Charging port door stuck closed?

[Joyride]

Had a small issue tonight when I went to plug in my Rav4EV to the charge. I pulled up on the lever to release the charging port door, but the door did not open. Tried repeatedly with no effect.

Eventually propped the pull lever up and used a plastic putty knife to provide some external pressure to get it to open.

If the problem persists, I'll be heading back to the dealership for them to have a look. Fortunately, they're just down the road.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Had a small issue tonight when I went to plug in my Rav4EV to the charge. I pulled up on the lever to release the charging port door, but the door did not open. Tried repeatedly with no effect.

Eventually propped the pull lever up and used a plastic putty knife to provide some external pressure to get it to open.

If the problem persists, I'll be heading back to the dealership for them to have a look. Fortunately, they're just down the road.

If this happens again, please don't take a putty knife to it !!!

just open the rear hatch door, and the remove the cover on the inside rear, driver's side. You'll see the cable to the fuel door there. You can turn it somewhat, and a little tug, and it will come right out. The fuel door is unlocked.

This happened to me once, too.

 

[Joyride]

Thanks Tony. I didn't think of going through from the inside.

For what it's worth, the "putty knife" I used was a plastic one. I agree that yours is the better approach.

Tonight when I went to plug in I had to pull the lever a couple of times to get it to open. Looks like I'll need to schedule some service time.

I found another build quality issue today in the area right below the rear passenger door. They applied some sort of clear plastic cover to protect the paint right near the trailing edge of the rear door. On mine, the plastic has peeled up a couple of millimeters in one spot, and dirt is sticking to the adhesive used to attach the plastic to the car. Very small issue that the dealer can hopefully resolve easily.

-Chris

 

[Damchi]

Another thing i noticed is that when my dealer put the car on the lift to do their initial inspection, the special lift they use chipped the undercoating paint off in all four spots that the lift touches the car. Not a big deal, just a bummer to have the paint chipped before I even bought the car. They where good about it and added new undercoating to the spots.

 

[starlight]

I just purchased my RAV4 EV on Monday night, and also have been having problems with the charging port door stuck closed. I pull the lever several times to no avail, then I had been trying to pull the door out a bit with my fingers, and then the lever will work to pop open the charging port door. I have been discussing the problem with the sales person at the dealer, and I think I will need to bring it in for them to check out what the problem is.

Thanks for the tip about going from the inside. I will take a look in the morning to see what you all are referring to

 

[Dsinned]

Had a small issue tonight when I went to plug in my Rav4EV to the charge. I pulled up on the lever to release the charging port door, but the door did not open. Tried repeatedly with no effect.

Eventually propped the pull lever up and used a plastic putty knife to provide some external pressure to get it to open.

If the problem persists, I'll be heading back to the dealership for them to have a look. Fortunately, they're just down the road.

If this happens again, please don't take a putty knife to it !!!

just open the rear hatch door, and the remove the cover on the inside rear, driver's side. You'll see the cable to the fuel door there. You can turn it somewhat, and a little tug, and it will come right out. The fuel door is unlocked.

This happened to me once, too.

it's these kind of things - just little things really - that make this forum so valuable! Thanks for the tip Tony! :mrgreen:

 

[Dsinned]

I found another build quality issue today in the area right below the rear passenger door. They applied some sort of clear plastic cover to protect the paint right near the trailing edge of the rear door. On mine, the plastic has peeled up a couple of millimeters in one spot, and dirt is sticking to the adhesive used to attach the plastic to the car. Very small issue that the dealer can hopefully resolve easily.

-Chris

After I read this, I checked mine and found the same thing on the exterior paint on BOTH rear doors! Plus, I found similar transparent triangular shaped strips near same locations on the wraparound covers just forward of the rear wheel wells. None have peeled yet, but they probably will with time. They almost look like they were meant to stay attached there, perhaps as rock chip protectors, but they are not large enough to do much if any good.

Anybody else notice the same thing?

 

[starlight]

There seems to be a pattern to when the charger door gets stuck.
Twice now I have washed my RAV4 EV, and the day after washing, the charger door is very stuck, where I have to use something to pry it a little bit, then the release handle works to open the door.

I wonder if there is a little bit of water that gets inside while being washed, and then when the sun heats up the car, and dries the water, that it forms some sort of suction that makes it extremely difficult to open the charger door?

Tomorrow I have an appointment to bring my rav4 ev to the toyota service, and will leave it there for a few days to see if they can figure out what is going on and correct the problem.

 

[starlight]

The Toyota dealer could not replicate the problem, but did contact the toyota corporate to report the problem, and they recommended replacing the spring that opens the charger door. So we shall see how that works- I just got my RAV4 EV back tonight. . .

April 26th - Update: It has been a month since they replaced the spring that opens the Charger Door, and I am very pleased to say that I no longer have the problem of the charger door being stuck closed- so YAY, it is definitely fixed - no more Stuck charger door!

So grateful - since the intermittent problem was present from the very first time I had tried to open the charge door, it was stuck shut!

 

[ClearSky]

I just had this happen to me too. My Rav4EV is only 3 weeks old. I pulled on the lever and was surprised to see that the charging port door did not open. I pulled it several times, and it popped open. I came straight to the forum to search for a fix. I am glad to find out about Tony's trick. I will try that the next time it happens.

ClearSky.

 

[snoltor]

The sales staff at SF Toyota where I bought mine told me this was an issue with all the Rav4s, EV or ICE, and warned me the day I bought the car that it might happen. So they showed me how to gently bend the 'spring' that supplies the force to pop open the charge door. Mine failed to open once and in that case gently tapping the door popped it open for me. I bent the 'spring' and the door popped open fully, but over time it pops open less. So twice over the past 5 months I've gently bent that 'spring', (really not a spring but a piece of metal, I should take a pic and post for you to consider) and then the door pops open fully.

 

[Braxus]

I'm having this issue as well. I usually hold the lever open with my wallet wedged between the lever and floor. Tap on the cover a couple times and it opens then.

 

[snoltor]

Here's a pic of the spring on the charge port door (white arrow). If you're having problems with your door, try this once you get it open. Gently push out the spring with your finger. This solution to the charge port door was advised by SF Toyota.

 

[mark_rivers19]

i'm so grateful for this Forum.
i got the stuck door last night and before doing anything, i quickly check the forum for answers.
THIS, beat any accompanied Owner's Manual.

 

[starlight]

update 12/29/13 -
even though they replaced the charger door, which fixed the problem for a time, it re-appeared.
Most often occurs after I have been out of town for a week or so, and have not charged up the car
while I was away.
then the charger door sticks.
the sales person who sold me the car, tried bending that part that was shown, and I still
have the issue

 

[TonyWilliams]

I think the issue is the release pin not fully disengaging.

 

[ufojoe]

Here's a pic of the spring on the charge port door (white arrow). If you're having problems with your door, try this once you get it open. Gently push out the spring with your finger. This solution to the charge port door was advised by SF Toyota.

This worked for me.........

 

[mark_rivers19]

^ same here.
That little trick did it.
And i do THIS every 2 months.

No stuck door ever since.

 

[yblaser]

I'll have to take a closer look but I think I agree with Tony after him mentioning it. When it does stick for me and I eventually get it open after multiple pulls the door pops opens normally. I'm guessing a higher spring tension helps push past the not completely open latch pin. I would hope there would be some adjustment like a clutch/throttle/brake cable on a motorcycle.

 

[JohnE]

I encountered the same issue the first week, I hadn't seen Snoltor"s post at the time so I just bent the tab, the one that the pin sticks thru, back just a little. That was last February and the problem hasn't reappeared. I would definitely try Snoltor's repair first.