01 · Charging type
Identify AC or DC fast charging
Begin by recording whether the event involved AC charging or DC fast charging. Preserve the connector and equipment information available from the ordinary session record without attempting electrical testing or repair.
The category matters because charging equipment, session behavior, and vehicle displays may differ. This factual distinction does not diagnose which side caused an interruption.
02 · Location
Separate home, public, dealership, and repeated locations
Record whether the event occurred at home, a public station, a dealership, or multiple locations. Keep the station or charger identifier and app receipt where available. One location-specific event provides different comparative information from the same observed behavior across independent equipment.
Do not access restricted equipment or perform unsafe testing. The goal is to preserve ordinary-use context, not investigate energized systems.
03 · Two displays
Record vehicle-side and charger-side messages separately
Quote the exact warning shown by the vehicle and the exact message shown by the charger or network app. Do not collapse them into “charging failed.” A charger-side session error and a vehicle-side charging warning are separate facts even when they occur together.
Original screenshots or photographs should show which interface produced the message. They preserve language but do not establish technical cause.
04 · Repetition
Look for a pattern without creating a legal standard
One isolated public-charging event generally provides less factual information than a reproducible pattern. Record whether the same vehicle-side warning appeared again, whether it occurred at another charger, and whether an ordinary later session completed.
That comparison is an analytical tool, not a California lemon-law threshold. The EV Charging Problems guide connects the repair record to the approved legal framework.
05 · Comparison
Note whether another charger worked
If the driver ordinarily tried another compatible charger safely, record the result. A successful or unsuccessful comparison may help a qualified technician understand the event, but a consumer should not treat it as a definitive diagnosis.
Preserve charger identity, connector, date, time, and displayed messages for each session rather than summarizing multiple attempts into one entry.
06 · Session conditions
Keep state of charge and environment in context
Record starting state of charge, ambient temperature if readily available, recent driving, charging type, and session outcome. Charging behavior can vary with ordinary conditions and vehicle design; relevance depends on the manufacturer materials and diagnosis.
Do not state that a condition is normal or defective based on a single variable. Use model-year instructions and the dealer’s written findings.
07 · Dealer response
Distinguish diagnosis, update, replacement, and testing
The repair order may document diagnosis, software update, programming, component replacement, charging test, or inability to reproduce. Preserve the exact action and any version, part, or test information present. Connect it to the complaint and record recurrence.
Do not translate a charging test into proof that every real-world event was resolved. Likewise, a CND result does not erase the visit. The complete chronology matters.
08 · Build the record
Use one row per charging incident
A charging log should identify date, location, AC or DC, starting state of charge, charger, vehicle warning, charger warning, outcome, and whether the dealer was notified. Attach ordinary session receipts or original media by filename.
Create records only when safe and lawful. Do not handle damaged equipment, use a phone while driving, or remain in an unsafe location for documentation.
09 · Vehicle-specific context
Verify the fitted system and model terminology
Use the EV Charging and High-Voltage EV Systems guides for careful system boundaries. The Tesla manufacturer guide and the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Porsche Taycan, and Audi Q8 e-tron guides provide model-specific vocabulary without asserting that a charging defect exists in any model.
The VIN, build information, model-year manual, authentic session records, and repair orders establish the individual file. Public model information does not establish prevalence or cause.