Lost MG iSmart connection after 10 days at Gatwick airport parking.

[Joningy]

Left our MG4 Trophy LR at Gatwick Airport on 30th January, fearing the 12v battery drain while away for 3.5 weeks, we charged to 95% at services, left car with 87% charge at the car park, I was able to track it regularly for 10 days, then it stopped, nothing I could do would re-boot it.
The car is only 3 months old (2023 model) I'm still able to see where it is parked, but it says "the digital key is not activated"
I've tried activating the digital key, but no luck, whilst checking the Vehicle Status, I'm being told "The remote control instruction failed, please try later"
Is this normal behaviour, perhaps in sleep mode, I've no idea why the facility has stopped.
BTW, after reading about 12v battery draining after some time unused, I bought a 4000mAh booster which I keep under the seat, as it appears only the driver's door opens in an emergency
Any of you boffins able to throw a light on the issue?

 

[Lovemyev]

The messages you are receiving suggests that the server is down.
The car go into a deep sleep anyway while you are away, so keeping tabs on the car over that length of time is now likely to be possible.
If you return and the car will not unlock with the fob, then enter with the emergency key via the drivers door and use your jump pack.

 

[gazza487]

Normal, after a day or two mine gives up. Unlocking the car and locking manually wakes it up again on my SE SR.

 

[Joningy]

Thanks for the reply, let's hope all will be good when we get back in a little over a week.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

It'll be fine.
Last October, mine spent 16 days at Manchester T1 Meet & Greet without issue.
Woke up at first tap on the app when I got back to the UK.

 

[Kayged]

Left our MG4 Trophy LR at Gatwick Airport on 30th January, fearing the 12v battery drain while away for 3.5 weeks, we charged to 95% at services, left car with 87% charge at the car park, I was able to track it regularly for 10 days, then it stopped, nothing I could do would re-boot it.
The car is only 3 months old (2023 model) I'm still able to see where it is parked, but it says "the digital key is not activated"
I've tried activating the digital key, but no luck, whilst checking the Vehicle Status, I'm being told "The remote control instruction failed, please try later"
Is this normal behaviour, perhaps in sleep mode, I've no idea why the facility has stopped.
BTW, after reading about 12v battery draining after some time unused, I bought a 4000mAh booster which I keep under the seat, as it appears only the driver's door opens in an emergency
Any of you boffins able to throw a light on the issue?

We had left our ZS Trophy LR at the airport a few times for over 3 week but the last time we went away it was only for a week and when we got back the 12v battery was dead. Luckily our son had been away with us and his car was near by and we got a jump start. When he connected the jump leads our car alarm went off. We assumed from that that the alarm must have activated while we were away and it drained the 12v battery, we had the car key with us so there was nobody to reset the alarm. We now have a booster but have not been able to test it as the battery has been fine since then. I understand that you have to connect the booster and wait a short while for it to put some charge into the battery before you try starting the car.

 

[Rolfe]

They say it's best to let it go to sleep, because repeated scanning with the app can drain the 12v. I left mine in an airport car park for over a fortnight and I didn't touch the app. When I walked up to the car (at 3 am) on my return, one press on the door button woke everything up. The SoC was even exactly where I'd left it.

 

[Kithmo]

Left our MG4 Trophy LR at Gatwick Airport on 30th January, fearing the 12v battery drain while away for 3.5 weeks, we charged to 95% at services, left car with 87% charge at the car park, I was able to track it regularly for 10 days, then it stopped, nothing I could do would re-boot it.
The car is only 3 months old (2023 model) I'm still able to see where it is parked, but it says "the digital key is not activated"
I've tried activating the digital key, but no luck, whilst checking the Vehicle Status, I'm being told "The remote control instruction failed, please try later"
Is this normal behaviour, perhaps in sleep mode, I've no idea why the facility has stopped.
BTW, after reading about 12v battery draining after some time unused, I bought a 4000mAh booster which I keep under the seat, as it appears only the driver's door opens in an emergency
Any of you boffins able to throw a light on the issue?

The car has probably gone to sleep to prevent you flattening the 12v by querying it too often.

 

[mg4nick]

First time I left on holiday since buying the MG4 the same happened to me... The car was at home on the driveway.
I was kind of expecting it would disconnect eventually (I was away for 3 weeks).

The worrying bit was that the car location was showing somewhere in Brussels (this was happening with the previous version of the app). Thankfully - it was not moving around there.

But - it was a bit disconcerting and made me wonder what would police do if I forwarded them a screenshot with the car location.

 

[NickHeynes]

My app couldn't see my car while it was parked at Gatwick for 10 days as it was parked in a multi storey carpark .
My experience was the same as Rolfe's above . Absolutely no problems at all when I returned to the car .

