Charger not working? What to do

A broken charger is annoying but rarely a crisis. Here is what to do, in order.

1. Try the obvious fixes

• Try another connector or bay. Faults are often limited to one cable.
• Unplug, lock and unlock the car, and plug in again. This restarts the handshake between car and charger.
• Start the session another way. If contactless fails, try the network's app, or the other way round.
• Check the car. On the touchscreen, the charging screen may show a message such as a port fault or a temperature limit.

2. Call the helpline

Under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, every public charger must display a free, 24-hour, staffed helpline. Operators can often reset a charger remotely while you wait. For a Tesla Supercharger, report it in the Tesla app or call Tesla on 01628 450 660.

3. Report it so others know

Report the fault to the network, and add a check-in on Open Charge Map or Zapmap so other drivers see it before they arrive. Every charger page on this site has a "Report a change" link.

4. Find the next charger

Every charger page lists the nearest chargers and Superchargers. If you are low on charge, choose the nearest rapid charger and slow down to stretch your range: driving at 60 mph rather than 70 mph makes a real difference.

Refunds

If a session failed but you were charged, contact the operator with the time, location and payment method. A contactless pre-authorisation usually drops off your statement on its own within a few days. If the operator does not resolve it, your card provider can help.

Reliability rules

Since 2023, operators must keep their rapid chargers working 99% of the time on average across their network, and can be fined up to £10,000 per charge point for breaches of the rules. If a charger is broken for a long time, reporting it helps enforcement.