First MOT, major fail, both front suspension bushes

[Data]

Interesting, starting to sound like a design fault, MG know about it and they changed the design with the updated rear window wiper model ...... does that match the failed v still good suspension bush discoveries?

T1 Terry

This sort of suspension bush problem isn't to uncommon. It happens to all makes of car. My new Citroen had it. Its not usually a design fault. The most common reason for this issue is the bush manufacturer alters the compounds used to make the bushes & they are not up to the job. Or...the manufacturing process goes wrong. It happens. The bush material starts to delaminate from the metal casing of the bush. MG don't make these bushes. They buy them in. They will replace under warranty usually before 3yrs is up if the mileage is not too high.

When this happens it's not normally a panic urgent job. From the info we've been told this one is far from urgent (referring to the original poster). It's ok to leave them if they haven't deteriorated excessively until a convenient time to replace them. As a dealership we would have to get authorisation prior to doing the job. We then have to get the bushes. Or sometimes it's a new wishbone or track control arm as some bushes cannot be replaced. It isn't always a quick job. It can take a while & all bushes must be replaced for good measure. Many many cars of all ages are driving around with shot bushes & the owners don't know. It gets picked up at MOT or service time.

It's interesting that some folks get so excited about this sort of thing. It's something that does still occasionally happen to all makes of vehicles. It not too uncommon & is why our cars have a service & or an MOT each year to pick up this type of thing. As a retired ex-tech I've changed more suspension bushes than I've had hot dinners. it happens less now than 30yrs ago but it still happens.
I think tsedge's car definitely should be covered under warranty. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. Most likely the bushes will be replaced with updated ones or the whole wishbone.

 

[tsedge]

Why? Simply because a handful of owners on here have had 'problems' getting the work handled under warranty? The vast majority of MG owners don't post on this forum, so 'experiences' from a handful of owner (without the input from the dealers they approached) isn't a valid representation of this 'issue' being manhandled by MG.

I agree we are just single data points, but it clearly is an issue a number of people have had and I can't recall another car suffering from this so early on??

Something has to be causing it and I know it isn't the driving of the owner.

My beef at the moment is with my dealer, not MG. MG's warranty says it covers me but it is my desler telling me they are not confident MG will approve.

We will see - if I continue with the dealer at all. Right now my goal is to get into position where I am in control. To that end, I'm seeing if I can get a local independent garage to inexpensively change both bushings for me. Yes, that will cost me some money, but I resent very strongly being in the hands of an ineffective dealer who cannot even respond to my communications. (Hopefully they will soon).

I've got to agree ... anecdote is not data, at least not of significance anyway. I've not personally checked mine, but my car had no advisories whatsoever at first MOT last November - the first car I've ever had which has sailed through its first MOT. If this was a generic issue, shouldn't mine have suffered this too?

My understanding is you've done a lot less mileage. Also I have a Trophy LR and you have an SR SE, there may well be suspension differences.

This sort of suspension bush problem isn't to uncommon. It happens to all makes of car. My new Citroen had it. Its not usually a design fault. The most common reason for this issue is the bush manufacturer alters the compounds used to make the bushes & they are not up to the job. Or...the manufacturing process goes wrong. It happens. The bush material starts to delaminate from the metal casing of the bush. MG don't make these bushes. They buy them in. They will replace under warranty usually before 3yrs is up if the mileage is not too high.

Whether it is design or manufacture, hopefully we can agree it isn't the customer's fault!

My issue is my dealer isn't giving me any confidence it will be changed under warranty and I may have to pay £260 x2 to replace both sides.

When this happens it's not normally a panic urgent job. From the info we've been told this one is far from urgent (referring to the original poster). It's ok to leave them if they haven't deteriorated excessively until a convenient time to replace them. As a dealership we would have to get authorisation prior to doing the job. We then have to get the bushes. Or sometimes it's a new wishbone or track control arm as some bushes cannot be replaced. It isn't always a quick job. It can take a while & all bushes must be replaced for good measure. Many many cars of all ages are driving around with shot bushes & the owners don't know. It gets picked up at MOT or service time.

Indeed it has been picked up at my MOT.

It is an urgent job for me since I now have a car which has failed its MOT and I only have 1 week before it will be past its last MOT and I cannot drive the car at all.

