---
title: 'Stuck cable and sessions that won’t stop'
description: 'Cable locked, session hanging, stop button greyed out — practical steps for drivers and what operators should fix in OCPP.'
author: easyplug_team
date: '2026-05-08'
categories:
  - charging
  - operators
tags:
  - troubleshooting
  - drivers
  - ocpp
  - sessions
  - chargers
imgSocial: session-stuck-cable-wont-unlock.webp
imgThumb: session-stuck-cable-wont-unlock.webp
toc_depth: 3
---

Two of the most stressful charging moments: the session will not stop, or the cable will not unlock after it did. You cannot leave, you cannot force the latch, and the car is now a brick in a busy bay.

This guide covers what drivers should try first, and what operators usually need to fix on the CSMS side.

## If the session will not stop from the app

1. Wait 15–20 seconds. Stop commands can lag on roaming paths.
2. Retry **Stop** once — not ten times.
3. Use the station’s own stop or RFID flow if the pole exposes one.
4. Unlock the car and open the charge port from the vehicle UI.
5. Contact support with **station ID + approximate time** so we can request a remote stop via the CPO CSMS.

Never yank a locked CCS cable. You can damage the latch or the car inlet.

## If the cable stays locked after stop

Confirm the session is **Finished** in the app first. Then:

- Unlock vehicle doors and the charge flap
- Press the station unlock control if one exists
- Call support for a remote unlock — power-cycling the pedestal is not the driver’s job

If support cannot unlock, the CPO may need to intervene on-site for that EVSE model or firmware version.

## Operator / CSMS side

Stuck locks often mean:

- `StopTransaction` never confirmed
- Connector status stuck in **Preparing** or **Finishing**
- Known firmware bugs on specific EVSE models

Good eMSP–CPO ops share remote stop, remote unlock, and a ticket with OCPI / OCPP identifiers — not a free-text “user angry.”

## What we want the product to show

Drivers should see a clear **Stopping…** state with a timeout, then a path for “contact support / unlock requested,” not a frozen progress ring. Session recovery after the app is killed mid-stop is part of [building a reliable eMSP app](/blog/building-a-reliable-emsp-driver-app).

## What’s next

Related: [Charger won’t start](/blog/charger-wont-start-session) and [driver support when charging goes wrong](/blog/driver-support-when-charging-goes-wrong).

→ [Contact support](/contact)