[Curt]

Happened again tonight. Charge port was blocked when I went to charge, for the second consecutive charge (45% SOC). This time I cleared it using the ECU reboot method (battery disconnect) instead of the screwdriver method.

Next time, I'll leave it locked and take the car in for service. I can't be dealing with this every time, or at random times. GM needs to come up with a firmware fix and they won't if they don't know about the problem.

 

[Eriamjh1138]

You definitely want to leave it locked if you want the dealer to find codes. There’s a software big for sure. It should NOT ever be locking when using L2 or when not charging. Be sure to reference the fault codes I mentioned above when you take it in and tell them to refer to the service manual.

HOWEVER, if this is a software bug, there may not be any codes.

 

[Woodbolt]

Hi Boltemort,

Good and bad news... our 2019 pre-recall-fix is having the same issue. It seems to have started since the software update that limited charging for safety.

Bad news, no one seems to know anything about it or if there is a fix or if it is a hardware or software failure.
Good news, I have a workaround that works, but is rather a PITA.

You are right that the issue isn't the latch itself, but the locking pin behind the latch. The pin should lock the latch in place during charging to prevent inadvertent disconnects, but for some reason it decides randomly every couple of days to lock when there is nothing plugged in, thus preventing the cable from being fully seated.

We've tried every possible easy solution under the sun to get it to unlock, but we've found only one PITA solution that works... pulling the 12v, waiting a minute or two, and reconnecting it. Fixes it every time, and is a complete and total pain... good reason to make sure you have a 10mm in your car at all times.

Good luck!

JWH

can someone explain to a novice, or point to an explainer, on disconnecting the 12v battery?

 

[Eriamjh1138]

Loosen the 10mm nut on the 12V negative cable. Remove for 30 seconds. Reconnect. Tighten 10mm nut.

 

[TheCyberKnight]

Happened to me last week.
Same thing here, 2019 with battery replaced in early December 2021. Never happened before.

I used the screwdriver trick. Took only 3 seconds.
I charged twice since without problems.

I really looks like a regression with the BMS reprogramming.

 

[pngtnbolt]

…
We've tried every possible easy solution under the sun to get it to unlock, but we've found only one PITA solution that works... pulling the 12v, waiting a minute or two, and reconnecting it. Fixes it every time, and is a complete and total pain... good reason to make sure you have a 10mm in your car at all times.
…
JWH

That worked for me, too! Thank you!

I had the same problem tonight, for the first time ever, with my 2019 Bolt (battery was replaced about a month ago). I could not plug in the charger. I searched the forum and found this post, got out my 10 mm socket wrench, disconnected the terminal, cleaned a bunch of dead decaying leaves off the shelf over the engine compartment, reconnected, heard a sound that might have been a solenoid activating, and immediately saw that the problem was fixed by looking at the charging port. Now I am charging again. Thank you!

 

[Eriamjh1138]

This is becoming a bigger problem. Is it only 2019s affected?

 

[Robert from Canada]

For the sake of adding to the documented experiences, I have encountered this problem several times in the past month. I drive a 2019 Bolt that has not had the battery replaced. The software was updated on Dec 6, 2021 to limit charge level to 80% under campaign N212343883. With all the cold weather around here in the past couple of months I have been preconditioning my vehicle on those occasions when it has been parked outside.

A big thank you to those who maintain this list and for the individuals that have engineered a "work around" until we can get some attention from GM on the issue.

 

[Eriamjh1138]

I reviewed the entire thread and every single complaint is for 2019 after battery replacement.

This is a complete software fault. But how can we convince GM to do anything? The dealer needs to relay the information to GM if GM’s software team is going to look into it.

 

[MichBolt]

I reviewed the entire thread and every single complaint is for 2019 after battery replacement...

Except for the post immediately above yours:

2019 Bolt that has not had the battery replaced

(emphasis added)

So there does appear to be a pattern with 2019s, but there's at least one exception in terms of the battery replacement. However, the exception did have the interim 80% software patch.

