Tried Tesla Charger-- No Charging, and Service Vehicle Soon Message on Dashboard.

[pyromaster114]

Title basically says it all. Couldn't charge at Tesla station with adapter.
I'll try a regular DCFC later at the local Ford Dealership for diagnostic purposes and update... But I am not having high hopes... I assume the truck won't fast charge at all, like my last one. (This is the second one... Looks like Ford is cruising for another buyback. -_-)

I tried both activation with plug and charge, and then subsequently tried activation with the app (FordPass) first before plugging in.

I also got a power train fault notification from the App, and the little wrench icon on the dashboard persisted until the following start/stop cycle of the truck.


EDIT: Solution / Explanation Found!

After everyone was saying, "make sure the cord doesn't come out of the adapter", I tugged a little harder than I had before, and it slid right off-- no pushing the button on top like the instructions said I had to.
Tried a few more times, same result.
Got a piece of cloth, braced the CCS1 side of the adapter on the side of the tire with the cloth (so it wouldn't get all gross) between it and the tire, and shoved with both hands. There was a loud, very audible *CLICK* and then the adapter did not come off with the previously increased amount of pulling force, unless I held down the button on the top of the adapter.

I managed to (after disabling Plug & Charge, though not sure if this actually did anything at all...) activate the charger in the Tesla App via the pedestal ID and location, and I successfully charged the truck!

And then I promptly dropped the adapter while removing it from the NACS connector on the cord, which seems to have chipped some plastic on the edge (not the connector, but still), so now I have to get another adapter, since I'm not sure how much I can trust this one now to keep working. T_T

TL;DR:
Man, people are not joking that you have to really shove these things in there. Like, WOW. That was a lot of force. Also, people are not joking when they say "careful, these are fragile".

Manufacturers:
Can we please somehow not have them be fragile? It's something that inherently has to be 'man-handled', and it's also fragile. This is a usability issue from the typical end-user standpoint.

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[bmwhitetx]

Some things:
1) You need the OTA update to be able to use P&C at SC stations.
2) Must be a station that supports Ford, not all do. What station was it?
You could try the Tesla app, tell it you have a Lightning, add a credit card and activate through their app. It is very reliable.

 

[pyromaster114]

Some things:
1) You need the OTA update to be able to use P&C at SC stations.
2) Must be a station that supports Ford, not all do. What station was it?
You could try the Tesla app, tell it you have a Lightning, add a credit card and activate through their app. It is very reliable.

I'll definitely try the Tesla app; this station was one listed in FordPass, so I sure assume it supports it. It's a 250KW station, so not a gen1.

I assumed I had the OTA update, as it says no more updates available at the moment... But I know the update system is screwy sometimes. :/

 

[carys98]

I assumed I had the OTA update, as it says no more updates available at the moment... But I know the update system is screwy sometimes. :/

Even if you were 10 updates behind you would get the same message. All it means is that Ford isn’t offering you any updates at the moment.

 

[Firn]

Don't try plug and charge, initiate directly in the Tesla app.

Woth or without plug and charge Don't plug into the truck before initiating. Go into the tesla app and select your location and then station. Once it says initiating then plug in the adapter onto the cable, then plug all that into the truck.

 

[pyromaster114]

Don't try plug and charge, initiate directly in the Tesla app.

Woth or without plug and charge Don't plug into the truck before initiating. Go into the tesla app and select your location and then station. Once it says initiating then plug in the adapter onto the cable, then plug all that into the truck.

Thanks! I will try that order of operations and report back! I had the adapter on the cable to start with, maybe that's what messed it up?

 

[derelict]

I had a similar issue which was resolved, please see here:

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/cant-dcfc-fixed-post-19.20535/

 

[srspring551]

I may be mis-remembering my last trip, but I think I couldn't use my Tesla app/account unless I turned off my truck's Plug&Charge first, otherwise Ford highjacked the Tesla session? Has anyone else needed to do that? (A2Z adapter). Maybe I was just not following the correct sequence. Whenever I do the next trip, I'll try to pay closer attention. (you know- bathroom and food take up most of my thinking ability at stops sometimes)

 

[pyromaster114]

Don't try plug and charge, initiate directly in the Tesla app.

