EV charger not working — common causes and how to fix them
Check the dedicated breaker, the app account, and the cable before you assume the unit is dead. A soft reset is the dedicated breaker off for 30 seconds, then on. Anything that looks like damaged wiring, water in the unit, smoke, or sparking is for an electrician — isolate the circuit first.
We do not diagnose faults from this page. We do not run a same-day repair SLA or publish a callout price.
Book a repair is the enquiry form. We pass it to opted-in OZEV-authorised electricians. We do not promise a number of quotes, a reply time, or a public installer list. Ask the installer who fitted it if you still have their details.
Check the simple things first
These are homeowner checks, not a diagnosis:
- The dedicated breaker or isolator for the charger is on. A trip can look like a dead wallbox.
- The manufacturer app is signed in, the session is not paused, and you have not set a current limit or a schedule that is waiting for a cheap window.
- The cable is fully seated. On an untethered unit that includes the socket end and the car inlet.
Do not assume that “most dead chargers are the breaker”. If those three checks do not restore a session, stop guessing.
How to reset an EV charger is the matching page for a soft reset versus a factory reset in the maker’s app. Follow the manufacturer, not a generic blog sequence that might not match your firmware.
Isolate if it looks unsafe
Do not keep resetting the circuit if any of these apply:
- Water in the enclosure, melted plastic, a burning smell, smoke, or sparking.
- Repeated trips when you switch the breaker back on. Why a charger trips the fuse box is that page.
- A frayed tethered lead or a damaged Type 2 connector.
Isolate at the consumer unit, keep clear of the unit, then send the repair form or call the office on 020 7096 2160 (Mon–Sun 09:00–17:00). We do not run a 24/7 dispatch line.
Slow is not the same as dead
A session that starts but draws less than you expected is a different problem. The car’s onboard AC limit, a hot-cable throttle, a tariff schedule, or an app current cap can all look like a “broken” charger.
Charging slowly and charging speed at home are those pages. We do not print a miles-per-hour table or an empty-to-full clock.
A replacement is a different form
If the electrician says the unit is not worth repairing, that is a new install quote, not a repair ticket. Get a quote is that form. Pick a model from the catalogue if you already know what you want.
A replacement is not automatically grant-eligible. From 1 April 2026 the live GOV.UK chargepoint schemes pay up to £500 per socket (75% of the cost, capped at £500). Funding is confirmed until 31 March 2027. See who still qualifies and current GOV.UK rules. Do not install before OZEV confirms eligibility.
There is no ChargerFit annual-service product. Warranty rules sit with the manufacturer. Ask the electrician.
What we pass on
Photos of the unit, any error lights or codes, and the consumer unit help an electrician decide whether to quote a visit. What to expect from a quote is the install version of that list; a repair quote should still name diagnosis, parts, and labour.
How it works is the matching path. You book and pay the electrician. No deposit, no escrow, no promised reply time, and no public installer directory.
