Dead and unable to unlock

[markro]

MG4EV. Last drove the car 6 days ago, battery was at about 70%. Got back home last night from a trip away and the car is dead. I only have one keyfob as the other ended up in a portaloo at a festival. Car does not respond to keyfob or app. The unlock buttons on the doors do nothing. I imagine the 12V battery is dead, but how do I open the bonnet to check? Having watched a video on unlock the car, I also note that my keyfob has no mechanical key in it. Hmmm...

Any advice on being able to open the car gratefully received?

Update: (note that I have no mechanical key). AA man came and picked the lock and we've gone down the route of charging the 12V battery. Cause: infotainment system has a bug which causes it to drain the battery, due an update from MG. Battery was down to 2V so will ask MG to replace it, and also provide me with a physical key. Other key ended up in a portaloo at an outdoor swimming event. Don't laugh. Thank you for your suggestions below. MG assist number very useful. Thank you.

 

[Archev]

MG4EV. Last drove the car 6 days ago, battery was at about 70%. Got back home last night from a trip away and the car is dead. I only have one keyfob as the other ended up in a portaloo at a festival. Car does not respond to keyfob or app. The unlock buttons on the doors do nothing. I imagine the 12V battery is dead, but how do I open the bonnet to check? Having watched a video on unlock the car, I also note that my keyfob has no mechanical key in it. Hmmm...

Any advice on being able to open the car gratefully received?

Is the key fob battery OK ? Try a new one in it ?
Call the AA.

 

[Ian Key]

Call MG assist. 0800 072 3338

 

[markro]

Is the key fob battery OK ? Try a new one in it ?
Call the AA.

Well, I have some coming from Amazon tomorrow. I would have thought that using the door handle button uses RFID with the keyfob, which shouldn't require a battery?

 

[Ian Key]

Well, I have some coming from Amazon tomorrow. I would have thought that using the door handle button uses RFID with the keyfob, which shouldn't require a battery?

Your 12v battery is probably flat so there will be no power to operate the locking mechanism to open the door. Also without the 12v battery the relays won't operate to connect the drive battery to charge it. There is a software update so the 12v battery is kept charged even when the car is switched off.

You need to charge the 12v battery which means you need to get into the car but without the physical key in your key fob you are stuffed. You will have to call MG assist who will send the AA who will open your bonnet and put some charge into the battery.

 

[Martinonline]

The keyfob is not an RFID, it is active and requires an internal battery. Thus, even if it were an RFID, the flat 12v battery means it would not work.

You need to go back to your dealer and get the mechanical key for your car and, I recommend, a spare keyfob with another key.

 

[Rolfe]

You open the door with the mechanical key concealed inside the key fob. You pop the bonnet to get access to the 12v battery. You jump-start that battery with a battery starter or even just jump leads connected to a handy ICE car (or indeed another EV). Your car starts and you drive off.

Then you figure out what caused the 12v to go flat and how to stop it happening again.

If you don't know how to unlock the door with the physical key, you need to watch this video. It should start in the right place.



There shouldn't normally be any need to call a breakdown service for this, so long as you have access to another car and a pair of jump leads, or a battery starter.

 

[markro]

You open the door with the mechanical key concealed inside the key fob. You pop the bonnet to get access to the 12v battery. You jump-start that battery with a battery starter or even just jump leads connected to a handy ICE car (or indeed another EV). Your car starts and you drive off.

Then you figure out what caused the 12v to go flat and how to stop it happening again.

If you don't know how to unlock the door with the physical key, you need to watch this video. It should start in the right place.



There shouldn't normally be any need to call a breakdown service for this, so long as you have access to another car and a pair of jump leads, or a battery starter.

Hi Rolfe,

Thanks for replying. I would have done this, except, stunningly, my keyfob has no mechanical key in it. Never removed it. Didn't even know it was there (except for me it wasn't). AA guy came, picked the lock (AA folks can pick locks!!?) and then we went from there. 12V battery now on slow charge, but it had degraded to 2V in 6 days. AA guy said it was common and the infotainment system has a bug where it drains the battery. It's due to go in anyway, so...

Mark

 

[Rolfe]

We do know about a few key fobs that were supplied without a mechanical key. Usually it's just one of the pair, and probably the one you lost had it. Sod's Law. (One member had a flat 12v somewhere in France and only then did he discover that the key fob he had with him didn't have a mechanical key while the one he'd left at home did!)

You need to complain to your dealer about that. Both key fobs should have the physical key.

 

[Anon70]

Suspect the moral of this story is to check the keys you have all have the mechanical option and if not make sure you get that one replaced by MG. It's not a spare key if it doesn't have the mechanical bit.

 

[Griffian]

Phew. Both our fobs have keys inside. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[siteguru]

Just checked my spare - it also has a physical key.

 

[Rolfe]

Just now! I checked mine the first time this was mentioned, which was ages ago!

 

[siteguru]

I probably checked back then too, but I'd forgotten.

 

[Ian Key]

@markro When you get the key for your existing key fob and a replacement spare from your dealer I suggest you get a silicone fob cover. It will stop the key falling out of the fob which has happened to some owners.

https://amzn.eu/d/c9G8tuB

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

You open the door with the mechanical key concealed inside the key fob. You pop the bonnet to get access to the 12v battery. You jump-start that battery with a battery starter or even just jump leads connected to a handy ICE car (or indeed another EV). Your car starts and you drive off.

Then you figure out what caused the 12v to go flat and how to stop it happening again.

If you don't know how to unlock the door with the physical key, you need to watch this video. It should start in the right place.



There shouldn't normally be any need to call a breakdown service for this, so long as you have access to another car and a pair of jump leads, or a battery starter.

I did assume there would be a physical key but have only just checked!

Did you also know that if you have your lights on and open the tailgate two extra rear sidelights illuminate?

Cheeky little safety feature I only noticed recently.

 

[Rolfe]

Never noticed that!

 

[Bricktop X PWR]

Any comments pertaining to the state of my vehicle will quite rightly be ignored.

Small beans, but better than nowt, especially at night where every little helps.

(Plus much brighter when clean)

 

[Rolfe]

I'm just going to go right on deleting everything that isn't related to flat 12v batteries and mechanical keys, OK?