MG4 Lack of software Updates thread

[Spaniard]

Let's start a rant about the lack of updates, OTA upgrades, and extensively compare how other brands issue and deploy them (or not) and criticise the annoying bugs we find in the car and the iSmart app.

Please, write your comments in this one and not in the MG4 Software Updates thread which is just to track the latest version for the different trims.

I am fed up of the R30 navigator freezing the screen as it makes me miss many turns!

 

[Jomarkh]

Won't it get confusing having two similar named threads?

 

[Spaniard]

No, they are not similar.
This one is to discuss the LACK of updates, which seems to be the actual living impulse of MG4 owners and ex-owners. The source of inspiration to write about any matter impacting the life of an EV owner.

The other is supposed to be for boring version numbers and technical information; just for nerds.

If you have taken your car to the garage and the car has NOT been updated, or updated to an old version, please tell us your (sad) story here.

If your car HAS been upgraded to a version you have not ever heard about before, then post in the other thread.

 

[Rolfe]

I'd like them to fix the bugs in the existing software first.

On the SE.

1. The USB music player is essentially useless because it lacks the facility to handle folders which the Trophy has.
2. The radio (well, the sound system) comes on whenever the car is woken up, even if you turned it off before you got out last time.
3. The auto-locking can't be disabled.
4. Update R16 added a new bug - it removed the outside temperature display from the central screen.

On the Trophy.

1. The LKA comes on when the central screen switches between light and dark modes, even if you switched it off before moving off. (If this has been fixed, maybe a Trophy owner can say.)
2. The HVAC screen vanishes a couple of seconds after the star button has been pressed. (Some people say they like this, I have no idea why.)
3. All the unpairing of phones, screen instability and so on that Trophy owners have complained about.

On both versions.

1. The pre-heating/cooling from the app doesn't work if the car is plugged in but not charging. (I thought someone had reported seeing a fix for this?)
2. The HVAC temperature control reads 5 degrees higher than the actual temperature reached at that setting.
3. The lights come on if the sun goes behind a cloud unless you take the cover off the sensor.
4. The state-of-charge indicators on the central screen are obviously meant to change to amber when the charge is getting low and red when it's very low (there are videos of cars doing this) but other than occasionally changing to amber at random times (including 100% charge), they stay green.

I've probably missed some. Vague reports of cars where one or two of these problems have been fixed, but pretty much all cars still seem to have them.

 

[Cabbages]

I'm still on R13 for my SE LR. Absolutely sick of Android Auto crashing every 10-20 mins. I don't do any commuting so the majority of longer drives require sat nav. I have to rely on my passenger to unplug and replug in my phone every time this happens. Unacceptable performance. Other than LKA I love the car, but this issue is extremely frustrating to deal with.

 

[tsedge]

This is already overlapping with the other thread. I appreciate the desire to keep threads more narrowly on topic, but it isn't achievable in practice. Now there are two places to look.

 

[Spaniard]

This is already overlapping with the other thread. I appreciate the desire to keep threads more narrowly on topic, but it isn't achievable in practice. Now there are two places to look.

Nobody tried to split them, so far, so let's see if it is (or not) achievable.

I do not see a problem for anybody to look on both threads when you like to write and read a lot of opinions, but not everybody likes to dive among hundreds of anecdotal posts to find a specific piece of information about the MG4 (i.e. what's the latest version and known fixes/bugs for my car).

In fact, there are already newcomers starting new threads to ask about this simple piece of information because it simply is too hidden there.

 

[Spaniard]

I'm still on R13 for my SE LR. Absolutely sick of Android Auto crashing every 10-20 mins. I don't do any commuting so the majority of longer drives require sat nav. I have to rely on my passenger to unplug and replug in my phone every time this happens. Unacceptable performance. Other than LKA I love the car, but this issue is extremely frustrating to deal with.

Have you tried with some other phone or cable?

 

[smartn]

I'm on R30 on a trophy and sick of the LKA issues. Finally decided to book it in to MG to get software updated and got a call back saying they will run a diagnostic and charge me £120! Like the car, hate the company and would be unlikely to purchase another MG now and would advise others to avoid based on the 'MG experience'.

 

[Ian Key]

I'm on R30 on a trophy and sick of the LKA issues. Finally decided to book it in to MG to get software updated and got a call back saying they will run a diagnostic and charge me £120! Like the car, hate the company and would be unlikely to purchase another MG now and would advise others to avoid based on the 'MG experience'.

The R30 refers to the infotainment software not the rest of the different software modules so updating from R30 to R36 for example will have no effect on the LKA.

It is the dealer charging you for the diagnostic not MG and not all dealers charge for this. When I enquired about having my software updated there was no mention of being charged and I was offered a free courtesy car.

 

[Cabbages]

Have you tried with some other phone or cable?

Other cables, yes. I've not tried a different phone yet.

 

[smartn]

Yep, was aware that R30 is infotainment but no way of knowing what any other software level is as an end user as far as I am aware. Although it is the dealer who would be placing the charge I'm guessing its because MG policy is not to reimburse dealers for time spent on software updates even when the quality of software released by MG is questionable...

 

[SiW80]

Yep, was aware that R30 is infotainment but no way of knowing what any other software level is as an end user as far as I am aware. Although it is the dealer who would be placing the charge I'm guessing its because MG policy is not to reimburse dealers for time spent on software updates even when the quality of software released by MG is questionable...

I’m getting R46 installed and dealer told me it is a recall on their system. I would push them on this point and not pay for it.

 

[tsedge]

I’m getting R46 installed and dealer told me it is a recall on their system. I would push them on this point and not pay for it.

Worth a try.

When the 'dealer' says 'recall' they often mean 'address when the customer next comes in for a service or warranty issue' - these are what used to be called Service Bulletins.

True recalls - ie customers must bring their cars back in now - are very rare and usually for safety critical only.

 

[Kithmo]

TBH, I have a lack of interest in these current updates, I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.
It seems some of these so called updates fix one problem and create or introduce another.

 

[ukslim]

TBH, I have a lack of interest in these current updates, I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.
It seems some of these so called updates fix one problem and create or introduce another.

Well, there was a post saying "I got a software upgrade, and now LKA is brilliant and all my other niggles are gone". Would be nice if true.

OTOH I don't think OTA updates are normal or expected on any car platform except Tesla. Ford tried it a couple of times, IIRC, and bricked some cars, and delayed other cars from starting their journeys, and it was bad all round.

I have some niggles with the software, but not enough to justify a visit to the dealer.

 

[cuke2u]

My BMW has successfully updated ota several times, as has others. Audi also do over the air as well.
I never expect them to fix all the issues though small.

 

[tsedge]

Well, there was a post saying "I got a software upgrade, and now LKA is brilliant and all my other niggles are gone". Would be nice if true.

My LKA is brilliant once switched off. The only upgrade I am interested in is a faster way to turn it off or disable it.

 

[Rolfe]

Agreed.

 

[smartn]

Yep, That would be nice. But as it stands we have an unsafe safety system that you can't turn off safely while the vehicle is moving....