i-MiEV Will Not Start After DCQC Charging

JoeS · Mar 4, 2016

In a separate topic (Aftermarket Radio Install into a 2016 i-MiEV),

philulrich said:

... went to Walmart (the wife needed some stuff). I plugged into the L3 like I normally do (on the off chance I actually go to that terrible place) and went in... I came out and my car would not start. It would make the click, but my RBS, Battery, and Engine lights would come on and it wouldn't switch to "Ready". I tried charging it more and the charger wouldn't even start. It said it couldn't communicate with my car...

So I called up Mitsu Roadside and had them tow it in. Of course it was Friday and they couldn't even look at it because they were too busy... and of course it was the weekend they were closed on Saturday so they let me know they couldn't look at it until Monday... and of course, they had no rentals so they had to arrange for me to get a Hertz rental.

The issue turned out to be something that y'all '12s with DC ports have been experiencing. Apparently whenever you plug into an L3.. it has the possibility of tripping a sensor and rendering your car immobile. I was told it was just now getting addressed on the '12s and I was the first case with a '16. Essentially when this happens, they just need to reset the system with their magical $6000 tool and call it a day. Unfortunately this will involve towing the car to Mitsu because you and I aren't going to buy a $6000 tool to reset it. Yay for free towing though?

On a side note: I'm not sure why, but the lights for my climate control only work when the lights are on and my car is off... It's really weird because they should be on when my lights are on regardless.. but something is keeping them off. I don't think it's the radio though because I can have it on ACC and they will be on.. but if I start the car.. they turn off. I've decided to live with it for now, but eventually I need to figure that out.

Click to expand...

I'm trying to recall an issue resulting from L3 (presumably you mean DCQC?) charging, as for the life of me I don't remember "The issue turned out to be something that y'all '12s with DC ports have been experiencing."

The reset was performed at the Mitsu dealer, presumably using their MUT3, which I don't believe costs $6000

Anyone care to chime in on this one?

wmcbrine · Mar 4, 2016

Yeah, I was surprised by that comment. But, I've only done CHAdeMO three times so far, IIRC. I got a funny smell the first time, no problems since.

PV1 · Mar 4, 2016

Besides one member saying he was having trouble with the quick charger tripping its breaker, I don't recall anybody needing to go to the dealer for a reset after quick charging. If someone has had this issue, please chime in.

The only issues I've had with quick charging were new units with buggy software and a stingy Nissan dealer.

JoeS · Mar 4, 2016

The only DCQC issues I recall had to do with the charging stations themselves, and not with our cars.

philulrich -
1. What was the brand of DCQC that caused your problem?
2. How much charge did you put into your car?

BTW, strictly speaking L3 refers to high-power AC J1772 and not DCQC. L3 doesn't exist yet, as far as I know.
Edit: Oops, I'm wrong about L3 ac vs. dc: from Wikipedia: The SAE DC Level 3 charging levels have not been determined, but the standard as it exists as of 2009 has the potential to charge at 200–600 V DC at a maximum of 400 A (240 kW)

kiev · Mar 4, 2016

My 2012 won't do L3 DCQC from the Eaton unit here in town, everytime i've tried it throws the circuit breaker in the Eaton unit and is a pia for other EVs to wait for the service crew to repair/reset it. i haven't tried any other.

i believe the problem is in my car, most likely the DCQC contactors located in the pack, but i don't have a MUT to troubleshoot it, and i'm not going to open my pack until it's out of warranty. A full up factory version MUT is very likely $6k, most of the stuff i've seen sold on the internet is not the full unit which includes a laptop.

PV1 · Mar 4, 2016

Have you taken the car to a Mitsubishi dealer to look at it?

