MG4 Reduction Gearbox Oil Leak

[Deleted member 9692]

I have just this moment received a reply from [email address redacted], Customer "Service" Coordinator at MG Motors UK. His reply to my email was unhelpful, defensive, inaccurate. The thing that I was most surprised about was that he said I should have been told by my dealer that my car was safe to drive from the outset while waiting for a fix. When I pushed him on this saying I was concerned re damage, he said that all dealers had been told to advise owners to not drive over 50 mph until fix found. I suspect this is BS, anyone heard that before?

 

[tsedge]

Ok, sounds like there's a lot of miscommunication flying around. Suggest we all pause to catch our breath.

1. We know some people did have the wrong amount of oil initially in their gearboxes.

2. We know now that the breather is the cause of oil leakage and there is a kit to fix this on the way by 2nd week of November, maybe will come sooner but that's not that long.

3. The general message is that it is fine to drive with the leak, I think dealers have been saying do not do so because they were worried, but we previously had a message from MG saying driving with the leak and the hump in the undertray were both fine. Some people have been driving just fine.

4. Everyone is covered by the warranty, so even if you did get longevity problems, it is on MG to sort out and correct if a future problem occurs.

We should not assume that oil leak == doom for the gearbox. We don't know whether the oil level is critical or not, it may not be. I know there are some forum gearbox experts but they don't know the MG design.

I think it is good news that MG have a fix that doesn't require replacing the gearbox.

 

[Deleted member 9692]

Ok, sounds like there's a lot of miscommunication flying around. Suggest we all pause to catch our breath.

1. We know some people did have the wrong amount of oil initially in their gearboxes.

2. We know now that the breather is the cause of oil leakage and there is a kit to fix this on the way by 2nd week of November, maybe will come sooner but that's not that long.

3. The general message is that it is fine to drive with the leak, I think dealers have been saying do not do so because they were worried, but we previously had a message from MG saying driving with the leak and the hump in the undertray were both fine. Some people have been driving just fine.

4. Everyone is covered by the warranty, so even if you did get longevity problems, it is on MG to sort out and correct if a future problem occurs.

We should not assume that oil leak == doom for the gearbox. We don't know whether the oil level is critical or not, it may not be. I know there are some forum gearbox experts but they don't know the MG design.

I think it is good news that MG have a fix that doesn't require replacing the gearbox.

MG Motors UK are saying to me per [email protected] that they advised all dealers cars should not be driven above 50mph

 

[tsedge]

MG Motors UK are saying to me per [email address redacted] that they advised all dealers cars should not be driven above 50mph

I don't think anyone else has said that and you said yourself it sounded like BS. Was it Gary Smart or Gary Smith? Until we get more clarity, not sure what to make of this.

 

[Deleted member 9692]

I don't think anyone else has said that and you said yourself it sounded like BS. Was it Gary Smart or Gary Smith? Until we get more clarity, not sure what to make of this.

Gary Smart - I've corrected my post. I'm going to push him more on this.

 

[tsedge]

Gary Smart - I've corrected my post. I'm going to push him more on this.

Thanks. Please do. If it were true, what about all the owners that don't know they have a leak? This does not add up, they'd have to get every owner contacted and recalled.

 

[Deleted member 9692]

Thanks. Please do. If it were true, what about all the owners that don't know they have a leak? This does not add up, they'd have to get every owner contacted and recalled.

This was exactly my point to him, it makes no sense. I emailed him back after 5:30 this evening, maybe reply tomorrow.

 

[tsedge]

This was exactly my point to him, it makes no sense. I emailed him back after 5:30 this evening, maybe reply tomorrow.

Also, you can't enforce a speed limit, so even if they did ask people to keep to 50, how would they know whether they had or not? Never heard of anything like this!

 

[stevemc]

Just had this from my dealer, meant to be collecting our car on Sunday…

We can only be guided by MG regarding any safety – technical issues. They have said to us there is no reasons for the cars not to be driven or for new owners to continue to take delivery of their MG4

We did have similar persistent issues with ZS EV when launched and looks like when a new model is released issues are had. I see you are quite a distance from us if you do have issues so just for your own logistics do you have a reputable MG dealer close by ?