Woth or without plug and charge Don't plug into the truck before initiating. Go into the tesla app and select your location and then station. Once it says initiating then plug in the adapter onto the cable, then plug all that into the truck.

Update: This did not work. Errors out when I plug it into the truck.

 

[pyromaster114]

I may be mis-remembering my last trip, but I think I couldn't use my Tesla app/account unless I turned off my truck's Plug&Charge first, otherwise Ford highjacked the Tesla session? Has anyone else needed to do that? (A2Z adapter). Maybe I was just not following the correct sequence. Whenever I do the next trip, I'll try to pay closer attention. (you know- bathroom and food take up most of my thinking ability at stops sometimes)

How do I disable the truck's plug and charge feature? Is there a convenient toggle, or am I gonna have to get out The App™ and look for an hour? (Seriously, Ford, the App is still horrible...)

 

[srspring551]

How do I disable the truck's plug and charge feature? Is there a convenient toggle, or am I gonna have to get out The App™ and look for an hour? (Seriously, Ford, the App is still horrible...)

Yeah, it's a "Where's Waldo" experience sometimes; I get it.
It might be in the truck controls someplace but I just use the FordPass app.

 

[potato]

I may be mis-remembering my last trip, but I think I couldn't use my Tesla app/account unless I turned off my truck's Plug&Charge first, otherwise Ford highjacked the Tesla session? Has anyone else needed to do that? (A2Z adapter). Maybe I was just not following the correct sequence. Whenever I do the next trip, I'll try to pay closer attention. (you know- bathroom and food take up most of my thinking ability at stops sometimes)

From what I've read (still waiting for adapter of course... ) it's the correct sequence thing.

You don't need to disable plug & charge if you activate the charger from the Tesla app before plugging in.

 

[pyromaster114]

From what I've read (still waiting for adapter of course... ) it's the correct sequence thing.

You don't need to disable plug & charge if you activate the charger from the Tesla app before plugging in.

So, I have pretty much confirmed with Ford that I do not have the software update-- so, my procedure should be, using the A2Z adapter I got:

1) Pull up to charger (Note station number, and park in the spot to the right straddling the line.)
2) Get out of truck, close driver door. (Truck still running, because it's too hot out...)
3) Activate Charger in Tesla App. (The Ford one probably won't work.)
4) Once activated, remove NACS plug from station, plug into A2Z adapter.
5) Plug adapter+cable assembly into truck charge port.

Assuming this is the correct sequence, it has failed every time at 3 separate SC stations at multiple stalls. Perhaps I have a defective A2Z adapter?

 

[hturnerfamily]

yes, the adapter could be the problem, as many of us have had not a SINGLE issue just plugging in with our adapter, no matter the brand... it just works. No app needed.

 

[FordEVr DAD]

Title basically says it all. Couldn't charge at Tesla station with adapter.
I'll try a regular DCFC later at the local Ford Dealership for diagnostic purposes and update... But I am not having high hopes... I assume the truck won't fast charge at all, like my last one. (This is the second one... Looks like Ford is cruising for another buyback. -_-)

I tried both activation with plug and charge, and then subsequently tried activation with the app (FordPass) first before plugging in.

I also got a power train fault notification from the App, and the little wrench icon on the dashboard persisted until the following start/stop cycle of the truck.

*********************

I just got my lightning and went through your ordeal. I had to download the Tesla App which worked sometimes when the ford pass won't work. *****Also, not sure if your particular adapter has the lock on it. I wished I had a photo of mine. I'll take a photo when I'm on my truck but anyway, my Tesla to CCS1 adapter has a small sliding lock in the bottom of it. If I do not slide and lock it, it won't allow me to charge. It took me a bit to realize this. Be aware also that some Tesla charging stations will now allow us to use it. I believe the ford pass app will tell you this. I was on a gas station in a Delaware beach with a Tesla supercharge and couldn't charge there but went about a block away to a Tesla in Wawa's and bingo, I was able to charge.

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