It still sounds to me like your HV cables from the CHAdeMO port are reversed. Contactors not closing wouldn't trip a breaker, the charger just wouldn't be able to put out current. However, a reverse polarity situation would immediately cause over-current as soon as the contactors close.

philulrich · Mar 4, 2016

So I was using a CHAdeMO DC charger at the local Walmart. I believe they are a part of the EVGo network. The exact notes from my service page are as follows:

7847 VEHICLE HAD CODE STORED FOR IMPROPER CAN-BUS CONNECTION. CHECKED AUXILLARY BATTER(sic) FOR PROPER CHARGE AND CHECKED GOOD. CHECK CONNECTIONS UNDER THE VEHICLE AROUND MAIN BATTERY, CHARGER, AND HEATING ELEMENTS AND GOOD AT THIS TIME. CLEARED CODE AND TESTED MAIN BATTERY CELLS AND ALL ARE GOOD WITH NO CODE. TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND CODE IS NOT RETURNING. CONNECTED VEHICLE TO LEVEL 2 CHARGER AND CHARGING FINE AT THIS TIME WITH NO CODES STORED.

The bit about the '12s came from the service advisor who also was the one I asked if this was something I could just buy a $100 adapter for and reset myself. He talked to the service guys and came back and said there was a $6000 tool that they were using to reset it. I don't know if the MUT3 can reset. I would be curious to know so I could buy it and save myself a lot of time in the future. He said this was a C level code (chassis) that was thrown so if a tool can reset that.. then we'd be in business. As far as charge goes... I was probably around 50% and let it sit for half an hour. Pretty much my usual Walmart routine.

JoeS · Mar 4, 2016

Philulrich, thank you for the details. Interesting that your service manager would make that statement, as we simply have not seen that problem by users on this website.

philulrich said:

So I was using a CHAdeMO DC charger at the local Walmart. I believe they are a part of the EVGo network.

Click to expand...

The nrg EVgo network around here has proven to be very reliable, and I've used their DCQC without any problems on three different i-MiEVs.

philulrich said:

As far as charge goes... I was probably around 50% and let it sit for half an hour. Pretty much my usual Walmart routine.

Click to expand...

If you started at 50% then you would have reached the 80% shutoff within 15 minutes. In your shoes I would find another DCQC charger and try it, as this is still a fresh problem for you and Mitsubishi has not verified that your i-MiEV works properly in that charging mode. I'd get it taken care of while the car is still well within warranty.

philulrich · Mar 4, 2016

I will eventually. I just don't want to risk it on a day that I don't have a few hours to throw away for obvious reasons.

Apparently there aren't many that have the DC port, not many DC chargers.. and thus there are very few cases, but they are just now getting around to addressing it. Again... this is just hearsay. I have no proof or further information. This is just what I was told.

tigger19687 · Mar 5, 2016

I am surprised that the dealer didn't try to charge on a DCQC since that is what set off the issue.
I would definitely try it again, but go to the dealer first to make sure that they can then diagnose the issue.

I mean, hey, you get the 'i' with the DC port for a reason. You should be able to use it.

philulrich · Mar 5, 2016

There isn't one anywhere near them and they are the only one in the area remotely close... so not much of a choice there.

greenpower · May 8, 2016

My 2016 has done this twice on two different chargers. Ive had it a month and its been at the dealer two weeks so far and is there now. Mine does this exact same thing but will start and let you drive in turtle mode after level three charging. First happened at 60 miles then 600.

greenpower · May 8, 2016

One other note. Mitsubishi only pays for one tow a year. My car was a month old the second time it died with 600 miles. They explained they only pay for one tow per year. Explained to a manager that my new car has been towed twice with a total of 600 miles, he said thats just how it is you have to pay for this tow

kiev · May 8, 2016

philulrich said:
.... The exact notes from my service page are as follows:

7847 VEHICLE HAD CODE STORED FOR IMPROPER CAN-BUS CONNECTION. ../

... and said there was a $6000 tool that they were using to reset it. I don't know if the MUT3 can reset. I would be curious to know so I could buy it and save myself a lot of time in the future. He said this was
a C level code (chassis) that was thrown ...

