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How to open charging port

109K views 685 replies 157 participants last post by  ToitjieC 
#1 ·
I got today my new i4 eDrive 40, and I don’t know how to open the charging port. The hatchet won’t open.

The car is unlocked, and I push on the side as I saw the seller do when I tested it.

Why is mine not opening? Maybe it’s faulty?
 
#2 ·
Push the panel. Should pop right open.
 
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#4 ·
If that doesn't work I saw on a video that you can just use your fingers to pry open the door. But if it continues to not be able to open it the normal way, I would take it into the dealer.
 
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#6 · (Edited)
So I visited the dealer this morning and the Genius guy was as puzzled as I was by the issue. We were trying things back and forth and the lid/hatchet/panel/whatever-you-call-that-thing would not open at all. He was starting to think that it was some kind of electric failure when suddenly, he pushed it and it popped open. It's been opening correctly for a few hours now.

We don't really know what the problem was. Most likely it was solved by a [random] combination of resetting the system -by pushing the volume button for a few seconds-, locking the car, unlocking, starting it, reseting it again, locking, unlocking, and then for no reason at all... it was fixed.

I'll keep an eye on it and update here if the issue repeats again. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
#7 ·
So I visited the dealer this morning and the Genius guy was as puzzled as I was by the issue. We were trying things back and forth and the lid/hatchet/panel/whatever-you-call-that-thing would not open at all. He was starting to think that it was some kind of electric failure when suddenly, he pushed it and it popped open. It's been opening correctly for a few hours now.

We don't really know what the problem was. Most likely it was solved by a (random) combination of resetting the system -by pushing the volume button for a few seconds-, locking the car, unlocking, starting it, reseting it again, locking, unlocking, and then for no reason at all... it was fixed.

I'll keep an eye on it and update here if the issue repeats again. Thanks for the suggestions.
You may want to check the charger door lock settings in iDrive to see if there's anything weird there. But this does sound strange.
 
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#10 ·
Seriously, maybe it’s a good idea to put a screwdriver or something like that in the car so you can force the port open if absolutely necessary. I don’t like the idea of being stranded at a charger in the middle of nowhere at night with 5 % SOC and the port doesn’t open.
 
#18 ·
Now that you mention it: I have seen a guy from the ADAC (=German AAA) open my brother‘s car with such a thingy within seconds (locked-in car keys).
 
#25 · (Edited)
It happened to me again a few days ago. I tried everything to fix it but to no avail. When I had already given up, after hours of locking/unlocking, reseting the system, checking the settings, etc., I tried one last time and it opened. Same random behaviour as before.

I’m taking it to the dealer to be checked as soon as I can.

As far as I know there’s no other way to open the charger port besides unlocking the car and pushing the hatchet, but other BMW models, like the i3, have a string that can be pulled from inside the car to force it open, so maybe the i4 has something similar too?
 
#26 ·
Searched the car carefully for an emergency opener, without luck. It probably isn't there on the i4, as the manual also does not mention anything.

A defect charging flap leading to being unable to charge and thereby use the car is so poor design. Luckily it happened in the garage and not at some highway charger.
 
#46 ·
So, for me it ended up with the local BMW workshop picking up the i4 and bringing it to the workshop.

The cause was a mechanical and electrical defect in the contact/locking pin to the left of the charging socket, and the solution was to replace the contact, the surrounding socket and the charging flap itself. A relatively cheap repair if it should happen outside of warranty, where the costs of the consequences of not being able to charge could easily be much higher than the repair.

The feedback was, that there is no emergency opener for the charging flap on the i4, and also that it is not a common error. In case of it happening in a situation where it is urgent to charge, the recommendation was to force it open, eg. by using an air wedge or a small crowbar. Somewhat of a disappointing design decision to remove the emergency opener; maybe the MTBF is very good on the part, and I just had bad luck?

So, overall a very positive experience with the BMW service response, who also updated the SW, charged and cleaned the car.
 
#28 ·
Can you take a video? I"m curious to see what's happening exactly
 
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#38 ·
In an unexpected turn of events, the charger door didn't open today even though it was set to be permanently open.

So I've been charging the car for the past few days perfectly fine because the flap was always open. Which means I could even open it when the car was locked. However, today I tried to charge it... and it didn't open. On the system, it still says that the flap is permanently opened. But it's not, and it won't open no matter what I try.

Bringing it to be checked today.
 
#42 ·
Now that I think about it, a thief that doesn't know it's an EV could damage the car trying to pry into a locked charge port door, only to find there's no gas. Leave it unlocked, and they press to open, see it's a plug and move on.

Maybe it's actually better to leave it unlocked.
 
#43 ·
Now that I think about it, a thief that doesn't know it's an EV could damage the car trying to pry into a locked charge port door, only to find there's no gas. Leave it unlocked, and they press to open, see it's a plug and move on.

Maybe it's actually better to leave it unlocked.
I can't come up with a reason not to leave it unlocked... what am I missing?
 
#45 ·
They wouldn't know unless they tried to open it, right?
 
#53 ·
Thanks. They had to change the entire thing too. Mine is currently "sleeping" at the dealer after the reparation. They called it "sleeping" but they mean letting it rest for 24/48 hours to let the system restart itself, and then I'll pick it up tomorrow. I never heard of this sleeping thing but whatever. They gave me an iX3 as a substitution and it's also cool.

I am having the same issue with my I4 M50, going to the dealer tomorrow. Will let you guys know what the dealer tells me.... So annoying!
Good luck! It's probably something mechanical too.


I'm starting to think that this issue is more common than they think it is/will be.
 
#50 ·
It won’t pry open. The mechanism for the flap is the same as most new BMWs, even gas covers. It twists as it goes up and down. I also looked everywhere for a backup release and couldn’t find one. After a couple days the charging flap cover on my car finally opened and I drove it home with everyone honking to let me know it was open. I was not going to let it get stuck again!… a small squirt of WD40 did the trick.
 
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