Unable to unlock/open charging lid

Hi guys

Anyone who has had problems with the locking mechanism of the charging lid? Today when i wanted to open the lid for recharge it did not open!?! I tried opening it for 15 minutes locking car, unlocking car, locking car, unlocking car rinse and repeat. It does not help! I can hear a humming noise (which sounds different from what it used to sound like before) from an electric motor whirring trying to pull the locking mechanism, but it seems unable to do so or stuck for some reason. So i am now, unable to charge my car. Temperature is around +3 degrees Celsius so it is not frozen stuck. Looks like i have to schedule another visit at the Mitsubishi dealer. Very annoying since i was there only threee weeks ago for the first one year scheduled service, i have one hour drive and battery is now flat so it feels extra irritating. Damn car getting more and more one my nerves after the trailer towing fiasco. :evil:

Err.. Isn't the charging lid purely mechanical? Push it and it opens? At least it is on the mk 1. Possibly the 2016 model is different?

There's a small panel on the inner lining of the load space that gives access to the back of the charging connector bay - if there is any fault in the mechanism, it should be possible to investigate and, possibly, manually override from there.

Well the whole charging "box" and lid is not engineered for reliability or inclement weather. When it is snowing or raining and then freezing most of the mechanics in the construction are prone to get stuck. So also the lock-unlock mechanism of the lid. I use the trusted 5-56 or WD or whatever the local brand silicone spray oil is called, and spray every month, after having the lid stuck after freezing the first time this winter.

Steepndeep said:

Well the whole charging "box" and lid is not engineered for reliability or inclement weather. ....

Click to expand...

I didn't bother charging the car overnight because we will not be needing it till this afternoon - but now it's blowing a storm here and I'm nervous about having that big flap sticking out at right angles to the car - looks like we'll be leaving on a flat battery and charging on petrol! :evil:

jaapv said:

Err.. Isn't the charging lid purely mechanical? Push it and it opens? At least it is on the mk 1. Possibly the 2016 model is different?

Click to expand...

On the 'facelift' it locks along with the doors, I hadn't realised the earlier model was different.

'Hurricane' Doris here in the Chilterns was (for about 15 minutes) like someone throwing buckets of water at the windows. I charge the car outside in the open using a standard 13A power point in the garage - I've wondered how it might react to strong driving rain (the manual contains warnings about this), but it still hasn't happened as I finished charging yesterday evening.

Spot on!

Turns out that the plastic gears have come loose/fallen apart! Very flimsy solution, probably the first of many future failures, especially when living in a cold climate.

Good thing is that i am now able to open the hatch for overnight charging before driving to the carshop tomorrow morning.



Thank you for the tip of opening from inside.

I was charging while Doris storm was on , as I didn't bother to come out. Nothing happened Lid intact as it is