Here's an interesting one re Updates and VIN numbers

[AndyNWuk]

Here is an interesting one.

In my past posts, most of you will know that I have been waiting for my Dealer - Perry's of Preston to sort out the BMS 2020 and HVB Fuse Updates as these should have been done during the Pre-delvery checks.

Evidently problems existed at Perrys in Preston not having the latest MG updates installed on their SIP's computer system, but good news is that this has now all been brought up to date this last week, so I can now get my ZS EV Updated at long last so you would think.

Yesterday, I had a long conversation with their head of After Sales guy who was very very helpful and explained that for some strange reason, my car bought at the end of September came with the Comfort 2 software already installed, BUT he says according to the VIN Number of my vehicle, my car isn't on the list for any updates to be done which I find very strange, as it certainly does not have the BMS 2020 update as no way can I charge the car while unlocked.

I sent him a link to Mikes video on You Tube, which clearly explains this operation and he agrees that my car must have "slipped through the net" somehow.

The problem they have, is that unless my cars VIN Number is on the list of cars requiring the update, they can't claim for the job from MG unless they get authorisation first.

Perrys have agreed to take my car in on Friday of next week for a full day to check through the software and double check that everything has been done using their now up to date SIP's system.

If they find anything that hasn't been done, they will argue the fact with MG Motors UK to get it sorted for me.

So hopefully after next Friday I should be a Happy Bunny at long last and will keep you posted.

From all this, it seems to me that dealers are not doing certain updates because VIN Codes for certain cars have not been included in the dealership update listing.

On another front, he also explained that the VIN Code DOES NOT contain the date of manufacture at all.

My VIN Code for example: SDPW7CB3FLZ132543 he explained was broken down as follows:

SDP = MG Motors
W = Type of Vehicle
7C =- Body Style
B3 = Exclusive
F = Electric
LZ = I think this was Factory of assembly
Other remaining numbers = Serial Number

Hope this helps

Andy

 

[Srp111]

Very interesting, cheers for the update

 

[meetyg]

Well there go my assumptions about build date for the MG

But thanks for the info!

 

[AndyNWuk]

Well there go my assumptions about build date for the MG

But thanks for the info!

LOL confused me too, I thought all codes showed the date of manufacture but evidently not.

 

[jamesie]

As far as I am aware the tenth character of the VIN is the year of manufacture code. L is 2020.

 

[Baz]

I had the same problem according to my vin number the car was up to date luckily I new the workshop manager and got them to do the bms update ,now charging when unlocked

 

[AndyNWuk]

I had the same problem according to my vin number the car was up to date luckily I new the workshop manager and got them to do the bms update ,now charging when unlocked

Thanks for that Baz, looks like its down to the individual workshop and dealer and how much they want to do to help their customer or take the money and run. The guy I am now dealing with at Perrys seems very keen to sort out these updates for me, yet another guy (who I believe is now furloughed) I dealt with previously at the same dealership, just simply told me "not to believe everything you read on these forums", without all you guys out there, we would only have to go with what the dealer tells us, that's the whole purpose of sharing our knowledge with each other and for me its simply great and I thank you all for that.

 

[AndyNWuk]

As far as I am aware the tenth character of the VIN is the year of manufacture code. L is 2020.

Hi James, I asked the guy at Perry's if the VIN code did say anywhere the month and date of manufacture and he said apparently not, he read all the information on his SIPs screen to me as he too was looking for the month of manufacture to determine when the Comfort 2 update was done as the car arrived with it already installed but the other updates could have been missed. I will let you all know on Friday this week what they find when they connect the SIP's to the car, I am sure all will be revealed.

 

[SteeveeLeevee]

AutoCheck.com

www.autocheck.com

How To: Decode a VIN

Decode a VIN number, find out what it means. Where was your car truck or SUV made, which digit means the vehicle model year. Click to find out

tap.fremontmotors.com

Both these sites show how to decode VIN numbers, the second site has a table to show the year letters and coincidentally the letter 'L' is 2020.

I would have thought that VIN numbers have a legal requirement to show all the vehicle details.

I have a 2019 Tesla M3 and the 10th digit is 'K'
My wife has a '20' reg (March delivery) MG zs ev and the 10th digit is also a 'K' indicating 2019 as year of manufacture.

Might I suggest that those with 2nd cars check the 10th digit against the table on the second site link to see if this theory holds water.

 

[jamesie]

That's the same website I checked for VIN details. I take possession of my ZS EV tomorrow and checked the VIN against the decode. Year of manufacture for mine is L = 2020. Don't see that you can determine month of manufacture which is a shame.

 

[AndyNWuk]

The item that sparked off the discussion originally was to try and find from the VIN Code the month of manufacture for the MG ZS EV.
The reason for this is that certain updates for the vehicle where only applied to cars leaving the production line up to June 2020.
We had hoped the VIN Code could tell us the month of manufacture but look like it doesn't, my dealer told me it doesn't give them the date at all, yet some websites say the Years shown in the 10th Digit of the VIN Code but not the month, which tells me in that case that my car was indeed manufactured in 2020 as my 10th digit is indeed an "L".
What it clearly doesn't tell us is which month, to help diagnose which updates where included during production.

