MG ZS missing V2L function

[ChunkyMonkey]

UPDATE!! - Okay, I have received the official MG V2L cable, but it still doesn't work.

There has got to be an issue with the car (or cars if other folk are having the same problem).

My car is leased so I'll get in touch with the lease company. I wanted V2L for Silverstone F1 camping next weekend, so well and truly hacked off now.

Apart from this the car is brilliant.

Thanks for the confirmation. If only the car was possible of OTA updates they could possibly fix this without having to take the car in... No, wait.

 

[N2STY]

There has got to be an issue with the car (or cars if other folk are having the same problem).

Have you tried with a load (hair dryer or something switched on) pluged in the 3 pin socket

 

[Lovemyev]

Have you tried with a load (hair dryer or something switched on) pluged in the 3 pin socket

Good shout !.
When I first tried my V2L cable, I had a mains powered inspection lamp already plugged into the cable, then asked the car to discharge.
When you press discharge, I heard the relay click and then the inspection light came on !.

 

[Gadget Geek]

Have you tried with a load (hair dryer or something switched on) pluged in the 3 pin socket

That caught me out the first time I tried it. When we had the power off last week, I plugged everything into the extension lead first and then got the car to discharge. Worked a treat.

 

[Neilat226]

Blimey!, the ebay boys are quick off the mark updating their listings!, wonder where they’re getting their info? ?
“

MG ZS MG5 MG4 Marvel V2L Vehicle to Load Discharge Battery Cable Adapter with LED

• please read before ordering:

• Your MG must be V2L ready = showing Discharge option in your board display menu !
• MG (Morris Garages) EV discharge adapter only

- please note that even original MG brand discharge V2L cable is not working with new MG ZS 2023 version
- software update is fine - please see last two pictures on my this listing “

Good shout !.
When I first tried my V2L cable, I had a mains powered inspection lamp already plugged into the cable, then asked the car to discharge.
When you press discharge, I heard the relay click and then the inspection light came on !.

When was your car built? If before Jan 2023 then the issue I am experiencing won’t apply ?

Have you tried with a load (hair dryer or something switched on) pluged in the 3 pin socket

Yes, I had something plugged into the end of the discharge cable ?

 

[DBedford]

UPDATE!! - Okay, I have received the official MG V2L cable, but it still doesn't work.

There has got to be an issue with the car (or cars if other folk are having the same problem).

My car is leased so I'll get in touch with the lease company. I wanted V2L for Silverstone F1 camping next weekend, so well and truly hacked off now.

Apart from this the car is brilliant.

Sorry for stating the obvious , Have you selected the discharge tab.

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

Sorry for stating the obvious , Have you selected the discharge tab.

I'm in the same boat as @Neilat226 - have something trying to draw load plugged in (floodlight with the switch in the on position) and whatever I do, pressing discharge etc, it refuses to recognise a discharge adapter is plugged in. I ordered a 2k ohm resistor and swapped that in the adapter but same issue.

 

[Lovemyev]

When was your car built? If before Jan 2023 then the issue I am experiencing won’t apply ?

Honestly, I am not 100% sure TBH ?.
We collected it in mid March 2022.
I ordered one of the first batch of V2L cables released by EV Cables on line.
They had been approached by one of the early adopters of the Gen 2 facelift model, to work together in order to produce a V2L cable for his car.
MG at this point could not supply the advertised V2L adopter, for this model and it was very expensive anyway.
I am pretty sure that EV cables were one of the first U.K. companies to bring a cable to the market.
Naturally the first batch of cables sold out in about 3 days.
When the second batch arrived the price had suddenly shot up in price.
From the “Get Go” the cable worked straight away, with no issues.
However, it would only allow discharge when the car was in full ready mode and unlocked.
This was corrected at the time of the cars first service.
It will now allow power discharge when the car is closed down and locked up.
The dealer updated the BCM ( Body Control Module ) in order for this to be successful.

 

[Neilat226]

Honestly, I am not 100% sure TBH ?.
We collected it in mid March 2022.
I ordered one of the first batch of V2L cables released by EV Cables on line.
They had been approached by one of the early adopters of the Gen 2 facelift model, to work together in order to produce a V2L cable for his car.
MG at this point could not supply the advertised V2L adopter, for this model and it was very expensive anyway.
I am pretty sure that EV cables were one of the first U.K. companies to bring a cable to the market.
Naturally the first batch of cables sold out in about 3 days.
When the second batch arrived the price had suddenly shot up in price.
From the “Get Go” the cable worked straight away, with no issues.
However, it would only allow discharge when the car was in full ready mode and unlocked.
This was corrected at the time of the cars first service.
It will now allow power discharge when the car is closed down and locked up.
The dealer updated the BCM ( Body Control Module ) in order for this to be successful.

I think folk in this thread are concerned with 2023 built cars only, as mine is. It came with an info card in the glovebox confirming date of manufacture as below.

 

[Lovemyev]

Thanks for posting that, I am sure my car came with one of them forms.
I will have to dig it out !.
It can only be a software issue surely, as earlier cars are working correctly ?.

 

[Neilat226]

Thanks for posting that, I am sure my car came with one of them forms.
I will have to dig it out !.
It can only be a software issue surely, as earlier cars are working correctly ?.

