5 min read · LANVOLT guide · Updated 2026-10-25
Tesla Mobile Connector Red Light: What Each Flash Means
Tesla's own table of Gen 2 Mobile Connector status lights, which flashes point to the adapter or the wall socket, and what to try first.
| Green lights | Red light | What Tesla says it means | What to try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 1 flash | Current reduced: heat in the vehicle connector | Replug at the car; charge somewhere cooler |
| Streaming | 2 flashes | Current reduced: heat in the input plug to the controller | Reseat the adapter; plug into the wall first, then the car |
| Streaming | 3 flashes | Current reduced: heat in the controller | Replug at the car; charge somewhere cooler |
| Streaming | 4 flashes | Current reduced: heat in the wall plug | Check the socket suits charging; try another socket |
| Streaming | 5 flashes | Current reduced: adapter fault | Check the adapter is fully attached |
| Off | 1 flash | Ground fault | Replug; try another socket |
| Off | 2 flashes | Ground (earth) loss | Check the socket is earthed; ask an electrician |
| Off | 3 flashes | Relay or contactor fault | Replug; try another socket |
| Off | 4 flashes | Over- or under-voltage protection | Check the socket; try another socket |
| Off | 5 flashes | Adapter fault | Check the adapter is fully attached |
| Off | 6 flashes | Pilot fault | Replug; try another socket |
| Off | 7 flashes | Software error or mismatch | Update the car's software |
| Off | Solid red | Self-check failed | Unplug from car and socket, then replug |
| All on | 5 flashes | Adapter fault; charging limited to 8A | Unplug from car and socket, then replug |
How to read the lights
The Gen 2 Mobile Connector has a row of green lights and one red light. Look at the green lights first. If they are streaming, the car is still charging and the red flashes are a warning: the connector has reduced the current to protect itself. If the green lights are off, charging has stopped and the red flashes are a fault code. Count the flashes in one cycle; the pattern repeats.
Flashes that point to the socket
Four flashes with green streaming means the wall plug is getting hot, and four flashes with the green lights off means the supply voltage is outside the allowed range. Both are usually about the socket, not the car: a worn or loose socket, a long or shared circuit, or a socket that was never meant for hours of continuous load. Two flashes with the green lights off means the connector cannot detect an earth connection.
- Try a different socket, ideally on its own circuit.
- Never use an extension lead or multi-plug: Tesla's manual warns against them.
- If a socket gets warm or the code repeats, ask an electrician to check it.
Flashes that point to the adapter
Five flashes means the connector has detected a problem with the adapter. With the green lights streaming, it keeps charging at reduced current; with all green lights on, Tesla says charging is limited to 8A. Start by pulling the adapter off the controller and pushing it back until it is fully seated. If the code stays, the adapter itself may be damaged, for example after being dropped, driven over or left in the rain.
When a replacement adapter is the fix
If five flashes follow one adapter around, and the Mobile Connector works normally with another adapter, the adapter is the part to replace, not the whole Mobile Connector. A Gen 2 replacement adapter needs the right plug for your socket and the temperature-monitoring signal circuit the connector checks for; a plug that only fits mechanically will not clear the code.
When to call Tesla
Codes that point inside the connector, such as 1 or 3 flashes that keep coming back in a cool place, a relay fault, a pilot fault or a failed self-check that survives a full unplug and replug, are for Tesla service. Tesla's own advice for most of these is to contact a Service Center if the problem persists.
Frequently asked questions
What does 5 red flashes on a Tesla Mobile Connector mean?
According to Tesla, 5 red flashes means an adapter fault. With the green lights streaming, charging continues at reduced current; with all green lights on, charging is limited to 8A. Reseat the adapter first; if the code stays with that adapter, replace the adapter.
What does 4 red flashes mean?
With green lights streaming, Tesla says current is reduced because the wall plug is hot. With green lights off, over- or under-voltage protection has stopped charging. In both cases check the socket and try another one.
Why does my Mobile Connector show a solid red light?
Tesla lists a solid red light with the green lights off as a failed self-check. Unplug from the car and replug; if it persists, unplug from both the car and the socket, then plug in again.
Can I use an extension lead with the Mobile Connector?
No. Tesla's Gen 2 Mobile Connector manual says not to use an extension cord, multi-outlet adapter, multi-plug, conversion plug or power strip.
Is a red light dangerous?
The red light shows that the connector has detected a problem and has reduced or stopped charging to protect itself. Do not ignore a code that repeats, and stop using any socket or plug that feels hot.
Sources: Tesla service documentation – Gen 2 Mobile Connector status lights; Tesla – Gen 2 Mobile Connector owner's manual (PDF)
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