Failed mobile charger

[electrified]

I have a 2022 Cross Turismo 4. A few weeks ago the mobile charger that came with the car (I am the original owner) stopped charging the car. To see if it was the charger or the car, I plugged the car into my Bosch charger and it charged normally. It seemed clear that the mobile charger had failed. I contacted the dealer and they told me to bring the car and the charger in and leave it. They kept it for two whole days and then reported that the mobile charger had failed. This is where it got strange. I was told that there is no part # for the mobile charger and that there was no way to get another one. They also said they needed to keep the failed charger to return to Porsche, but that they had no idea when or if I would receive a replacement. They did confirm that it was a warranty item. Then I was encouraged to contact Porsche NA to plead my case! Rather than waste any more time on it I bought a Grizzl E charger, which is highly rated and reasonably priced. Still, very strange all around. Has anyone else had problems with their mobile charger?

I will add that I love my Taycan, and after a year of ownership I still look forward to every drive.

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[daveo4EV]

I have a 2022 Cross Turismo 4. A few weeks ago the mobile charger that came with the car (I am the original owner) stopped charging the car. To see if it was the charger or the car, I plugged the car into my Bosch charger and it charged normally. It seemed clear that the mobile charger had failed. I contacted the dealer and they told me to bring the car and the charger in and leave it. They kept it for two whole days and then reported that the mobile charger had failed. This is where it got strange. I was told that there is no part # for the mobile charger and that there was no way to get another one. They also said they needed to keep the failed charger to return to Porsche, but that they had no idea when or if I would receive a replacement. They did confirm that it was a warranty item. Then I was encouraged to contact Porsche NA to plead my case! Rather than waste any more time on it I bought a Grizzl E charger, which is highly rated and reasonably priced. Still, very strange all around. Has anyone else had problems with their mobile charger?

I will add that I love my Taycan, and after a year of ownership I still look forward to every drive.

yeah the Taycan's great - Porsche's EV chargers (EVSE) not so much…

https://www.taycanforum.com/forum/t...uide-to-the-porsche-evse-pmc-pmcc-pwcc.13886/

there is no question you should get another one under warranty - their claim there is no part number is also bollocks

• Porsche Mobile Charger Connect (PMCC) - https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/skutaycha.html
• Porsche Mobile Charger Plus - https://www.suncoastparts.com/category/9y0cayennemhengchv2.html

it came with the car - it's covered under the car's warranty - there is no question about this - part numbers can be found on the suncoast porsche site.

Part # is also on the back of the unit…

 

[daveo4EV]

part number for one of the Porsche chargers is in pic below - part number is clearly on the unit - 9Y0.971.675.BB - not sure if this is the PMC+ or PMCC - but you get my point - it's inconceivable to me that they can't figure out the part number - it's printed on the unit itself.
NOTE: the charger is probably fine, but the cables (including the J-1772 cable) is know to fail - did they try swapping the cables to make sure that' was not the failure?

 

[ciaranob]

I suspect that the dealership (and/or corp) folk are simply embarrassed by the whole Porsche charger fiasco here in the US and are studiously avoiding having to deal with corporate about 1) replacing a defective design with a defective design and 2) indeed have nothing to replace (like for like) with assuming this unit no longer in production perhaps or at least min supply!

 

[daveo4EV]

the cord from the Unit to the Vehicle (PMC+/PMCC to J-1772) is known to be fragile - I've had 3 separate fails (the unit that came with my '21 Cayenne eHybrid) - this is a modular cable and trivial to disconnect to replace - I've had 3 replaced "under warranty" when my units started "failing to charge" - diagnostics by switching cables confirmed in my case the PMCC unit was functional, but only the cable had failed…

replaced under warranty…3 times - LOL - this apparently is a "frequent" enough issue that my local service shop has these items "in stock/on-hand" to quickly send people back on their way with a functional EV charger - this is good policy IMHO - and shows their understand that having an EV charger "offline" for weeks waiting for parts is not an optimal EV ownership experience - since 99% of EV owners have only "the one" EVSE available for home charging.

if not under warranty this item is quite pricey from Porsche - should you find yourself in need of replacement "out of warranty" - I would just buy an alternative product given it's price/quality and known fragility…$750 + tax + shipping to replace a modular cable - OMG - yeah the $200 Tesla Corded Mobile Charger + TeslaTap is looking really really good right now and it's very reliable…

https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/skutaycab.html
$595 from Porche + $149 for the 25ft version -

you can purchase _ENTIRE_ alternative mobile EVSE's for what porsche charges for this cable

anyways proper diagnostics would've checked the PMC+/PMCC unit with known good cables before pronouncing the unit "dead" - while the PMC+/PMCC have their issues in North American (underspec AWG 10 wire for 50/40 amp power supply cables) and a fragile J-1772 cable to vehicle - the core unit itself in terms of failure I'm not aware of a lot of outright failures (compatibility with non-Porsche EV's, software faults, finiky electrical ground issues etc…) but not actual failures of the unit.

