EV Charger Not Working: Common Problems and Fixes

You get home, plug in, and the car just sits there. No charge overnight, a blinking light, maybe an app message that means nothing to you. Before you book a callout you might not need, it helps to know that most charging faults fall into a handful of predictable buckets — and a good number clear with a two-minute reset.

One rule before anything else: never open the unit, remove a cover, or touch the wiring. A wallbox sits on a high-current circuit, and the inside is not a place for trial and error. Everything below is done from the outside — at the connector, in the app, or at your fuse box. If none of it works, the right next step is a certified installer, not a screwdriver.

Start with the boring checks

More call-outs than installers like to admit come down to something small. Is the charger actually getting power? Glance at your consumer unit and look for a tripped breaker on the EV circuit. Switch it fully off, then back on.

Is a scheduled charge quietly blocking things — a timer in the charger app, or an off-peak schedule set in the car itself? Two timers fighting each other is one of the most common 'faults' there is. Then check the connector: push it in until it clicks, because a partial seat won't start a session. On a tethered unit, look for debris or moisture in the head.

Symptom, likely cause, and what to try

Symptom	Likely cause	What to try
No lights at all	No power / tripped breaker	Reset the breaker and RCD for the charger circuit
Steady red or fault light	Internal or earth fault	Reset at the unit and RCD once; if it returns, call an installer
Connected but not charging	Schedule or off-peak timer active	Check the app schedule and the car's own timer
Cable won't unlock	Car still locked or 'awake'	Unlock the car, end the session in the app
Charging very slowly	Power limit, load balancing or car limit	See our charging-speed guide
App won't connect	Wi-Fi or vendor backend outage	Reboot the router; check the vendor's status page
RCD trips repeatedly	Moisture, damaged cable or earth fault	Stop using it and call an installer

When it's the car, not the charger

It's easy to blame the box on the wall, but the car holds half the handshake. A pending software update, a locked charge port, or the car's own departure timer can all stop a session the charger is perfectly willing to start. If you can, try a public charger or a second car — if the problem follows the car, the wallbox is fine.

When the RCD keeps tripping

This one deserves its own note. If the charger circuit repeatedly trips the RCD (residual current device), reset it once. If it goes again, stop. Repeated tripping points to moisture ingress, a damaged cable, or an earthing fault — none of which you should chase yourself. Leave the circuit off and book an installer.

When to stop resetting and call someone

Resets are fine for software hiccups. They are not fine for these:

• A fault light that returns within seconds of every reset.
• Any burning smell, discoloured plastic, or a connector that feels warm to hot.
• An RCD that won't stay in.
• Visible damage to the cable, connector or housing.
• Error codes the app flags as 'hardware fault' or 'contact installer'.

None of these are worth waiting out. A certified installer can read the fault log, test the circuit safely, and tell you in minutes whether it's the unit, the wiring or the supply. That's exactly what our directory is for — every installer listed holds the certifications your network operator and insurer expect.