Rapid chargers causing faults on ZS EV

[Ruislip Resident]

Is this a problem that other manufacturers models suffer from. If its a uniquely MGZS EV thing, I would consider that enough of a reason to cancel the order and pay more for another manufacturers model. The MG5 doesn't suit my requirements for range or ride height. I've sat in it. Its not high enough for me. I like SUV or MPV ride heights. It's just a personal preference thing.

 

[Kayged]

Hi, I am still waiting for the car so have no experience of this, but I see there is a programmable button on the steering wheel, could this be programed to stop the charging?

Which button is the programmable one? still getting used to the car.

 

[Lovemyev]

I think it’s the one with the STAR symbol ?.

 

[JCFlippen]

I hope for a ZS EV Trophy LR Connect at some point. I am going to ask for written assurance that the latest updated software is Installed and the software reference number is supplied, why does it have to be a hidden secret?

Reading the forum details of dealer/ MG communication it seems a shambles. Not sure what MG UK management do regarding recognising and admitting issues before distributing technical bulletins and ensuring dealer implementation. There seems to be a big gap that we the punter are allowed to fall into with issues like charging, infotainment updates and clicking steering racks.
The ZS EV is great it is the MG UK support that appears to be lacking. Mind you I think Hyundai leave a lot to be desired from various Kona postings That are out there.

 

[Kayged]

I think it’s the one with the STAR symbol ?.

Will see if I can do anything with it, will get back if I can figure it out.

 

[chrisev]

Ours started working better after the dealer did a couple of updates after the car "bricked" at a rapid charger and needed a 180 mile flatbed to get us home and the car to the dealer, we have not tried to use a rapid charger since but we need to give it a go sooner rather than later as we have a few long trips coming up.

We had a similar experience, not used a rapid charger since but likewise will need to test it as holiday coming up.

Really not a fun experience.

 

[Chris Chappell]

From our experience it just seems to affect a few new models. See my earlier entries re vehicle fault April 19th and 21st April, complete breakdown in west Wales. Reset by dealer in Southampton May 5th. Since used rapid chargers twice, successfully. Problem happened as soon as connected tethered cable. We followed instructions to the letter. MG ZS EV LONG range. Bought 30 March this year. ? Built Nov 2021.

 

[TonyP]

That's worrying as I have been told by MG that my trophy built in Oct 21 and delivered in March 22 should have the latest software and should not be effected by the rapid charger issue. Did your vehicle have a software update after your incident and is it a trophy connect?

 

[dm57]

With regards other makes, my nissan leaf uses chademo connector and I have done more than 100 rapid charges at various suppliers. Leaf has no stop charging button anywhere in the car I use either the app for the supplying charger or tap RFID card to start/stop charging. Only issue I have ever had was BP pulse when charge wouldn't stop with app had to let it charge to 100% and stop charge itself before releasing the plug. This issue looks like a major flaw in the charging process. Ideally you should rock up to charger plug in tap contactless card to start and tap to stop. All this press start button twice to turn car on and find stop button is crap design. Not looking forward to getting bricked at a charger 200 miles from home.

 

[MichaelJHunt]

As well as trying a lot of different Rapid Chargers with no issues, I have now charged at my first Osprey Tritium Rapid Charger (75 kW), again with no issues.

Rather than following my normal procedure for starting and ending the charge, I set the maximum charge level to 80% and let the car end the charge session when 80% was reached.

 

[MichaelJHunt]

Which button is the programmable one? still getting used to the car.

There are only three programmable options for the “star” button on the steering wheel.

 

[dm57]

As well as trying a lot of different Rapid Chargers with no issues, I have now charged at my first Osprey Tritium Rapid Charger (75 kW), again with no issues.

Rather than following my normal procedure for starting and ending the charge, I set the maximum charge level to 80% and let the car end the charge session when 80% was reached.

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Good information. I always thought the charge percentage gauge was for AC charging only but if it works on DC as well then that makes sense. Ideal for a splash and dash say 30% arrival and only need 50% to get to destination, can visit the facilities get a drink and should be ready to roll when you return.

 

[Coulomb]

The Tritium might have stopped at 80% anyway, but yes it makes sense that the dash limit would work for DC as well as AC charging.

 

[MichaelJHunt]

The Tritium might have stopped at 80% anyway, but yes it makes sense that the dash limit would work for DC as well as AC charging.

Why would the Tritium stop of its own accord at 80% ?

 

[Coulomb]

There is a "stop at 80%" setting on some, and it seems that they put the default to 80% so that people didn't often charge to 100%, which takes a very long time, hogging the charger for no good use.

But these newer models may be different.

