What to do if…
your electric vehicle charge port will not close after charging

What to do now

1. Move to the safest pause you can reach.

   • If you are still in a charging bay or car park, stay parked if it is safe to do so.
   • Select Park if your car has it, apply the parking brake, switch the vehicle off if safe, and keep the key with you.
   • Put hazard lights on if the car may obstruct others.

2. Check that charging has fully ended.

   • Make sure the charging cable is fully removed from the car.
   • Look only from outside the inlet; do not put anything into the socket.
   • Check whether your vehicle has an inner socket cover, rubber cap, or small protective door and whether it is fully shut.

3. Look for reasons not to drive.

   • Stop and get help if you see water inside the inlet, cracked or burnt plastic, bent pins, a broken hinge, a loose flap, or anything stuck in the latch area.
   • Stop and get help if the dashboard shows a charging, high-voltage, moisture, or vehicle-fault warning.
   • If the area is only slightly damp around the outside edge, you may gently blot the outer opening with a dry cloth, without pushing into the socket.

4. Try only low-risk latch checks.

   • Open the flap fully, check for obvious ice, grit, or a trapped rubber cap, then try closing it gently once.
   • Lock the car, wait about a minute, unlock it, and try the flap gently again.
   • If it may be frozen, warm only the outside flap and latch area with your hands or cabin heat. Do not pour hot water near the inlet.

5. Decide whether the car needs to move.

   • Do not drive if the inlet is wet or damaged, a warning is showing, an inner cover will not shut, or the flap cannot be kept from swinging.
   • If the inlet is dry and undamaged, there are no warnings, and you only need to move out of immediate danger or out of a charging bay, move the minimum distance at low speed.
   • If the outer flap may swing, secure only the flap to the bodywork with a small amount of low-residue tape for that short move. Do not cover lights, mirrors, cameras, sensors, or the number plate. Stop if it will not stay secure.

6. If this happens on a motorway or other high-speed road, follow breakdown safety first.

   • If possible, leave at the next exit or pull into a service area.
   • If you cannot leave, move left into an emergency area, lay-by, or hard shoulder if you can do so safely.
   • Switch on hazard lights, exit on the side away from traffic if safe, and stay well away from traffic, behind a barrier if there is one.
   • If you cannot get away from traffic safely, stay in the vehicle with seat belts and hazard lights on and call 999, asking for the police.
   • For advice and assistance where relevant, use the emergency phone or contact the road operator: National Highways in England on 0300 123 5000, Traffic Scotland on 0800 028 1414, or Traffic Wales on 0300 123 1213.

7. Get professional help rather than making do.

   • Call your breakdown provider or the manufacturer’s roadside assistance and say: “The charge port door will not latch after charging.”
   • Tell them whether the inlet is wet, damaged, showing warnings, or has an inner cover that will not close.
   • If the car is under warranty, book a repair check and mention any warning messages exactly as they appeared.