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

First time I left on holiday since buying the MG4 the same happened to me... The car was at home on the driveway.
I was kind of expecting it would disconnect eventually (I was away for 3 weeks).

The worrying bit was that the car location was showing somewhere in Brussels (this was happening with the previous version of the app). Thankfully - it was not moving around there.

But - it was a bit disconcerting and made me wonder what would police do if I forwarded them a screenshot with the car location.

It defaults to Brussels when the app's server falls over. I think that's where the server is based.

 

[Lovemyev]

When he connected the jump leads our car alarm went off. We assumed from that that the alarm must have activated while we were away and it drained the 12v battery

The alarm is only activated when one of the doors / bonnet or boot is opened.
But when the 12 volt battery becomes very discharged, it can trigger alarm given its low status.
The alarm will sound again, as soon as a good power source is supplied to the car.
When the car is placed in READY mode, the 12 volt battery is now receiving a charge.

 

[Joningy]

We had left our ZS Trophy LR at the airport a few times for over 3 week but the last time we went away it was only for a week and when we got back the 12v battery was dead. Luckily our son had been away with us and his car was near by and we got a jump start. When he connected the jump leads our car alarm went off. We assumed from that that the alarm must have activated while we were away and it drained the 12v battery, we had the car key with us so there was nobody to reset the alarm. We now have a booster but have not been able to test it as the battery has been fine since then. I understand that you have to connect the booster and wait a short while for it to put some charge into the battery before you try starting the car.

Sounds about what I was thinking, got a week to go, I'll update here when home thanks!

 

[Joningy]

The messages you are receiving suggests that the server is down.
The car go into a deep sleep anyway while you are away, so keeping tabs on the car over that length of time is now likely to be possible.
If you return and the car will not unlock with the fob, then enter with the emergency key via the drivers door and use your jump pack.

Thanks, exactly as I imagined, last look showed 12.6v, so likely in sleep mode.

 

[Joningy]

First time I left on holiday since buying the MG4 the same happened to me... The car was at home on the driveway.
I was kind of expecting it would disconnect eventually (I was away for 3 weeks).

The worrying bit was that the car location was showing somewhere in Brussels (this was happening with the previous version of the app). Thankfully - it was not moving around there.

But - it was a bit disconcerting and made me wonder what would police do if I forwarded them a screenshot with the car location.

Haha, likewise thought the car had done a bunk to Brussels too, but eventually it woke up dreaming, still in Gatwick ??

 

[Joningy]

The messages you are receiving suggests that the server is down.
The car go into a deep sleep anyway while you are away, so keeping tabs on the car over that length of time is now likely to be possible.
If you return and the car will not unlock with the fob, then enter with the emergency key via the drivers door and use your jump pack.

Thanks, it's our first trip to the airport, hopefully we can easily manage if battery is low. May invest in a new "decent" battery for next winter.

 

[Joningy]

We had left our ZS Trophy LR at the airport a few times for over 3 week but the last time we went away it was only for a week and when we got back the 12v battery was dead. Luckily our son had been away with us and his car was near by and we got a jump start. When he connected the jump leads our car alarm went off. We assumed from that that the alarm must have activated while we were away and it drained the 12v battery, we had the car key with us so there was nobody to reset the alarm. We now have a booster but have not been able to test it as the battery has been fine since then. I understand that you have to connect the booster and wait a short while for it to put some charge into the battery before you try starting the car.

Thanks Kayged, useful info, still think I may replace the battery, before the winter though!

 

[pmknowles]

There was another thread which explained the issue. If you repeatedly query the car it will eventually flatten the 12V battery. It's only a small battery because it doesn't need to start the car. If you're leaving the car for a long period of time then leave it in peace. You can set the app to tell you if an alarm goes off.

 

[Joningy]

UPDATE... Thanks all for the help and SUGGESTIONS.
On arrival back to Gatwick after 24 days away, both batteries were in perfect health, I left the car with 87% charge and was still showing exactly the same SOC on our return.
But with close on 100 miles to drive home, at night, wet roads, AC gently warming my wife, and to keep visibility good, driving at 70 to 75, adaptive cruise control set to 73, mostly on motorways, arrived home with 41%, which was reasonable considering all lights on and the nasty weather.
The one time I needed a bit more speed, a total **** sat (illegally, most people don't realise it's now illegal) in the middle lane doing 60mph, I was in the nearside lane and accelerated up to 80mph to get by the middle lane hogger, as there were cars approaching in the offside lane. BANG, double flash from a bloody speed CAMERA on the M25.
EV's accelerate so quickly.
Can police start implementing the recent legislation, stopping dozy ****s, sitting in the middle lane, despite the nearside lane being virtually empty.

 

[Lovemyev]

Oh ……, Under taking and 80 in a 70 could be classed as two offences, you got lucky ?.