MG 4 ongoing issue

[Bill Pillar]

Ongoing Issues with MG Vehicle and Customer Service​

Initial Breakdown​

The situation began nine days ago, when, after work, my wife called to report that the car's dashboard had lit up with warning lights and the vehicle would not start. I advised her to lock the car, wait a while, and try again, but this did not resolve the issue. I went to her location, which was nearby, and attempted various solutions, but the car would neither lock nor start, and all the lights remained on. I disconnected the 12-volt battery and waited, but the problem persisted.

Recovery Process​

We contacted the AA for assistance. After several changes to the expected arrival time, a recovery company finally arrived seven hours later. By then, I had taken my wife home and returned to wait with the car until 11:30 pm. The recovery operator tried everything, including addressing the 12-volt battery, but after an hour said the car needed to be recovered. I learned that the AA would only provide one recovery; if we took the car home, a second recovery to the dealership would not be covered. Therefore, the only choice was to take it directly to the dealership. Since they did not have a 24-hour call-out service, I decided to wait and sleep in the car, as leaving it unattended would have meant it was unlocked, with all lights on and a window open.

At the Dealership​

At 6 am, when the dealership opened, an operative kindly allowed me in to use the toilet and get a cup of coffee, as staff would not arrive until 8 am. When staff did arrive at 8am, they took the car, I contacted the AA, and They arranged a hire car for me.

Ongoing Delays and Communication Issues​

After four days, the hire car had to be returned to avoid extra charges, and the dealership had no other vehicles available. MG Technical repeatedly requested the dealership to perform various checks before approving a replacement, prolonging the process. Although the dealership asked MG to extend the hire car, MG declined, stating the situation did not meet their criteria.

Impact and Customer Experience​

After nine days without my car, I have been unable to get to work and have lost income as a result. As the weekend approached, further delays became inevitable. My confidence in MG as a brand has been shaken, and I am reconsidering any future purchases, particularly of the mgS5 model. Throughout this ordeal, both MG and the dealership have failed to provide regular updates, and I have had to initiate every call for information.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Unfortunately not an uncommon story, it appears that MG UK ( and I'll add on EU ) are doing their best to cement their bottom place in the JD Powers satisfaction list, whilst all the time trying to re-build the marque. It has to be said that there are similar stories from owners of other brands as well so perhaps it gives a view into the general motor industry standards where cost cutting is the order of the day and stuff the customer. The dealers, good and bad are stuck in the middle even if they try to be accommodating, the bad ones just add to the distress.
We all cross our fingers we do not have to suffer the same fate as the OP and hope his problems are resolved quickly , and he can give us a better update in the very near future.

 

[Bam Bam]

After nine days without my car, I have been unable to get to work and have lost income as a result. As the weekend approached, further delays became inevitable. My confidence in MG as a brand has been shaken, and I am reconsidering any future purchases, particularly of the mgS5 model. Throughout this ordeal, both MG and the dealership have failed to provide regular updates, and I have had to initiate every call for information.

What a nightmare.

Hope they get it sorted soon. I wonder if their technician is on holiday or something like that and no one else knows how to fix it?

Doesn't excuse bad communication though.

 

[T1 Terry]

As an ex automotive mechanic, politely called a technician, the qualification calls us Automotive engineers, we are treated like dirt, paid less than a truck driver and eventually all the deep seated urge to do the right thing ... we walk away .... feel bad for the first 12 mths, then realise we just earned 3 yrs mechanics pay in the last 12 mths and wonder why we stuck it out for so long .......
The whole automotive industry is experiencing this, there are a lot of You Tube videos with long term tradesmen lamenting the way the industry has gone ......

It will reach the stage where you just walk away from the dead vehicle, start a case with Fair Trading or what ever the dept is called where you are, and lodge a case of Not Fit for Purpose, they will be forced to give you your money back and you take pot luck on the next vehicle .... or just start using ride share or public transport ....

T1 Terry

 

[Tuareg]

Is everything in life about chasing money? I don't think so. When you get more pay somewhereelse, there's always another place that will 'offer' more. No point in spending your life chasing bigger and bigger numbers until you realise you're then too old to enjoy those numbers and also that people mean more than money.

