Charge Port Error — Service Required (AC Charging Limited, Supercharging OK)
The TESLA-CP_A151 (Tesla Charge Port (CP)) EV fault code means: Charge Port Error — Service Required (AC Charging Limited, Supercharging OK). This is a moderate severity code.
- Keep driving?
- Yes, but fix soon
- DIY difficulty
- expert
- Estimated cost
- Charge port diagnosis/repair is quoted by Tesla service; may be covered under the basic vehicle warranty (4 years/50,000 miles) if applicable — check your coverage.
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Common Symptoms
- Alert on the touchscreen: "Charge port error detected - Service is required — AC charging may not function / OK to Supercharge"
- AC charging and DC fast charging at non-Tesla stations may be limited or unavailable
- Tesla Supercharging continues to work
- Driving is unaffected
Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)
- The vehicle's charge port requires service: it cannot establish a valid control pilot signal and communicate effectively with some AC charging equipment and power sources (Tesla's official description — a vehicle-side fault, unlike most CP alerts) Likely
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CP_a151 mean on a Tesla?
Tesla's official meaning: the vehicle's charge port requires service — it can't establish a valid control pilot signal with some AC charging equipment. While the alert is present, AC charging and non-Tesla DC fast charging may be limited or unavailable, but Supercharging should keep working.
Can I still charge with CP_a151?
Supercharging should work normally. AC charging may still work with a Gen 2 Mobile Connector or Gen 3 Wall Connector — Tesla recommends confirming your vehicle actually charges with your Tesla equipment before relying on it. Schedule service to restore full charging compatibility.
Mechanics Guide Step-by-step diagnosis
Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure
Unlike most charge-port alerts, this one IS the vehicle: Tesla's official text says the charge port requires service. Schedule Tesla service at your earliest convenient opportunity.
In the meantime, Supercharging should continue to be available (locations on the touchscreen map).
AC charging may still work with a Gen 2 Mobile Connector or Gen 3 Wall Connector — but per Tesla's guidance, test that your vehicle actually charges with your Tesla charging product before relying on it.
Expect non-Tesla AC and CCS fast charging to be limited or unavailable until the charge port is serviced.
Sources 3
This page is built from documented references. Verify against your own service info before repair work.
- Tesla Model 3 Owner's ManualTroubleshooting Alerts (official Tesla alert text for CP_a151; verified against the official Model 3 manual PDF, software 2026.20)
- Tesla Model Y Owner's ManualTroubleshooting Alerts (confirms CP_a151 is documented across models)
- Tessie Tesla alert statisticsthird-party Tesla alert reference with owner-telemetry frequency — not an official Tesla document
Commonly Affected Vehicles
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model Y
- Tesla Model S
- Tesla Model X
- Tesla Cybertruck
Related Codes
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