I only found out this week that my Comfort 2 update was already done when the car arrived at the dealer, which tells me the car was manufactured after June 2020, but the BMS 2020 and HVB Fuse updates I don't think was done, which is why these will be checked by the dealer on Friday. \
According to the list of VIN Numbers of cars that do need these updates, mine isn't included on the that list according to the dealer.
For certain the BMS 2020 update hasn't been done and the HVB Fuse we can't tell until the newly updated SIP's computer is connected to the car on Friday.
Will keep you updated.

 

[Kithmo]

AutoCheck.com

www.autocheck.com

How To: Decode a VIN

Decode a VIN number, find out what it means. Where was your car truck or SUV made, which digit means the vehicle model year. Click to find out

tap.fremontmotors.com

Both these sites show how to decode VIN numbers, the second site has a table to show the year letters and coincidentally the letter 'L' is 2020.

I would have thought that VIN numbers have a legal requirement to show all the vehicle details.

I have a 2019 Tesla M3 and the 10th digit is 'K'
My wife has a '20' reg (March delivery) MG zs ev and the 10th digit is also a 'K' indicating 2019 as year of manufacture.

Might I suggest that those with 2nd cars check the 10th digit against the table on the second site link to see if this theory holds water.

10th digit on my 2016 Prius is a zero not a letter, so no.

 

[jamesie]

Could you post a photo of the VIN? Everything I read states that the 10th digit is year but a 0, as you say, suggests something else.

 

[Kithmo]

What year would it be if the zero was a letter "O" ?
Edit: just realised the letter O is not used in the VIN codes.

 

[AndyNWuk]

Could you post a photo of the VIN? Everything I read states that the 10th digit is year but a 0, as you say, suggests something else.

Hi Jamesie,

This is a photo of my VIN Code as requested

Andy

 

[SteeveeLeevee]

My Mazda MX5 VIN code show digits 10 & 11 to be to be 'zero & zero' site of manufacture is 11th digit either 0 for Hiroshima or 1 for Hofu, being as the letters I, O, Q are not used in VIN sequencing that still leaves the year in doubt.

 

[SteveO]

The item that sparked off the discussion originally was to try and find from the VIN Code the month of manufacture for the MG ZS EV.
The reason for this is that certain updates for the vehicle where only applied to cars leaving the production line up to June 2020.
We had hoped the VIN Code could tell us the month of manufacture but look like it doesn't, my dealer told me it doesn't give them the date at all, yet some websites say the Years shown in the 10th Digit of the VIN Code but not the month, which tells me in that case that my car was indeed manufactured in 2020 as my 10th digit is indeed an "L".
What it clearly doesn't tell us is which month, to help diagnose which updates where included during production.

I only found out this week that my Comfort 2 update was already done when the car arrived at the dealer, which tells me the car was manufactured after June 2020, but the BMS 2020 and HVB Fuse updates I don't think was done, which is why these will be checked by the dealer on Friday. \
According to the list of VIN Numbers of cars that do need these updates, mine isn't included on the that list according to the dealer.
For certain the BMS 2020 update hasn't been done and the HVB Fuse we can't tell until the newly updated SIP's computer is connected to the car on Friday.
Will keep you updated.

Hi Andy,

I would be very interested in hearing how you get on.

Our dealer Vic Young is stating categorically that they can NOT apply the BMS Update to our 2 day old car as the VIN doesn't list it as an update that is available for our car.

Our car will not charge unless it is Locked, sometimes even locking it doesn't work either

 

[AndyNWuk]

Hi Andy,

I would be very interested in hearing how you get on.

Our dealer Vic Young is stating categorically that they can NOT apply the BMS Update to our 2 day old car as the VIN doesn't list it as an update that is available for our car.

Our car will not charge unless it is Locked, sometimes even locking it doesn't work either

Hi Andy,

I would be very interested in hearing how you get on.

Our dealer Vic Young is stating categorically that they can NOT apply the BMS Update to our 2 day old car as the VIN doesn't list it as an update that is available for our car.

Our car will not charge unless it is Locked, sometimes even locking it doesn't work either

Hi Andy,

I would be very interested in hearing how you get on.

Our dealer Vic Young is stating categorically that they can NOT apply the BMS Update to our 2 day old car as the VIN doesn't list it as an update that is available for our car.

Our car will not charge unless it is Locked, sometimes even locking it doesn't work either

Will do Steve, it seems to me that this is down to MG Motors UK not authorising certain vehicles by excluding their VIN numbers from the update list. I recon if you offered to pay the dealer for the update they would do it, even though it should have been done on pre-delivery inspection.
At least my dealer is willing to check it for me to try and get to the bottom of whats going on here, will keep you updated.
It just worries me that if the vehicle doesnt have the BMS update then the more important HVB fuse update hasnt been done either which could potentially be dangerous.

 

[SteveO]

Hi Andy,

Spoke to my local dealer today and passed on the Reg.

They checked for available software against our car and got one match;

"Charging Management System Software" which allows the doors to be unlocked while charging which will suspend charging but providing the plug is not removed charging will resume after 60s. At least I think that is what was said.

Now I will contact Vic Young MG to ask if this is correct and if so why they didn't do it.
There will of course be a charge for this update which hopefully Vic Young MG will cover.

 

[Tango130]

@AndyNWuk how did it go on Friday?