Faulty charging software?

[rdavo]

4 month old MG 4 charges for no more than 1 minute at a time regardless of whether initiated in car or remotely via MG ismart app.
I've used 3 different cables and 3 different chargers to no avail...any advice MUCH appreciated as currently vehicle of little practical use!

 

[siteguru]

You might be encountering this issue. (Ignore the Zappi bit).

Issue with AC charging/New CCU fitted (Phase One SE LR)

Edit: Originally, I thought I had an issue with my Zappi not being able to charge the car, but after testing other AC charging points (cutting out after fifteen minutes or less) and contacting the dealer, I eventually found out it was an issue with the car, namely the charge control unit, which...

www.mgevs.com

 

[Jomarkh]

4 month old MG 4 charges for no more than 1 minute at a time regardless of whether initiated in car or remotely via MG ismart app.
I've used 3 different cables and 3 different chargers to no avail...any advice MUCH appreciated as currently vehicle of little practical use!

Does it work ok on DC CCS rapid chargers?

 

[rdavo]

Thanks! Not sure as vehicle is currently sitting on dealer forecourt until the New Year awaiting "diagnostics"

You might be encountering this issue. (Ignore the Zappi bit).

Issue with AC charging/New CCU fitted (Phase One SE LR)

Edit: Originally, I thought I had an issue with my Zappi not being able to charge the car, but after testing other AC charging points (cutting out after fifteen minutes or less) and contacting the dealer, I eventually found out it was an issue with the car, namely the charge control unit, which...

www.mgevs.com

Thanks...so possibly an ac charging issue...vehicle with garage currently

 

[rogerl]

I had a similar issue last year with my PodPoint charger where the AC voltage was too high and so the charger would cut out or just fail to start. DNO came and checked the voltage level and confirmed it was too high. They lowered it by about 5 volts and it’s been fine ever since.

 

[rdavo]

I had a similar issue last year with my PodPoint charger where the AC voltage was too high and so the charger would cut out or just fail to start. DNO came and checked the voltage level and confirmed it was too high. They lowered it by about 5 volts and it’s been fine ever since.

Thanks…same problem on 3 different chargers so I’m guessing the problem is with the car

 

[eirikc]

I have the same AC charging issue that so many others are experiencing right now. My car is going in tomorrow ??

 

[Fireman frog]

I've had this issue with my 21 plate mg 5 for some time. It fails to charge overnight maybe once a week. No pattern to it.

I'm on my 3rd charging cable as I thought it was that and my local dealer is so useless, I've not bothered to contact them. Just saw on the podcast that it is affecting other cars so I'll give them a call...

 

[Chappers]

Had something similar with our old ZS EV. Tried several chargers, got the AA man out but no luck. In desperation tried disconnecting the 12v battery for 10 mins and bingo everything started working. Worth a try.

 

[dave3005]

I had similar charging issues on mine where it kept failing, disconnecting almost immediately etc. and then I got an error "vehicle control system fault" (all in first week of ownership). I took it straight to MG who eventually updated several modules + infotainment which fixed most issues.

But the second issue appeared to be the smart charging features on my charger fighting the smart charging features on the car. I now set my home charger to "dumb mode" where it just charges when it plugs in and if I need to schedule a charge etc do that via the car instead which works fine. I think the scheduling (with 5 min delay) from the charger kept fighting the charger schedule of the car and causing to fail and disconnect immediately. Probably a little different to yours but hopefully might help.

 

[rdavo]

I had similar charging issues on mine where it kept failing, disconnecting almost immediately etc. and then I got an error "vehicle control system fault" (all in first week of ownership). I took it straight to MG who eventually updated several modules + infotainment which fixed most issues.

But the second issue appeared to be the smart charging features on my charger fighting the smart charging features on the car. I now set my home charger to "dumb mode" where it just charges when it plugs in and if I need to schedule a charge etc do that via the car instead which works fine. I think the scheduling (with 5 min delay) from the charger kept fighting the charger schedule of the car and causing to fail and disconnect immediately. Probably a little different to yours but hopefully might help.