 

[T1 Terry]

When I was still just a mechanic, the money people told me I didn't earn enough to qualify for a home loan, even though I had the deposit. How can a tradesman who spent 5 yrs training and 20 yrs in the industry, still retrained at their own expense to stay ahead of the game, not make enough for a home loan, yet a truck driver did, or a labourer for that matter.

Money isn't everything, but enough to live on would be nice. Enough to fully restore my '74 VW Kombi and do the conversion using the MG4 motor and parts I've bought from a salvage auction would be great.

I think the real problem is going to come, when the good technicians who remained in the trade, branch out and start charging what they are worth to those who really want their car fixed ..... At the moment, they are specialists who work on the exotic stuff, that will either filter down to the every day car .... or the average motorist will be stuck with what they have now, a dealership service workshop with poorly skilled diagnostic technicians who can do the basic service, but if something goes wrong that is out of the norm ..... the car will remain in the workshop until someone stumbles across a fix, or the authorities step in and sort the issue by forcing the seller to refund their money ...... if you bought the car second hand ..... maybe the parts dismantlers will give you something for it .......

T1 Terry

 

[HydraulicRam]

I'm afraid it's industry-wide, (not just the UK). Everything seems focussed on immediate gain and cutting costs/quality to the bone to get there.

In my industry it was a constant complaint "You can't get decent engineers", yet whenever the company had one they would minimise their wage, increase demands and refuse to pay for legitimate expenses until the poor soul left and the cycle began again.
When I (frequently) brought the issue up at management level the response was usually "that's the way the industry is", yet I knew companies who paid a decent wage and cared about employees, who kept good staff for decades.

It's a short term win but long term loss approach - employing inadequate/inexperienced employees, constantly training them, paying for recruitment and then it's rinse and repeat every two to three years at most. All to see a few % profit increase that year - but risking long term growth.

Rant over!

 

[siteguru]

In corporate-land everything is about month-end, quarter-end, year-end ... they pay lip-service to 5 year STRAPs (STRategic Action Plans), but the here-and-now is the God they worship.

 

[Tight Git]

Ongoing Issues with MG Vehicle and Customer Service​

Initial Breakdown​

The situation began nine days ago, when, after work, my wife called to report that the car's dashboard had lit up with warning lights and the vehicle would not start. I advised her to lock the car, wait a while, and try again, but this did not resolve the issue. I went to her location, which was nearby, and attempted various solutions, but the car would neither lock nor start, and all the lights remained on. I disconnected the 12-volt battery and waited, but the problem persisted.

Recovery Process​

We contacted the AA for assistance. After several changes to the expected arrival time, a recovery company finally arrived seven hours later. By then, I had taken my wife home and returned to wait with the car until 11:30 pm. The recovery operator tried everything, including addressing the 12-volt battery, but after an hour said the car needed to be recovered. I learned that the AA would only provide one recovery; if we took the car home, a second recovery to the dealership would not be covered. Therefore, the only choice was to take it directly to the dealership. Since they did not have a 24-hour call-out service, I decided to wait and sleep in the car, as leaving it unattended would have meant it was unlocked, with all lights on and a window open.

At the Dealership​

At 6 am, when the dealership opened, an operative kindly allowed me in to use the toilet and get a cup of coffee, as staff would not arrive until 8 am. When staff did arrive at 8am, they took the car, I contacted the AA, and They arranged a hire car for me.

Ongoing Delays and Communication Issues​

After four days, the hire car had to be returned to avoid extra charges, and the dealership had no other vehicles available. MG Technical repeatedly requested the dealership to perform various checks before approving a replacement, prolonging the process. Although the dealership asked MG to extend the hire car, MG declined, stating the situation did not meet their criteria.

Impact and Customer Experience​

After nine days without my car, I have been unable to get to work and have lost income as a result. As the weekend approached, further delays became inevitable. My confidence in MG as a brand has been shaken, and I am reconsidering any future purchases, particularly of the mgS5 model. Throughout this ordeal, both MG and the dealership have failed to provide regular updates, and I have had to initiate every call for information.

How old and how long have you owned it and which model have you got?

