Issues charging brand new Leon ST VZ

[ariekanarie]

Hi all. I've been enjoying my brand new Cupra Leon ST VZ PHEV. But been having charging issues from the get-go. What I do:

1. Plugin my home charger (U:Move) cable into the Leon.
2. The LED on the U:Move turns green, car has been detected.
3. I start the charging session on the U:Move
4. The LED on the U:Move turns blue, it's charging
5. The Cupra LED switches from white to green and the infotainment indicates it's charging.

So far so good. But the charging stops randomly every few minutes, without reaching the 80% charge (or even close). Sometimes the infotainment shows a 'resume' button. Resuming sometimes works, but again only for a short time. More often resuming is not possible. The LED on the Cupra turns red and the infotainment indicates ‘Error in charging system' (translated from Dutch...). The U:Move indicates 'no car found'. Asif something interrupted the communication between the charger and the Cupra.

Using the mode 2 'granny charge' cable or using a public charger has exactly the same issues.
That would point to a car issue and not so much a charger issue. I will make an appointment to have it checked out, but was wondering if anyone has seen this issue before?

Thanks!
Ron

 

[Loadmaster748]

Hard to tell whether it's the charging point/equipment or the car itself. It's a new car under warranty, I'd suggest taking the issue to the supplying dealer.

I'll need to be dragged kicking and screaming before I own a PHEV or EV!

 

[ariekanarie]

Hard to tell whether it's the charging point/equipment or the car itself. It's a new car under warranty, I'd suggest taking the issue to the supplying dealer.

I'll need to be dragged kicking and screaming before I own a PHEV or EV!

Cheers, it's getting checked out next Wednesday, so fingers crossed..

 

[Seastormer]

I'll need to be dragged kicking and screaming before I own a PHEV or EV!

I am of the the same thinking and so glad I bought my ICE Leon instead of the Hybrid I had been looking at.

 

[Loadmaster748]

Cheers, it's getting checked out next Wednesday, so fingers crossed..

Good luck, I hope it's a quick fix.

Perhaps you could post the result of the checks and subsequent fix here, it might assist other members should they have the same or similar problem now or in the future.

 

[ariekanarie]

Good luck, I hope it's a quick fix.

Perhaps you could post the result of the checks and subsequent fix here, it might assist other members should they have the same or similar problem now or in the future.

Absolutely, will do

 

[ariekanarie]

**An update**

The charging issues have not yet been resolved. The car was checked out by the dealer last Wednesday. They indicated that a charging system fault was visible, but that nothing further could be read out. The car was successfully charged at the dealer and the conclusion was: “nothing wrong, no issue with the car.” I did not receive any feedback on whether software updates, PSSs, or TSBs were available and/or performed.

In the meantime, I have been able to use more “charging situations,” and it has only become more confusing. A report from yesterday:

* The car was charged to 80% on Wednesday evening using the home charger.
* On Thursday morning, the car was charged to 100% using the home charger. Charging stopped once during that session; I was able to resume charging via the CUPRA app, after which the car charged to 100%. It is unclear why charging was interrupted.
* After a drive, I was able to charge the car from 50% to 60% at a public charging point. In one go, without any issues.
* Upon arriving home (battery at 0%), I connected the car to the Bluecurrent U:move. The car immediately showed a white flashing charging LED. The U:move did not detect a connected car. Shortly thereafter, the charging LED turned red. I disconnected and reconnected the charging cable up to four times; the situation remained the same. The U:move never indicated that a car was connected, and the charging LED on the car turned red within 20 seconds every time.
* As a test, I then connected the Mode 2 charger. This started charging immediately, for about 5 minutes, after which charging was interrupted. I tried to resume charging via the CUPRA app. This failed and the charging LED in the car turned red.
* I then drove to a public charging point one street away. Same situation as with the home charger: after connecting the cable and activating the charging point, the car immediately showed a white flashing charging LED, which turned red within 20 seconds.
* Next, I drove to another public charging point one street further. I connected the car and charging started immediately; I manually ended this charging session at 50%.
* Back home (around 16:00), I connected the car to the home charging point again. Charging started with a target of 80%. After about 5 minutes, charging stopped and I again got a red charging LED on the car. I could not get charging to resume.
* Next attempt around 20:00 at the home charging point. After about 5 minutes, charging stopped again and I once more got a red charging LED on the car. Charging could not be restarted.
* Next attempt around 22:00 at the home charging point. Charging started, stopped after 10 minutes (not because the target was reached). Red LED. I reconnected the cable, set the charging target to 90%, charging started, and—out of sheer frustration—I went to bed.
* This morning, the car was charged to 90%.
* At work, I connected the car to the office charging point. Charging completed smoothly in one go to 80%. Later, I charged again from 80% to 90%. Everything worked without any issues.

This is enough to make you want to eat your charging cable out of frustration. The charging problems are therefore not caused by one specific charging point, not by one specific cable, and they appear to be completely random. The only factor that is the same in every attempt is the car itself.

There is no information available as to why charging sessions fail to start or why the charging LED on the car turns red. Based on a gut feeling, it seems the car randomly does not like the offered charging current. However, I have no way to troubleshoot this any further myself.

