Electronic hand brake - completely stuck on !

[Lovemyev]

Like I said, I'm only guessing here so it's possible they do have a functioning system, but one that holds minimal stock and relies on constant topping up. If that were so, it would be badly affected by the current problems with shipping anything from east to west so this may just be a temporary blip.
I do sympathise with your position.

I don't think it is a temporary "Blip" because another member has been waiting for a steering column assembly to arrive, these parts are required in in order to address the well documented problem of the knock / rattle in the steering column.
His parts have been on order for over four weeks now and have only just arrived.
Another example of urgent / vital parts that has taken WAY too long to procure IMHO.
These are only two examples of urgent safety items of equipment, that have been required.
MG should carry a UK stock of vital parts on a reasonable Min / Max basis.
Then trigger an automatic oversea's order when the "Min" value is reached.
Instead of this, dealers are just ordering the parts required on a "Day To Day" requirement basis only.
This "Re-active instead of a Pro-active" system is WELL behind the times and needs a radical overhaul going forward.
We all know that EV's are generally more reliable than the ICE counter parts, but this is a poor excuse for not providing a replacement parts service in a better time scale.
Let's be clear here, it's NOT the dealer fault.
The fault on my car was identified and the parts ordered the very same day.
Then the system clicks into "Turtle Mode" and the whole process moves at what feels like a snail's pace.
If the car is still usable, then a three to four week wait is just about bearable with the back up of a hire car.
But if I wanted to save a lot of money, then I would have bought a noisy oil burner in the first place.
IT IS SO FRUSTRATING !.
The only positive to come from this whole experience, is knowing that I will NEVER own a oil burner in the remaining time I have left on this planet !.

 

[Gomev]

I don't think it is a temporary "Blip" because another member has been waiting for a steering column assembly to arrive, these parts are required in in order to address the well documented problem of the knock / rattle in the steering column.
His parts have been on order for over four weeks now and have only just arrived.
...

Isn't that possibly the same blip as it's happened/happening at the same time ?

 

[Tim Green]

If it’s a part used in other models you could try spares24/7 for a breakers used item?

 

[Lovemyev]

If it’s a part used in other models you could try spares24/7 for a breakers used item?

Thanks for the advice.
I did manage to locate another calliper and a hand brake motor, but supplying the items from a third party was likely to result in either the refusal from the dealer to fit them, or the very strong fact that it would be compromising the warranty on the car.
Just have to sit it out unfortunately !.

 

[MickH]

Having read through this horrific saga, I must say I find it inconceivable that MG don’t have a parts warehouse that is sufficiently stocked to serve the dealer network, you would think that it would have been a priority for any manufacturer that was hoping to be taken seriously. I assume that MGUK has a technical/parts director, so is it not possible for Miles if not to contact him directly, at least give you contact details as clearly who ever is responsible for this within MG either needs to get his finger out or be replaced. As far as your dealer is concerned, they seem to have sales figures as a priority rather than customer care. Before retiring I was the workshop manager for a major manufacturer and our technicians were constantly being told the customer is king, without the customer you don’t have a business or a job and if this was my workshop and you were my customer having to wait three weeks for such a small repair I would have borrowed one off a showroom car to get you back on the road or at a minimum, you would have been driving my company car for three weeks to try and ease the pain. Owning an MG is becoming an embarrassment and your customer care is a disgrace. I’m certainly going to reconsider where I purchase my next EV from!

 

[Alb]

I did ask Miles to comment on this situation earlier in the thread but no response.

 

[Lovemyev]

I would have borrowed one off a showroom car to get you back on the road or at a minimum, you would have been driving my company car for three weeks to try and ease the pain.

