iSmart App Digital Key not working - The fix

[mg4mc]

My digital key worked, then when I got a new phone it would unlock the car, but not start it. The common "Smart key not detected", "Put key in the manual start position".

I tried unbinding/binding the car, logging out and logging back to the app, deleting app data and logging again. Disabling/enabling the key seemed to create new keys on the server (app before Android version 1.1.12, version 1.1.12 doesn't seem to show the key select dropdown).

The digital key associated with my account appears to be stuffed. My account was created using my phone number - however I was silly and put my email address in the account information: see later...

The fix for me...

1. Unbind the car in iSmart app
2. Logout of iSmart
3. Force stop of iSmart, clear the cache, and data (or you could uninstall/install)
4. Register a new account, because I used my phone number before I used my email. But I got an error message saying that email was already registered - Grrr!
Anyway, my Google email allows me to create new pseudo email addresses by using "[myusername]-mg4@...."
This registered a new account on the MG server
5. Follow the usual login/bind car process.

The Digital key associated with the new iSmart account now works fine for starting the car again.

I guess what I need to do is get MG to delete the account created with my phone number on their servers. There does not appear to be a process for doing this anywhere I can see? I think that would a requirement of GDPR? Anyway, a question for the dealer tomorrow - I'm not holding my breath.

Ha! I found the "Delete account" hiding on the About screen.

Tomorrow I'll trying logging back in with my phone number and deleting/recreating the account....

 

[DBedford]

Too much work for me. Programming something to just have and never use.

 

[Lguk]

This raises questions...

Does the car show you how many digital keys are registered? Or could I bind my phone to an MG4 sell it, then go pick it up again a few weeks later using the app to unlock and drive away the vehicle?

 

[AdyC]

Im afraid to say that isnt a cure just luck as i just did all this and its still as it was .

 

[mg4mc]

Im afraid to say that isnt a cure just luck as i just did all this and its still as it was .

You created a brand new account and still had the problem?

 

[mg4mc]

Today's update:

I unbound the car from my mg4 email account, then logged out. The car showed it was unbound.

I logged in to my phone number account, and deleted it in the app (eventually, after lots of service not available attempts )

I then tried to log into the phone number account to check - failed, it said my account as "cancelled".

I tried to register the phone number account again, it failed saying it already exists. So, there may be some time to purge "cancelled" accounts, I guess. I'll try again tomorrow.

Logged back in with the mg4 email account and re-bound the car. Guess what, the digital key on that account will now only unlock the car but not start it! Grrr.

It seems to be something to do with either the logging out/in, or unbinding/binding that screws the digital key up.

I'll key trying to create phone number account on another phone, and if that ever works, try binding it on my phone again.

I guess i could use a new mg4a email account if I wanted to work again, but I have no pressing need at the moment, other than to find the cause of the issue.

Next update tomorrow....

 

[mg4mc]

The original phone number based account I deleted 4 days ago is still on the servers. I can't log into it, nor can I reregister it.

I'll give it a week, then I'll create a third new account, if the digital key works with that I'll probably leave it there.

There is definitely something flakey in MGs handling of you logging out/in or more likely unbinding/binding the car that messes up the digital key associated with that account.

 

[AdyC]

You created a brand new account and still had the problem?

Yep deleted my account and started again got the same servers down message but used the same number again with no issues. Just doesnt work .