 

[Loadmaster748]

I really do feel for you, it must be so frustrating and disappointing that the dealer can't locate the problem and provide a fix.

Have they washed their hands of the issue?

 

[ariekanarie]

I really do feel for you, it must be so frustrating and disappointing that the dealer can't locate the problem and provide a fix.

Have they washed their hands of the issue?

Thanks and not yet (at least I hope...). I've sent them an e-mail just now with all this information and basically asked them to replace the Onboard Charger (OBC) module and/or the charging port assembly if they cannot diagnose it properly... waiting for their answer...

 

[JDG]

**An update**

The charging issues have not yet been resolved. The car was checked out by the dealer last Wednesday. They indicated that a charging system fault was visible, but that nothing further could be read out. The car was successfully charged at the dealer and the conclusion was: “nothing wrong, no issue with the car.” I did not receive any feedback on whether software updates, PSSs, or TSBs were available and/or performed.

In the meantime, I have been able to use more “charging situations,” and it has only become more confusing. A report from yesterday:

* The car was charged to 80% on Wednesday evening using the home charger.
* On Thursday morning, the car was charged to 100% using the home charger. Charging stopped once during that session; I was able to resume charging via the CUPRA app, after which the car charged to 100%. It is unclear why charging was interrupted.
* After a drive, I was able to charge the car from 50% to 60% at a public charging point. In one go, without any issues.
* Upon arriving home (battery at 0%), I connected the car to the Bluecurrent U:move. The car immediately showed a white flashing charging LED. The U:move did not detect a connected car. Shortly thereafter, the charging LED turned red. I disconnected and reconnected the charging cable up to four times; the situation remained the same. The U:move never indicated that a car was connected, and the charging LED on the car turned red within 20 seconds every time.
* As a test, I then connected the Mode 2 charger. This started charging immediately, for about 5 minutes, after which charging was interrupted. I tried to resume charging via the CUPRA app. This failed and the charging LED in the car turned red.
* I then drove to a public charging point one street away. Same situation as with the home charger: after connecting the cable and activating the charging point, the car immediately showed a white flashing charging LED, which turned red within 20 seconds.
* Next, I drove to another public charging point one street further. I connected the car and charging started immediately; I manually ended this charging session at 50%.
* Back home (around 16:00), I connected the car to the home charging point again. Charging started with a target of 80%. After about 5 minutes, charging stopped and I again got a red charging LED on the car. I could not get charging to resume.
* Next attempt around 20:00 at the home charging point. After about 5 minutes, charging stopped again and I once more got a red charging LED on the car. Charging could not be restarted.
* Next attempt around 22:00 at the home charging point. Charging started, stopped after 10 minutes (not because the target was reached). Red LED. I reconnected the cable, set the charging target to 90%, charging started, and—out of sheer frustration—I went to bed.
* This morning, the car was charged to 90%.
* At work, I connected the car to the office charging point. Charging completed smoothly in one go to 80%. Later, I charged again from 80% to 90%. Everything worked without any issues.

This is enough to make you want to eat your charging cable out of frustration. The charging problems are therefore not caused by one specific charging point, not by one specific cable, and they appear to be completely random. The only factor that is the same in every attempt is the car itself.

There is no information available as to why charging sessions fail to start or why the charging LED on the car turns red. Based on a gut feeling, it seems the car randomly does not like the offered charging current. However, I have no way to troubleshoot this any further myself.

I had problems charging my SEAT ehybrid ... turned red after flashing white, and not charging. I think my problem was a low 12v battery. I found I could start the charge if I turned on the ignition (which boosts the 12v battery). And when I've had a few hour drive it charges OK without switching on, I think because the 12v battery has charged up. You could try turning ignition on, plug cable in to start the charge, and then switch off, and charging continues.

 

[ariekanarie]

I had problems charging my SEAT ehybrid ... turned red after flashing white, and not charging. I think my problem was a low 12v battery. I found I could start the charge if I turned on the ignition (which boosts the 12v battery). And when I've had a few hour drive it charges OK without switching on, I think because the 12v battery has charged up. You could try turning ignition on, plug cable in to start the charge, and then switch off, and charging continues.

Thanks for that. But I have tried that to no avail. Issue is not so much it doesn't start charging. Nine out of ten times it does start, but stop after approx. 5% charging. In 80% I can resume charging using the APP or from the car. And it will start charging again, until it stops after a short while. And sometimes the charging port LED turns red and I need to unplug and reinsert the cable for charging to resume.

Car is at the dealer at this moment. Replacement car is a 2025 Cupra Leon PHEV as well, and that's charging on my home charger without any issues and interruptions until now. It really seems an issue between my Leon and my home charging point. My neighbors Chinese EV charged without any issue on my home charging point. As did a BMW PHEV.

Some symptoms are pointing at the charging point (as my Leon charges fine at work, wife's work as well). But others at the Cupra. As other cars charge just fine on my home charger, even de replacement Cupra PHEV... but not my own Leon....

Still driving me absolutely nuts...

Cheers!