iSmart messed up home charging

[OrpMG4]

Hi

I’ve had my MG4 two weeks but only just got iSmart app working as head unit was not activated.

Unfortunately, I’ve tried home charging tonight which has been fine in the past but has become very buggy. If I’m logged into the App the charging seems to stop after a few minutes and requesting it to start does nothing. Restarting charging from the car also seems to take several attempts. Can’t work out if it is a coincidence or not.

Anyone else encountered this? One night of several aborted charges is already annoying the crap out of me.

Thanks

 

[Ian Key]

Although it doesn't solve the problem of using the app or the car to start charging can you schedule your charger to do it?

 

[OrpMG4]

Thanks - maybe. It’s raining hard here so I’m not tempting fate plugging and unplugging the car till the weather improves. A quick attempt to charge from the car failed again - seems to get in a muddle whether it’s powered off, on or in ready mode not helped by the seat pressure switch. I’m missing my old Leaf’s on / off button.

 

[paulm]

I’ve had my mg4 for less than two weeks and also had charging problems. My problem turned out to be my Zappi charger which required a ‘factory reset’ which seems to have worked.

 

[tsedge]

I’ve had my mg4 for less than two weeks and also had charging problems. My problem turned out to be my Zappi charger which required a ‘factory reset’ which seems to have worked.

Zappis often need the latest firmware updates and reboots to be happy. Mine did and they didn't work via the Zappi app, I had to go in through the Zappi control panel to download and apply the updates correctly.

 

[OrpMG4]

Thanks. Mine’s an old podpoint. I’ve rebooted it by turning off and on again last night. Not sure it has firmware but I’ll check.

 

[stevegus]

I also struggled to make the timer in the car switch on charging. Then i found some info on here that absolutely works.

Use the app to set the charge limit /times.

Then unlock car. Plug in charger. Lock car.

The key part…..


DONT OPEN THE APP AGAIN

this seems to confuse the car and it will cancel the timed charge

 

[OrpMG4]

I’ve logged out the App and not using any timer and the charging has spontaneously stopped twice already this morning. Around 37% charge for what should be an 80% target.

Tried a 7kw AC public charger and same problem as home charger: disconnects after a few minutes so rules out any issue with our home unit.

Fast 50kw DC charger failed twice due to comms issues but third time lucky it worked in the end and fast charged to 80% in 30 minutes.

Contacting garage tomorrow.

The charging issue is now fixed. Appears to have been a software issue from the last update. They reinstalled one of the modules and now ok. Sorry don’t have any more specifics than that. Not sure the max charge feature is working as I thought I’d set it to 90% and it reached 93% when I stopped it so will check that another time.

 

[tsedge]

The charging issue is now fixed. Appears to have been a software issue from the last update. They reinstalled one of the modules and now ok. Sorry don’t have any more specifics than that. Not sure the max charge feature is working as I thought I’d set it to 90% and it reached 93% when I stopped it so will check that another time.

The max charge resets if the infotainment unit is rebooted (either by you or the garage). This might have happened.

 

[OrpMG4]

Thanks

Update: The car’s had a relapse and is no longer home charging after 10 days of more or less behaving itself. I’ve twice suspected it has sailed past the 80% charge limit I set but doubted myself so set the limit again today from the car screen and app and now it won’t charge at all. Currently at 60% charge. Will reboot the screen later but suspect it’s going to have to go to the garage for a 4th time in a month. Getting worried now as I can’t live with such an unpredictable car.

 

[OrpMG4]

Got it home charging again on third attempt after rebooting the head unit but very unpredictable. Ignores the 80% battery health limit. I think it’s some buggy interaction between the ismart app and the on car software.

 

[docbog]

Hi all. I am new to this forum having had my MG4 for over a week. It is very interesting reading this thread as I have been having lots of charging issues, so much so that I am paying for a new charger to be fitted, but now I am worried that could also be wasted money by the sounds of it!

