting. Once there's a failed charge, it's a nightmare to get going! It then needs powering off and leaving for a few mins before trying again.

 

[greeiig]

It's more likely to be the smaller communicating pins at the top.

OH right. I haven't had any issues with AC Charging so presumed it was the two big DC pins that were the issue.