 

[Bill Pillar]

How old and how long have you owned it and which model have you got?

just under three years and it's the trophy one of the earliest I think, also its still at the dealership MG finally having approved a new control unit but its on order hopefully some time next week

 

[Tight Git]

just under three years and it's the trophy one of the earliest I think, also its still at the dealership MG finally having approved a new control unit but its on order hopefully some time next week

Another CCU failure then which hopefully will be fixed. As the car is 3 years old keep an eye on the 12V battery as they don't last long - either get a jump starter to keep in the car, or if you have a good battery charger/conditioner give the 12V battery a good charge. A decent replacement battery with 5 year warranty is about £70 and easy to replace.

 

[tsedge]

Ongoing Issues with MG Vehicle and Customer Service​

Initial Breakdown​

The situation began nine days ago, when, after work, my wife called to report that the car's dashboard had lit up with warning lights and the vehicle would not start. I advised her to lock the car, wait a while, and try again, but this did not resolve the issue. I went to her location, which was nearby, and attempted various solutions, but the car would neither lock nor start, and all the lights remained on. I disconnected the 12-volt battery and waited, but the problem persisted.

Recovery Process​

We contacted the AA for assistance. After several changes to the expected arrival time, a recovery company finally arrived seven hours later. By then, I had taken my wife home and returned to wait with the car until 11:30 pm. The recovery operator tried everything, including addressing the 12-volt battery, but after an hour said the car needed to be recovered. I learned that the AA would only provide one recovery; if we took the car home, a second recovery to the dealership would not be covered. Therefore, the only choice was to take it directly to the dealership. Since they did not have a 24-hour call-out service, I decided to wait and sleep in the car, as leaving it unattended would have meant it was unlocked, with all lights on and a window open.

At the Dealership​

At 6 am, when the dealership opened, an operative kindly allowed me in to use the toilet and get a cup of coffee, as staff would not arrive until 8 am. When staff did arrive at 8am, they took the car, I contacted the AA, and They arranged a hire car for me.

Ongoing Delays and Communication Issues​

After four days, the hire car had to be returned to avoid extra charges, and the dealership had no other vehicles available. MG Technical repeatedly requested the dealership to perform various checks before approving a replacement, prolonging the process. Although the dealership asked MG to extend the hire car, MG declined, stating the situation did not meet their criteria.

Impact and Customer Experience​

After nine days without my car, I have been unable to get to work and have lost income as a result. As the weekend approached, further delays became inevitable. My confidence in MG as a brand has been shaken, and I am reconsidering any future purchases, particularly of the mgS5 model. Throughout this ordeal, both MG and the dealership have failed to provide regular updates, and I have had to initiate every call for information.

Not a good situation at all Bill, I sympathise. You haven't been treated at all well.

One thing I would say is that there is no such thing as a guaranteed courtesy car or hire car unless you have taken out an insurance policy that provides this. MG AA assistance is the minimal package, to get you recovered only.

Availability of courtesy cars is always intermittent at any make of garage. It isn't economical sensible for them to always have a spare car.

I am not saying any of this is good or right, but just want to let people know: if you depend on your car and cannot be without it, you should take out a policy that provides the coverage/service you need for a replacement.

 

[GlobalHealer69]

Ongoing Issues with MG Vehicle and Customer Service​

Initial Breakdown​

The situation began nine days ago, when, after work, my wife called to report that the car's dashboard had lit up with warning lights and the vehicle would not start. I advised her to lock the car, wait a while, and try again, but this did not resolve the issue. I went to her location, which was nearby, and attempted various solutions, but the car would neither lock nor start, and all the lights remained on. I disconnected the 12-volt battery and waited, but the problem persisted.

Recovery Process​

We contacted the AA for assistance. After several changes to the expected arrival time, a recovery company finally arrived seven hours later. By then, I had taken my wife home and returned to wait with the car until 11:30 pm. The recovery operator tried everything, including addressing the 12-volt battery, but after an hour said the car needed to be recovered. I learned that the AA would only provide one recovery; if we took the car home, a second recovery to the dealership would not be covered. Therefore, the only choice was to take it directly to the dealership. Since they did not have a 24-hour call-out service, I decided to wait and sleep in the car, as leaving it unattended would have meant it was unlocked, with all lights on and a window open.

