MG ZS EV Crack/click noise

[AK OK]

Head in the sand, or what!

Add some facts, lose some fiction!

 

[Tim Green]

There has been no fiction at all in my comments.
Unfortunately neither MG nor any agents have produced any numbers of failures, in spite of reports on these pages that there have been failures and a lack of spares and extended times off the road waiting for spares. If there have been few failures, in would be in the interest of MG to say so.
Without any such statements, it is important that anyone using these vehicles should be aware that strange cracking noises from the steering be taken seriously, not dismissed (as you do) as hysteria
Excellence in engineering, such as aeroplanes, space, etc, is not achieved by sticking your head in the sand.

 

[AK OK]

In my opinion, if you have ANY noises or odd feelings from the steering you should cease to use the car immediately. There have been a good number of U/J failures that result in complete steering failure and loss of control of the car. These failures can happen at any time with no further warning.

I asked you already & you haven't replied yet - what is this "good number of U/J failures that result in complete steering failure and loss of control of the car" you are referring to?

Put up or shut the hysteria up?

 

[Kithmo]

Not all clicking noises from the steering are UJ failures.
Mine was just insufficient torque on the tilt adjuster bolt. Others have cured the clicking by tightening up various other mounting bolts.
I have only read of a couple that have been actual UJ failures.

 

[Lovemyev]

I have only read of a couple that have been actual UJ failures.

I agree @Kithmo.
I do think personally, there is a huge divide present here.
Because anybody who has experienced this knocking / clicking will not disagree in anyway, that there is an inherit problem somewhere in SOME of the steering columns of the ZS model.
It could be as simple case as under torqued steering column securing bolts to the body shell ( why ) or the under torqued adjustable clamping mechanism used by the driver ( as in your case ) but again why ?.
This issue appears to affect both ICE & both EV models, so as the ICE version has been in production longer, true to say that it is therefore an established condition of course.
We do have evidence ( as seen on this forum ) a few UJ joints that have completely and utterly failed.
But to put this into some type of perspective here, these joints don't just completely fail without displaying some type of warning signs and symptoms of failure first.
Customers are likely to present their cars to the dealer complaining of a clicking / knocking noise felt through the steering wheel while turning from lock to lock or rattling felt through the steering wheel when crossing over rough broken tarmac ( I have witnessed both of these issues ) or even play or a vague feeling felt at the steering wheel while travelling on a straight road.
A feeling of the driver having to constantly correct the steering wheel to keep the car on course.
Therefore, I would suspect the dealer would follow along this line of investigation.
They will road test the car first to try and replicate the customers complaint, then if proven carry out a visual safety check first, and maybe check tighten ALL steering components, then re-road test the car again.
If this does not resolve the problem, the dealer will ask MG Tech to recommend a course of action moving forward.
The dealer will not order any replacement spare parts until MG Tech gives them authorisation to do so.
Then the following course of action appears to be i, that to order a complete steering column.
Why, because they have the historical data that clearly displays this has been the next corrective form of action, to resolve the problem.
The stores department at the dealerships, have no way of telling just how many of ANY spare parts have been ordered in the past, I know this because I asked them !.
The dealers stores ordering system offers them very little visibility at all, it's a little like the new car ordering system for the sales department ? .
MG Tech themselves are truly the only people who are likely to have any info on numbers of parts ordered and are not willing to share that knowledge ( if they have it ) even with the dealers.
I believe the danger cross over point arises here when the customer just becomes accustomed to the fault and fails to spot any slow further decline in the problem, to the point where the UJ joint just completely collapses.
Yearly service checks should be a catch net for this type of thing happening though.
Long wait times on replacement MG parts is a known frustration for all of their dealers and their customers.
An 18 month wait on the new ZS EV face lift model is now become the norm for any new orders placed.
With wait times this long, expecting a replacement steering column quickly is complete pipe dream.
Every column shipped out, could be seen effectively as another car that does not get built on the assembly line.
Is this true, I don't know - but it could go someway in explain why the huge wait times ?.
I personally take no chances at all when driving our ZS EV LR as unfortunately being involved in even a small accident, will no doubt result in a very LONG wait on spare parts to repair it.

 

[Alb]

Put up or shut the hysteria up?

Tone this down please ?

 

[Tim Green]

Thanks Alb.

Not all clicking noises from the steering are UJ failures.
Mine was just insufficient torque on the tilt adjuster bolt. Others have cured the clicking by tightening up various other mounting bolts.
I have only read of a couple that have been actual UJ failures.

I have wondered whether there is a problem with the steering wheel positioning adjustment system that could allow downward or upward pressure on the steering column? This could cause premature failure of the u/j’s. But I have no overt evidence of this. However, I have not made any adjustments on my car because of that worry.

 

[Kithmo]

Thanks Alb.