I'm not saying your unit was not dead, I'm just not confident they did any checking to determine if it was the unit or the modular vehicle cable causing the fault.

I'd demand warranty replacement - and next time if it fails get them to swap all the cables to make sure it's not just a broken wire inside the J-1772 cable/connector.

 

[ohniner]

I have a 2022 Cross Turismo 4. A few weeks ago the mobile charger that came with the car (I am the original owner) stopped charging the car. To see if it was the charger or the car, I plugged the car into my Bosch charger and it charged normally. It seemed clear that the mobile charger had failed. I contacted the dealer and they told me to bring the car and the charger in and leave it. They kept it for two whole days and then reported that the mobile charger had failed. This is where it got strange. I was told that there is no part # for the mobile charger and that there was no way to get another one. They also said they needed to keep the failed charger to return to Porsche, but that they had no idea when or if I would receive a replacement. They did confirm that it was a warranty item. Then I was encouraged to contact Porsche NA to plead my case! Rather than waste any more time on it I bought a Grizzl E charger, which is highly rated and reasonably priced. Still, very strange all around. Has anyone else had problems with their mobile charger?

I will add that I love my Taycan, and after a year of ownership I still look forward to every drive.

I'm curious if your charger is the Porsche Mobile Charger Connect or the Porsche Mobile Charger +. My 2023 came with the Mobile Charger + and as I tried to find you tube instructions etc. it appears to be new to the Taycan. Has Porsche switched from the Charger Connect to Charger + due to failures?
In any case I immediately got a Wallbox charger for the garage and keep the Porsche supplied Charger + as a backup.

 

[daveo4EV]

I have a 2022 Cross Turismo 4. A few weeks ago the mobile charger that came with the car (I am the original owner) stopped charging the car. To see if it was the charger or the car, I plugged the car into my Bosch charger and it charged normally. It seemed clear that the mobile charger had failed. I contacted the dealer and they told me to bring the car and the charger in and leave it. They kept it for two whole days and then reported that the mobile charger had failed. This is where it got strange. I was told that there is no part # for the mobile charger and that there was no way to get another one. They also said they needed to keep the failed charger to return to Porsche, but that they had no idea when or if I would receive a replacement. They did confirm that it was a warranty item. Then I was encouraged to contact Porsche NA to plead my case! Rather than waste any more time on it I bought a Grizzl E charger, which is highly rated and reasonably priced. Still, very strange all around. Has anyone else had problems with their mobile charger?

I will add that I love my Taycan, and after a year of ownership I still look forward to every drive.

Since all Taycan's todate "include" an EVSE as part of the standard factory "kit" - all North American Taycan's come with a PMC+/PMCC unit, NEMA 5-15 power supply cable, NEMA 14-50 (or other) power supply cable, storage bag, PMC+/PMCC to J-1772 vehicle cable - when selling or trading the vehicle if the buyer/seller "demands" the equipment as listed on the build sheet/standard equipment list for the Taycan …

the replacement cost for this complete "kit" via service parts from Porsche is over $3500…I"m just putting this out there so that everyone is aware Porsche values this entire EVSE kit at over $3000 should you need to replace like for like…now under no circumstance should any one actually pay this price - it's over the top ridiculous for a substandard product with a long list of known issue - competitive high quality alternatives are less than $700 for the expensive ones, and as low as $200 for a really really good one.

but should you find yourself in need of actual Porsche branded North American PMC+/PMCC full "kit" it's pricy and awkward to find this out later.

 

[daveo4EV]

I'm curious if your charger is the Porsche Mobile Charger Connect or the Porsche Mobile Charger +. My 2023 came with the Mobile Charger + and as I tried to find you tube instructions etc. it appears to be new to the Taycan. Has Porsche switched from the Charger Connect to Charger + due to failures?
In any case I immediately got a Wallbox charger for the garage and keep the Porsche supplied Charger + as a backup.

standard equipment for Taycan (Cayenne eHybrids, Panamera eHybrids) is the PMC+
the PMCC unit is an additional $1120 "option" at order time…

2020 Taycan's were required to purchase the $1120 "option" - it was not optional even though listed as such on the "build sheet"
2021 started w/PMC+ as "standard" equipment and the PMCC was then truly optional ($1120) - and mostly not worth it.

both products have simliar faults and short comings…

the standard equipment for Taycan lists the "PMC+" in the eMobility sections…see pic below…

 

