Slower charging

DS Automobiles DS 7 & DS 7 CROSSBACK
1

Has anyone seen reduced AC charging speed after a software update on the DS7 E-Tense 300?

My car used to charge noticeably faster on the same E.ON charger at work. Previously it took roughly ~2 hours to charge, but now it’s easily over 3 hours under the same conditions.

I checked the charging session stats and the car is currently only pulling around 3.3 kW continuously.

E.ON has confirmed that the charger itself is not being power limited and they haven’t changed anything on their side that should explain the lower speed.

This makes me wonder if:

  • a software update may have changed something
  • the car has fallen back to single-phase charging
  • there could be an issue with the onboard charger
  • or possibly a problem with the cable or charging port

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Also:

  • Is there any way to verify whether the car is charging on 1 phase vs 2 phases?
  • Any known software updates related to AC charging?
  • Any easy way to troubleshoot whether the issue is the cable, the car’s charging port, or the onboard charger itself?

Thanks.

2

The DS7 featured two onboard charger options: a basic 3.6kW one and an optional 7.2kW one. Both were single-phase.

Ask your dealer who performed the update about this.

1 Like
3

Thanks, I’ve sent a question to the dealership.
I also found a screenshot on my phone showing a charging speed of ~7 kW, so the decrease in speed is now a fact, not just my imagination.

4

I tried a new cable and no difference.
I talked to dealer and no updates affecting charging was made at last service.

So what could it be when 7.2 kW charging suddenly becomes 3.6?
I’m guessing expensive?

Dealer wants €300 just to investigate.

5

If you’ve not already perhaps try a different public charger - just in case E.On’s comments about there being no change (as far as they know) are not entirely correct.

Also, given it seemed to happen after a software update, have you checked in the vehicle settings for things like delayed or scheduled charging - just in case the update has changed the setting it was previously that could be effecting this. Google says that such settings could reduce the rate of charge - not sure if that is correct, but quick to check.

6

I’ve tried two different charging points in the same garage. Same result.
And the software update thing was just my own speculation.

If a delayed charging settings was active, I guess the charging speed would be 0 kW, but of course I could check to see if something’s happened in the settings.

7

Yes, I’d expect that the delayed/scheduled charging seting would just make it 0kW, but the response from Google implied it could also reduce the kW - maybe just AI hedging its bets.

Given what Andrew_Pl wrote about there being a standard 3.6kW and optional 7.2kW on-board charging, I wonder if could that consiste of two separate 3.6kW rated AC-DC converters for the 7.2kW option and one on them could have gone faulty. But seems unlikley that is how it is configured.

8

Yeah, I’ not very well versed in electricity. All I know is that I had 7.2 kWh before (I have screenshots from the Eon app). And since switching cable and charging point had no result, only the car itself is left.
It’s not a huge problem because I’m at the office long enough for the charge anyway, but who says the problem will end at 3.6 kW. Maybe “the other half” will stop working soon as well.

9

I tried my ODB reader to see if there was any fault codes but I can’t find anything at all related to charging or the traction battery.
I’m using an app called Car Scanner.
Is there a better app out there that shows what I need?

10

Only Diagbox will do this. There is no other option to read the TBM Unit.

1 Like
11

Have you checked if the charger is now connected to 16A current, and previously was on 32A current?

12

I’m using the same couple of charging boxes, so nothing has changed going in.
How do I otherwise check what current is accepted by the car?

13

Can you check another car on your charger, or your car on another charger?

14

I use a semi-public charger and I use a couple different ones, so the risk of those having the same issue is quite low. I’ve also talked with the company owning the chargers and they’d know if something was amiss with their hardware.

15

Having the same issue, tried several 22 kw charging spots none of them went higher than 3.7. according to my info all DS7 300 Pallas models should have a 7.4 charger in on board. A 22 kw charger should allow for 7.4 charging according to what I found i the internet.

Any suggestions?

16

Etense 225 - I’ve noticed my charging time moved from 6 to 10-12 hours long. No updates that I’ve initiated or noticed. It is charging from my garage outlet using charger that came with the car (2 pin to type 2, 10A). It is charging over night so air temps are not crazy, probably around 22C vs 12C in spring.

17

You need to read the error codes i.e. in TBMU to find out what’s going on. You won’t be able to move forward without doing that.

18

Do you have any guidance on how we’ve could read those codes?

As I understand it a OBD2 reader/scanner would only read engine errors, so it would not be helpfull to troubleshoot this issue.

It’s not a big issue, but it would make short charge sessions at the mall or on longer journeys more effective. I’m getting 3.3 kwh max as well, tried several chargers all giving same results.

19

You can only read a non-standard unit - such as the TBMU - via the original Diagbox.

One more thing has just occurred to me. You should check the traction battery coolant level. It might be too low, causing the TBMU to limit the charging speed to prevent the battery from overheating.

BTW, here’s an interesting detail. The last time I filled up my C5 Aircross PHEV with petrol in January. Now, the ICE has been forced to run (inability to drive in electric mode) and a “Fuel too old” message has appeared.

20

Wow. I had no idea that was a thing in cars.