An electric car that will not charge is a very expensive paperweight. Whether the car refuses to start a charge, stops mid-session, or charges at a crawl, a charging defect strikes at the one thing an EV must do every day.
Florida drivers with charging problems often bounce between blaming the home charger, the public network, and the car. When the car is the problem, Florida's Lemon Law can apply with full force.
Charging defects that point to the car
Before anything else, rule out the equipment. If the car fails at multiple chargers, on different networks, and on a home unit that works for other vehicles, the car is the common factor.
Car-side charging defects include:
- An onboard charger that fails or overheats
- A charge port with bent pins, latch faults, or water intrusion errors
- Software that refuses to negotiate with certain chargers
- DC fast charging that starts and then aborts
- Charging speeds far below the advertised rate even in good conditions
- Error messages like "unable to charge" with no clear cause
A car you cannot reliably charge has its use substantially impaired. That language matters, because it is the legal test.
What Florida law requires
Florida's Lemon Law, Chapter 681 of the Florida Statutes, covers defects in new and demonstrator vehicles that substantially impair use, value, or safety. The defect must first be reported during the Lemon Law Rights Period, which is the 24 months following delivery.
The law presumes the manufacturer had a reasonable chance to fix the problem when:
- The same defect was subject to repair three or more times, or
- The vehicle was out of service for repair for 15 or more cumulative days.
Charging components like onboard chargers are frequently backordered, so EV owners often reach the 15-day threshold during a single repair. Keep every loaner agreement and service text message, because they prove the dates.
A practical documentation routine
Charging failures are easy to capture if you make it a habit:
- Photograph or video the error message on the dash or screen every time a charge fails.
- Save screenshots from charging network apps showing failed sessions, with dates and locations.
- Test at more than one charger type and note the results, so the dealer cannot blame your home equipment.
- Report each failure to the dealer in writing and confirm your complaint appears word for word on the repair order.
- Log every day the car is in the shop, from drop-off to pick-up.
If an electrician installed your home charging unit, keep that installation paperwork too. A signed report showing your home circuit meets the manufacturer's specification removes the easiest argument the manufacturer can make, that your house wiring is the real problem, before anyone even raises it.
If your symptoms include range loss or the battery draining while parked, that may be a related but distinct defect. Our post on EV battery drain covers how those claims work, and having both problems documented can strengthen your overall case under the 15-day rule. See also our post on multiple different defects.