You might say I should have had the MOT earlier but I personally have never heard of a car failing at its first MOT except for tires/brakes.

When I know I have a car that is an MOT failure due to a collapsed front bushing, also pardon me if I am not as confident driving around the country bends near me.

It's interesting that some folks get so excited about this sort of thing. It's something that does still occasionally happen to all makes of vehicles. It not too uncommon & is why our cars have a service & or an MOT each year to pick up this type of thing. As a retired ex-tech I've changed more suspension bushes than I've had hot dinners. it happens less now than 30yrs ago but it still happens.

Agreed it is relatively common - but usually at much higher mileages than my (below average) 32,000 miles.

I think tsedge's car definitely should be covered under warranty. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. Most likely the bushes will be replaced with updated ones or the whole wishbone.

MG will only replace the whole assembly, so it is £550 for the pair.

Interestingly the video I shared on the other thread shows what great condition the arms and bolts are in, so this isn't going to be a hard job to do.

 

[Data]

Hello Tom, yes my post was more aimed at addressing some earlier posts relating to other vehicles. Not yours. My bad, I hadn't watched your video at the point of posting.

Totally agree that in your case it's pretty urgent to get you car back on the road. And I'm not understanding your dealers attitude. It's not a hard job, a bit time consuming, but not hard. They should be presenting your case for you instead of trying to put you off of a warranty job. I'd go as far as saying they are being somewhat negligent in their approach to this.

If you go to a non franchised dealer make sure to get photos of the job & keep all details of parts fitted. There may be updated bushes or wishbone assemblies so worth checking that with your dealer. Obviously keep any invoices & get the garage to list the work in detail on the invoice so if you present it to MG they will understand the issue fully. Being the very smart guy you are I'm pretty sure you don't need any of this advice but for those in similar positions it might help them. GOOD LUCK!

 

[tsedge]

Hello Tom, yes my post was more aimed at addressing some earlier posts relating to other vehicles. Not yours. My bad, I hadn't watched your video at the point of posting.

No problem, I thought it might have been but I wanted to make where I was coming from clear. Thanks.

Totally agree that in your case it's pretty urgent to get you car back on the road. And I'm not understanding your dealers attitude. It's not a hard job, a bit time consuming, but not hard. They should be presenting your case for you instead of trying to put you off of a warranty job. I'd go as far as saying they are being somewhat negligent in their approach to this.

It baffles me too. It appears they don't care and that is sad, because they used to.

If you go to a non franchised dealer make sure to get photos of the job & keep all details of parts fitted. There may be updated bushes or wishbone assemblies so worth checking that with your dealer. Obviously keep any invoices & get the garage to list the work in detail on the invoice so if you present it to MG they will understand the issue fully. Being the very smart guy you are I'm pretty sure you don't need any of this advice but for those in similar positions it might help them. GOOD LUCK!

This is helpful advice, thank you.

 

[Davn]

Just FYI, I had a nasty surprise from my first MOT. Failed, both front suspension bushes ‘debonded’. The (non-dealership) tester seemed surprised that this should happen after 22k miles.

MG will replace under warranty at the same time as the 3rd service, but I’d suggest others might ask for this to be checked carefully at both second and third service.

Model: March 2023 Trophy

I had my MOT a few weeks ago @53k with no issues, I suppose it depends on how many potholes or rough roads you go over though could also be faulty parts

Mine were failing at 12.000 miles. Noted during second service that they were split and cracked but took 4 months to be changed as MG wanted to check them again after 3mths

Did they think they would self repair

 

[salty]

Did they think they would self repair

Probably.

 

[siteguru]

Fair comment Tom - mine's an SE and has around 14k miles. I don't think there's any suspension difference between the SE and Trophy though.

 

[Macadoodle]

I had my MOT a few weeks ago @53k with no issues, I suppose it depends on how many potholes or rough roads you go over though could also be faulty parts

Mine too are fine at 45k, possibly just some faulty batches

Would have expected x power owners to be having these issues more than the standard car. Non driven wheels give those bushes an easier time and so much of the braking is done by the rear, should last 10 yrs easy IMO.

 

[jamakr4]

Mine too are fine at 45k, possibly just some faulty batches

Would have expected x power owners to be having these issues more than the standard car. Non driven wheels give those bushes an easier time and so much of the braking is done by the rear, should last 10 yrs easy IMO.

