Presented are charger coupler locking systems with control logic for managing vehicle charging, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method of controlling charging of a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a signal indicating a charger coupler of a vehicle charging system is inserted into a charger port of the vehicle and, when received, responsively commanding an actuator device of a coupler locking system to move a locking element against a latching element of the charger coupler. The controller then receives sensor data from a position sensing device indicative of a travel position of the locking element; from this sensor data, the controller determines if the locking element's travel position is displaced from a predefined lock position at which the locking element contacts the latching element. If so, the controller responsively commands the vehicle's battery charging system to disable charging of the battery assembly.