MG4 Reduction Gearbox Oil Leak

[4ND]

As a prospective MG4 purchaser I was hardly inspired with confidence from the 'insight' from the podcast.
It's apparently 'only' about 30-40 users,,,,when ~ 1,000 have been sold (and how many of them actually post their reportings on an internet forum/facebook, or decided one day to get underneath their car and have a look, just because?) and I got the impression it's kind of social media's 'problem', which has snowballed it.
Try telling that to someone who just shelled out £30K or so of their hard earned, or who are busy paying a finance company she loads of interest for the privilege, or who are heavily considering buying one... as well as those on the phone this morning contacting companies on how to clean up their driveways of oil stains.

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

I was hardly inspired with confidence from the 'insight' from the podcast.
It's apparently 'only' about 30-40 users,,,,when ~ 1,000 have been sold and I got the impression it's kind of social media's 'problem', which has snowballed it.

Absolutely agree. It is at best disingenuous to play down this problem. If 'only' 30-40 vehicles out of 1000 had the problem then it would still be significant. If that was indeed the case then it indicates a lack of conformity in the manufacturing process or PDI (and I recognise that the problem may be as simple as over-filling).

However, for this statement to have any validity, then a large number of cars having been used for a few weeks and driven a few hundred miles would need to have been inspected and found to be 'problem free'. There is no evidence that this has happened.

On the balance of probability there are lots more cars out there with the problem but it hasn't yet been noticed or diagnosed.

It might not be the news that MG wants to hear, but burying their head in the sand will not resolve the issue or improve buyer confidence.

 

[4ND]

Either way, seems the issue progressed little or nothing for those with the leak.

 

[Fogey]

Well, I said a few posts ago that maybe MG felt the leak was just a case of losing "excess" oil, and would subside before the minimum required level was breached - but I think the more likely explanation is that they're confusing it with what would be a relatively trivial oil loss from an ICE (which would be in the category of nuisance, rather than potentially terminal).

The 2 egg-cup-full description seems to suggest they're regarding this as unimportant. But, in fact, 200ml loss from 900ml is NOT trivial - it's 22%. And it's not as if the mechanism it's escaping from is user-accessible - unlike an ICE, with its dipstick, filler cap, and cheap top-up.

If and when someone runs out of oil on the motorway, maybe attitudes will change...

 

[4ND]

If and when someone runs out of oil on the motorway, maybe attitudes will change...

Well, there will alaways be social media to blame, and failing that, maybe Brexit, or better still, Covid.

 

[Fogey]

Well, there will alaways be social media to blame, and failing that, maybe Brexit, or better still, Covid.

Yes, the fact that someone dug up the case of a guy who reported oil loss when he didn't actually own an MG4 seems to suggest they're looking for any excuse they can find. Not impressed by their attitude. At all.

 

[4ND]

Yes, the fact that someone dug up the case of a guy who reported oil loss when he didn't actually own an MG4 seems to suggest they're looking for any excuse they can find. Not impressed by their attitude. At all.

And that was followed up by an argument (paraphrasing) to be careful about social media as the number of reports (on social media) isn't always the number of cases in reality.
The number of reports may indeed not be the reality---there statistically will be more as not all of those 1,000 owners are on social media.

 

[Les burrows]

Just popped into the Oil leak poll again now stands at
59votes
30 now that don’t have the leak that’s up 2 from Sunday
23 have a leak but don’t yet know where it’s coming from ( up 2 ) from Sunday
Les

 

[4ND]

Fair enough though, it was said that if you notice the problem, take the car to your dealer. Which whilst of course is the way to go, it does acknowledge the problem.
Also, we need to remember that these sorts of things do happen from time to time with cars, especially '1st year problems'
Only on Saturday I was starting research on the Cupra Formentor (newishly released car) as I quite like it, and hit the relative forums for the goss. Infotainment issues literally fried me. So it isn't just the 4 (obviously).

