Is it possible to access the MG4 via the app if it’s gone into deep sleep mode?

[Gav]

Hi, after a week of owning my MG4 Trophy, I was burgled and the car was stolen along with both keys. It’s been recovered undamaged and is with the dealership for a lock change and new keys, but despite working for weeks I now can’t get the remote control functions in the iSMART app to work, so we can’t unlock the car. Is it worth continuing to try or does it need to be opened by a key to wake up again, in which case the dealership is saying they’ll need to break the window to access? I also wondered whether setting up my phone as a digital key might be possible? The app won’t let me set it up remotely, but I wondered if being with the car might make a difference since it uses Bluetooth to perform the lock/unlock function.

 

[Ian Key]

I take it they didn't recover the keys with the car.
I'm surprised the dealer can't get a physical replacement key cut so they can open the door and wake the car up.

 

[Gav]

That’s what I assumed too, or some sort of electronic skeleton key. I wonder if they were to rock the car so the security system was activated whether that might wake it up.

 

[Robf]

That’s what I assumed too, or some sort of electronic skeleton key. I wonder if they were to rock the car so the security system was activated whether that might wake it up.

Hi Gav

Can I ask if you managed to locate the car through the app after it was stolen?
If they can open the bonnet would disconnecting and then reconnecting the battery wake It up?

 

[Gav]

Hi Gav

Can I ask if you managed to locate the car through the app after it was stolen?

Hi Robf, yes. Our phones were stolen too, but I called the dealership and they logged into the app as me and managed to locate the car.

 

[siteguru]

If your phones were stolen then I guess that also means you have no access to a device that was previously Bluetooth paired to the car? (I'm thinking Digital Key ... and this would have been a perfect case where allowing sharing of the key would be beneficial).

 

[Rolfe]

Gav, I realise this has been a massively traumatic experience and maybe you don't want to talk about it in detail, but if you were prepared to say what happened in detail, I think it would be good.

I would suspect that you were targeted by car thieves who saw your snazzy new car, either by watching you drive away from the dealership, or when you got it home. It's difficult to protect yourself against that.

So how did you get the car back? What did you do when you realised it was gone? When your dealer located it, were the police involved? Who actually recovered the car? So much here that would be good to know.

 

[Gav]

If your phones were stolen then I guess that also means you have no access to a device that was previously Bluetooth paired to the car? (I'm thinking Digital Key ... and this would have been a perfect case where allowing sharing of the key would be beneficial).

If your phones were stolen then I guess that also means you have no access to a device that was previously Bluetooth paired to the car? (I'm thinking Digital Key ... and this would have been a perfect case where allowing sharing of the key would be beneficial).

Yes, that’s right, although I was hoping the digital key might not require the phone that was bound to the car, but just one linked via the app. ATM it’s looking like they’ll have to break the window which will likely extend the timescale.

Gav, I realise this has been a massively traumatic experience and maybe you don't want to talk about it in detail, but if you were prepared to say what happened in detail, I think it would be good.

I would suspect that you were targeted by car thieves who saw your snazzy new car, either by watching you drive away from the dealership, or when you got it home. It's difficult to protect yourself against that.

So how did you get the car back? What did you do when you realised it was gone? When your dealer located it, were the police involved? Who actually recovered the car? So much here that would be good to know.

Hi Rolfe, yes, it’s been a pretty unpleasant time. I’d just taken voluntary redundancy and the burglary happened in my last week of work. I had a salary sacrifice lease car due to be returned that week, freshly cleaned and fully charged and the MG4 had just been picked up to replace it. The burglars got both sets of keys for both cars (the other being a Mustang Mach-E) but fortunately drove the MG only a short distance before thrashing the life out of the Mustang. Both cars were found via their apps and the police recovered them. The two most frustrating things are that we need to keep paying for the Mustang until it’s repaired and returned to the lease company and that despite being undamaged, and found the same day, it’s now 7 weeks later and we still don’t have the MG back.

 

[Rolfe]

I really feel for you. There have been a few traumatic stories from people joining the forum (the family whose car refused to talk to any French chargers as they set out to return from holiday was pretty dire) but I think yours is the worst.

I do hope you get it all sorted out soon without too much financial loss, and can put it all behind you.

 

[siteguru]

Yes, that’s right, although I was hoping the digital key might not require the phone that was bound to the car, but just one linked via the app. ATM it’s looking like they’ll have to break the window which will likely extend the timescale.

If the app can see and communicate with the car then simply using the app (via the MG server connection) to unlock the car would work. The digital key uses a Bluetooth connection to the car, so a device which has previously been paired needs to be in close proximity with the car for the DK to work.

 

[Gav]

Hi all, just to update an close the thread, I spoke with Luscombes Leeds today and they think the battery must have drained which is why the app can’t connect. They tried rocking the car and the alarm wasn’t triggered. Makes sense given it’s been over 7 weeks since it was last driven. They’ve ordered a replacement original key to open the car and change the lock. Should get it back by the end of next week. Thanks for all your comments.

 

[Rolfe]

Fingers crossed for you!

Were the cars only taken for joyriding then, and not stolen to be sold on?

 

[Eber]

Hi all, just to update an close the thread, I spoke with Luscombes Leeds today and they think the battery must have drained which is why the app can’t connect. They tried rocking the car and the alarm wasn’t triggered. Makes sense given it’s been over 7 weeks since it was last driven. They’ve ordered a replacement original key to open the car and change the lock. Should get it back by the end of next week. Thanks for all your comments.

Interesting. One should think that it's a piece of cake to get the door and hood open to charge the battery. That's what the AA man does every day.

 

[Gav]

Fingers crossed for you!

Were the cars only taken for joyriding then, and not stolen to be

Interesting. One should think that it's a piece of cake to get the door and hood open to charge the battery. That's what the AA man does every day.

Yes but I guess they usually have a key.

 

[Gav]

Fingers crossed for you!

Were the cars only taken for joyriding then, and not stolen to be sold on?

It looks like the MG was stolen to sell on because it was parked up almost immediately and left. The police said they usually do that to see if they have a tracker fitted. The Mustang was thrashed - used 200 miles of battery range in 28 miles of driving and was ripped apart inside.

 

[Rolfe]

Bloody hell. I didn't know it was possible to drive like that. I wonder if it was just an opportunistic theft or if they saw you leaving the dealer or something.

 

[Gav]

Bloody hell. I didn't know it was possible to drive like that. I wonder if it was just an opportunistic theft or if they saw you leaving the dealer or something.

I’ve no idea, but I suspect it was opportunistic. Apparently there’s been a significant increase in car thefts recently, presumably due to the long lead times for new cars creating a market for stolen ones.

 

[Rolfe]

Sigh. At least you got the MG back in one piece. Terrible shame about the Mustang, but presumably the insurance will cover at least a decent chunk of the loss eventually.

 

[Eber]

Yes but I guess they usually have a key.

Yes, it looks like this.