 

[Lovemyev]

There is a "stop at 80%" setting on some, and it seems that they put the default to 80% so that people didn't often charge to 100%, which takes a very long time, hogging the charger for no good use.

But these newer models may be different.

Some owners of the original ZS EV have witnessed D/C chargers stopping the charge at 80%.
I did see this once on a Polar unit, I was about to stop the charge myself, but just as I approached the unit, it just quit charging and displayed a communication fault on the charger screen.
The next time a used a Polar unit, in a different location, the car had received a BMS update.
I allowed it to charge up to the 80% mark and then waited to see if it would stop .
It sailed straight on to 82% then I manually stopped the charge as it was plenty of range to continue my journey.
I like the idea that you can limited the SOC to 80% when charging on a D/C unit, if that is indeed the case on the new facelift models !.
It makes sense, because you can do this on a Tesla I believe ?.
I think Tesla themselves have limited the SOC to 80% on D/C units on some cars that when they have reached a large number of D/C has been reached.
To offer some protection to the HV pack.
Tesla Bjorn I think has covered this in one of his great videos.

 

[hmadsen]

I like the idea that you can limited the SOC to 80% when charging on a D/C unit, if that is indeed the case on the new facelift models !.
It makes sense, because you can do this on a Tesla I believe ?.
I think Tesla themselves have limited the SOC to 80% on D/C units on some cars that when they have reached a large number of D/C has been reached.
To offer some protection to the HV pack.
Tesla Bjorn I think has covered this in one of his great videos.

The car is really the one in charge. The charger only tells the car, what is's capabilities are, and then the car will control the charging.

If set to 80% the car will stop charging at 80% as the car will simply send a "I want no more" signal to the charger. The charger can also send a "We should stop" signal, and some chargers have a button on the charger, where you can end the charging. Some i have seen has also used the chipcard you started the charge with, to stop the charge. This, probably to prevent someone pressing "stop" while you sit on the throne, waiting for the car to be charged.

 

[Kevster]

I've read a number of comments on rapid chargers causing faults on ZS's, these couldn't be cleared, by either waiting, battery disconnection or even AA fault reset

I'm soon to be collecting my face lift ZS LR Trophy and I'm a little concerned


My question's are
Has it been determined which MG models and firmware's are affected?

Is a particular brand of rapid charger that is causing the problem?

I read that this can be avoided if you don't let your battery go below a certain level (30%?) Is this true?


I don't want to be paranoid, but it would be good to know if there any simple steps that I can take to improve my chances!

Strangly I had an issue today with my brand new ZS Trophy long range. this happened to me in York where the City Council have installed brand new ABB chargers in a variety of variants at what appears to have been Park and ride sites which seem to have moved (well the one at Poklington has). This was a surprise to me as before I set off from home near Cambridge I checked Zap map and according to this App BPpulse chargers are at that site. Well, on Thursday I arrived and plugged in to the Rapid charger and was pleasantly surprised to find it was free as it appears the card readers are not yet set up. did a bit of driving around in York over the next few days so depleted the battery to 60%. Then on to Whitby, so on the way out to Whitby I used the same station with a successful charge to 100% in the time it took to have a coffe at the nearby cafe.
On the way back from Whitby today I stopped at this same site and plugged in expecting a rapid charge, however this time the charger returned a fault. The screen reporting an issue with the connection to the car. I tried again and also on other chargers at this site to no avail. So I tried the AC charging option which worked fine giving me a 6.5 kW charge which would have taken 4 hours to completely charge the car. So I stayed until I had enough charge to get me home should the worse happen.
However on the way home I stopped for a coffee etc at a place that had Instavolt chargers. I connected and charged just fine to 80%.
I have no idea if it was the car or the ABB chargers or a combination of both, the ABB chargers were charging other vehicles including a taxi just fine. Can anyone explain what was happening? did the fault in the car clear down over time?
Any suggestions as to what to do if this happens again?

 

[AK OK]

Then anyone could come along and stop your charge ?

Shurely you can do it from the app ?

 

[Coulomb]

Can anyone explain what was happening? did the fault in the car clear down over time?

I don't think that there was a fault in the car at all. What we're mostly concerned about is when the car throws up some sort of error, usually with the red or yellow "!" in the car icon, and then refuses to start, so the car is "bricked".

My wild guess is that the operators are still fiddling with settings and what not on those new ABB chargers, and somehow put them into a state where they won't talk to MGs, yet would talk to other cars. This is concerning, especially when you're desperate for a charge, and is probably something that SAIC can fix over time. But it's not the big problem, where as a reaction to some charging event the car sets some sort of fault code that prevents it from enabling the main battery contactors.