Define the buyer’s real question
Verify the exact installed hardware in a safe unpowered state, then document connection, lock, session, release and post-charge diagnostics with suitable equipment.
Record destination, intended registration, steering side, daily and long-distance route, passengers, luggage, charging access, accepted powertrain, new or used condition, budget and delivery point. A changed candidate or destination reopens affected checks.
Apply the model-specific test
Connector shape cannot prove voltage, protocol, accepted power or destination fit. Inlet damage may also involve its door, gasket, drain, latch, lock actuator, terminals, wiring and control modules. Cleaning away residue before photographs can erase important evidence.
First identify the system in the charging compatibility guide, run the documented charging session and review water history through accident and flood checks.
Run the complete evidence sequence
Safe inlet inspection
Follow the correct shutdown procedure. Photograph the door, hinge, latch, seal, cap, pin faces, labels and surrounding trim without probing energized contacts.
Water and heat clues
Record discoloration, deposits, corrosion, moisture, melted plastic, odor, blocked drainage or replaced parts. A dry surface after cleaning does not rule out prior ingress.
Lock and release cycle
With correct equipment, observe recognition, mechanical locking, charge start, normal stop and release. Never pull against a locked plug or improvise an emergency release.
Separate each side
Record charger, cable, supply, session messages and vehicle warnings. Repeat with known-suitable equipment when safe so an external fault is not assigned to the car.
Diagnostic boundary
Preserve communication, isolation or thermal faults before clearing. High-voltage, damaged-terminal or repeated lock issues require qualified repair and retest.
Destination handover
List supplied cables, ratings, emergency procedure and local replacement availability. An adapter does not automatically solve protocol or public-network access.
Official context: Review the current Changan UNI-Z product page and match it to the selected vehicle.
Evidence specific to this decision
Connector shape cannot prove voltage, protocol, accepted power or destination fit. Inlet damage may also involve its door, gasket, drain, latch, lock actuator, terminals, wiring and control modules. Cleaning away residue before photographs can erase important evidence.
Keep one VIN across the file
Energy planning changes completely between gasoline and iDD. A PHEV buyer must prove battery identity and charging compatibility; a gasoline buyer must verify engine, DCT, emissions and fuel/service support.
Preserve original-language records beside translations. Connect photos, diagnostic output, charging or road tests, inspection, quotation and contract to the same VIN. Conflicts stop approval until resolved at source.
| Evidence | What to record |
|---|---|
| Identity | VIN, production plate, legal model, powertrain and version |
| Condition | Dated physical checks, history, diagnostics and test results |
| Compatibility | Destination consequence, limitation and responsible reviewer |
| Commercial | Seller, beneficiary, included work, validity and delivery term |
Energy decision file
For iDD, record inlet, charging limits, battery identity, diagnostics, temperature and a controlled session. For gasoline, record fuel, emissions, engine and DCT behaviour.
Charging availability changes PHEV value, while fuel and hybrid-service access vary. Compare the complete ownership environment.
Test an ordinary day and an adverse day
Use realistic passengers, luggage, weather, speed, gradients, traffic and energy availability. For iDD, include a failed charger and battery reserve. For gasoline, include local fuel, emissions and workshop constraints. A specification is context, not a guarantee of suitability.
Mark each conclusion green, amber or red with evidence date and owner. Amber needs a priced consequence or condition; red stops payment. Do not turn missing proof into a positive feature claim.
Preserve the approved vehicle to delivery
Carry VIN, version, condition and included work through quotation, contract, invoice, export records and loading media. Record odometer, fuel or charge state, keys, cables, accessories, faults and exterior condition at handover.
China-side work cannot promise destination tax, conformity, registration, charging access, software services, warranty, insurance or future reliability. Refresh local advice if vehicle, route or rules change.
Request a VIN-linked UNI-Z proposalDocuments that keep this decision usable
Create a candidate summary naming the VIN, production date, legal model, powertrain, version, odometer and seller. Attach original identity records, continuous dated media, inspection findings, diagnostic output, road-test notes and charging results where applicable. Each conclusion should identify its source, test condition, limitation, reviewer and expiry point.
Keep the commercial file separate but connected: dated quotation, included and excluded work, inspection conditions, contract entity, bank beneficiary, export responsibility, carrier acceptance and delivery boundary. The destination file records tax or duty advice, conformity, registration, insurance, energy access and workshop support. A changed input reopens the affected decision while preserving the audit trail.
Before loading, compare the approved summary with the physical vehicle and final documents. Record keys, cables, accessories, odometer, fuel or battery state, warnings and visible condition. This final comparison helps prevent a correct inspection being attached to the wrong car.
Buyer questions
Can a matching plug prove charging compatibility?
No. Protocol, electrical limits, software and network support must also match.
Should moisture be cleaned before inspection?
No. Preserve evidence and use a safe qualified procedure before deciding whether the inlet is serviceable.
What closes an inlet fault?
Documented repair plus repeat lock, charge, release and diagnostic checks under known conditions.