 

[colsky]

And that was followed up by an argument (paraphrasing) to be careful about social media as the number of reports (on social media) isn't always the number of cases in reality.
The number of reports may indeed not be the reality---there statistically will be more as not all of those 1,000 owners are on social media.

The poll on this forum has 29 with the oil leak, out of a total of 59 voters, so pretty much 50%. Were they suggesting that some of these 29 voters may not be valid I wonder. If this poll is accurate, and can be taken as a representative sample, then that suggests that, extrapolated out, 50% of MG4s have the oil leak issue. That's serious isn't it!

 

[Ian Key]

Putting tin hat on and waiting for the fall out.
IF MG read this forum the majority of the comments about the oil leak are by members who don't even own an MG never mind a MG4 and I'm included in doing that.
It is very difficult to know what percentage of the cars are effected as a lot of people will only look on social media if they have a problem and then shout about it.

 

[colsky]

Putting tin hat on and waiting for the fall out.
IF MG read this forum the majority of the comments about the oil leak are by members who don't even own an MG never mind a MG4 and I'm included in doing that.
It is very difficult to know what percentage of the cars are effected as a lot of people will only look on social media if they have a problem and then shout about it.

But the oil leak poll thread is just MG4 owners though.

 

[Ian Key]

But the oil leak poll thread is just MG4 owners though.

Agreed but the chances are owners will only join the forum to find out about the oil leak and then vote if the have the leak in the first place. If they don't they won't join so won't vote for no oil leak so skewing the results.
I'm not saying that the problem doesn't need sorting and quickly.

 

[4ND]

My MX-5 for eg, is now on gearbox version 5 (not mine personally, I mean if you bought a new one now), with that first version 'box (V1) having quite a few reported failures on forums. The failure rate has gotten less with each passing version .
The soft top was causing rubbing along its leading edge (where it was contacting with the roll hoops when the top was in the 'down position). And in a few other spots. The top had revisions but it's still a lottery if it'll still do it.
Of late, bushing failures in rear hub carriers are cropping up as many cars go into 30K miles and beyond....with an approximate £700 per side(!!) hub carrier replacement (which apparently just replaces the failing one with another with the same DNA (but a recent TSB suggest an improved part has been made)).
SO it isn't always rosy on the other side.
And that of course is proper car with a manual gearbox, an exhaust and a petrol engine. Only kidding

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

There are likely over 100 demonstrators in circulation. If MG are serious about realising the scale of the problem they only have to get dealers to check these and report back.

 

[Alb]

You have to remember that members commenting on the situation are a disparate bunch.
A few (myself included) are actually qualified and experienced engineers but most just guess intelligently or repeat the words of others assuming they actually know what they are talking about!
I would add to the latter list the overwhelming majority of dealer staff be they sales or servicing personnel.

 

[4ND]

The burning question MG4ers, and prospective 4ers, are asking is will the issue be totally resolved before this thread hits the magic 100 pages

 

[Fogey]

Putting tin hat on and waiting for the fall out.
IF MG read this forum the majority of the comments about the oil leak are by members who don't even own an MG never mind a MG4 and I'm included in doing that.
It is very difficult to know what percentage of the cars are effected as a lot of people will only look on social media if they have a problem and then shout about it.

The non-owners will nearly all be people (like me) who've put down a deposit, and who belatedly start reading about a problem which has the appearance of not being treated with quite enough seriousness by the manufacturers.

As I've said before, I'm fairly sure the fix is relatively simple - why not just apply it to all cars and put the problem to rest?

 

[Fogey]

..And that of course is proper car with a manual gearbox, an exhaust and a petrol engine. Only kidding

What are those things?

 

[4ND]

Maybe already depositors and prospective owners might want to go and get the 1L manual petrol MG ZS exclusive. That one got the sunroof and 360 camera, too. Someone got one by me and it looks such a good 'dog's car' what I want to knock on the door of the person and demand they let me have spin. 'Only' about £21K, too.