A cautionary tale for MG 4 EV owners

[Archev]

To increase the range of the key fob hold it against your cheek bone as you press the button. This can help amplify the signal.

 

[salty]

To increase the range of the key fob hold it against your cheek bone as you press the button. This can help amplify the signal.

Or, wear this.

 

[DixieTGS]

True, but only if Ismart is working

If you have had had ismart working normally in the past and have setup the Bluetooth key in digital key management, the Bluetooth key should keep working without a network connection.

So if iSmart is giving failure or try again later messages, see if the Bluetooth icon on the main page is blue. You may still be able to lock, unlock and drive away even though the range and battery levels have not updated.

Older iSmart versions only did Bluetooth key from within the key management page and operation may vary with the car software versions. I would test your cars capabilities by trying the lock/unlock with various combinations of disabled wifi/Bluetooth/mobile data.

 

[goose]

Thanks for this, that certainly would have helped me out had I known about it (assuming of course the ismart app did work for me in bluetooth mode). Knowing my luck that day though I guess the phone would have run out of charge!!
I will try it out when I can and thanks again, Fnegroni

Well at first I was able to lock and unlock the car until it eventually wouldn't even do that and reported that I should try again later (which I did for a number of days). Strangely it also defaulted to metric rather than imperial measurement without any input from me. I have to admit I was confused by the whole thing but decided that as in the past it would right itself eventually.
I love your suggestion with regard to configuring the bluetooth key but unfortunately I haven't a clue how to do that. Are there instructions somewhere that I can access?
It would certainly be another 'string to the bow'
and thanks for your help.

Thanks for the suggestion and I have dug into it a little deeper and I now see how to do this, (me being a little thick as usual) and maybe even being lulled into a false sense of security too.
I wish I had known (and understood) this when I was stuck, it would have saved me so much grief. I appreciate your help, thanks again.

 

[Archev]

Or, wear this.

View attachment 36558

Doesn’t everyone?

 

[salty]

Doesn’t everyone?

Hope so.

 

[GlobalHealer69]

So if you had, had a 10mm spanner, could you have saved all that hassle? After reading posts on here, I always carry one. And after reading your post, I'm glad I do. Still not a pleasant experience for you and your Wife.

And a spare flat cell CR32.. battery for the key fob.

 

[Hugo A Go Go]

My wife always carries the spare key when on a long journey. I’m always paranoid that I’ll lose my keys and be stuck hundreds of miles from home.

Luckily the one time I did lose my key, it was in my home town so I was able to get hold of the spare without too much difficulty.

 

[Tuareg]

Just set up the digital key in iSmart

 

[Alecfrank]

This really happened and I have proof that all I say is true:

So, I drive an MG 4 Trophy Long Range bought new in 2023.

While staying for a few days in Harrogate, in particular to attend the flower show, the following happened to me and my wife.
After the show had completed I decided to drive to a nearby charge point and top up the battery but, and this is relevant, prior to driving to Harrogate my Smart app stopped working for me. I tried all the usual methods to get around this 'glitch' - none worked. But I figured that was not too great a problem.

So, having found a charge station close to the show, off we went. However, the charge station was on the ground floor of a multi storey car park and it was a Sunday (the day is important too so please bear with me). The car park closes and is locked at 7pm, but I figured, no problem, an hour to an hour and a half charge would be more than enough to get home with 20% charge remaining. We parked up and I attached the charge cable without issue and initiated the charge, it was then about 5pm and all was well. We stayed in the car and ate some sandwiches as everywhere close by was closed. At around 6:15ish I terminated the charge, stowed the cable and made ready to travel back to our hotel. I should point out that in the hotel was all our travel stuff including medication (now the medication is very important as my wife has a number of ailments which require continuous medication).

Then the problems started!

The car would not make ready and would not move. I tried locking and unlocking it a few times. I tried the windows up and down all seemed well, but still it would not come ready and definitely would not move. In desperation and knowing the clock was ticking, I phoned the rescue service. After describing my predicament they placed a response as high priority. Meanwhile I got hold of the building security service and let them know what was happening. They informed me that they had to lock up at 7pm but gave me a number to ring their local chap who would come and open up once the AA arrived and let them in.

I thought maybe it was the 12 volt battery, so as I have a power pack, I attached it but the charge was OK and it didn't need a boost.

Well, the security man (who was on his first day in the job) and I tried everything we could think of to start the car but all to no avail.

The building was locked at 7pm and we had to leave as staying was a health and safety risk. However, by now the windows were down and wouldn't go back up and the doors would no longer lock. So we were faced with leaving an unlocked vehicle all night (albeit in a gated car park) which left me feeling very uncomfortable.

Stuck, well and truly stuck, I was starting to doubt my choice of 'going electric'. Then the AA arrived. We were all (the AA man and his van, my wife, me and the security man) allowed back in and the rescue service went to work!
To cut an even longer story short, he disconnected the 12 volt battery and left it for a few minutes, meanwhile he took my car keys back to his van and charged the battery.
Upon his return he reconnected the 12 volt battery and tried the key - IT WORKED, yippee!
He checked the battery he had removed from the key. A 3 volt battery it read 2.99 volts (I kid you not) !

So a car full of really expensive and complex systems had been brought to this sorry state by a simple cheap everyday CR2032 battery in a car key!!
No warning, nothing to indicate an issue and here I am in this terrible situation, to say I was gobsmacked doesn't come anywhere near.

Now remember the iSmart issue I share at the start. Well this being unavailable prevented me from using that method to overcome the problem.

I have had a great number of cars over the years, some for over 4 years and have NEVER had to replace a car key battery in my life (have I been lucky?)

Lessons learned

1. If travelling anywhere or anytime ALWAYS keep a cheap CR2032 battery in your car.
2. Consider carrying your spare key if on a long journey away from home
3. Never ever go into a charge facility where there exists a time constraint - make sure you have 24 hour access 7 days per week
4. Always make sure you have breakdown assist
5. Think about carrying a spanner which will fit the negative pole of your 12V battery - disconnecting it resets your software system I am told
6. If you can, carry a 12V power pack to jump start your car - it didn't help me in this case but it does provide some reassurance.

Sorry for the length but honestly I have missed quite a lot out.

Happy motoring

Well said.... strangly enough I have CR 2032's in mine already, after being caught out in my last car (KONA ev) go to sort the spanner now!!!

 

[old fisherman]

Just got rid of my Ford Fiesta (66 plate) given it to my grandson. Changed the keyfob battery, (never done it before) as I noticed the range to open the car was getting a bit "iffy" not bad though for a 9yr old car......