Not how I thought today was going to pan out...

[fred12345]

Absolutely no idea. When they put the car up on the ramp, they found it was damaged.

in that case you can only ask them for an explanation - how could it be damaged if you haven't done anything to damage it; maybe ask them to email you some photos of it with their reason for refusing the warranty work?
Warranty refusal came from MG or from the garage?

I don't know what the heath shield is, where it is and how it could be damaged - if anyone knows, please share.


reading on it, it says: Heat shields are barriers typically located between the cell vent and the battery cover or other parts of the battery enclosure and protect them from the direct impact of the particle-loaded hot gas stream from a venting cell

 

[Alb]

As I understand it, the "vents" they are talking about must be the battery relief valve:

This is covered by a "deflector" which has to be removed for access:

What doesn't make sense to me is the fact that the battery is supposed to be watertight to IP67 and that isn't going to be dependent on a protective splash cover. The Relief Valve (Vent?) will be to relieve excess pressure that might be generated in a fault condition in to out only so will not allow anything in unless it is defective.

 

[macd2401]

in that case you can only ask them for an explanation - how could it be damaged if you haven't done anything to damage it; maybe ask them to email you some photos of it with their reason for refusing the warranty work?
Warranty refusal came from MG or from the garage?

I don't know what the heath shield is, where it is and how it could be damaged - if anyone knows, please share.


reading on it, it says: Heat shields are barriers typically located between the cell vent and the battery cover or other parts of the battery enclosure and protect them from the direct impact of the particle-loaded hot gas stream from a venting cell

MG have refused the warranty claim because of the damaged plastic.

Apologies for the pic quality again ?‍?‍

The marked cover runs almost the width of the car, from what I can see on the video. This is the view from the front looking back.

This is the drivers side of the cover. Does anyone else think that cover looks damaged here??? I've only just noticed that looks cracked.

That's the broken side.

But now I'm starting to wonder if there's more going on with that cover than I first noticed.

 

[decrep]

Are those Black holes the vents???
If that's the case, the cover is missing directly below them.

 

[fred12345]

Had a bit of a chat with the tech at Rutherglen. It's a well known car in there now ?‍. As a few have already said, the thinking is the 12V system isn't charging the battery, so they'll be taking a look at that as the likely culprit. He also filled me in on what happened when it was in previously, and what little info MG gave him about what they did to it. Hv battery pack was removed, did some tests and some work on it...

This was your post on 19 January 2023 ; what is the date of that health check photos with broken plastic cover?

 

[macd2401]

This was your post on 19 January 2023 ; what is the date of that health check photos with broken plastic cover?

The health check photos are from the middle of last month.

 

[fred12345]

The health check photos are from the middle of last month.

I tried to look under my 2022 ZS to see how it looks like but I can't pinpoint the same place - I assume the layout should be the same on both models...

so that was the first time they mentioned the broken plastic cover? What is the connection between that and damaged "protective heath shield"? What @Alb posted above is absolutely right.
If - IF - protective heath shield is inside the battery which is supposed to be sealed, how come it's damaged?

Go back to them and ask for explanation as to what exactly is "protective heath shield", where is it and how could it be damaged since you haven't done anything do damage the battery ...

Having the full timeline of what happened, when and what they reported to you would help asking them the right questions - for example, if they say broken plastic cover allowed water in, how come they noticed the broken plastic cover just now after all this time? was it broken the last time they "investigated"?

 

[macd2401]

I tried to look under my 2022 ZS to see how it looks like but I can't pinpoint the same place - I assume the layout should be the same on both models...

so that was the first time they mentioned the broken plastic cover? What is the connection between that and damaged "protective heath shield"? What @Alb posted above is absolutely right.
If - IF - protective heath shield is inside the battery which is supposed to be sealed, how come it's damaged?

Go back to them and ask for explanation as to what exactly is "protective heath shield", where is it and how could it be damaged since you haven't done anything do damage the battery ...

Having the full timeline of what happened, when and what they reported to you would help asking them the right questions - for example, if they say broken plastic cover allowed water in, how come they noticed the broken plastic cover just now after all this time? was it broken the last time they "investigated"?



View attachment 31172

As best I can tell, what they're calling (misnaming) the heath shield (and probably mean heat shield) is the plastic cover.

