Polestar 2 Charging at BP Pulse

Polestar 2 Charger Won't Start or Begin Charging

You have plugged in your Polestar 2, the connector clicked, but nothing happens. The center display stays silent or shows an error. This is frustrating, but it is almost always fixable on the spot without calling support.

Symptoms

• CCS2 or Type 2 connector plugged in but no charging indicator on the center display
• Charger screen shows 'Waiting for vehicle' or stays on the start screen
• Polestar 2 charge port LED blinks but charging never begins
• Authentication succeeds on the charger but the session fails to start
• Center display briefly shows charging screen, then returns to idle

What to Do

1. 1

   Unplug and reconnect firmly

   Remove the CCS2 or Type 2 connector, wait 10 seconds, then reinsert it with a firm push until you hear a clear click. Watch the charge port LED on the Polestar 2 for a steady light.

2. 2

   Check for a charging schedule

   On the center display, go to Settings, then Charging. If a charging schedule is active, disable it or set it to 'Direct' so the car charges immediately when plugged in.

3. 3

   Restart the charger session

   On the charger, end the current session if one is shown. Then start a new session by tapping your RFID card or restarting in the charger's app. Some chargers have a physical start/stop button.

4. 4

   Try Plug & Charge or a different payment method

   If your Polestar 2 has Plug & Charge enabled, check the charger supports it. Otherwise, switch to a different RFID card, contactless payment, or the charger operator's app.

5. 5

   Reboot the car's infotainment system

   Press and hold the home button on the center display for about 15 seconds until the screen goes dark and restarts. Once it is back, try plugging in again. This resets the charging communication module.

6. 6

   Try a different charger or cable

   If the station has multiple stalls, move to a different one. If you are using a tethered cable, try bringing your own Type 2 cable. A faulty charger cable is more common than a faulty car.

Polestar 2 Charging Payment Failed at the Station

You are at the charger, your Polestar 2 is ready, but the payment will not go through. The charger says 'Authorization failed' or just does nothing after you tap your card. Payment issues are one of the most common reasons a charging session never starts, and they are usually fixable in a couple of minutes.

Symptoms

• Charger screen shows 'Authorization failed' or 'Payment declined' after tapping your card or RFID
• Charger app shows an error when trying to start a remote session for your Polestar 2
• Contactless bank card is declined even though it works at shops
• Plug & Charge does not activate automatically after plugging in the CCS2 connector
• Charger accepts payment but the session immediately ends with a zero-kWh charge

What to Do

1. 1

   Check if Plug & Charge is enabled

   On the Polestar 2 center display, go to Settings, then Charging. Confirm Plug & Charge is turned on. If it is on but the charger did not start automatically, this station likely does not support it. Use a different payment method.

2. 2

   Try the charger operator's app

   Look for the operator name on the charger (Ionity, Shell Recharge, Allego, etc.). Download their app if you do not have it, add a payment method, and start the session through the app. Make sure you select the correct stall number shown on the charger.

3. 3

   Try a different RFID card or payment method

   If you carry multiple charging cards, try a different one. Some roaming cards work across many networks. If you only have one card, try contactless payment with your bank card or phone if the charger supports it.

4. 4

   Check your bank card's available balance

   Open your banking app and check that you have enough available balance for the pre-authorization hold, which can be up to 50 EUR even for a short charge. Pending holds from previous charging sessions can temporarily reduce your available balance.

5. 5

   Restart the charger and try again

   Some chargers have a stop/reset button. Press it, wait for the screen to return to the start screen, then begin a fresh session. If there is no button, unplug your Polestar 2, wait 30 seconds, and replug.

6. 6

   Move to a different charger

   If nothing works at this stall, try a different stall at the same station. Payment terminals can fail independently. If the entire station is down, find the nearest alternative using the charger map on your Polestar 2 center display or Google Maps.

Polestar 2 Charging Slower Than Expected

You plugged in your Polestar 2 expecting 149 kW and the screen shows 40 kW. Or your home charger is stuck at 3 kW instead of 11 kW. Slow charging on the Polestar 2 is almost never a defect. It is usually the battery temperature, the charger itself, or a setting you can fix in two minutes.

Symptoms

• DC fast charging speed well below the 149 kW maximum
• AC home charging stuck at 3-4 kW instead of 11 kW
• Charging speed drops significantly after reaching 50-60%
• Charging session starts normally but slows down quickly
• Dashboard shows lower power than the charger's rated output

What to Do

1. 1

   Check the battery temperature

   Look at the charging screen on the center display. If the battery is cold (common in winter), drive for 15-20 minutes before charging or use the preconditioning feature through the Polestar app before arriving at the charger.

2. 2

   Check your state of charge

   If you are above 80%, the slower speed is normal. For fastest charging, arrive at the charger between 10-20% and charge to 80%.

3. 3

   Verify the charger is not shared

   Look at the charger unit. If there are two cables and someone is using the other one, you may be sharing power. Move to an unoccupied charger if available.

4. 4

   Check the AC charge current setting

   In the Polestar 2, go to Settings, then Charging. Make sure the charge current limiter is set to maximum. If it shows a lower value, increase it.

5. 5

   Try a different charger

   If the speed is still low, the charger itself may be degraded or faulty. Try a different charger at the same location or a different charging station.

Contactless reader not responding

You tap your bank card or phone and nothing happens. The screen does not acknowledge the tap at all, or it briefly flashes and returns to the start screen.

Symptoms

• No beep or screen change after tapping your card
• Screen flashes 'Card read error' then resets
• Apple Pay or Google Pay shows 'Done' on your phone but the charger does not start
• Reader works on one unit but not the adjacent one

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Try a physical bank card instead of your phone

   Contactless phone payments sometimes fail on BP Pulse readers even when a physical card works fine. Hold the card flat against the reader for 2-3 seconds.