At the Dealership​

At 6 am, when the dealership opened, an operative kindly allowed me in to use the toilet and get a cup of coffee, as staff would not arrive until 8 am. When staff did arrive at 8am, they took the car, I contacted the AA, and They arranged a hire car for me.

Ongoing Delays and Communication Issues​

After four days, the hire car had to be returned to avoid extra charges, and the dealership had no other vehicles available. MG Technical repeatedly requested the dealership to perform various checks before approving a replacement, prolonging the process. Although the dealership asked MG to extend the hire car, MG declined, stating the situation did not meet their criteria.

Impact and Customer Experience​

After nine days without my car, I have been unable to get to work and have lost income as a result. As the weekend approached, further delays became inevitable. My confidence in MG as a brand has been shaken, and I am reconsidering any future purchases, particularly of the mgS5 model. Throughout this ordeal, both MG and the dealership have failed to provide regular updates, and I have had to initiate every call for information.

That's absolutely abismal service and also has deterred me from any further purchases from them in the future. There are many other reliable and responsible optional makes out there.

 

[salty]

MG AA assistance is the minimal package, to get you recovered only.

Is that correct? I'm not to sure.
I've just read. MG AA Roadside Assistance, get you going at the Roadside, if they can.
Recovery/Relay, take you to a single destination of your choice, doesn't matter how far.
Home Start. Come to your House, if need be.
Renewed every year, if serviced at an MG dealer.

 

[siteguru]

Agreed ... MG Assist is basically the full bhuna AA cover, on a vehicle-basis rather than a named-person-basis.

 

[tsedge]

I worded that badly, I meant the cover doesn't provide long-term car hire or anything much beyond solving the immediate problem. It may well be the "full monty" that the AA do, but it is recovery only.

Edit: thanks @siteguru, recovery and short-term car hire only.

 

[siteguru]

It also includes short-term car hire - I can't remember the conditions or circumstances though.

 

[tsedge]

It also includes short-term car hire - I can't remember the conditions or circumstances though.

Yes, as I said, not long-term hire. Anyway, I have made my point, if you want long-term hire car coverage in the event of a problem with your car, you need to buy a policy for it.

 

[Sparky2]

This is a copy of my letter dated 25 July 2025 to MG Customer Support, MG Motors UK

2022 MG4 Trophy LR

We have now owned our 2022 MG4 Trophy LR for four months and we can honestly say that it is far and away the most dangerous vehicle we have had the misfortune to drive. The journey home from the dealer in Oldham where we purchased the car on 28 March 2025 was bad enough as we did not know how to disable the wretched lane-assist software which repeatedly tried to steer my wife into the nearside kerb or ditch. The software (and the connected cameras) are not fit for purpose, clearly designed by clueless geeks and not properly tested prior to production. The driver has little control over the behaviour of the car which is what makes the car so dangerous on the road. The so-called ‘safety features’ which the totally dysfunctional software has incorporated in order to achieve an NCAP 5-star safety rating don’t work properly. They have the opposite effect on the driver’s ability to control the car safely. We cannot believe that cars like this are allowed to be sold in the UK with such dangerous software defects

On the evening of 26 June 2025, the car has gave us the fright of our lives. We were driving home at around 9.30pm along a clear, straight, tarmac, suburban road with a 30mph speed limit, a white line down the middle and kerbs on either side. I was maintaining 30mph up a slight incline with another car behind us. There were no cars in front of us, no parked cars on either side of the road and no oncoming vehicles. All of a sudden, the car slammed its brakes full on and brought the car to an abrupt halt for no reason at all that either of us could see. How the car behind us avoided running into the back of us, I don’t know but he/she must have thought we were drunk or stupid (we were neither). The ELK was disabled but some of the other ‘safety’ functions were enabled by default. We have regularly had the car brake suddenly for no reason, especially when travelling through contraflow road works with oncoming vehicles waiting at the lights on the opposite side of the road. The software thinks that the car is heading for a head-on collision so brakes hard before the driver has a chance to steer the car through the chicane. This is not a safety feature, it is bonkers and effectively removes any control the driver has over what is a simple manoeuvre. As a 73 year old IAM Advanced Driver and a former saloon car racing driver, I wonder whatever happened to driver skill and responsibility. Who will be to blame when the software causes an accident?

