Mobile Charger Not Working

[jtn001]

I have a Mach-E GT PE since Jan 2022. I have been charging using the mobile charger that came with the car connected to a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet with 50A circuit breaker. However, in the last 2 weeks, It’s giving a "faulty charger" error on the FordPass app with an "amber" indicator light ON while blue light pulsating on the mobile charger. It has not been charging to 90% and the speed is very slow. Over the weekend, I got the chance to observe it and it would start charging then the amber light lights up and the charge speed dramatically drops or it would stop charging (thus explaining the lack of overnight charging). I unplug and plug back in and same thing happens. I also unplug from the outlet and it doesn’t solve the problem. The mobile charger brick is hot to the touch but my garage is cool.

I took it to my local dealership (Theodore Robins Ford) and they kept it for 3 days and finally told me nothing is wrong with the car but there’s something wrong with the mobile charger. However, they cannot help me because they do not have a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet to do the “10-point diagnostic test” to confirm it’s faulty and thus able to order a replacement mobile charger for me from Ford.

They told me to go find another dealership that will help me.

I’m a little disappointed of the service and lack of solution. I just need a replacement mobile charger and I can send mine faulty mobile charger to Ford to investigate.

Are there any Mach-E specialists from Ford here in this forum that can help me or direct me to the right person for a resolution?

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[macchiaz-o]

I have a Mach-E GT PE since Jan 2022. I have been charging using the mobile charger that came with the car connected to a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet with 50A circuit breaker. However, in the last 2 weeks, It’s giving a "faulty charger" error on the FordPass app with an "amber" indicator light ON while blue light pulsating on the mobile charger. It has not been charging to 90% and the speed is very slow. Over the weekend, I got the chance to observe it and it would start charging then the amber light lights up and the charge speed dramatically drops or it would stop charging (thus explaining the lack of overnight charging). I unplug and plug back in and same thing happens. I also unplug from the outlet and it doesn’t solve the problem. The mobile charger brick is hot to the touch but my garage is cool.

I took it to my local dealership (Theodore Robins Ford) and they kept it for 3 days and finally told me nothing is wrong with the car but there’s something wrong with the mobile charger. However, they cannot help me because they do not have a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet to do the “10-point diagnostic test” to confirm it’s faulty and thus able to order a replacement mobile charger for me from Ford.

They told me to go find another dealership that will help me.

I’m a little disappointed of the service and lack of solution. I just need a replacement mobile charger and I can send mine faulty mobile charger to Ford to investigate.

Are there any Mach-E specialists from Ford here in this forum that can help me or direct me to the right person for a resolution?

Welcome to the forum. FYI... I think you may have put your password into the Location field (we can all see it).

This topic comes up a lot. You can search for existing posts with keywords like "amber light".

If you would like to, you can contact @Ford Motor Company's social media team by tapping their name (in this sentence) and then tap on Start Conversation.

My mobile EVSE (aka mobile charger) does the same thing you described when it gets hot... The bottom section easily gets above 125F and then the amber light appears. It gets hot easily this time of year, through mid-to-late November. When I first noticed this issue last May, I replaced the mobile EVSE with a fixed wall mount EVSE the very next day.

Ford's mobile EVSE doesn't seem to be built very well in terms of high heat handling. The replacement I put in is Ford's "Connected Charge Station" EVSE, and it's been fine.

 

[jtn001]

Lol thanks. Have no idea how that happened. But location fixed ?

Anyway, I prefer not to have to buy another charger when the mobile charger has been working fine for months. I live in a cool area and temperatures are in the high 60s at night when I charge from 9pm-6am.

I just want Ford to diagnose my mobile charger and tell me (1)that’s normal (which is kinda bad quality and shouldn’t be this way) or (2)it’s faulty like the app is saying and here’s replacement.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Cool... Let us know how the replacement works out, if they get you one.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Been a large uptick in failing chargers. I’ve even postulated that perhaps the Ford “mobile” charger was meant to be kept in the car (where the cut out is in the hatchback) and used for on-the-go situations. Using it daily as a home charger perhaps forces it to reach end of life WAY earlier than we would like. Everyone praised ford for including an EVSE but they did call it a mobile charger and they are happy to sell you a home connected charger. So I think we made a bad assumption that the included EVSE was enough.
There are plenty of people that use the mobile charger daily, but we’re seeing so many failed mobile chargers over the last month, I theorize even those people are charging on borrowed time.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Been a large uptick in failing chargers. I’ve even postulated that perhaps the Ford “mobile” charger was meant to be kept in the car (where the cut out is in the hatchback) and used for on-the-go situations. Using it daily as a home charger perhaps forces it to reach end of life WAY earlier than we would like. Everyone praised ford for including an EVSE but they did call it a mobile charger and they are happy to sell you a home connected charger. So I think we made a bad assumption that the included EVSE was enough.
There are plenty of people that use the mobile charger daily, but we’re seeing so many failed mobile chargers over the last month, I theorize even those people are charging on borrowed time.