I have wondered whether there is a problem with the steering wheel positioning adjustment system that could allow downward or upward pressure on the steering column? This could cause premature failure of the u/j’s. But I have no overt evidence of this. However, I have not made any adjustments on my car because of that worry.

My thoughts on the failed UJs is that the component is inherently weak or maybe under engineered for the job and any straining between the steering's driving force (the motor at the top of the UJ) and any high resistance from the wheels, such as when turning the wheel whilst stationary, is just too much for it.
We all love the fact that it's easy to turn the wheels with power steering but most drivers don't realise just how much force is applied to these components.

 

[Tim Green]

Yes, that is another good point. When I fitted power steering to my MGC, there are two after-market options, a hydraulic system in the old way, or a new style electric system working on the steering column. It occured to me that the newer system puts huge strain through the whole steering system, whilst the old fashioned system has a hydraulic cylinder actually helping the rack - a much better idea. So I went with that.

 

[BarryH]

Yes it locks the footbrakes on via the ABS unit.

Yes that's what I understood too as there isn't the whirring sound associated with the handbrake motor when applying or releasing the Hold

 

[AK OK]

Yes that's what I understood too as there isn't the whirring sound associated with the handbrake motor when applying or releasing the Hold

Unless you leave it "too long" in which case the parking brake takes over w whirring etc ???

 

[legollas]

Update.
Dealer told me that MG told them that noise is "Normal" when you first press the break pedal after switching from D to R and vice versa.It's the breaking pads doing that noise. They could use some grease but the sound would start again after some time

 

[legollas]

Does any of you have this same issue on the breaking pads ?

 

[BarryH]

Update.
Dealer told me that MG told them that noise is "Normal" when you first press the break pedal after switching from D to R and vice versa.It's the breaking pads doing that noise. They could use some grease but the sound would start again after some time

I've never heard the noise you describe. It doesn't sound normal.
I had a complaint that I could hear whinning on light overrun when cruising at constant speed coming from the transmission and particularly noticeable at speeds around 40 to 55 mph. It's a sound which I disputed with the dealer wasn't "Normal" and wasn't "the electronics including the motor, the inverter/charger" because i'd had a very similar from an old Renault I'd once owned and also the loan ZS's hadn't got it. To which they responded "Oh but they are new lower mileage cars". nonsense my car had back then nearly done 10k miles and that's not high mileage in my book.

However, I put the issue on the booking form for the 2nd service and when the car was returned they told me that the service manager and the workshop foreman had test driven my car and I presume after the service because they said the final drive and transmission was quite and in fact quite than the service managers own ZS. When I drove it home it was indeed quiet and there was nothing on the service sheet about anything being done although I suspect the transmission oil must have been topped up. It has remained quite ever since.

 

[Tim Green]

I agree the click noise does not sound normal and I have not heard anything similar.
As to the transmission noise it is worrying if the oil was low. Or they might have added some molyslip or something? My car is due for service and MOT on Tuesday so I will ask them to check all fluids.

 

[Lovemyev]

Update.
Dealer told me that MG told them that noise is "Normal" when you first press the break pedal after switching from D to R and vice versa.It's the breaking pads doing that noise. They could use some grease but the sound would start again after some time

The use of grease MAY suggest that they where considering applying it to the contact points between the CV joints and the drive splines of the wheel bearing hubs that house the wheel bearings.
I seam to remember that the Zoe suffered from a similar clicking noise when taking up the drive in forward and then clicking again when selecting reverse and then taking up the drive.
Only guess work on my part and trying to do a bit of mind reading .

 

[AK OK]

The use of grease MAY suggest that they where considering applying it to the contact points between the CV joints and the drive splines of the wheel bearing hubs that house the wheel bearings.
I seam to remember that the Zoe suffered from a similar clicking noise when taking up the drive in forward and then clicking again when selecting reverse and then taking up the drive.
Only guess work on my part and trying to do a bit of mind reading .

Perhaps they meant coppaslip "grease" on the pad /caliper contact points...

 

[Lovemyev]

Perhaps they meant coppaslip "grease" on the pad /caliper contact points...

Great shout !.
I know my pads have received no calliper lub at the time of assembly, because I can hear the calliper clunk on applying the foot brake for the first time in the morning?.

 

[Eclectic]

Perhaps they meant coppaslip "grease" on the pad /caliper contact points...

I think the use of Copaslip is an unknown dark art in modern workshops. My tool box still has traces of it after 40 years out of the trade!

 

[N2STY]

I think the use of Copaslip is an unknown dark art in modern workshops. My tool box still has traces of it after 40 years out of the trade!

Unfortunately as I have mentioned in another post copper slip is no longer recommended as it can affect senses like abs\speed that use magnetic fields but luckily there are some really good non magnetic brake lubes out there now