Loaning a part from a donor car, jumped into my thoughts from day one, however because the ZS EV is about to to go through a face lift change any time now, there is very few of the original ZS model new cars around, that could be used a donor.
I think it unlikely they would wish to render a brand new car unsellable and then stuck awaiting a part, just in order to fix my car ?.
Although in normal circumstances this would be most practical / proactive / customer focussed thing to do, it's NOT going to happen in the real world.
I am totally convinced that MG already knew that it would take two to three weeks to procure the parts, because I was told that the hire car would be booked out for three weeks, at FIRST - but could be extended !.
Regarding the use of a replacement EV as a loan car.
I requested this from day one of the failure.
The dealer had at least one MG5 EV and a ZS EV on site as Demo modes on the day my car arrived at the dealership.
I was told that the dealer COULD loan me an EV, but that MG would NOT pick up the bill presented by the dealer, for the use of their car.
So, it would therefore be a hire car from a local company.
I have said this before i know, but to expect 100% coverage of every spare part from a central stores in the UK is very unlikely.
But, for important VOTR safety items like brake / steering / suspension parts etc.
There has to be a better UK / Europe stock level system, that car be fast tracked for both dealers and customers.
The extended wait for vital parts is EXTREMELY frustrating for the customer of course, but the dealers are also impacted by this over lengthy delay in replacement parts.
Not having parts on the shelf, could be seen that MG are confident in the reliability of their cars.
But when things DO go wrong ( and they do ) the back up services are laboured in their response.
MG are quick enough ( and rightfully so ) to boldly "Puff Out Their Chests" to celebrate the 30% increase, in their sales figures for this year.
This huge increase in sales has been mainly brought about by the EV sales and customers placing their faith in the brand.
That increase in drive and sales, requires the same level of commitment in improving the back up services that is needed to run in parallel.
The first customers of the ZS EV where taking delivery of their cars in November 2019 in the UK.
These cars are now approaching two years old now, and some have covered more than a few miles.
Surly two years is enough time to get the support services in a better in place than it is by now ???.
The 7 year warranty is a great selling point of the models, and should give customers a lot of faith in the brand.
But, this warranty could be cut a little short, when you deduct the time spent waiting for parts to arrive.
It is easy to make a "One Off" sale to a customer, keeping that customer is where the real secret lies !.

 

[JCFlippen]

That’s it. Repeat business is the key to success. It’s the cheapest way to maintain and build future sales. I am pleased to own an MG EV and will trade up to the new ZS EV but full confidence in the overall management of MG UK is still elusive from many of their actions or lack of.

 

[Lovemyev]

I thought I would post an update regarding the on going saga on our car !.
At about lunch time today, I received a phone call from the dealership ( where my car is currently located ) to say that MG themselves had called THEM to say, that the second and remaining required part for my car was due to arrive at their dealership by some time on Wednesday 17th November 2021.
The time scale for the hire car has already been extended from three weeks, too four weeks and that ends this Wednesday 17th Nov.
MG have paid the hire company to extend it's hire by one more day, out to Thursday 18th Nov.
MG are now applying pressure onto the dealer to get my car into the workshop and get the handbrake motor and the calliper fitted ASAP !.
The dealership where just keeping us up to date with MG's wishes.
HOPEFULLY !.
We SHOULD get our car back, sometime late on Wednesday or on Thursday depending on workshop loading schedules.
I will keep the forum informed on our progress.
The final cost of this fairly simple repair has spired massively !.
When you consider the total cost of BOTH parts is £156.00.
Then about one hour of labour to install.
Over four weeks of car hire £2,000 ?????.
Plus about £150.00 worth of Derv to run the dam thing !.
I will keep you posted.

 

[Tim Green]

As regards spare parts, we had an accident recently involving both doors on one side and all the necessary bits of trim etc to fix. These were all supplied by Our local MG agent from stock, no problems at all. Time for repair, about 10 days, including spraying and rebuilding the door innards into new skins.

 

[Lovemyev]

As regards spare parts, we had an accident recently involving both doors on one side and all the necessary bits of trim etc to fix. These were all supplied by Our local MG agent from stock, no problems at all. Time for repair, about 10 days, including spraying and rebuilding the door innards into new skins.

That is brilliant news !.
The ZS EV and the ICE version, shares a lot of parts.
The ICE version has been out a number of year now, so SOME parts are more readerly available.
The ZS EV is the first ZS model to get the electric handbrake.
Maybe this is why there has been a long delay ??.

 

[Alb]

Good news

 

[Lovemyev]

Good news

?

 

[Lovemyev]

Well folks, I am glad to say that I have collected my ZS EV from the dealership this morning !.
They installed the handbrake motor and the awaited brake calliper the very same day that it arrived.
@Les burrows nice to see that copper grease has been used to reassemble the brake pads into the new calliper !.
They called at about 3.30pm yesterday ( Wednesday 17th Nov ) to say the work was completed.
I also asked them to carry out the 2nd service on the car while it was in the workshop.
This they did successfully.
I could not hang around, because we had our granddaughter in my wife's car, who is not very well at the moment.
The hire car has just been collected at 2.00pm.
So, what did the car cost to get repaired.
2 x Off replacement parts to the value of £156.00 + about 1 hours worth of labour ( FOC under Warranty ).
4 weeks car hire, which I have to make a guess at around £2,000.
Cost to myself, £150.00 in fuel.
A grand total of £2,150.00 for both parties for less than a £300 pound worth of repairs !.
You could quickly go out of business with a number of these repairs.
After now owning a full BEV for nearly two years now, I have to admit that I have become a little disconnected with current fuel prices.
Frankly, I know this may sound a little strange to some people, but we could not really afford to return to a ICE vehicle again.
The running costs have gone way too expensive now for our OAP pockets now !.
I don't think we spent £150.00 on electric to charge our car last year.
We have just spent that in four weeks on fossil fuel !.
Hopefully, the car is now completely back to normal and we can resume our pleasure trips out in the knowledge that we are not breaking the bank in the process !!!.
Thanks for all the feed back and tip's along the way of this LONG four week journey and it gives a insight into what happens if you are stuck awaiting parts for your car.
Am I glad to get my EV back then ?.
You bet I am !.