 

[Eriamjh1138]

Thanks for catching that. My bad (I blame mobile).
so, since it is software, the next question is was the 80% fix installed?

 

[Curt]

Thanks for catching that. My bad (I blame mobile).
so, since it is software, the next question is was the 80% fix installed?

Again, the answer (yes) was in the posts directly above each of your last two posts.

I just had a chat session with GM customer support where I went over all of this and provided a link to this thread. The agent (Cecil) was quick to poo-poo internet forums and said take it to the dealer where all issues must be handled on a case-by-case basis. He also said he'd documented it (presumably to my VIN). I'll take it in, but I'm leery they might just do the temporary fix or replace something unnecessarily, and then I'll have to take it in more and be their guinea pig.

Last time I charged, the GOM said 273, so I finally had something to be pleased about.

 

[Sean Nelson]

I just had a chat session with GM customer support where I went over all of this and provided a link to this thread. The agent (Cecil) was quick to poo-poo internet forums and said take it to the dealer where all issues must be handled on a case-by-case basis.

This really isn't going to rise to the level of awareness at GM until enough people take their cars in to the dealers for it.

 

[chewdog]

Great thread everyone. I thought it was just me with this issue too. At first, I thought my work's ChargePoint charger connectors were screwed up - either it was too hard to insert / seat or I couldn't disconnect unless I pulled really hard. I noticed it was that silver latch gizmo on the top that was preventing insertion or removal.

Like many of you:

• 2019 Bolt
• Started happening after the 80% software limit update

I lubed mine but this keeps happening every once in a while. Will try the battery disconnect trick.

 

[leftyfb]

Same thing happened to me for the first time tonight. 2019, had the propulsion battery replaced the beginning of November. Disconnected the 12v battery, waited a minute and reconnected and was able to plug the charge cord in.
if it happens again I’ll leave it locked and bring it to the dealer for them to look at it, do the same thing I did and do absolutely nothing else, but take 2 - 4 hours to do so and potentially try to charge me. We might get lucky and they’ll record some obscure message about a battery problem and it’ll get back to GM to be ignored.

 

[Curt]

This really isn't going to rise to the level of awareness at GM until enough people take their cars in to the dealers for it.

There will already be a lot of trips to the dealer. I think this failure is likely to require two to three trips, including the final resolution in the form of a firmware upgrade. If everyone affected logs in and hits the support Chat button direct to GM, it can't hurt. There will be an equal or higher level of awareness, and potentially a quicker resolution with less wasted time and money. Moreover, they request your VIN and mileage during the chat and document the occurrence in their system.

 

[EV Fan]

This really isn't going to rise to the level of awareness at GM until enough people take their cars in to the dealers for it.

Good news is that GM is at least aware of this. On March 15th GM sent a notification to dealers that they were aware of this exact problem (apparently specific to 2019s), and that GM engineering is working on a solution.

 

[41421]

If everyone affected logs in and hits the support Chat button direct to GM, it can't hurt.

Is this on a Chevy web site somewhere? The "Contact us" section of chevrolet.com doesn't seem to have a chat option (at least not that I've yet zeroed in on).

BTW, it happened today to my 2019 (post battery replacement) Bolt for the 2nd time, and on this occasion, I couldn't unplug the charger (it had plugged in as normal last night). Disconnecting the 12v battery again fixed it, but had this happened while using a public charger somewhere, I would have had to pull sufficiently hard on it that I may have broken something. So I'll be keeping the correct size socket wrench in the car from now on. 😕

 

[Eriamjh1138]

Don’t try pulling it out when it is latched. You will either break the J1772 retaining latch or the one on the car.

 

[41421]

Don’t try pulling it out when it is latched. You will either break the J1772 retaining latch or the one on the car.

Exactly, which is why I think you need to have the tool to disconnect the 12v battery with the car (or only ever charge at home).