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Charge Door/Flap Doesn’t Lock

5K views 28 replies 16 participants last post by  jg. 
#1 · (Edited)
Any other owners check this? Unless I am missing something. It seems that when you lock the doors (and you’re not charging), the charge door/flap does not lock. You can still push it open and get to the charging ports. So if someone wants to be malicious they could destroy you charge port. This seems like an issue to me?

EDIT: for reference, every gas car from Subaru, Honda or Acura I have had in the past 15 years all lock the fuel filler door if it’s not a model that has a button or release inside. If it’s a push to open style, like the charge flap is, they lock. My wife’s 23 Forester has a push to open fuel door (they removed the release inside at the drivers door), and it locks when you lock the vehicle. So this is what I would expect the charge door to do.
 
#3 ·
I too would expect the charge port door to lock when the doors are locked, based on my own (limited) EV ownership experience.

Among other EV brands/models, I don't know how many operate the way the Solterra does vs. what I would consider "normal". It does seem like an odd design decision, unless it was just an oversight.
 
#10 ·
That is a little disturbing, TBH. I've had at least 3 cars with "push to open" charge port/gas doors (both current cars have that feature) and that has never happened with any of them (though, to be fair, I seldom use that kind of car wash).

At least the flaps over the charging connectors would (I'm pretty sure) stay closed, and they're what keeps the water out.
 
#13 ·
I have a hoodie for my charge adapter on the way: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/615363cieJL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

As well I have discovered Rinseless Washing which is the new Detailer's friend. It works very well on a mostly clean car. I just sprayed the mud off mine and used some Chemical Bros stuff which worked very well.
 
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#17 ·
My Solterra charging door does not lock when the car is locked. I think this is an important issue. My problem right now is that the charging door pops open when I run the car through a car wash, and to prevent this (water and suds gets all over the AC and DC charging doors) I have to put tape on the door to keep it closed. Also, if something hits the side of the car while driving the door pops open - this has happened once so far. I live in Tucson, Arizona, a dusty environment, hence the car wash visits. Also, if you are driving a car intended for rural/mountain roads and "the wilderness" then things will hit the top and sides.
 
#20 ·
Unless you were driving through brush which was scraping down the side of the car, I wouldn’t expect it to just pop open when driving. Perhaps there’s something wrong with the latch. Have the dealer service department look at it as a warranty item to see if there is something wrong with it.
 
#29 ·
Since all the pictures of the Solterra first came out, I've noticed the "lock" on the charge port door and thought, "That's definitely a good thing, wouldn't want anyone to have access to bare metal without the vehicle being unlocked."

So this thread made me go try it myself and sure enough there's no way to keep prying eyes and fingers out of that port.

You can plainly see there's a mechanism to grab onto the door and lock it.

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So why doesn't it lock? Because it just rotates when you press on it and nothing keeps it from popping back out!

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Why on earth wouldn't it work like the fuel doors since the 2019 Forester?

Yet another letter to Subaru Customer Support...
 
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