[2VoltFamily]

Last night an electrical storm rolled in. I unplugged both my 2013 Volts and turned off the breaker to both my L2 EVSEs. This happened about 9:30pm.

In the morning after the storm passed I flipped the breaker back on and plugged the first Volt in and it started charging right away.

I plugged the second Volt in and nothing. I unplugged and plugged several times and nothing. So finally, I plugged it in and then opened the driver door and what do you know, green light came on with the horn honk.

I have no idea why this behavior especially since I have two of the same model year and they both behaved differently. This is the first time this ever happened. It is worth noting that this is the same Volt that has been sending intermittent airbag warnings for the front passenger.

Perhaps my 12V battery is getting to its end of life.

 

[SVoyager]

I've had this happen on mine. I'm pretty sure its ok. Can't say about the difference of operation between both cars but as far as I know, the second volt got into a sort of sleep mode and plugging in won't wake it. Opening the door is one of the events that can wake it. I think locking/unlocking the doors with FOB also does it.
After that, the car realised it was plugged and did its thing.

I have a 2014

 

[canehdian]

The storm is an unrelated coincidence.

Your second volt was asleep and didn't wake up when you plugged in. It does that sometimes, especially if no fob in your pocket when plugging in. Unlocking/opening the door forced it to wake up and it realized the plug was there.

12V may also be unrelated. Mine has done this once in the first year of ownership and once in year 3.

 

[2VoltFamily]

That makes sense. I had left both charge port doors open as well so not sure why one did not need to wake up and the other did. But in the past I have either opened the charge door with the keyfob or by opening the driver door and pressing the button.

 

[DonC]

I may have experienced something similar. Sometimes I've left the ELR sit without plugging in immediately. A couple of times when I've done this the ELR hasn't registered the connection to the EVSE when I've later plugged it in. Unplugging and retrying didn't have any effect, but opening the door seemed to wake the car up. Once the door was opened the EVSE connection was registered and the green light started blinking.

No storms of any kind involved. Agree it seems like the car goes to sleep and plugging in doesn't wake it up. Since it's only happened a couple of times I have no idea of how to reproduce it, other than there has to be a break between turning the car off and plugging in.

 

[canehdian]

I've only had it happen when I forgot/remembered to plug in late at night, many hours after I've parked (car had gone into deep sleep) and left the fob in the house.
Normally when I approach with the fob in pocket, the car starts to wake up (you can hear it click softly)
No fob means no indication someone is walking up. And having the manual charge door, don't need a fob to plug in.
But as soon as I got the fob and unlocked/opened the door, it acknowledged it.

I don't think the J1772 probes the main computer, it just waits for the main computer to check on it.
In other situations, the car was probably awake for some other task (OnStar connecting, periodic self test, gas pressurization, battery TMS, whatever) and so it started charging immediately when plugged in.

 

[Mister Dave]

Sometimes I've left the ELR sit without plugging in immediately. A couple of times when I've done this the ELR hasn't registered the connection to the EVSE when I've later plugged it in. Unplugging and retrying didn't have any effect, but opening the door seemed to wake the car up. Once the door was opened the EVSE connection was registered and the green light started blinking.
.

Best explanation I've heard about why my car did this in the past. I'm not sure it's easily repeatable. Last night my car was charged in 2 sessions because the charge was interrupted by my wife while a storm went through. The span between charges was several hours.

 

[Sean-a-Tron]

It could be the key fob battery. My Volt did a similar thing when the key fob battery was low. Except it wouldn't let me unlock the doors unless I pressed the fob button and not the door button. No issues charging IIRC.

 

[JRRF]

So it's great that the storm had no affect on this. But what are the rules about being connected to a charger during a thunderstorm? Is there any surge protection in the charging cord? If the power goes out and comes back on is there any issue with that? Should you unplug if it's going to storm?

 

[TSquare]

So it's great that the storm had no affect on this. But what are the rules about being connected to a charger during a thunderstorm? Is there any surge protection in the charging cord? If the power goes out and comes back on is there any issue with that? Should you unplug if it's going to storm?

Why take the chance? Unplug it. Nothing except "no connection" will protect you from a direct strike which admittedly rarely happens but, what if it does? When a storm comes thru here, I unplug the car and the EVSE.

 

[JRRF]

Why take the chance? Unplug it. Nothing except "no connection" will protect you from a direct strike which admittedly rarely happens but, what if it does? When a storm comes thru here, I unplug the car and the EVSE.

Well...not even unplugging can protect you from a direct strike But to protect from a non-direct hit that causes a surge, I guess it's prudent to unplug.

 

[hellsop]

Normally when I approach with the fob in pocket, the car starts to wake up (you can hear it click softly).

I love that little "tatick" when the car finds the fob when I approach. It's like it's a cat waking up, saying "mrrp!" and stretching.