Car just started up by itself!

Nico

Nico

Standard Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2025
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Location
Commins Coch Wales
Driving
ZS Hybrid+ Trophy
Weirdest thing just happened!
We have been sat in the garden sunbathing for the last 2 hours and the car engine started up.
The keys were on a kitchen shelf.
We had been out in the car and it was unlocked but pretty sure I turned engine off via the start button.
Would the car start up two hours later if I did not press the button?
Could the hot temperature outside cause it to start? 🤔😁
Edit - I rang the dealer who can book it in for 29/04 but recommended I call out the AA as it's not a normal characteristic of the car. 😡
Ps my neighbour has a Tesla which manually engages cooling when the car is too hot but the engine doesn't start up.
 
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Probably best to press the button on front door and lock every time you get out.
My key stays in my pocket all the time.
My locking, unlocking and starting can be done on my mobile phone. Did you do anything with your phone.
 
Hi David,
I usually lock the car at home but sometimes forget when I've unloaded shopping, dogs etc.
I have the MG App but didn't use it and there are several steps on the app before you can engage AC and the engine.
I initially thought I'd sat on the keys and I'm only sitting 5ft away from the car but both keys were in the house.
I'm a bit concerned it may be faulty manual cooling as the app shows it's very hot in the car. Worried this could happen on a hot day when parked up somewhere and I'm not about .
It's difficult to get the AA out to Machynlleth and I'm not sure what they could do if they get here.
 
I wonder if the 12V* battery was low, and not enough energy was in the hybrid battery to top it up.
Nico said:
Ps my neighbour has a Tesla which manually engages cooling when the car is too hot but the engine doesn't start up.
Click to expand...
Teslas don't have engines; they are all pure electric.

I suppose that your hybrid battery might indeed have gotten hot, and the petrol engine would be needed to run the air conditioning.

* Edit: It's more likely that the hybrid battery was low. The hybrid battery needs some charge to start the engine. Toyota hybrids do this too. Something to consider if the hybrid is parked in a garage that is basically another room in the house.
 
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years ago, when Holden first had computer control.
In the middle of nowhere, (there's a lot of that in Aus).
After a long run in the sun, after a short stop, the car wouldn't start.
So driver locks car and starts walking, About 10m down the road, he hears the car start.
Apparently it was the over temp cutout, once cooled down it obeyed the last command and started.
Freaked every body out at the time, we weren't used to drive by wire back then.
 
Hybrid Ann said:
I think you may have left the car engine on by accident. The car then relaxed then came on again.
Click to expand...
Hybrid Ann, I'm a bit embarrassed about it but I think your are right. I probably stopped on my drive in EV and never pressed the "start" button. Then didn't bother locking the door so no horn alarm.
Then sunbathed for 2 hour, 5ft away, and never heard a peep from the car until the engine started.
I'm thinking it's a good job my drive is flat and gravel as I'm assuming the brakes were never engaged.🤷‍♂️😳
 
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When I had the MG3 hybrid + I used to do that all the time, Grrrrrr. Its because the start button is out of sight. I own an MG ZS Hybrid + now and the start button is in the centre where you can plainly see it. I think anyway one gets used to switching off.............Well most the time. These things are sent to try us Nico.
 
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