Charging port cover not popping up because of freezing rain

[lamimartin]

Do you have a way to prevent or work around the fact that the charging port cover occasionally does not Pop up enough to be opened because of exposure to rain and frost? I don't want to damage the paint by prying with a sharp blade, or maybe a thin plastic scraper?

 

[Kenny]

Warm water

 

[Drew21]

In our 3+ years of Leaf ownership there have been at least a dozen occasions where the car was parked in the unheated garage after being driven in the rain, followed by a temperature drop that caused the charge door to freeze shut.

As suggested above, warm water is your best friend. You might also consider a heat gun with a low setting, either corded or battery-powered depending on your needs and usage. On other occasions when we didn't need to charge immediately, I've pulled the frozen Leaf into the sun which is often enough to free the door, even in below-freezing air temperatures.

Now that I know the conditions that cause this issue I try to be more proactive by popping the charge door before it has the chance to freeze shut.

 

[GentleGiant]

To avoid it happening in the first place, you could try spraying the flap and hinges with a silicon based oil; to stop water penetrating and freezing on the mech.

 

[phog]

The cover of the 2015 Leaf I recently purchased does not latch, lock, or "pop up" in any way at all; It opens and closes manually. Until I saw all those charge ports controls on the main console and read the manual I assumed that was the way it was supposed to be. Should I bother getting it fixed? I was going to affix a waterproof, flexible Neoprene flap on the underside to catch and redirect rainwater that rolls off the hood and into the charge port area. Did the car come with some weatherproofing in there?

 

[Drew21]

There is definitely weatherstripping around my 2014 charge port door. It looks quite similar to the stuff on the person doors.

As for latching, I wouldn't want the door popping open at road speed - I doubt that it would stay attached to the car in that situation.

 

[Jerther]

I bought an "eco dome". Problems gone.

 

[laele]

To avoid it happening in the first place, you could try spraying the flap and hinges with a silicon based oil; to stop water penetrating and freezing on the mech.

remember, the WD in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement -- (grin)

and to defrost it, how about borrowing a family member's hairdryer

 

[lamimartin]

remember, the WD in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement -- (grin)

and to defrost it, how about borrowing a family member's hairdryer

I'm not sûre WD40 is safe to use on rubber components, but i intent to spray some on hinged and spring mechanism.

 

[uHu]

I'm not sûre WD40 is safe to use on rubber components, but i intent to spray some on hinged and spring mechanism.

It is generally safe on rubber.

Otherwise, the best way to keep the keep the cover from "icing up" is to keep the car well polished. Water doesn't stick to well polished paint, so the problem is much smaller, even in the case of rain at under the freezing point.

 

[GentleGiant]

remember, the WD in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement -- (grin)

and to defrost it, how about borrowing a family member's hairdryer

I specifically said solicon, not WD40, as that is known to perish some rubbers.