It appears that the car’s software is not clever enough to ‘remember’ or record the reason it had for slamming the brakes on with no visible hazard. I recall seeing some message in RED that flashed up on the driver’s screen as the brakes were slammed on and I think the touchscreen briefly showed a picture of the road in front of us but both of these disappeared within seconds of the car being brought to a stop. We both sustained chest bruising from the seat belts in addition to the trauma of having the car decide to stop dead suddenly for no reason. With the ELK enabled, the car is a nightmare to drive on country roads in County Durham with constant beeping and braking for no reason other than the cameras’ and software’s inability to interpret the intermittent appearance and disappearance of a white line on the N/S or O/S or both. The car’s software was updated to the latest version at our local MG Dealership on 1 May 2025

The car was booked in yesterday at Croxdale Durham MG because of the sudden braking incident described above but they refused to check for faults. The Service Manager confirmed that no further updates to the software are currently available

The behaviour of the software in this car is totally unpredictable. When you get in the car in the morning, you have no idea what settings the heating / air-conditioning will be engaged. They are rarely what we left them at the previous day. Similarly, the radio station chosen the previous day has rarely been remembered so some horrible pop station comes blaring out. Speed limit recognition is completely random and wrong at least 50% of the time. Totally useless. Binding my phone to the car took weeks and remote action by MG Customer Services was required to clear the previous owner’s attachment to the car. Every few days I have to pair the car with my phone as it seems incapable of retaining the pairing for more than a few days. Really annoying

For some unknown reason, turning at a junction activates cameras showing a totally useless view of the tarmac at the side of the car. Why do the software designers think this is a safety feature and an acceptable alternative to looking out of the window? It is madness and like the wretched ELK software, it is a useless distraction that adds absolutely nothing to safe driving

The other day, I got in the car and noticed that the touchscreen was dead, not displaying key information and not allowing disabling of the ELK. The car had been charged overnight to 80% charge but this was not displayed on the touchscreen. The radio station and heater/aircon settings were also not displayed. The driver’s screen confirmed the level of charge and ELK engaged even though this was not shown on the touchscreen. I drove a few miles and then got out of the car and locked it. I unlocked it but the dead touchscreen persisted. I took the three photos of the screens and drove the car to my destination with the wretched ELK bleeping and swerving the car all over the road. Returning to the car later, the fault had rectified itself and the touchscreen was working normally. There is clearly something seriously wrong with the software in this car and it is not fit for purpose

The MG EV Forum is full of similar experiences of sudden braking across the last few years. These dangerous cars should be taken off the road until the manufacturer can fix the software to return the car's controls to the driver. Trying to make a car safer to be driven by blind and incompetent drivers is a pointless and dangerous exercise. Whatever happened to driver skill and responsibility? Who is to blame when your car decides to slam the brakes on for no reason and the car behind crashes into you? Chasing NCAP 5-star safety ratings has led to bonkers software controls that are unsafe. There is a conspiracy of silence on this matter from MG Motors Ltd. My exchange of e-mails with you are simply frustrating and totally unacceptable

During my last visit to my local MG Dealership, I was told that the software is not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty and they reserve the right to charge us £144 to poke around in the car’s computer brain and more than likely tell us that there is nothing wrong with the car. Opinion on The MG EV Forum suggests that software faults are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty so we do not expect an invoice for the work to correct the car’s defective software

I am not holding my breath for a sensible or helpful response

 

[salty]

You clearly must have a Lemon of a car.
Because my MG4 does none of the above. Definitely agree with you over the NCAP 5 star ratings, so called safety aids. they are totally unnecessary, and as you say, can be dangerous. But obviously there's a simple way around this, albeit a pain in the arse, turn them, off. As for MG UK, they are totally useless, going off the posts on here. Good luck with your, letter,
although don't hold ya breath. I can see the reply now, "it's a Characteristic"