Locked in my MG4 & unable to escape - Serious Safety Issue

[sdjmchattie]

I picked up my MG4 a week ago, I have twice had a ‘key not detected’ message both times when the car was in park however the first time I was able to open the doors, second time the passenger door was open i then got out of the car and locked and unlocked it with no issues. I was told by the dealer the software patch had been applied so is this a different issue or did they just not apply the patch and I have just been lucky and not been locked in

When people get locked in, it says Invalid Key Detected. If it says Key Not Detected like you say, that shouldn’t cause a lock in. But I guess that could indicate the battery is low on the key or that there’s a fault with the key’s aerial. You can drop the key, buttons facing up, in the front portion of the storage bin between the front seats to get as close to the reader as possible if you get stuck.

 

[Ayoull]

When people get locked in, it says Invalid Key Detected. If it says Key Not Detected like you say, that shouldn’t cause a lock in. But I guess that could indicate the battery is low on the key or that there’s a fault with the key’s aerial. You can drop the key, buttons facing up, in the front portion of the storage bin between the front seats to get as close to the reader as possible if you get stuck.

I thought the instructions say the storage bin under the arm rest?

 

[sdjmchattie]

I thought the instructions say the storage bin under the arm rest?

That’s where I meant, but your description is better.

 

[ceeessbee]

Hi that I don’t know for sure but on here somewhere somebody said there dealer had said it need to be replaced so no idea if my dealer will do anything or not but I pointed it out the day we pick up the car an the salesman said they knew afoul this and they would be in contact when they have a fix for it so as it is now going in for the recall I just thought I would remind them about it let you all know after the 24th along with the other things I have told them needs looking at.
Les.

Thanks Les. I'm booked in for the S/W update end of month, while I wait (about 90 mins). There are a number of other unnamed fixes apparently so I'll try and get the list and report back. I asked about the undertray and whilst the dealer couldn't specify at the moment (didn't know), did say a 'fix' will be available.
Chris

 

[Jester27]

Received 2 recall letters today for both of the MG4's I rejected in October and November.
Good to see the dealers updated MG after they were both refunded. (Not)

I would assume maybe that both cars are back out in the wild and now potentially with new owners that probably won't receive a recall notification for their vehicles.
Another example of how badly the MG company is run.
I can add the VIN numbers tomorrow if anyone is curious about their red standard range SE's if they were low mileage purchases.
But if you have one I'd just contact your local dealer anyway to be sure.
Sad though to think that MG assume I still own both cars after all this time.
They've both been removed by DVLA from my name.
So its got to be an internal set up for sending info out.

 

[sectokia]

MG are in for a world of hurt....

It is one thing to fix the software to stop the alarm and door locking working.

It is a completely different thing to not have a manual way to exit the vehicle - over-riding system malfunctions.

For example what happens if:
-The 12V battery is completely flat, or comes disconnected. Will the doors even open now?
-You are in a crash or drive into water such that power/fuse cuts power. Will the doors even open?

Frankly I seems like a huge oversite for the vehicle not to have manually releasable doors. I don't know when this first started happening (apparently its quite common in UK/EU?) but its something I've never seen before the MG4.

 

[Eber]

They've both been removed by DVLA from my name.
So its got to be an internal set up for sending info out.

That's very interesting (and surprising). I would have assumed that the letters are sent to addresses provided by DVLA. Anything else doesn't make sense.

 

[Les burrows]

Hello Sectorial and welcome to this forum, you raise a very valid point with your question above in #686 but just in case you don’t know, and I am not trying to defend MG, there is a way to get out of the car if the doors can’t be opened that is already in the car, and that is through the tailgate, this can be opened from inside even I think if all power is lost, not ideal I know, but it is there and can be used with some difficulty if needed, but other than that I don’t know but I will ask the question of my dealer when my car goes in to have the software update
Les

Edit screen shot of the owners handbook page 248-249

 

[Simler51]

Hello Sectorial and welcome to this forum, you raise a very valid point with your question above in #686 but just in case you don’t know, and I am not trying to defend MG, there is a way to get out of the car if the doors can’t be opened that is already in the car, and that is through the tailgate, this can be opened from inside even I think if all power is lost, not ideal I know but it is there and can be used with some difficulty if needed but other than that I don’t know but I will ask the question of my dealer when my car goes in to have the software update
Les

Hello Les
Most of us know that you can manually escape via the tailgate. But you have to consider that other factors may hinder you if :-
1. There are three or four people in the car.
2. There is shopping, luggage or other large objects
3. There are one or two baby seats, empty or worse still with screaming children.
4. The sheer panic of one or all three of the above.

I could go on about loss of mobile signal to actually contact for help.
Sorry to be a doom and gloom merchant but that’s the way it is.