[electrified]

the cord from the Unit to the Vehicle (PMC+/PMCC to J-1772) is known to be fragile - I've had 3 separate fails (the unit that came with my '21 Cayenne eHybrid) - this is a modular cable and trivial to disconnect to replace - I've had 3 replaced "under warranty" when my units started "failing to charge" - diagnostics by switching cables confirmed in my case the PMCC unit was functional, but only the cable had failed…

replaced under warranty…3 times - LOL - this apparently is a "frequent" enough issue that my local service shop has these items "in stock/on-hand" to quickly send people back on their way with a functional EV charger - this is good policy IMHO - and shows their understand that having an EV charger "offline" for weeks waiting for parts is not an optimal EV ownership experience - since 99% of EV owners have only "the one" EVSE available for home charging.

if not under warranty this item is quite pricey from Porsche - should you find yourself in need of replacement "out of warranty" - I would just buy an alternative product given it's price/quality and known fragility…$750 + tax + shipping to replace a modular cable - OMG - yeah the $200 Tesla Corded Mobile Charger + TeslaTap is looking really really good right now and it's very reliable…

https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/skutaycab.html
$595 from Porche + $149 for the 25ft version -

you can purchase _ENTIRE_ alternative mobile EVSE's for what porsche charges for this cable

anyways proper diagnostics would've checked the PMC+/PMCC unit with known good cables before pronouncing the unit "dead" - while the PMC+/PMCC have their issues in North American (underspec AWG 10 wire for 50/40 amp power supply cables) and a fragile J-1772 cable to vehicle - the core unit itself in terms of failure I'm not aware of a lot of outright failures (compatibility with non-Porsche EV's, software faults, finiky electrical ground issues etc…) but not actual failures of the unit.

I'm not saying your unit was not dead, I'm just not confident they did any checking to determine if it was the unit or the modular vehicle cable causing the fault.

I'd demand warranty replacement - and next time if it fails get them to swap all the cables to make sure it's not just a broken wire inside the J-1772 cable/connector.

I have a 2022 Cross Turismo 4. A few weeks ago the mobile charger that came with the car (I am the original owner) stopped charging the car. To see if it was the charger or the car, I plugged the car into my Bosch charger and it charged normally. It seemed clear that the mobile charger had failed. I contacted the dealer and they told me to bring the car and the charger in and leave it. They kept it for two whole days and then reported that the mobile charger had failed. This is where it got strange. I was told that there is no part # for the mobile charger and that there was no way to get another one. They also said they needed to keep the failed charger to return to Porsche, but that they had no idea when or if I would receive a replacement. They did confirm that it was a warranty item. Then I was encouraged to contact Porsche NA to plead my case! Rather than waste any more time on it I bought a Grizzl E charger, which is highly rated and reasonably priced. Still, very strange all around. Has anyone else had problems with their mobile charger?

I will add that I love my Taycan, and after a year of ownership I still look forward to every drive.

I wanted to keep my initial post short, but here is the detail. The failure does look to be in the cable/car plug end. The first time it failed to charge the car overnight the brick indicator light was still flashing green but the power level was very low and the cable warm to the touch. I let it cool off and then started charging again with my IR probe handy. The initial charging rate was 8.7kW and I checked the wall plug end, brick, and car plug end with the probe every few minutes. The wall plug and brick stayed cool, while the car port end quickly shot to 150 degrees before the brick went into thermal shutdown, flashing yellow. This all took about 20 minutes. I relayed this information in detail to the dealer who dutifully wrote it down word for word. That they kept the car for two days suggests that the real time was consumed with some dialog with Porsche that they were to not able to resolve. In the end I suspect that Porsche does not want any more of these units in the field than they already have. It seems really bizarre that a firm with the engineering prowess of Porsche can't figure out how to build a reliable level 2 charger. This is hardly cutting edge. I have two Bosch chargers with between 5 and 10 years of active service without issue. The Grizzl E is a nice unit and less than $400. At this point if they did give me another unit I don't think I will use it.

 

[Tooney]

@electrified I have linked below a TSB which shows part numbers for the cables. What I wonder:
Did the dealer test using your PMC+ to charge a Taycan? Did the PMC+ work ok when they used it?
Did they try replacing the cable to the wall receptacle and see if that fixed it? Did they offer to let you use a different PMC+ to see if your car charged ok at your location?

The Porsche "solution" for PMC+ overheating is to run it at 50% capacity. When it failed for you was it running at full or 50% capacity?

The PMC+ is not a reliable EVSE. But, either the dealer fixes it, replaces it, shows you how to operate it properly at 50%, or indicates the problem is your car or your home installation. Sounds like the dealer suggested you just go away, which is not ok.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10225838-0001.pdf

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