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People won't stop fiddling with my charging door

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Paul Gregory, Apr 14, 2024.

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  1. Paul Gregory

    Paul Gregory Member

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    Several times now, I started my car to find the message: "charging door open."
    It seems that when I'm parked in a public place, passers-by can't seem to resist opening the charge door, and don't bother to reclose it. Seems like curiosity about whether the Prius takes gasoline or electricity. It takes both, thank you.
     
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  2. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The charge door doesn't lock when you lock the car doors?

    I've seen that message numerous times on my RAV4 Prime, but it has always been my fault, not getting the door fully closed after use. Even open just 1/4" is enough to trigger this warning. But it can't be opened by passers-by when the whole car is locked, I've tried and failed when trying to hook up the EVSE cord when it was unintentionally locked in my garage.

    I haven't looked into the Prius Owner's Manual to see if it really is different than the RAV4.
     
  3. HacksawMark

    HacksawMark Member

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    The charge door does not lock, only the gas door locks.
     
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Dang. Checking the Owner's Manual, the Prius is different than the RAV4 on this.

    Are the people opening OP's charge door, really just curious? Or might they be gas thieves looking for opportunity?
     
  5. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    Is this a Europe/US difference? Checked today, because I wasn't sure, and mine locks.

    Yep, seems so, looking at the manuals. European manual has a bunch of text about when it locks and unlocks, all missing in the US manual.

    Weird thing to differ on if it's not a regulatory difference.
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    didn't gen 4 lock?
     
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The U.S. RAV4 Prime charge door locks, so I doubt that it is a regulatory difference.
     
  8. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    Agreed - that's what I meant.

    It locks in Japan too, according to the manual.
     
  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    IIRC, it varied by trim.
     
  10. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    Yep; I was looking at mine when I plugged in last night. There looks to be a bolt cut-out on the internal door. So it looks like it can be added. Mine's the base model, so no charging plug lock while charging.
     
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  11. Zeromus

    Zeromus Member

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    Lock or not lock... Why are people just deciding to open a random strangers charge and/or gas port door?
     
  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Gas thieves looking for easy opportunity, not realizing that certain fuel doors are not to gas tanks?
     
  13. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    When at car shows, many people were actually curious about the charge plug.
    I don’t know why the OP is having it happen so often.
    But curiosity may be part of the answer.
     
  14. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    This one is easier than it looks:

    Screenshot 2024-04-18 at 10.10.51 AM.png

    Alberta people
    won't stop fiddling...

    It makes so much more sense when you read it that way.
     
  15. Zeromus

    Zeromus Member

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    After market charge port locks incoming lol
     
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Considering that Alberta is a major oil producing state province, and is not one of the three states provinces where the overwhelming majority (90%) of nation's EVs are being registered, it sort of makes sense that plug-in ports may still be seen as an unfamilar novelty there.

    ... or maybe there are a few more pro-oil vandals running around there than elsewhere.
     
  17. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    On the Gen 4 Prius Prime XLE and Limited, the charging-port lid locks, and you need to carry the smart key with you to open it.

    Wow, this is yet another downgrade in Gen 5 that I wasn't aware of.