Charge Port Door Lockpin Replacement

[Mike G]

While getting the Lightning washed recently at a carwash I frequent (monthly subscription), the first set of brushes came into contact with my left fender hard enough to pop open the charge port door...and since the second set of brushes it encountered turn in the opposite direction they ended up removing my outer charge port painted cover panel and snapping off the lockpin.

The outer door painted panel was removed cleanly and was laying to the left of the track in the employee walkway, the pin was snapped off at the base (locking ears on the pin snapped off).

So I was lucky that there wasn't any actual damage to the outer painted door panel (not even a scratch), and I lined it back up with the inner door panel tabs and slid it back in place, and then headed to my Ford dealer's parts counter to get another lockpin. After a few minutes of searching we found that the chargeport lockpin is not broken out as an item separate from the door assembly...you are expected to buy the whole thing.

Turns out it is listed as a separate item on the Mach-E, and it also turns out it's the same pin (I checked the one on my car to make sure).
Here's the pin you're looking for if yours breaks, FP5Z-5428610-B:

My dealer has them listed for $10.63.

I checked the workshop manual to find out if there was anything specific on how to replace it or to get the outer door panel back off (the correct way, not the carwash way), and found nothing at all concerning that lockpin or the outer painted door panel, absolutely nothing.

So to get the outer painted door panel off to secure the new lockpin you insert a small flat tip screwdriver into the edge of the locktab and gently pry outwards while sliding the outer painted cover away from the side of the truck.

Here's the detail on the replacement pin showing the different sizes of the ears:

From the chargeport side of the door enclosure, insert the base of the pin with the ears lined up to match the opening in the panel, and then from the outer side, gently turn clockwise with a Torx 50 bit to lock the pin into place (about a quarter turn does it).

All that remains is to line up the outer painted cover and slide it back onto the inner chargeport door. All done.

I did have a few words with the carwash manager, and they did say they would make some adjustments to the system so that the brush rollers didn't swing back in to the sides of the vehicle as aggressively. The other carwash at the opposite end of town under the same owners and brand, does not have this issue. So it was clearly a matter of adjustment of their system.

A small update: As an additional resource should you need it...the same pin is available as a BMW/Mini part as well. I ordered one of these from ECS just to confirm that it was the same. It is.

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[MountainAlive]

Awesome write up of the issue and the resolution.

 

[Ricks Lightning]

My local car wash uses masking tape on the rear window wiper of SUV's to tape it to the glass. I guess they learned real quickly that the rear wiper was torn off by the brushes.

They also have warning about shark fin antennas being torn off.

I've taken my Lightning into the automated wash probably 10 times..so far so good, but I always find small remenets of red lambswool stuck in the side Lightning letters. Fortunately the letters are still intact..

My Antenna also takes alot of abuse in the wash and still is attached.

Rick

 

[Mike G]

My local car wash uses masking tape on the rear window wiper of SUV's to tape it to the glass. I guess they learned real quickly that the rear wiper was torn off by the brushes.

They also have warning about shark fin antennas being torn off.

I've taken my Lightning into the automated wash probably 10 times..so far so good, but I always find small remenets of red lambswool stuck in the side Lightning letters. Fortunately the letters are still intact..

My Antenna also takes alot of abuse in the wash and still is attached.

Rick

I’ve changed the antenna to a stubby. I got tired of unscrewing it before each wash and then reinstalling in the detail area. I’m considering one of the hidden antennas and would run it under the right side plastic cowl cover.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

I’m considering one of the hidden antennas and would run it under the right side plastic cowl cover.

Could you post a link? Does it also have a nice delete solution for the exterior?

 

[Mike G]

Could you post a link? Does it also have a nice delete solution for the exterior?

I'm looking at some of the ones on Amazon now. I'll let you know if what I've ordered actually works out.

 

[Weapon X]

A couple years ago, my dumb ass backed out of the garage after forgetting to close the cover and knocked that part off. Ordered it for $12 from a BMW supplier and keep a couple on hand because, once again. I'm a dumb ass.

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