Fingers crossed ? That’s what I’m hoping for. BUT!!, it’s still a bit rubbish that MG are providing cars that aren’t in full working order. Imagine if you bought a Washing Machine that only had some of it’s programmes working, you’d soon be on to the store for a replacement. Trouble is, MG are a bit of a mystery when it comes to getting hold of them to sort out problems.

 

[Lovemyev]

Fingers crossed ? That’s what I’m hoping for. BUT!!, it’s still a bit rubbish that MG are providing cars that aren’t in full working order. Imagine if you bought a Washing Machine that only had some of it’s programmes working, you’d soon be on to the store for a replacement. Trouble is, MG are a bit of a mystery when it comes to getting hold of them to sort out problems.

As a early adopter of both the MG ZS EV ( Gen 1 ) in late 2019 - Maybe I have become a little more use to their slower pace of working now.
Remember, the ZS EV was the first EV that MG released in mass to the public in the U.K.
It was a very good first attempt for sure, but it had its fair share of teething problems.
Trust me when I say, earlier adopters had brilliant deals on these cars, but they had more than they share of issues to contend with at the time.
Main of the dealers back then, had little or even zero experience of working on electric cars !.
So, you can imagine the worry this caused owners when submitting their car for any of the important updates, to solve any problems they had issues with.
Some of the early updates from MG got corrupted and this caused all sorts of power loss issues and reduced battery range, when they where downloaded into the car.
Early adopters where being used as guinea pigs for sure.
They where used to identify any issues with the car and then these issues where being reported as faults, via the dealers.
Even when the cars where 12 months old and offered up for there first service, dealers would shy away from updating the software if they could.
This was because if all things went according to plan, then great.
But when it didn't, it left the dealers with the headache of curing the problem they had caused, with remote help from MG CS.
Cars stuck on lifts for days awaiting a fix from MG CS.
Ask me how I know this is true.
Therefore updates at certain dealers, just got skipped.

MG have certainly learnt a LOT with the Gen 2 model, but there is still some nagging issues that should and STILL needs ironing out.
Its fair to think as a customer, that every car is updated software wise, before it is shipped out to the customer on the PDI.
A simple process of plugging into a diag computer and press "update all' you may think ?.
Well, I can tell you it is not that simple.
Every single module has to be individually screened for updates, then any applied before moving onto the next module.
This is time consuming and therefore in many cases it does not get done.

 

[Neilat226]

Yes, I’m sure it must have been difficult with the previous generation.

It is obv MG’s choice not to have an “update all” function, and for each module to be updated individually. I don’t see why as consumers we should be expected to accept their lack of education and time allowance for their UK franchisers to do the job properly as a reason for the below par functionality of our cars. It’s not a good way to build brand loyalty.

 

[aserraric]

It can only be a software issue surely, as earlier cars are working correctly ?.

I'm afraid the fact that it depends on the manufacture date points more to a hardware than a software problem.
I actually wouldn't put it past MG/SAIC to have problems with sourcing the required inverters and just going "Screw it, let's ship the cars anyway, maybe the buyers won't notice".

 

[Neilat226]

I'm afraid the fact that it depends on the manufacture date points more to a hardware than a software problem.
I actually wouldn't put it past MG/SAIC to have problems with sourcing the required inverters and just going "Screw it, let's ship the cars anyway, maybe the buyers won't notice".

That’s my big worry!

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

I'm afraid the fact that it depends on the manufacture date points more to a hardware than a software problem.
I actually wouldn't put it past MG/SAIC to have problems with sourcing the required inverters and just going "Screw it, let's ship the cars anyway, maybe the buyers won't notice".

Yes, the fact that we seem to have folks on older build cars running the latest software and seem to be able to use V2L fine tends to point to a hardware issue.

 

[Lovemyev]

Yes, the fact that we seem to have folks on older build cars running the latest software and seem to be able to use V2L fine tends to point to a hardware issue.

Let’s hope that you are incorrect and it’s a software issue that can be sorted.
I would strongly recommend that you try and choose your dealer for this work carefully, for the reasons I have pointed out earlier.
A dealer who has had previous experience working on EV’s before the ZS EV was introduced.
Some of the better EV tech’s have experience working at dual franchise dealers who have been working on the Nissan Leaf for example.
It will not take long to establish if your worries are proven, as the diagnostic computer can not link to an inverter that is not installed !.
It’s in then because it’s required as part of the charging process.
A bit of over thinking it maybe.
The car is advertised and sold as having V2L so if it did not, that is clearly a matter for the trading standards.
I truely don’t think this will be the case.

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

The car is advertised and sold as having V2L so if it did not, that is clearly a matter for the trading standards.
I truely don’t think this will be the case.

Interestingly I now struggle to find any mention of v2l for the ZS EV on the MG website.

 

[Gadget Geek]

It may be that if it is a change of hardware, MG may not have updated the cars firmware to operate the new inverter. Different component manufacturers have different licences and protocols needed to access their products.

 

[Neilat226]

Just for info, this is the schematic that came with the MG V2L cable, confirming a 2000 ohm resistor ?