My Volt is parked outside overnight. I live in Ottawa, Canada, where we are subject to sub zero Celsius temperatures and snow. Does anyone have a solution for the charging port door freezing shut. Not very convenient when trying to plug in at the end of the day, especially if it is dark. The mechanism still appears to operate as I can hear it, but the door will not open. I have had to pry it open while pushing the button on the key fob. Something I am not comfortable doing as I feel I may end up breaking the door off.
Charging port door freezing shut!
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I don't have a Volt, but I know that if you apply a metallic lubricant (which have a very low freezing/melting point) to any moving part , the lubricant will protect the parts and keep them moving. I use Radio Shack silicon lubricants, but some will prefer grapfite based lubricants.
There are countless threads on this. Older Volts - and yours must be one - were very prone to this problem. There are various remedies that will solve it for a short while, involving lubrication and spring loading and the like, and I tried most of them. If you want a permanent solution you have to take the car in and have the whole mechanism replaced. I had mine done under warranty, yours should qualify. You might have a better argument if it is throwing a code, which will happen sooner or later.
If it makes you feel better, I don't think you can do any harm by prying it open. I've certainly done it often enough.
Newer Volts have a simpler mechanism, like that on the gas door, that works better.
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a) Vaseline
b) Talcum Powder
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mine never threw a code and i just bought my 2012 used, didn't even get to the snow and ice yet and it stuck all the time, took it to the dealer they couldn't get it to stick. they lubed me up and on my way i went, down the road to a charge point *cuz they never charge my car* and go out pressed the button and it didn't work. bitched me out about it and they ordered the part and replaced it and it works perfectly! ice snow it doesn't matter!
you just have to strong arm them a bit and really believe you that it isn't working, it also helps to talk to the volt adviser at there dealership. *if they even have one* when i talked to him it was much nicer and cared about my volt and green experience a bit more than the normal service.
get it replaced man it will do you wonders and i didn't have it throw a code just need to be on them a bit more
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I can't wait to see what Elemental has to add to this thread.
Tried that. Charge door has never popped open except over 50F (10C) temp and dry.
Usually I pop it open w/ a fingernail. But for below-zero-C ice-up, I keep a dime in the tray aft of the shift lever.
Slide it into the crack at rear of charge door, twist gently, and door pops right open. (I seem to recall Canadian dimes are _really_
thin and all aluminum; might not be as good a small pry-bar. So might want to watch for a US dime.)
The right-pissah is that the failure to open _will_ throw a code and light the "engine" light on the display. So 6 mos out of the year that light is always on; thus if something substantially bad was happening, I'd never get any separate warning. No reason to light the engine light if charge door fails to open. Owner knows when it happens; doesn't need to be "warned".
Usually I pop it open w/ a fingernail. But for below-zero-C ice-up, I keep a dime in the tray aft of the shift lever.
Slide it into the crack at rear of charge door, twist gently, and door pops right open. (I seem to recall Canadian dimes are _really_
thin and all aluminum; might not be as good a small pry-bar. So might want to watch for a US dime.)
The right-pissah is that the failure to open _will_ throw a code and light the "engine" light on the display. So 6 mos out of the year that light is always on; thus if something substantially bad was happening, I'd never get any separate warning. No reason to light the engine light if charge door fails to open. Owner knows when it happens; doesn't need to be "warned".
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I had good luck with a silicone lubricant spray applied to the door's gasket-like surfaces (the flexible parts that cup the port's outer surfaces when the door is closed). Seems it drags a bit on those surfaces and, when it's cold, this drag goes way up.
Though I just had my whole port/door replaced last week (car wouldn't charge) and I noticed the spring force upon opening is now much stronger (I assume to address this issue). It still stuck this morning, though, and when I pried it open I heard ice crunching in the actual hinge area (so silicone wouldn't have helped this time). It was raining a lot lately, then today was the first freeze, so usually this doesn't happen all winter long. It can be annoying, but the silicone did help a lot last winter, I'll see how the new port does this winter.
Though I just had my whole port/door replaced last week (car wouldn't charge) and I noticed the spring force upon opening is now much stronger (I assume to address this issue). It still stuck this morning, though, and when I pried it open I heard ice crunching in the actual hinge area (so silicone wouldn't have helped this time). It was raining a lot lately, then today was the first freeze, so usually this doesn't happen all winter long. It can be annoying, but the silicone did help a lot last winter, I'll see how the new port does this winter.
You read my mind about Elemental.
We still have the door opening up while on the highway issue... But I think it is also because the snow/ice is not letting the door shut all the way. And we live in an area where it is now below 0 Celsius or 32F all the time too. (Except the last two days it is has been above freezing just enough for it to do freezing rain instead of snow) FWIW, it was doing this in the heat and the dealer replaced the door and it has been much better since then. Now it is most likely a mother nature issue.
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If it's that bad it probably needs to be replaced. Call the dealer and tell them.
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I fixed mine myself cause I hate taking any car to the dealer. Search this forum for my repair process.
For those of you who have trouble searching here is his post:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?97418-Frozen-Charge-door-question.&p=1417505#post1417505
Happy holidays!
K
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?97418-Frozen-Charge-door-question.&p=1417505#post1417505
Happy holidays!
K
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