A California electric vehicle owner said a stop at an Electrify America station in Murrieta left them with a charging cable that was fused to their car. They also stated Electrify America and Mercedes didn't claim responsibility for the EQS 450's port damage.
Here's what to know
Writing on Reddit, the owner said the incident happened during a DC fast-charging session at a Murrieta, California, location while using the factory-included charging plan that came with the car. The original poster said the vehicle had only ever been charged with the official home wallbox and through factory Plug & Charge chargers.
The OP said the plug "welded itself solid" inside the charge port during a DC fast-charging session. The field tech "couldn't unlock it" and ended up having to "physically cut the charging cable off the station to free my car." The technician also reported that the burned connector pins "needed to be replaced anyway" and both taped off the dispenser and remotely disabled the station's other two chargers.
Getting the disabled car moved became its own problem. Several tow contractors sent by the automaker's roadside assistance allegedly could not figure out how to place the car in neutral while the high-voltage fault was active, so the local dealership arranged a different tow operator using wheel dollies.
At the time of posting, the car had been sitting on the dealer's lot for almost three weeks.
More background
The OP said the breakdown left the six-figure vehicle unusable while they are still paying for it.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"Exact same thing happened to me with my i4," one commenter shared. "EA refused to pay even though they admitted fault."
A charger failure can leave a driver stranded and make everyday transportation much harder. As other commenters shared, it also adds distrust to charging systems, which can make EV adoption even harder.
What can be done?
One commenter urged the OP to file a comprehensive claim and let the insurer "sort out who if anyone is liable." Another said the owner should pursue legal action if they did not want to go through insurance first.
The OP said they had not opened a comprehensive claim because they did not want "a $1,000 deductible on my record for something that is 100% an equipment defect." Still, they said insurance subrogation "is definitely on the table" if that is the fastest way to get the dealer to repair the vehicle.
"They really don't seem to want to talk to corporate. Told me to escalate, and I am," the OP said when replying to another comment.
Where can I learn more?
EV charger failures and hardware issues can be a frustration for drivers seeking a cleaner transportation experience that is typically more cost-effective over time.
• Some pickup EV owners said charging failures kept mounting as some accused the automaker of sidestepping a recall.
• At home, improper wiring left some EV owners saying outlets were melting during charging.
• ChargePoint rolled out cut-resistant charging cable designs after vandalism repeatedly knocked public chargers offline.
• During travel, a stranded driver described a nightmare experience trying to charge away from home.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