2. 2

   Check for a second tap point

   Some BP Pulse units have the contactless reader on the side panel rather than below the screen. Look for a card symbol printed on the housing.

3. 3

   Clean the reader surface

   Wipe dirt, rain, or condensation off the contactless reader area with your sleeve. Moisture on the sensor can prevent a clean read.

4. 4

   Start the session via the BP Pulse app instead

   Open the app, find the charger on the map, select the connector, and tap 'Start Charging.' This bypasses the physical reader entirely.

5. 5

   Try the other connector or an adjacent unit

   If the charger has two connectors, the other side may have a working reader. Or walk to the next unit. Contactless reader failures are often limited to one specific unit.

BP Pulse app crashing on Android

The app closes unexpectedly when you try to start a session, view the map, or enter payment details. This is more common on older Android versions and after recent app updates.

Symptoms

• App closes immediately after opening
• App freezes on the map screen then crashes
• Crash when tapping 'Start Charging' after selecting a connector
• 'App keeps stopping' notification from Android

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Force close and reopen the app

   Go to Android Settings, then Apps, then BP Pulse. Tap 'Force Stop,' wait a few seconds, then open the app again.

2. 2

   Clear the app cache

   In Settings, go to Apps, then BP Pulse, then Storage, then 'Clear Cache.' This removes temporary data without deleting your account. You will not need to log in again.

3. 3

   Check for an app update

   Open the Google Play Store, search for BP Pulse, and tap 'Update' if available. Crashes often follow a buggy release that gets patched within days.

4. 4

   Use contactless payment as a backup

   If the app will not cooperate, tap your bank card on the charger's contactless reader to start a session without the app.

5. 5

   Reinstall the app if crashes persist

   Uninstall BP Pulse, restart your phone, then reinstall from the Play Store. You will need to log in again, so make sure you know your BP Pulse account email.

Charger shows 'Out of Service' with no visible damage

The screen displays 'Out of Service' or 'Unavailable,' but the charger looks perfectly fine. No broken cables, no barrier tape, no obvious reason it should be offline.

Symptoms

• Screen stuck on 'Out of Service' message
• Charger appears available in the app but shows error on arrival
• Status light is red or off entirely
• Other chargers at the same location work fine

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Check the BP Pulse app for real-time status

   Open the app and look at this specific charger. If it shows as unavailable there too, the network has flagged it remotely. A maintenance team likely already knows.

2. 2

   Look for a reset button or power switch

   Some older BP Pulse units (especially former Chargemaster ones) have a small reset button behind a panel or near the base. Pressing it can sometimes clear a stuck error state.

3. 3

   Report it in the app

   Use the 'Report a problem' option on the charger's detail page in the BP Pulse app. This helps BP Pulse prioritize repairs and updates the status for other drivers.

4. 4

   Move to another charger

   An 'Out of Service' state usually means a backend fault, a communication issue with the network, or a pending software update. You cannot fix these yourself. Use another unit or location.

Charging session drops after 5-10 minutes

Charging starts normally, but the session ends on its own after a few minutes. Your car shows it is no longer receiving power, and the charger returns to the welcome screen.

Symptoms

• Car dashboard shows charging stopped unexpectedly
• Charger screen returns to 'Plug in to start' after a few minutes
• You receive a session-ended notification in the app with a very short session
• This happens repeatedly at the same charger

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Check the connector is fully seated

   Unplug the cable, inspect the connector pins for dirt or debris, and plug it back in firmly until you hear a click. A loose connection can cause the charger to drop the session.

2. 2

   Check your car's charge limit

   If your car's charge limit is set very close to the current battery level, some vehicles will stop charging almost immediately. Set the limit to 80% or higher and try again.

3. 3

   Try the other connector type

   If the charger offers both CCS2 and CHAdeMO and your car supports CCS2, make sure you are using CCS2. Using the wrong connector obviously will not fit, but a worn CCS2 connector on one side may work better on the other unit.

4. 4

   Start a new session at a different unit

   Repeated drops at the same charger point to a hardware fault on that unit. Move to another charger and try again.

5. 5

   Report the faulty unit

   Note the charger ID (printed on the unit) and report it via the BP Pulse app or call the BP Pulse support number shown on the charger. This helps get the unit serviced.

Subscription vs pay-as-you-go pricing confusion

BP Pulse offers a subscription plan with lower per-kWh rates and a pay-as-you-go option with higher rates. It is not always clear which pricing you are on, or whether the subscription is worth it for your usage.

Symptoms

• Charged a higher rate than expected on your receipt
• Unsure whether your subscription is active
• Signed up for subscription but still seeing non-member prices
• Cannot figure out how to switch between plans

How to Fix It

1. 1

   Check your plan status in the app

   Open the BP Pulse app, go to your account settings, and look for your subscription status. If it says 'Active,' you should be getting the lower rate automatically.

2. 2

   Make sure you are starting sessions through the app

   Subscription pricing only applies when you start the session via the BP Pulse app or RFID card linked to your account. Tapping a contactless bank card will charge you the standard pay-as-you-go rate.

3. 3

   Review your charging history for rate discrepancies

   In the app, go to Charging History and check the per-kWh rate on recent sessions. Compare this to the subscription rate listed on the BP Pulse pricing page.

4. 4

   Cancel or change your plan if needed

   You can manage your subscription in the app under Account, then Subscription. If you charge infrequently, pay-as-you-go may actually cost less overall despite the higher per-kWh rate.