Charge Cable Stuck

[AzCoronaDog]

I got it out. Nothing wrong with the charge plug that I can see. I had to wedge some tweezers in there, and it somehow pushed it out. Definitely cancelling to tow, but still think I should have it looked at by Ford. I don't see anything wrong with charge port either so I have no idea how it got stuck.

Just reading the advice on here loosened it!

(You know, like when you easily open the pickle jar for your wife, and she claims it was because she loosened it... LOL)

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[HuntingPudel]

Perhaps there was some foreign matter in there jamming up the works?

Glad you got it apart!

Just reading the advice on here loosened it!

(You know, like when you easily open the pickle jar for your wife, and she claims it was because she loosened it... LOL)

Or worse, when you’re struggling with the jar and she pops it open!

 

[alexgorod]

I'd go to the dealership and try to plug/unplug their charger to make sure it works correctly before trying to do it again at home.

 

[Richard L.]

I recently picked up my Mach E from the dealership, we have had it about 2 weeks now, and last night plugged in like normal. The charger is now stuck in the charge port. I have watched Bens video: to manually disengage the lock and did that and it's still stuck. We have a Grizzl-E charger which we have used for 10 months now for our PHEV, so I don't believe the charger is the issue.

Outside of calling Ford, anyone have any ideas of what we need to do to get it undone? Luckily, we have another car so my wife took that, and I work from home so not a huge issue, but can't unplug, so can't even drive it to a dealership if we wanted.

Just to be clear, I have pulled with quite a bit of force, but the whole area starts to move, and since it's plastic, the last thing I want to do is break the charger as then the car is useless until it's fixed.

There was another poster with the same EVSE. They complained it took excessive force to plug it in. Turned out to be a defective connector (over sized). Did you have the same issue plugging it in to the vehicle?

 

[AtXRRMachE]

There was another poster with the same EVSE. They complained it took excessive force to plug it in. Turned out to be a defective connector (over sized). Did you have the same issue plugging it in to the vehicle?

I mean, it took more force than plugging it into my Kia Niro PHEV, but I wouldn't say it was excessive. I bent the locking mechanism up a bit after I got it out so it didn't get caught again, but I have charged it everyday for 2 weeks with no issues. It seems odd that it just got stuck this morning.

 

[BostonPete]

I had this happen to me in my case I had a little piece of ice inside of the lock on the J1172 Connector. I was able to remove it by prying the lock open / off the car. It is just a little clip... The Car Lock doesn't lock a L2 Cable, it only locks the CCS Connector.

Pry this up level / clip up...you can get in there with a small screw driver. I now keep a plastic smudger in the car just in case.

 

[Richard L.]

I mean, it took more force than plugging it into my Kia Niro PHEV, but I wouldn't say it was excessive. I bent the locking mechanism up a bit after I got it out so it didn't get caught again, but I have charged it everyday for 2 weeks with no issues. It seems odd that it just got stuck this morning.

Contact the manufacturer and give them the serial number. They can confirm if it was an affected unit. EVSE connector should plug in and remove easily.

 

[jhalkias]

May mean nothing, but I have been using my Grizzl-E for 14 months with my Mach E with no issue. Maybe put a bit of silicone lubrication on the charger too? I think someone on here recommended a silicone gel in the past.

 

[AKgrampy]

Test the port with your portable Ford charger if you still have it.

 

[AtXRRMachE]

So, I took it to the dealer, they took a look and said nothing appears to be wrong with the charge port. I think the issue was with the Grizzl-E charge connector. I ended up just snapping off the locking mechanism so that it doesn't happen again. We have been using this charger for some time now with our PHEV so I don't know if it got dropped or what, but it's fine. The only repair the dealership is going to have to make is to the emergency release cord for the charge connector. On the off chance that the level 3 charger locks somehow engaged to the level 2 charger I pulled the emergency release, and it just broke off with minimal force.

So, all is well with the Mach-E, and the charger still works as expected after re-assembling it.

Thanks for all of your help everyone.

 

[generaltso]

I think the issue was with the Grizzl-E charge connector. I ended up just snapping off the locking mechanism so that it doesn't happen again.

Call Grizzl-E and get a new charge cable. You just disabled a required safety feature that prevents the cord from being pulled out while current is still flowing.

 

[Logal727]

So, I took it to the dealer, they took a look and said nothing appears to be wrong with the charge port. I think the issue was with the Grizzl-E charge connector. I ended up just snapping off the locking mechanism so that it doesn't happen again. We have been using this charger for some time now with our PHEV so I don't know if it got dropped or what, but it's fine. The only repair the dealership is going to have to make is to the emergency release cord for the charge connector. On the off chance that the level 3 charger locks somehow engaged to the level 2 charger I pulled the emergency release, and it just broke off with minimal force.

So, all is well with the Mach-E, and the charger still works as expected after re-assembling it.

Thanks for all of your help everyone.

Call Grizzl-E and get a new charge cable. You just disabled a required safety feature that prevents the cord from being pulled out while current is still flowing.

yeah I was gonna say, I didn’t even think it would work with that little clip gone

 

[generaltso]

yeah I was gonna say, I didn’t even think it would work with that little clip gone

It'll still work because the cutoff switch is at the thumb end. @AtXRRMachE , in the meantime make sure that you depress the thumb switch to kill power when you disconnect the plug even though the locking mechanism on the other end is gone.

 

[dtbaker61]

I got it out. Nothing wrong with the charge plug that I can see. I had to wedge some tweezers in there, and it somehow pushed it out. Definitely cancelling to tow, but still think I should have it looked at by Ford. I don't see anything wrong with charge port either so I have no idea how it got stuck.

sounds like the latch mechanism was bound up.... perhaps not in the mach-e port, but in the Grizzle handle. you might wanna puff some dry graphite in the latch hinge and work the thumblatch a bit to make sure it moves freely. Clean out any accumated dust/dirt/etc that could be preventing the latch from moving freely.

Also check for any dust/dirt accumulation in the charge port.... if the holes look dirty, I'd vaccum out anything loose and get in there with a q-tip.

Do you live in a dusty area? Been driving on dirt roads?

 

[dtbaker61]

It'll still work because the cutoff switch is at the thumb end. @AtXRRMachE , in the meantime make sure that you depress the thumb switch to kill power when you disconnect the plug even though the locking mechanism on the other end is gone.

really not a good idea to use the plug with that latch broken off.... you can't be sure you have the plug fully engaged, and run the risk of disconnect while under load during charge.

My ford mobile charger latch broke off when I dropped the plug one time, and I brought it into the Dealership and got them to return it to Ford for a new one. The plastic latch is super cheesy and not a good material selection... It should be able to take multiple drops from 5' on a concrete floor.

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