I think they are made with faulty components or poorly designed. They shouldn't be failing unless used in extreme temps or subjected to power surges. If it was engineered correctly it should last the warranty period with daily use under normal conditions. Either some engineer at Webasto messed up on their design, made an improper component substitution, they were made with bad components, or there is an assembly defect. I'd love to tear down a faulty one, but the components are probably all potted inside.

 

[jtn001]

I took the mobile charger to another dealership who had the NEMA 14-50 240V outlet. They took the mobile charger and found the same fault and was able to replicate my issue with diminished charging rate and error light indicators during their diagnostic tests. They contacted Ford Motors Company and hoping to hear back next week on the next step.

 

[RickMachE]

Absurd. Should be immediate replacement.

 

[heisnuts]

I took the mobile charger to another dealership who had the NEMA 14-50 240V outlet. They took the mobile charger and found the same fault and was able to replicate my issue with diminished charging rate and error light indicators during their diagnostic tests. They contacted Ford Motors Company and hoping to hear back next week on the next step.

That's pretty crazy. I would have also thought that they would replace it as well. The only thing I can think of is if there is any possibility that the fault is being caused by something the car is telling the charger, but as I understand it the charger is just supplying current to the car and it is the car that decides how to use the current and when to shut off.

 

[jtn001]

That's pretty crazy. I would have also thought that they would replace it as well. The only thing I can think of is if there is any possibility that the fault is being caused by something the car is telling the charger, but as I understand it the charger is just supplying current to the car and it is the car that decides how to use the current and when to shut off.

Welp…luckily, they replicated the same issue when they used my mobile charger to charge another Mach-E in the shop. They said they had no issues charging that Mach-E with their mobile charger.

Service advisor said he’s hoping Ford will accept that as proof of a faulty mobile charger and grant me a replacement ?.

 

[jtn001]

Update:
2nd Ford dealership (HB Ford) diagnosed it was a faulty mobile charger and I was sent a replacement one.

However today, it failed to start ??:

When I got in the MME today (67% battery) and turned on the car by pressing the start button, the odometer display immediately showed:

(1) the message “stop safely now".
(2) the “12V battery“ and “stop safely” warning light came on.
(3) the shifter knob could not shift out of Park.
(3) the message "full accessory power active" stayed on.

Just towed to dealership. Crossing fingers it’s just a drained 12V battery. But how did that happen??? I haven’t done anything different.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Update:
2nd Ford dealership (HB Ford) diagnosed it was a faulty mobile charger and I was sent a replacement one.

However today, it failed to start ??:

When I got in the MME today (67% battery) and turned on the car by pressing the start button, the odometer display immediately showed:

(1) the message “stop safely now".
(2) the “12V battery“ and “stop safely” warning light came on.
(3) the shifter knob could not shift out of Park.
(3) the message "full accessory power active" stayed on.

Just towed to dealership. Crossing fingers it’s just a drained 12V battery. But how did that happen??? I haven’t done anything different.

Charge faults (red ring) cause the modules to stay on and drain the 12V battery. Hopefully it just needs a charge on a 12V battery charger, otherwise you may be another HVBJB victim. Tell dealer to charge up 12V battery for several hours or longer and try again.

 

[acollierpf533]

I have a Mach-E GT PE since Jan 2022. I have been charging using the mobile charger that came with the car connected to a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet with 50A circuit breaker. However, in the last 2 weeks, It’s giving a "faulty charger" error on the FordPass app with an "amber" indicator light ON while blue light pulsating on the mobile charger. It has not been charging to 90% and the speed is very slow. Over the weekend, I got the chance to observe it and it would start charging then the amber light lights up and the charge speed dramatically drops or it would stop charging (thus explaining the lack of overnight charging). I unplug and plug back in and same thing happens. I also unplug from the outlet and it doesn’t solve the problem. The mobile charger brick is hot to the touch but my garage is cool.

I took it to my local dealership (Theodore Robins Ford) and they kept it for 3 days and finally told me nothing is wrong with the car but there’s something wrong with the mobile charger. However, they cannot help me because they do not have a 240V NEMA 14-50 outlet to do the “10-point diagnostic test” to confirm it’s faulty and thus able to order a replacement mobile charger for me from Ford.

They told me to go find another dealership that will help me.

I’m a little disappointed of the service and lack of solution. I just need a replacement mobile charger and I can send mine faulty mobile charger to Ford to investigate.

Are there any Mach-E specialists from Ford here in this forum that can help me or direct me to the right person for a resolution?

My charger si doing the same thing...its the temperature of the charger. Limit on the side is 122F. When the amber light is on you'll notice how hot the charger is...mine was 124F in one spot on the back...If your garage gets hot this summer...like mine here in KC...then we'll need to find a charger that can operate in higher ambient temperatures....$$$

 

[Maquis]

My charger si doing the same thing...its the temperature of the charger. Limit on the side is 122F. When the amber light is on you'll notice how hot the charger is...mine was 124F in one spot on the back...If your garage gets hot this summer...like mine here in KC...then we'll need to find a charger that can operate in higher ambient temperatures....$$$

Just a note: The 122F limit is the maximum ambient temperature of the surrounding air where it can be used. It is not the maximum temperature that surfaces on the unit will attain.

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