Tesla Not Charging? Here’s What to Do


Tesla Not Charging? Here's What to Do

It’s every electric car owner’s worst nightmare. You go out to get in your car at the supercharging station and realize that it hasn’t charged like it’s supposed to. Depending on how much residual charge you have, this could put you in a seriously tight spot. 

So what do you do if your Tesla isn’t charging? Here are some steps that can be taken to verify the issue and get it running:

  • Determine whether the charging issue is due to the charger station, your personal home charger, or the car’s battery system
  • Reboot your Tesla
  • Contact Tesla technical support if the battery system is at fault.

Finding out a Tesla isn’t charging correctly can be nerve-wracking, but luckily in many cases, this issue is easily resolved. Keep reading to find out more about Tesla charging issues and what you can do if your Tesla won’t charge. 

» MORE: Tesla Charge Port Won’t Open? Here’s What To Do

Check the Tesla Charger

Many times when a Tesla is being charged at a supercharger, and the owner discovers after coming back to their vehicle that the Tesla isn’t charging properly, the first instinct is to blame the car. With fuel-driven vehicles, this would be the only suspect to lay blame, so this instinct is pretty natural.

However, it’s common for Tesla supercharging stations to malfunction or not work correctly, so it’s worth it to check the charger first to make sure it’s the car and not the charging station that is at fault. There’s no reason to panic if your Tesla’s charging system is actually fine.

To test a Tesla’s charging capability when it malfunctions, check the following things: 

  1. Move the Tesla to a different charging station. Sometimes individual stations can glitch out or malfunction and fail to connect with the car, so moving your Tesla to another charging station can help you figure out whether it’s the charger or the Tesla’s electric battery that is ultimately at fault. 
  2. Check out the high-powered wall connector (HPWC). If your HPWC doesn’t seem to be charging the Tesla, check it at a different charger. It could just be that the HPWC itself has gone bad and not the battery in the car. 
  3. Check your car’s screen and the date of manufacturing for your Tesla. Unfortunately, some older models of Tesla have run into a flash memory problem that prevents the car from charging when once screen burns out. If you think that this might be the case with your Tesla, you’ll need to contact Tesla’s technical support and see what can be done to service the vehicle and return it to working order. 
  4. Check your Tesla app. Normally if your Tesla’s charging process becomes interrupted midway, your app will send you a notification. These outages can happen for a variety of reasons, such as mild brownouts and other electrical fluctuations. If this is the case, opening the Tesla’s app and clearing the message should restart charging functionality.

» MORE: Tesla Model S Screen is Black [How To Fix It]

Rebooting Your Tesla

Another option to try and fix a Tesla that is not charging properly is to perform an entire reboot of the vehicle. If there are problems in the Tesla where the MCU (a digital computing component in the vehicle) malfunctions, this can sometimes be corrected via a reboot.

How To Reboot Your Tesla

  1. Put your Tesla in Park
  2. Place your foot on the brake and keep it there
  3. Now press and hold both scroll wheel buttons on the steering wheel
  4. Hold for up to 10 seconds and the center screen will reboot
  5. Wait, keeping your foot on the brake. Eventually the screen will restart.

Typically this will solve the issue, however if the reboot does not solve the Tesla’s charging capability, this could be a sign that something beyond a quick-fix may be causing the issue.

It is important to remember that Teslas are very digital vehicles, and small digital malfunctions and glitches are commonplace across modern technology, especially modern technology as state-of-the-art as a Tesla. In many cases, minor issues with these cars can be rectified by performing a digital reboot to reset the system, but if not, Tesla is there to help.

» MORE: Tesla Door Won’t Open? [How To Fix It]

Call Tesla’s Technical Support

If you have run out of options to troubleshoot your Tesla and still haven’t determined the source of the problem, your next step is going to be to contact Tesla’s technical support. This support team can be contacted by calling 1-888-518-3752.

You can also contact Tesla support via your Tesla Mobile App. Typically they can schedule you for a mobile technician appointment at the location of your choosing (home, work, etc.).

Here are some other services that Tesla’s technical support can provide in response to a vehicle not charging correctly: 

  • Mobile service support. Depending on the location of the vehicle, Tesla can send mobile service support to come to your home and inspect the vehicle on site. Charging issues are a problem that can generally be diagnosed or repaired by mobile service technicians.  
  • Remote data check. Tesla’s technical support can do a remote data check on your vehicle while they have you on the phone. If you have an issue with your onboard charging system, once connected to the Tesla the online technicians can usually see this problem and diagnose it without further troubleshooting. 
  • Online repair. In some cases, Tesla’s technical support is capable of fixing issues with the car’s digital systems (including the charging system) through a forced remote update, and if contacted, Tesla technical support may attempt this in order to resolve your issue.

» MORE: Tesla Model 3 Not Connecting to Cell Phone [How To Fix It]

Tesla Repair and Installation Facilities

If it turns out that you do not live in an area with Tesla mobile service or the issue cannot be repaired by a mobile technician, the Tesla may end up having to be serviced at a certified Tesla service center. 

In response to your query on the phone, or mobile app, Tesla will determine if your vehicle needs to be brought it to a service center or not. If it does in fact need to be brought in, it’s not the end of the world.

You can simply schedule an appointment and bring the car in. Service appointments typically are done the same day as the vehicle is brought in.

» MORE: Tesla Model 3 Can’t Find WiFi? [How To Fix It]

Tesla Charging Problems Aren’t the End of the World

It might seem very stressful when you run into a charging issue on your Tesla, but luckily many of these problems can be resolved easily, and even in the worst case scenario if you have to have your Tesla put into the shop, Tesla has gone above and beyond to make this process as easy and efficient as possible for their customers.

It’s only a matter of time until your Tesla is back to normal. However, once your car is charging again keep in mind these 9 expert tips to make your Tesla battery last longer.

Tesla Discounts:

Greg

The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by Greg, a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

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