Locked out

[mjdubya]

Good afternoon all XPower owners, apologies for he long post.

I had a problem with my car a few days ago which could've led to a major issue had I been in the car; I used the key fob to open the car and heard the usual noises, went to open the driver's door but it was locked, along with the boot, but I could open the other doors. Not a problem (as such) as I just opened the front passenger door, leant across and tried to open the door with the 'open door switch, this didn't work so I tried the manual handle but it was locked solid. I then tried the key blade (from inside the key fob) but that too, was locked solid with no way of turning the key.

I checked the 12v battery voltage with the MG app and it was showing 12.9v. I rang MG Assistance (The AA), explained the problem and they said they'd send someone out. After a couple of minutes a technician called me and asked me to leave the car for 30 minutes and try again. A cup of tea later, I tried the key fob again and all the doors opened? The technician called me back to check what happened and I told him that the doors opened, so I cancelled the call out, however, he advised me to book the car in with a local dealer to see if they could work out what had happened. I'm booked in on 14th May, I'll let you know if they found anything.

Since this happened I've been a bit anxious about being in the car, on an open road, and not being able to get out of the car, as the door is locked solid!!

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Ian Key]

Did you try to open the driver's door before the mirrors were fully open? I just wonder if you tried the door handle before it had finished the unlocking sequence and stopped it unlocking.

Hopefully the dealer will take the door card off and check all the connections and not just plug a laptop in.

 

[mjdubya]

Did you try to open the driver's door before the mirrors were fully open? I just wonder if you tried the door handle before it had finished the unlocking sequence and stopped it unlocking.

Hopefully the dealer will take the door card off and check all the connections and not just plug a laptop in.

I don't remember trying to open the doors before the unlocking sequence, but I guess it's a possibility.

I did try to lock/unlock again and also used the spare key fob, but nothing worked.

Further to the original post ( I didn't want to bore anyone) when the car door did open, after leaving it for 30 minutes, when I started the car, every single fault warning light came up; No power steering, no emergency braking, no LKA, no camera etc, etc. The AA tech was still on the phone and asked me if I could drive it (safely) for a 100 meters or so, stop the car, get out and lock it. Then unlock it and re-start the car 'voila' everything worked as it should do. Weird.

 

[Ian Key]

Just check the 12v battery terminals are tight. They ship the cars with the 12v battery disconnected and sometimes they forget to retighten the terminal during the pre delivery inspection. A loose connection can cause all sorts of peculiarities.

 

[tsedge]

If not a loose connection this could be signs of an intermittent communication error in the car, mostly likely one of the modules involved in marshalling and digesting data from the various subsystems has got a fault.

Before that though, I'd want every software update under the sun, just to make sure.

 

[mjdubya]

Just check the 12v battery terminals are tight. They ship the cars with the 12v battery disconnected and sometimes they forget to retighten the terminal during the pre delivery inspection. A loose connection can cause all sorts of peculiarities.

Thanks Ian, this was one of the first things I tried, and the terminals were locked up tight.

 

[mjdubya]

If not a loose connection this could be signs of an intermittent communication error in the car, mostly likely one of the modules involved in marshalling and digesting data from the various subsystems has got a fault.

Before that though, I'd want every software update under the sun, just to make sure.

I'm hoping that the dealership will update all the software, currently R40, and find out what the issue was. I'm just glad that I didn't have to get out of the car in a hurry!!!

 

[salty]

14th May! Tell you what the dealers don't rush to get you in, do they.

 

[tsedge]

14th May! Tell you what the dealers don't rush to get you in, do they.

Many MG dealers have been quite overwhelmed due to the high volume of sales of MG4s over the first 18 months, plus a number of smaller dealerships have closed. A lot of poaching goes on of MG technicians to more prestigious (higher paying) marques and it is hard to recruit people with the right skills. Add to this that a lot of technicians in the market are not EV-trained and it does not help.

Of course, the better dealers have dealt with these issues by now, but it seems a lot have not and that long wait times for an appointment (not due to parts availability - that's a separate issue) are common, as is lack of availability of courtesy cars.

 

[William100]

Just tried to open my car both keys refused to work, entered the car manually and no display dead as a dodo. Checked the 12volt battery and found it only had 3.5 volts. I do not understand how the battery can go flat after 5 days non use. Waiting for the AA. The car is 2 months old.

AA just completed the check, turns out that the 12volt battery is shot new battery £150

 

[salty]

AA just completed the check, turns out that the 12volt battery is shot new battery £150

Obviously under Warranty?

 

[William100]

Yes if you want wait 4 working days and no courtesy car to get me home 30 miles then another 30 miles back to pick the car up in 4 days time. Also AA man told me that the Chinese battery only has a 12 month warrenty and the bosch battery has a 5 year.

 

[salty]

Yes if you want wait 4 working days and no courtesy car to get me home 30 miles then another 30 miles back to pick the car up in 4 days time. Also AA man told me that the Chinese battery only has a 12 month warrenty and the bosch battery has a 5 year.

Fair enough you needed to get the car going. But I'd still put in a claim for my money back, as the car is only 2 months old. Presume you've got some sort of receipt from the AA.

 

[William100]

Yes I did get a receipt, I had the same thought as you so I phoned the garage, Drive Bristol North where I purchased the car, and they said they would reimberse the £150 hooray many thanks. As an after thought my radio is now working after the battery was changed.

 

[salty]

Yes I did get a receipt, I had the same thought as you so I phoned the garage, Drive Bristol North where I purchased the car, and they said they would reimberse the £150 hooray many thanks. As an after thought my radio is now working after the battery was changed.

Result! Great.

 

[Ian Key]

Also AA man told me that the Chinese battery only has a 12 month warranty and the Bosch battery has a 5 year.

Do you know which Bosch battery they fitted? Might be useful for the rest of us if we need to replace ours.

 

[William100]

The invoice had this info on it BOSCH S4002 BATTERY 012 hope it helps someone.
The AA chap said that the battery failure is common on the MG and it goes with the radio failing

 

[Ian Key]

The invoice had this info on it BOSCH S4002 BATTERY 012 hope it helps someone.
The AA chap said that the battery failure is common on the MG and it goes with the radio failing

Thanks. Available from Tayna batteries for £58.58 plus shipping.

S4 002 Bosch Car Battery 12V 52Ah Type 079 S4002

S4 002 Bosch Car S4 Battery Bosch Group are one of the leading battery manufacturer companies in the world and have been delivering quality German engineering in the automotive industry for more than 100 years! Bosch is a world renown company name that have and still are leading the way for many...

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