Naturally we will always strive to help you but the distance you are from us may naturally become an issue due to the distance.

On past experience the initial new model cars will have issues so maybe hang fire a little longer until MG iron out there teething problems . Naturally more than happy to look after this purchase Steve but I can see you are naturally concerned that the transmission oil issue is a concern to you and may cause you stress if the car is off the road etc .

As I said all we do is be guided by MG direct but we cannot guarantee you will not have any issues etc

 

[Deleted member 9692]

For anyone interested, the reply I got from Gary Smart today at 17:07. In point 3 he talks about the 50 mph. Point 3 is completely incoherent and contradictory IMO

 

[Alb]

Also, you can't enforce a speed limit, so even if they did ask people to keep to 50, how would they know whether they had or not? Never heard of anything like this!

You have no idea what information the car stores!

 

[OJEastwood]

I'm confident that by the time my car arrives, hopefully at the end of the year, this will all be resolved but from my point of view, it really is concerning for the MG brand that there is little to no consistency or continuity between the messages being given out from different dealerships. Matters like this it should be a case of singing from the same hymn sheet. Clearly internal communication needs improving, as well as the communication to their all important customers. As has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread, by not keeping customers up to date and in the loop, it allows uncertainty and doubt to set in which can (and has) lead to cancelled orders.

Coming from a Mazda dealership where we were exceptionally well looked after for 10 years, and customer care is paramount, I would love to see MG emulate that across the board. It does wonders to instil a feeling of confidence in the people looking after you and your car, and will help with getting customers to come back time and time again.

 

[tsedge]

You have no idea what information the car stores!

Why doesn't it program the sat nav to drive directly to the dealer then? That would sort people out!

 

[siteguru]

SE models don't have a satnav

 

[tsedge]

For anyone interested, the reply I got from Gary Smart today at 17:07. In point 3 he talks about the 50 mph. Point 3 is completely incoherent and contradictory IMO

View attachment 12127

It reads like "we think there might be an issue driving it but we don't know so we are going to say 50 just in case but obviously that won't work for everyone so you don't have to". Epically confusing and contradictory. They should either say don't drive or do.

 

[tsedge]

It reads like "we think there might be an issue driving it but we don't know so we are going to say 50 just in case but obviously that won't work for everyone so you don't have to". Epically confusing and contradictory. They should either say don't drive or do.

Maybe this is why we have not yet heard from dealers. Probably trying to work out what on earth to tell their customers. The minute you mention something like this, people go bananas.

 

[nivs123]

You have no idea what information the car stores!

You do?
Think you've missed the bigger picture here.

 

[tsedge]

You do?
Think you've missed the bigger picture here.

Shame it doesn't store the gearbox oil level!

 

[Oberoy]

Just had a reply to a comment on a Facebook mg group to a question to someone who's MG4 was being held before delivery. He had been told MG had put an embargo on his car being delivered due to the oil issue.
Here is his reply

Seems to align with the message people are getting today which is good news.
Shame they aren't being consistent with the info, sounds like they have a proposed fix and feels like they could send a clear message out wrt new deliveries and fixes to existing cars.

 

[Gem10]

Just had this from my dealer, meant to be collecting our car on Sunday…

We can only be guided by MG regarding any safety – technical issues. They have said to us there is no reasons for the cars not to be driven or for new owners to continue to take delivery of their MG4

We did have similar persistent issues with ZS EV when launched and looks like when a new model is released issues are had. I see you are quite a distance from us if you do have issues so just for your own logistics do you have a reputable MG dealer close by ?

Naturally we will always strive to help you but the distance you are from us may naturally become an issue due to the distance.

On past experience the initial new model cars will have issues so maybe hang fire a little longer until MG iron out there teething problems . Naturally more than happy to look after this purchase Steve but I can see you are naturally concerned that the transmission oil issue is a concern to you and may cause you stress if the car is off the road etc .

As I said all we do is be guided by MG direct but we cannot guarantee you will not have any issues etc

Are you going to collect your car on Sunday? There is a possibility that it will leak oil on your drive. Will MG compensate you for that or for the inconvenience of having to take a new car back to the dealership for the breather tube?

Surely, as customers we should have a say in asking MG to fix the cars before selling them to us?