Many thanks

 

[Richard 77]

I had similar charging issues on mine where it kept failing, disconnecting almost immediately etc. and then I got an error "vehicle control system fault" (all in first week of ownership). I took it straight to MG who eventually updated several modules + infotainment which fixed most issues.

But the second issue appeared to be the smart charging features on my charger fighting the smart charging features on the car. I now set my home charger to "dumb mode" where it just charges when it plugs in and if I need to schedule a charge etc do that via the car instead which works fine. I think the scheduling (with 5 min delay) from the charger kept fighting the charger schedule of the car and causing to fail and disconnect immediately. Probably a little different to yours but hopefully might help.

I am in a bit of a state of desperation with charging, I seem to be getting the same issues as what you describe. I have encountered lots of issues on charging, I set up the charge, plug in, it goes green and starts and within 30 seconds, has stopped. This is through no intervention by me, the car just stops charging and won’t start again. I try disconnecting, re-starting, swapping chargers but quite often to no avail. It is so infuriating, I want / need to charge and the car won’t accept it. This is clearly not desirable and could potentially leave me stranded. I also keep getting the silly error message “vehicle tracking fault, take to nearest dealer” I have already been to MG and they could not replicate the fault, but I know it’s happening. I am due to have my car for another 3 years but I am considering giving it back early and getting myself a diesel or petrol car. What good is an EV if I can’t charge it, the car is basically not drivable or practical.

 

[Tight Git]

I am in a bit of a state of desperation with charging, I seem to be getting the same issues as what you describe. I have encountered lots of issues on charging, I set up the charge, plug in, it goes green and starts and within 30 seconds, has stopped. This is through no intervention by me, the car just stops charging and won’t start again. I try disconnecting, re-starting, swapping chargers but quite often to no avail. It is so infuriating, I want / need to charge and the car won’t accept it. This is clearly not desirable and could potentially leave me stranded. I also keep getting the silly error message “vehicle tracking fault, take to nearest dealer” I have already been to MG and they could not replicate the fault, but I know it’s happening. I am due to have my car for another 3 years but I am considering giving it back early and getting myself a diesel or petrol car. What good is an EV if I can’t charge it, the car is basically not drivable or practical.

Which MG4 do you have - battery size, how old is it and does it have a rear wiper? Have you tried different AC chargers, different cables and does it do the same on a granny charger if you have tried that?

 

[Jomarkh]

I am in a bit of a state of desperation with charging, I seem to be getting the same issues as what you describe. I have encountered lots of issues on charging, I set up the charge, plug in, it goes green and starts and within 30 seconds, has stopped. This is through no intervention by me, the car just stops charging and won’t start again. I try disconnecting, re-starting, swapping chargers but quite often to no avail. It is so infuriating, I want / need to charge and the car won’t accept it. This is clearly not desirable and could potentially leave me stranded. I also keep getting the silly error message “vehicle tracking fault, take to nearest dealer” I have already been to MG and they could not replicate the fault, but I know it’s happening. I am due to have my car for another 3 years but I am considering giving it back early and getting myself a diesel or petrol car. What good is an EV if I can’t charge it, the car is basically not drivable or practical.

Is this on Rapid DC CCS chargers or on a AC type2 EVSE?

 

[dave3005]

I am in a bit of a state of desperation with charging, I seem to be getting the same issues as what you describe. I have encountered lots of issues on charging, I set up the charge, plug in, it goes green and starts and within 30 seconds, has stopped. This is through no intervention by me, the car just stops charging and won’t start again. I try disconnecting, re-starting, swapping chargers but quite often to no avail. It is so infuriating, I want / need to charge and the car won’t accept it. This is clearly not desirable and could potentially leave me stranded. I also keep getting the silly error message “vehicle tracking fault, take to nearest dealer” I have already been to MG and they could not replicate the fault, but I know it’s happening. I am due to have my car for another 3 years but I am considering giving it back early and getting myself a diesel or petrol car. What good is an EV if I can’t charge it, the car is basically not drivable or practical.