@OrpMG4 I am getting another demo MG4 from the dealer to yet it's charging tomorrow. Out of interest, is it only timed charging that does now work or just in general? I get lots of error messages. Also, I tried the standard domestic plug charging which ignored the 80% limit. The dealers have said this could be do it not being 'smart' but surely that is the car software controlling that?

On a fast charger at the local Tesco's it DID work so that is why I then felt I had to replace the pod point (that despite being an older one from 2017) had the firmware updated remotely but this did not resolve the situation. Electrician came.round and tested the point (not an official pod point engineer who would not come out as they said the point was too old and not supported) but the electrician said it was all working on his testing kit. I had a Nissan Leaf previously and it all worked fine!

 

[Ian Key]

Only set the charging times either on the charger or its app OR on the car or iSmart. Not both. Make sure you've removed all charging times off the one you are not using.

Limiting the amount of charge is only available on the LR batteries. The SRs will keep charging up to 100% or until the charger is switched off.

 

[docbog]

@Ian Key thanks for your swift response. Interesting what you have said about LR Vs SR as I have a SR (standard range I assume you mean) and the dealer went through the limiting to 80% and said this was in health mode (and it says this on the car controls).

Many thanks for your tips!

 

[OrpMG4]

Hi @docbog .

Sounds like you have a very similar problem to me although I have the larger battery.

I’ve only tried to use the timer once or twice but never successfully. My podpoint is not reachable over wifi so I can’t update the firmware but worked fine with my Leaf and before I started using the iSmart app. I have also replicated the issue on public podpoint 7kw chargers though so I’m suspecting the iSmart App and/or onboard software. I assume the dealer replicated them on its slow charger too. Fast chargers have been fine.

It’s a pain but might be worth finding a public slow charger and seeing if you can use that successfully?

 

[FiferMG4]

@Ian Key thanks for your swift response. Interesting what you have said about LR Vs SR as I have a SR (standard range I assume you mean) and the dealer went through the limiting to 80% and said this was in health mode (and it says this on the car controls).

Many thanks for your tips!

Docbog, if your dealer walked you through limiting the charge to 80% for battery health and longevity, it sounds like you might have the SE (standard edition) Long Range model, the one in the middle which is currently advertised as £29,495. It’s advised on this model to charge the battery to 80% most of the time, unless you are going on a particularly long journey which would require a full 100% charge. It’s also recommended to do a once a month full charge to balance the battery on this model. On my car (SE Long Range), I set the charge limit to 80%, plug the Zappi in and the car tells the Zappi to stop when it reaches 80% charge.

 

[docbog]

Unless they messed up I only ordered the standard range one . Just checked all my paperwork and it says it is that. Would the app still show these features and just not actually work? As the app seems to show the ability to set the charge percentage.

I also tried all the different timings, etc on the chargers and car, etc and the point is still not working but it does work from the normal plug.

@OrpMG4 interesting that you are having similar issues. I agree with you on the software side. But extremely frustrating as I am getting a new charger, potentially for no reason, as it could be the car software but I am unable to get it consistently failing (if that makes sense) on all the chargers I try. I will see what happens with the demo car tomorrow.

 

[FiferMG4]

Unless they messed up I only ordered the standard range one . Just checked all my paperwork and it says it is that. Would the app still show these features and just not actually work? As the app seems to show the ability to set the charge percentage.

I also tried all the different timings, etc on the chargers and car, etc and the point is still not working but it does work from the normal plug.

I’m not sure about how it works on the SE model. We can ask @siteguru this question, as he has the SE standard range model. Siteguru, what do you think about Docbog’s situation?

 

[OrpMG4]

Can I just check - there’s no magic sequence of how you unlock the car, plug in the charger and lock the car (or stop, power off, open the flap, plug in and lock) to make the bastard thing charge is there?

Stupid thing is driving me crazy and there’s no logic for when it will and won’t play ball.

 

[Diggsy]

Unlock, plug in, then lock the car. That’s the only sequence I’m aware of. Powering the car down after plugging in might work too but I don’t know