 

[Deleted member 10041]

Hello Les
Most of us know that you can manually escape via the tailgate. But you have to consider that other factors may hinder you if :-
1. There are three or four people in the car.
2. There is shopping, luggage or other large objects
3. There are one or two baby seats, empty or worse still with screaming children.
4. The sheer panic of one or all three of the above.

I could go on about loss of mobile signal to actually contact for help.
Sorry to be a doom and gloom merchant but that’s the way it is.

In Lee's defence I think he was just showing the way out if you get stuck, he was not in anyway defending the MG, I totally agree regarding the practicalities and I've read Les voice the same concerns previously.

 

[Simler51]

In Lee's defence I think he was just showing the way out if you get stuck, he was not in anyway defending the MG, I totally agree regarding the practicalities and I've read Les voice the same concerns previously.

I agree i apologise to Les for jumping down his throat. But MG are being bliase about this issue.
The recall letter does not in any way state that the problem is potentially dangerous, and that they have sent it ‘in accordance with DVSA’ .
One washing machine in a thousand catches fire and the safely standards people send recall letters instantly.

 

[Ian Key]

One washing machine in a thousand catches fire and the safely standards people send recall letters instantly.

Not quite true. It took 79 fires before Whirlpool issued a recall and that was after pressure from consumer groups like BBC's Watchdog. The machines were built between 2014 and 2018 but the recall wasn't issued until December 2019.
While I agree MG's locking in problem is potentially dangerous so far it has been an inconvenience for those it has happened to but there have been no accidents or fatalities and no property including the car has been destroyed.

 

[sdjmchattie]

Almost certainly worth noting however that the door pulls are mechanical. Not an electronic switch as is being suggested.

A dead battery or broken fuse should not prevent you opening the doors. There is a deadlock mechanism that makes the mechanical linkage stop working for security. The fault is that this deadlock is activating with people in the car because of a misreading/misunderstanding of the key signal. The car goes into lockdown because it thinks it’s being stolen.

A security system that lets you open the door with a pull of the internal handle while the car is supposed to be locked would be as useful as an inflatable dartboard.

Without a doubt though, this is a monumental balls up that is too complex to explain to the general consumers. I’m confident that the fix will make the car safe again. Any previous car you had most likely also had the deadlock but you never knew because it should never ever be active while you’re still inside.

 

[Jto]

This was in The Sun man gone back to petrol after stuck in his MG4.

 

[Simler51]

Not quite true. It took 79 fires before Whirlpool issued a recall and that was after pressure from consumer groups like BBC's Watchdog. The machines were built between 2014 and 2018 but the recall wasn't issued until December 2019.
While I agree MG's locking in problem is potentially dangerous so far it has been an inconvenience for those it has happened to but there have been no accidents or fatalities and no property including the car has been destroyed.

Yes perhaps I am overreacting- nothing has happened yet but ‘horse gone bolt for door after’?

Should’ve said horse and cart gone as I have said in another thread

 

[Cocijo]

MG are in for a world of hurt....

It is one thing to fix the software to stop the alarm and door locking working.

It is a completely different thing to not have a manual way to exit the vehicle - over-riding system malfunctions.

For example what happens if:
-The 12V battery is completely flat, or comes disconnected. Will the doors even open now?
-You are in a crash or drive into water such that power/fuse cuts power. Will the doors even open?

Frankly I seems like a huge oversite for the vehicle not to have manually releasable doors. I don't know when this first started happening (apparently its quite common in UK/EU?) but its something I've never seen before the MG4.

There really should be a manual door release function.

 

[Simler51]

There really should be a manual door release function.

And an emergency manual rear windscreen wiper

 

[sdjmchattie]

There really should be a manual door release function.

There is, but the deadlock inactivates the linkage. The deadlock should never ever be apparent to the owner and should only be active when the car is locked while you’re outside it. This is the crux of the fault. The key is misread and the car goes into theft mode.

 

[Les burrows]

Hi Cocijo you know what I think there is as stated by Scjmcchattie I believe the locks are mechanical lever or cables it’s just the dead locks that are electrical which is why there is a software update being done in fact when you start off in the car at around 2-5 MPH you hear the dead locks operate as you move at lease that’s what I think it is several times people who have never been in the car before have said as we set off ho what was that noise then sounded like the door just locked and that’s the dead lock kicking in I’m sure

 

[Simler51]

My vehicle has been on this ramp since Friday awaiting software updates - my dealer sent this pic as he thought I did not believe him. So god knows how long till these things come through.

I notice from the picture of my car that the bonnet is open - are the updates Wi-Fi/Bluetooth or is a mechanical connection under the bonnet?