Exactly.

 

[LenEV2016]

Been quite a few faulty batches of stuff with the 4

 

[Rolfe]

I must talk to my local garage about the feasibility of inspecting these bushes quite soon, before the 3-year anniversary and the MOT fall due, to give time to put the thumbscrews on MG if necessary.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

You can give them a quick inspection yourself. Put on full steering lock and one can be seen on top , a torch helps . It is about 18 inches in in front of the wheel and reachable to clean and get your fingers in to feel for any obvious tears or cracking. Putting on opposite lock reveals the second one. A mirror on a stick might be useful for a quick look at the front and underside.
A trustworthy garage or MOT centre for an advisable early pre - MOT would be better , especially if they give you a written report on the condition and them and any other possible defects which might raise some concerns before the 3 year cut off clause.

 

[Rolfe]

I'm intending to go for the latter!

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I'm intending to go for the latter!

Because the first regulated official check is at 4 years here , I intend to do the same at 30 months even though my own visual / clean and feel inspection seems to indicate no defects. I will ask the " MOT " guy to also check all the rear multilink bushes as well, basically an early "MOT" without the emissions component.

 

[Rolfe]

Good plan.

 

[T1 Terry]

I've got to agree ... anecdote is not data, at least not of significance anyway. I've not personally checked mine, but my car had no advisories whatsoever at first MOT last November - the first car I've ever had which has sailed through its first MOT. If this was a generic issue, shouldn't mine have suffered this too?

Not meaning any disrespect here, but you haven't driven your MG4 far enough to even need tyres as an MOT fail item, so I'd say your MG4 isn't a good representation on the average user over a 36 mth period .....

T1 Terry

 

[T1 Terry]

This sort of suspension bush problem isn't to uncommon. It happens to all makes of car. My new Citroen had it. Its not usually a design fault. The most common reason for this issue is the bush manufacturer alters the compounds used to make the bushes & they are not up to the job. Or...the manufacturing process goes wrong. It happens. The bush material starts to delaminate from the metal casing of the bush. MG don't make these bushes. They buy them in. They will replace under warranty usually before 3yrs is up if the mileage is not too high.

When this happens it's not normally a panic urgent job. From the info we've been told this one is far from urgent (referring to the original poster). It's ok to leave them if they haven't deteriorated excessively until a convenient time to replace them. As a dealership we would have to get authorisation prior to doing the job. We then have to get the bushes. Or sometimes it's a new wishbone or track control arm as some bushes cannot be replaced. It isn't always a quick job. It can take a while & all bushes must be replaced for good measure. Many many cars of all ages are driving around with shot bushes & the owners don't know. It gets picked up at MOT or service time.

It's interesting that some folks get so excited about this sort of thing. It's something that does still occasionally happen to all makes of vehicles. It not too uncommon & is why our cars have a service & or an MOT each year to pick up this type of thing. As a retired ex-tech I've changed more suspension bushes than I've had hot dinners. it happens less now than 30yrs ago but it still happens.
I think tsedge's car definitely should be covered under warranty. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. Most likely the bushes will be replaced with updated ones or the whole wishbone.

Generally a sign of poor bushing material choice or poor alignment, such as the bushing mounting hole not being square to the mounting position, or a steering geometry problem that is putting excessive strain on that particular bushing.
I'm guessing the latter can be ruled out, not every MG4 seems to suffer the bushing problem. The fact MG choose to replace the whole lower arm rather than just the bush, to me, indicates it is an arm miss alignment problem rather than a poor quality batch of bushings .....

T1 Terry

 

[siteguru]

Not meaning any disrespect here, but you haven't driven your MG4 far enough to even need tyres as an MOT fail item, so I'd say your MG4 isn't a good representation on the average user over a 36 mth period .....

T1 Terry

That's fair ... but others with far higher mileages (>10k miles per year) have also replied that their cars seem OK too.

 

[Rolfe]

I've just called in to my local garage and booked Caliban in for a full pre-MOT inspection on 9th March, with particular mention of the suspension. His three-year anniversary is 13th April, so that should give me time to get a warranty claim sorted if there is a problem there. He's done about 30,000 miles.

It's a particular issue as I had a catastrophic falling-out with my original dealer at the time of the two-year service and I need to get my knees under the table of another dealership for the three-year service and any warranty issues that arise.