What do I do if a public charger is broken or already in use?

It happens more often than it should, but there are a few practical steps that usually get you charging again quickly.

If the charger is broken or not working:

• Try a different stall or port at the same station first, many stations have multiple chargers, and only one being down doesn’t mean they’re all out
• Check the charging network’s app for a “report an issue” or “report broken charger” option, most major networks track outages this way and it helps the next driver too
• Restart the session by unplugging and reconnecting the cable, sometimes a stuck connection just needs a reset
• Try tapping your card or app again instead of restarting the whole session, payment or authorization errors are a common cause of a charger that looks broken but isn’t
• Call the customer support number posted on the charger itself, most stations display one for exactly this situation and can sometimes reset the unit remotely

If a spot is occupied but the car isn’t actively charging:

• Never unplug someone else’s vehicle to charge your own, this is considered a serious breach of EV charging etiquette and can even be a legal issue in some areas
• Check if a nearby stall at the same station is free instead
• If the vehicle appears finished charging and is just parked, some networks let you flag this in-app so the owner gets notified, this is sometimes called “charger camping” and is becoming more common as EV adoption grows
• At busy stations during peak travel times, it can help to have a backup station in mind along your route rather than waiting

The best fix is avoiding the problem in the first place. Real-time charger status, showing which stalls are in use, broken, or free, is available on most major charging apps and on the DOE’s official station locator. Crowdsourced apps that let other drivers leave recent notes about a station’s condition can also be useful, since official uptime data doesn’t always reflect what’s happening on the ground in the last few minutes.