Snapped charging port flap hinge on 2022 ZS EV

[smallbr]

I notice I'm not the first to do this and wont be the last. I walked into it in my garage and snapped it. The painted part separated from the hinged part as it hit the floor. I hurredly put them parts back together. The outer part slides into the hinged part. Now I want to separate them again to see if I can Locktite the hinged part and avoid a costly bill to replace it. Separating the pieces will reduce the weight while it cures. Seems the best glue is Locktite All Plastic that bonds in seconds. You can see from the photo how thin the plastic is for the hinge. Would have been better being solid and more flexible

Can anyone tell me which way the two parts slide apart. Does the outer cover slide away from the hinge side or towards it? Thanks for any help with this.

 

[Bodgerx]

I notice I'm not the first to do this and wont be the last. I walked into it in my garage and snapped it. The painted part separated from the hinged part as it hit the floor. I hurredly put them parts back together. The outer part slides into the hinged part. Now I want to separate them again to see if I can Locktite the hinged part and avoid a costly bill to replace it. Separating the pieces will reduce the weight while it cures. Seems the best glue is Locktite All Plastic that bonds in seconds. You can see from the photo how thin the plastic is for the hinge. Would have been better being solid and more flexible

Can anyone tell me which way the two parts slide apart. Does the outer cover slide away from the hinge side or towards it? Thanks for any help with this.

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Thé strongest epoxy glue is usually the slowest cure, so I would be surprised the rapid stuff is your best bet.

To hold it whilst it is setting can you rig up a clamp and some tape to hold it into position?

How did you actually snap it out of interest?

We never seen to get to the bottom of how this actually happens from previous threads…

 

[smallbr]

I snapped it by walking through a narrow gap at the end of the garage and hitting it with my leg.

The reason I am gluing it is to avoid having to take off the front bumper etc to get to the hinge. It needs to be fast setting because there is no room to clamp it. I did research an Locktite All Plastics gets good reviews. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[Lovemyev]

I snapped it by walking through a narrow gap at the end of the garage and hitting it with my leg.

The reason I am gluing it is to avoid having to take off the front bumper etc to get to the hinge. It needs to be fast setting because there is no room to clamp it. I did research an Locktite All Plastics gets good reviews. I'll let you know how it works.

I know the access is very limited.
Due to the hinge having a hollow honey comb underside, this is it's weak point ( it should be of a solid construction ).
IF you can at least get it to glue back together again, is there anyway you could reinforce the back of the honey comb section, with some type of fibre glass body filler to add some strength ????.
I am pretty sure a very strong repair could be easily be achieved, if the access was better.

 

[evcog]

Sorry to hear of your problem. Could I ask you to take as many photos of the piece attached to the flap when you get it off again, aswell as some accurate dimensions. I am sure I could create a 3D model and print off a stronger fixing alternative. Even a fill in piece to aid gluing and strength for the future.

 

[Lovemyev]

Sorry to hear of your problem. Could I ask you to take as many photos of the piece attached to the flap when you get it off again, aswell as some accurate dimensions. I am sure I could create a 3D model and print off a stronger fixing alternative. Even a fill in piece to aid gluing and strength for the future.

Hi Col - Reading the post, I don't think the owner intends to remove the front bumper to gain access to the charging port door to make a repair.
I think he wants to try performing a temp "in situ" repair.
If I remember correctly, the price of a replacement door / hinge from MG is not very expensive ( about £40 ).
The largest part of the cost here is in the labour cost required to remove / refit the bumper cover.
Refitting a replacement hinge from MG is not the ideal solution either, as it is very likely to fail in the very same way, unless it is beefed up in someway first.
This maybe an opportunity for you to produce a solid hinge as a direct replacement ?.
Would it be worth while you purchasing a MG hinge to use as a pattern for your 3D printer.
If the hinge was being replaced under warranty, then the dealer will only install an original part.
But if the customer is picking up the tab, then a solid hinge could be fitted surely.

 

[evcog]

Hi Col - Reading the post, I don't think the owner intends to remove the front bumper to gain access to the charging port door to make a repair.
I think he wants to try performing a temp "in situ" repair.
If I remember correctly, the price of a replacement door / hinge from MG is not very expensive ( about £40 ).
The largest part of the cost here is in the labour cost required to remove / refit the bumper cover.
Refitting a replacement hinge from MG is not the ideal solution either, as it is very likely to fail in the very same way, unless it is beefed up in someway first.
This maybe an opportunity for you to produce a solid hinge as a direct replacement ?.
Would it be worth while you purchasing a MG hinge to use as a pattern for your 3D printer.
If the hinge was being replaced under warranty, then the dealer will only install an original part.
But if the customer is picking up the tab, then a solid hinge could be fitted surely.

If it ever happened to me I might do that just hoping that smalbr might be able to take direct measurements from the pieces he has off before his tempory fix. £40 is too much to expend just to get those measurements. I might have a look to see if I could take a simple mold of the hinge in situ to work from. I just don't know how much of the structure is reachable.

 

[schmiedel]

Would have been better being solid and more flexible

If it was more solid, you might have damaged some other part of the car, probably the hinge is the cheapest part of the system, and thus intentional to sacrifice the hinge...

But yeah, this seems also risky when parking at some charger on the road and some other people hitting it...

 

[evcog]

I have to admit in the first week of having the car, when charging for the first time, I almost walked into the charging flap. However, I quickly noticed and backed off so lesson learned. I now always plug in the charger cable before moving around the car. Yes I know some chargers want your card scanned first. So I don't open the flap until I or the charger are ready.

 

[smallbr]

If it ever happened to me I might do that just hoping that smalbr might be able to take direct measurements from the pieces he has off before his tempory fix. £40 is too much to expend just to get those measurements. I might have a look to see if I could take a simple mold of the hinge in situ to work from. I just don't know how much of the structure is reachable.

An update. I used the Locktite ALL PLASTICS glue and it has worked brilliantly. It took the weight of the flap after I held it in place 30 seconds. I then left it for a day before closing. Have open and closed ten times and like new.

 

[Lovemyev]

An update. I used the Locktite ALL PLASTICS glue and it has worked brilliantly. It took the weight of the flap after I held it in place 30 seconds. I then left it for a day before closing. Have open and closed ten times and like new.

Was you able to add any additional strengthens to the back of honey combing on the hinge ?.
Or was the access poor ?.
thanks.

 

[smallbr]

Access is difficult but also better to break where it did than further inside at the hinge point. If I do it again I hope it breaks at the same place. I wouldn't strengthen

 

[smallbr]

Just an update - It's been a month now with opening the charging flap every second day. The repair appears to be as strong as new. And such a relatively cheap repair.