I assume you have checked for any charging schedules in the car/app or charger itself? As mine will go green for a few secs before pausing until 11:30pm otherwise (when my schedule starts, and sometimes forget i turned it on when I charge at work...)

 

[Richard 77]

Is this on Rapid DC CCS chargers or on a AC type2 EVSE?

Mostly on Rapid. I had this issue on InstaVolt at Petersfield, InstaVolt at Cove and FastNed in Andover. What is a bit infuriating is once I have connected and it goes green to accept the charge, after about 30 seconds, it stops and goes blue, so I am lucky if I get 1kWh of charge. This has happened on 3 separate chargers. Also I can have a similar issue at work with the 7.5 kW charger. I plug in the car, it starts charging and by the time I have walked from the car into the office, it has turned off. The way I get it back on is to go into the MG App, set the location of the car and swipe to charge, This generally works, but sometimes does not. It is very strange that the charging can be so temperamental and it is a bit worrying, wondering if when you get to a charger, that it will work. I am seeing MG next Thursday, I'll get them to check the car and see what gives.

I assume you have checked for any charging schedules in the car/app or charger itself? As mine will go green for a few secs before pausing until 11:30pm otherwise (when my schedule starts, and sometimes forget i turned it on when I charge at work...)

Yes, I don't have any schedules in the car / App, I just plug in and would expect it to charge. The car is set to maximum charge power but I know that the most I will get on an AC charge is 6.6 kW. The power is not the issue, its the fact that it can just randomly turn itself off, when it has only just started charging. I am wondering if there is a fault with the on board charger, or is it software related? I am assuming that it not me, as I am only plugging in the car and then using an App or card or if I am work, I just zap the charger with a key and it starts and then can randomly stop. Apologies if I am repeating myself, but I just find it so bizarre and something is not right.

Which MG4 do you have - battery size, how old is it and does it have a rear wiper? Have you tried different AC chargers, different cables and does it do the same on a granny charger if you have tried that?

I have an MG4 SE (the model below the trophy), 50 kWh battery, 2024 Reg, registered in June, so 6 months old. I do have a rear wiper and have tried a few different chargers. I have yet to try the granny charger, I'll give that a go at the weekend. I know it is obviously slow as it is relying on mains domestic circuit of my house but it will be interesting to see what it does.

 

[Martinonline]

As has been pointed out here (by @siteguru?) charging cables are heavy and sometimes if not firmly pushed in tend to droop which breaks the control contact. You might like to see if that is happening next time you charge.

 

[DixieTGS]

As has been pointed out here (by @siteguru?) charging cables are heavy and sometimes if not firmly pushed in tend to droop which breaks the control contact. You might like to see if that is happening next time you charge.

To test this I think someone suggested standing there holding the cable to take the weight off it. It obviously doesn't solve the problem, but might narrow it down to being a hardware problem.

Another thing to check would be to inspect the socket on the car very closely with a torch. It's just possible there is a bit of debris in there or one of the contacts could be damaged/ loose in some way.

 

[JonnyG]

I have an MG4 SE (the model below the trophy), 50 KW battery, 2024 Reg, registered in June, so 6 months old.

Was it originally OK or has it always been like this ? If both AC and rapid DC charging are stopping within 30 seconds I suspect your car has an issue (perhaps the sockets as above). Have you had any recent software updates done on it ? Perhaps take some video evidence to give to your dealer too.

 

[Coulomb]

I am wondering if there is a fault with the on board charger, or is it software related?

It pretty much can't be just the on-board charger if it's affecting DC rapid charges.

My suspicion is the EVCC unit (Electric Vehicle Communications Controller), which seems to oversee all charges, and I suspect connects to the control and proximity pilot pins on the charging socket. There was a batch of dodgy EVCCs that got pressed into service due to the post-COVID parts shortage, but I would hope that these would not be appearing in recently manufactured cars.