Level 1 EVSE fault

[Electrons]

The level 1 charger that came with the car is throwing a funny error message after I plug it in, and won’t charge anymore. The top light is blinking red, and the bottom row of four lights blinks a repeating pattern of 3, 2, 1 lights. At first I thought it was the 110v outlet at the parking garage at work I usually charge. But I’ve tried a couple of different outlets at home and other places, with the same error every time.

Is there any chance the thing isn’t just toast? I actually do use my level 1 EVSE for most of my charging, and really don’t want to get a new one with only 8 months left on my lease.

 

[GlennD]

Assuming your ground is good the Lear has a bad reputation for reliably . The good news is that it is likely under warranty. Mine is still sealed in plastic.I carry an OpenEVSE unit.. At lease end I will turn in the Lear. I use a custom OpenEVSE with a 40A Quick Charge Power cable L2 unit at home.

Try another one at the dealer to make sure something has not changed on your end. or try as public EVSE.

 

[Electrons]

Thanks for the advice. My car still charges fine with multiple other Level 2 EVSEs so I think it is just the Level 1 unit that came with the car is busted (didn’t realize it was called Lear - I couldn’t find any branding anywhere on it).

I think that I will probably just make do with public charging for the next 8 months until my lease is up. I’ve loved my car, but owning it in the South has been a nightmare because it is entirely unsupported. No dealer in a several-hundred mile radius is qualified to work on it, and they are almost hostile when I ask them about it. Once I broke one of the rear AC vents with a heavy object in the backseat, and my local dealer wouldn’t even replace it - they said they’re too afraid of messing up the unfamiliar electric components in the car and wouldn’t even work on something mundane and cosmetic that has nothing to do with the fact that it’s an EV. I have to get the car towed (at MBUSA expense) to another state just for routine maintenance!

 

[GlennD]

Does the multi year warranty cover the EVSE or is it just one year?

 

[GlennD]

When my old B was totaled I was left with the L1 Lear EVSE. I put it oe eBay and it sold for only $130. No one wants a Lear EVSE.

 

[Electrons]

I almost don’t care if the warranty covers it. I can get by without it and dealing with Mercedes has been such a hassle where I live that it’s not worth trying to get a new charger. Just gotta tough it out until I get another EV in October. My bigger problem is what EV to get to replace the B-class. After this experience, I won’t buy an EV that’s only sold and serviced in another state. That essentially limits me to a Bolt, a Leaf, an i3, or a Tesla. The i3’s back seat is impractical for my family, the Bolt’s seats are terrible, the Leaf is ugly and range not much better than my B-class, and even a Model 3 Tesla is just out of my price range for now. Now if those Model S raffle tickets I buy every other year or so would just come through for me...

 

[GlennD]

Both of the local Mercedes dealers are great! I do not deal with the Long Beach one solely because I am retired and it is no longer local to me. Now I deal with Mercedes of Anaheim just since it is local.

 

[GlennD]

The problem with the B is that it is strictly a CARB car and it was not sold in all states.

Fortunately I live in California which is the original CARB state. It is my understanding the Koren cars will also be restricted.

Non CARB cars are Tesla, Bolt, and the Leaf. Most of the rest are limited.

 

[GlennD]

In the US the supplied EVSE is 120V only. If you are somewhere else than good luck. There are very few users not in North America.

 

[hallcp]

The Mercedes-Benz dealer (https://www.mercedesbenzcary.com) here in Cary has one electric-certified mechanic. My experience is brief, but they have been very good to me so far. I guess we're 4 hours east of you so not sure how that helps.

The only suggestion I can give on your charger is to make sure the plug blades are clean and bright. Enough tarnish there and maybe the connection won't be good enough to work.