[mjones21]

Hi all,

I recently got back from a 2 week vacation and when I returned, my OEM Level 1 EVSE did not work and reported a cable fault. Green light steady on, red light flashes 5 times, pauses, and flashes 5 times again. I do have an appointment to have it checked out, but wanted to know for the future if there was any issue with leaving the charge cord connected to the outlet without charging the vehicle for an extended period. I generally leave the cord connected to my weatherproofed, GFCI protected outdoor outlet when not in use, as I really don't use it away from home much at all, and it should reduce wear on the cord over time to not constantly plug and unplug it. That said, I'm wondering if leaving it plugged in but not charging the car for 2 weeks caused some issue.

I checked the forums and saw several archived post about Gen 1 EVSE faults, but only a few posts on Gen 2 and none on this specific situation. Any input appreciated.

 

[Don M]

I have 4 different EVSEs in my garage, all are plugged in 24/7. Two of them have been plugged in for 6+ years and I've never had a problem with any of them

Don

 

[jcanoe]

If your OE EVSE is less than 3 years old it is covered by the Volt's bumper to bumper warranty. Your EVSE could have failed due to a faulty component or possibly a power surge occurred that damaged the EVSE.

 

[lagagnon]

I assume you have first of all done the main troubleshooting check of trying it at a number of different outlets - including one not at your home??

 

[mjones21]

I assume you have first of all done the main troubleshooting check of trying it at a number of different outlets - including one not at your home??

I checked on several outlets around my home and also unplugged it and replugged it after a day or so (also on several outlets). No go. Have not tried it outside of my home yet, but may try at work today. The gen 2 EVSE has specific codes and the red flash/green steady is noted as a charge cord fault rather than any kind of issue with the grounding or household circuitry.

 

[Manitoba Keith]

I think I read about cleaning the plug with a Q-Tip. Something about a buildup of gunk.
Can't remember if it was the cable or car or both. Guess you might clean it after unplugging the EVSE.

 

[mjones21]

No idea what was wrong with my charge cord/EVSE, but it was replaced on a parts order under warranty and available for pickup within a day of my service appointment. The dealer was also flexible with me and didn't make me leave my car to test it, but used it on another Volt in stock. I'd also note that I did not buy my car here, so this seems to just be how their service/parts department works, not generated by any sales need to keep a customer happy. Finally, it is the first Chevy dealer I've ever seen who had 3 different brand new Volts prominently displayed by the dealer curb.

Wanted to give a shout out and thank you to Armen Chevrolet in Ardmore, PA. Top notch experience, and would recommend for anyone in the Philly area wanting to buy a Volt or get their Volt serviced.

There are many dealer horror stories on here, so I wanted to call attention to a good experience.

 

[OoPEZoO]

I had this happen to my Gen2 charger. It started randomly not long after I bought the car. Then it started happening more often, regardless of the outlet or location I plugged it in. Long story short, they swapped it out with a new one under warranty and the replacement has been good ever since.....almost 2 years. Here is a link for the post

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?252034-Charge-cord-error-5-red-flashes

Glad they got you fixed up quickly