Looking at the FSM code charts, the CAN-buss related codes begin with "U", and the EV-ECU section listed a few "C" codes that were related to the vacuum pressure system of the brakes. There may be more "C" codes but i couldn't find any related to HV functions.

I think the chassis "C" codes are on CAN1, whereas all the HV pack, electric motor, and charging are on CAN2. The junction that connects the two busses is a brown dead-headed connector under the rear seat between the A/C controller and the EV-ECU.

The dcqc section had no codes listed for diagnostics, which seems odd since the CAN buss is routed to the port and is involved in charging.

The AC charger section had numerical codes, nn, with no letter prefix. i believe these are read out using a MUT after a "P" code for the charger is sent to the EV-ECU. My guess is that it may be a Mitsubishi code system developed since the standardized OBDII CAN codes were made up before on-board chargers were invented.

kiev · May 8, 2016

greenpower said:
My 2016 has done this twice on two different chargers. Ive had it a month and its been at the dealer two weeks so far and is there now. Mine does this exact same thing but will start and let you drive in turtle mode after level three charging. First happened at 60 miles then 600.

Sorry to hear it. Several times at random i have gotten a HV warning or turtle at startup, in those cases i have removed the key and waited a few minutes, then try again, and it recovers. Sometimes has taken 3 attempts, but it has always cleared the warnings and never left me stranded.

JoeS · May 9, 2016

greenpower said:

One other note. Mitsubishi only pays for one tow a year. My car was a month old the second time it died with 600 miles. They explained they only pay for one tow per year. Explained to a manager that my new car has been towed twice with a total of 600 miles, he said thats just how it is you have to pay for this tow

Click to expand...

greenpower, there's something wrong here - you have a new car which is under full warranty and it died the second time for the same problem and is in the shop now - of course they cover the towing! If I may suggest, call up Mitsubishi customer service, and let us know the outcome.

greenpower · May 9, 2016

That was from mitsubishi roadside assistance. Even spoke with a manager. He said one tow per year, i explained it was a new car with the exact same problem twice, he said mitsubishi has a strict rule one tow per year no matter what and it was now my responsibility to get it to the dealer this time. I was quite surprised. Hope to hear from the dealer today about the issue

greenpower · May 9, 2016

I tried several times turning it off and it didn't help mine.

tigger19687 · May 9, 2016

I have not had any issues with the Eaton QC chargers. I hit 2 on the way to the Cape. And another one is a Chargepoint Nissan one. These were both on the same day, trying to get to the cape in a fast manner last Summer.

I wonder what is causing this?
Wasn't there someone else that couldn't get the Eaton to work at all ?

JoeS · May 9, 2016

greenpower said:

That was from mitsubishi roadside assistance. Even spoke with a manager. He said one tow per year, i explained it was a new car with the exact same problem twice, he said mitsubishi has a strict rule one tow per year no matter what and it was now my responsibility to get it to the dealer this time. I was quite surprised. Hope to hear from the dealer today about the issue

Click to expand...

I had a similar issue with their roadside assistance when I needed the car towed for a faulty traction battery. The roadside assistance person was hard-nosed about it also as my three-year warranty had expired and they didn't acknowledge that towing is covered if the problem was battery-related. If I recall, my dealer had me call Mitsubishi directly and I subsequently received a check from Mitsubishi as full reimbursement for my towing expense. Not good for customer relations, especially in your case with a new car. If the dealer doesn't help you, escalate it.

Back on topic, I've had no problems with CHAdeMO DCQC using either Blink or NRG with my i-MiEV. Always stops at 80% and I've never tried restarting to see if it will further charge because it would have cost me $$.

Although this topic does appear to be related to a possible thermal sensing issue, the fault is not likely as the i-MiEVs with CHAdeMO are fan cooled (unlike those without CHAdeMO). Anyone else see the Regen light and turtle?

i-MiEV Will Not Start After DCQC Charging

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