 

[Kithmo]

New parking brake.

 

[Lovemyev]

New parking brake.
View attachment 5684

That is exactly what our car has looked like for the last four weeks !.
It had two bricks wedged behind one of the back wheels on the car park !.

 

[Les burrows]

Well folks, I am glad to say that I have collected my ZS EV from the dealership this morning !.
They installed the handbrake motor and the awaited brake calliper the very same day that it arrived.
@Les burrows nice to see that copper grease has been used to reassemble the brake pads into the new calliper !.
They called at about 3.30pm yesterday ( Wednesday 17th Nov ) to say the work was completed.
I also asked them to carry out the 2nd service on the car while it was in the workshop.
This they did successfully.
I could not hang around, because we had our granddaughter in my wife's car, who is not very well at the moment.
The hire car has just been collected at 2.00pm.
So, what did the car cost to get repaired.
2 x Off replacement parts to the value of £156.00 + about 1 hours worth of labour ( FOC under Warranty ).
4 weeks car hire, which I have to make a guess at around £2,000.
Cost to myself, £150.00 in fuel.
A grand total of £2,150.00 for both parties for less than a £300 pound worth of repairs !.
You could quickly go out of business with a number of these repairs.
After now owning a full BEV for nearly two years now, I have to admit that I have become a little disconnected with current fuel prices.
Frankly, I know this may sound a little strange to some people, but we could not really afford to return to a ICE vehicle again.
The running costs have gone way too expensive now for our OAP pockets now !.
I don't think we spent £150.00 on electric to charge our car last year.
We have just spent that in four weeks on fossil fuel !.
Hopefully, the car is now completely back to normal and we can resume our pleasure trips out in the knowledge that we are not breaking the bank in the process !!!.
Thanks for all the feed back and tip's along the way of this LONG four week journey and it gives a insight into what happens if you are stuck awaiting parts for your car.
Am I glad to get my EV back then ?.
You bet I am !.

Great news Geoff pleased it’s all sorted now and hope the little one is feeling better very soon.
Les

 

[Lovemyev]

Great news Geoff pleased it’s all sorted now and hope the little one is feeling better very soon.
Les

Thank you Les !.
Here is the evidence of the copper grease that has been applied to the contact points of the pads and the calliper shell.

 

[Lovemyev]

The new brake calliper can be clearly seen in the photo.
It's the nice new silver shiny part, that wraps over the top of the brake disc / rotor.
It's the part that looks like it has two fingers pointing down wards !.
The new handbrake motor, can be seen behind the brake disc.
It is like a small drum in shape and mounted on it's side, it is black in colour.
You can just see the corner of the motor in the photo.
This attaches to the rear of the hydraulic brake calliper and is held in place by two bolts only.
Unplug the wiring loom, remove the two bolts and you have it in your hand, its that simple.
Then using a suitable sized bit and a small 1/4" drive ratchet and a small extension bar ( a bit size that matches the hand brake motor spline's ) you can then manually release the handbrake, by turning the ratchet ( not sure if it's left hand or right hand thread ).
Of course this should only be carried out when the other wheels have been wedged correctly to prevent the car from rolling.
To replace the calliper is fairly simple operation also.
Clamp the hydraulic rubber brake line, then disconnect the line from the brake calliper.
Now remove the two bolts that secure the calliper assembly to the calliper carrier.
Remove the original brake pads from the original calliper and clean.
Reassemble the pads into the new calliper using copper slip and refit to the car.
Pump up the brakes until the pedal is solid, then bleed the braking system via that one wheel.
Refit the road wheel and test the operation, your all done !.
About one hour book time on a ramp, I would hazard a guess ???.
This would have been a "Gravy" job for me before my knee replacement.
It is very frustrating situation for me, when with the parts to hand, and the ability to kneel down, which I don't have anymore, I could had this knocked off in no time !.
BUGGER !.
Old age really suck's my friends.
Take good care friends and thanks for all of your comments regarding this thread .
It maybe useful to somebody who comes across this problem in the future, but hopefully they will not need it of course !!.

 

[Kithmo]

Thank you Les !.
Here is the evidence of the copper grease that has been applied to the contact points of the pads and the calliper shell.

View attachment 5689

Proper job