I borrowed a few screen shots from a video Go Green Autos posted a few years ago

The plastic cover is the bit in line with the hazard paint, and that's just behind the front wheels.

A few seconds later, the camera pans across to where, on mine, a large part is missing. Also, it shows what the panel should look like where it curves up from the retaining bolt, and it should be 1 complete piece. Referring back to the earlier pics, the opposite (drivers) side has a crack running from the end of the panel in towards the bend in the cover.

Car was last in their hands in October of last year, for its MOT and service, and there was no mention of the cover. It then broke down in February, but it was sitting since then, until it was transported on one of the wettest days of the summer on 2nd September. At no point prior to them sending me the most recent video has anyone mentioned anything about that cover. The broken piece could have fallen of at any point.

I don't have access to any of the other service videos, but I don't dont recall any of them showing under the car, looks like I'll need to request them from AC. Haven't answered their last email yet, so I'll add that into my reply.

I'll type up a timeline when I get back from work.

 

[fred12345]

I think what you need to do is reply by email and copy MG customer services into it, say thank you for your email, and ask them to confirm what caused water ingress and how if the battery was supposed to be sealed.

That curved plastic cover is not what's supposed to keep the battery dry ... If they want to refuse warranty claim, they need to state why and provide full explanation.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Have you considered getting an independent inspection and report from the AA or RAC? Or better still, a HEVRA Independent EV mechanic? At the moment, you just have AC and MG's word for it, and neither of them want to pay for a new battery.

 

[decrep]

crack at one end and broken at the other, sounds suspiciously like damage while it was off. I don't see how that could happen insitu, but being trodden on while on the floor could do just that.

 

[fred12345]

Have you considered getting an independent inspection and report from the AA or RAC? Or better still, a HEVRA Independent EV mechanic? At the moment, you just have AC and MG's word for it, and neither of them want to pay for a new battery.

definitely the next step once he knows why exactly they refuse the warranty and whether it's AC or MG refusing it ..

 

[macd2401]

This was the original email and letter I sent to AC customer services, that they replied to on 11th October, and posted #177. Probably easier posting that than just listing all the dates.

 

[fred12345]

This was the original email and letter I sent to AC customer services, that they replied to on 11th October, and posted #177. Probably easier posting that than just listing all the dates.

If all you got in reply was "what do you want to do with your battery", email back (copy MG customer services into it) say you don't understand how the water ended up in the battery that was supposed to be watertight and why was this not discovered first time you gave them the car for repairs. Ask what exactly allowed water in the battery and how.
Ask whose decision is that the battery repair is not under warranty and why, since MG gave 7 years warranty.

Keep it short and to the point and see what comes back.

 

[macd2401]

Sent today.

Regarding the phone calls, I recieved one whilst at work, and one thing I can't do is answer the phone at work. I called them the next day, but the person dealing with it was off. They phoned this morning whilst I was asleep, then sent a repeat of the email from the other day a few minutes later, but highlighting "fire risk" and noting I hadn't returned their calls

 

[macd2401]

What a shock, they've still not answered any of the questions posed in my previous emails.

Mibbe they're hoping I'll just blindly agree to all the work they can be bothered to do.

 

[Gadget Geek]

My response would be to tell them that you have forwarded the video on to the RMIF and SMTA as part of your official complaint, and that there is no point contacting Bishopbriggs until your questions have been answered.

 

[fred12345]

What a shock, they've still not answered any of the questions posed in my previous emails.

Mibbe they're hoping I'll just blindly agree to all the work they can be bothered to do.

Is it the same video they sent before? email them back and just say thank you, could you please respond to my email of .... 2024, I can't collect the car until it's repaired under warranty.
Copy MG customer services into it. then email MG customer services separately and ask them to assist with this and get AC to reply in detail and fix the car under warranty

 

[macd2401]

I replied to their last email thus :-

I think I've been fairly open in what my requests have been in previous emails. Address the current issue, address the issues arising from being left for 6 months, supply all videos.

Reply came in today :-

Going by this, they've no intention of repairing the vehicle, they want it off their premises. I don't fecking think so.

 

[Gadget Geek]

It's a fire risk? Are they having a laugh? And they expect you to put a fire risk where? Doesn't their garage have sprinkler systems?

What a complete bunch of . . . (insert suitable expletive. I can think of plenty).

Ask them if they would prefer to answer a solicitor's request for evidence.