Steering gone on my 2021 ZS EV

[N2STY]

So far Gen 1 fail 131

Gen2

10/08/21 331 SR Trophy
15/10/21 331 LR Trophy
26/10/21 334 LR Trophy connect
06/11/21 331 SR Trophy
12/11/21 331 SR Trophy
13/12/21 331 LR Trophy

Would be nice to get a few connects to confirm 334

 

[Lovemyev]

So far Gen 1 fail 131

Gen2

10/08/21 331 SR Trophy
15/10/21 331 LR Trophy
26/10/21 334 LR Trophy connect
06/11/21 331 SR Trophy
12/11/21 331 SR Trophy
13/12/21 331 LR

Would be nice to get a few connects to confirm 334

The last one on your list, is our LR Trophy face lift.
Sorry, I missed off the Trophy bit !.

 

[Sketchjoe]

Has anyone had this on Gen2? My steering sounds like it’s “knocking” or “clicking” at times.

Hi have you reported steering issue to main dealer if not do this ASAP. The problem is the steering column knuckle join. This is a known problem that MG know about but not admitting. Show your dealer the photos I have posted. Please keep me updated as I am getting legal and independent technical advice.
cheers Joe

 

[Sketchjoe]

Yes, started around 1000 kms, been in the garage for a fortnight waiting for 'information from MG' on how to fix it and now apparently 'waiting parts'.

As there is no indication of if/when the parts (read: Steering column) will arrive, we went and returned the loan Corsa they gave us and recovered our MG telling them to call us when the part comes in - little point in it sitting in the garage waiting for months on end while I'm putting expensive fuel into a small, poorly spec'd (albeit brand new - arrived with 33km on the clock) loan car.

Hi John did you get steering issue sorted. If not I would be very cautious about driving it. Mine just collapsed as I was driving away from the side of the road. Please keep me updated we need to get this problem out there. Hopefully then MG will admit there is a problem and do a recall.

 

[OJT23]

Hi have you reported steering issue to main dealer if not do this ASAP. The problem is the steering column knuckle join. This is a known problem that MG know about but not admitting. Show your dealer the photos I have posted. Please keep me updated as I am getting legal and independent technical advice.
cheers Joe

Hi,

Booked in for the week after next. I regularly check the joins and all seems to be ok at the moment. I’ve done some of the tests and wheels are moving correctly to the movement of the steering wheel. However the sound has changed…. Sometimes I can now hear a clunking sound without the movement of the steering wheel but almost with the weight of the car. No clicking with movement of the steering wheel. It seems quite a few people have the same problem looking at the Facebook group…. Some just need bolts to be tightened. Others need the steering column replaced!

I’ll let you know the outcome from the dealer. It’s a shame I love the car other than this so hoping I can find a resolution ??.

 

[Sketchjoe]

I have a gen 1 2020 Exclusive, I have always had a noice from the steering column somewhere, its been in twice before, 11th June went in for knocking from the sunroof and steering column also sloppy steering. Was told on leaving it at the garage that there was a recall, would not tell me what, the mechanics do not tell the sales staff anything. Picked up on the 14th and was told it needed a new steering column, did not know when it would be done, as it was ordered from China. I asked if it was safe to drive as we are going to Dorset on holiday soon and they said it was OK. I am how worried!!

Take your car back to the garage and show them the photos I posted. I had no concerns with any knocking it just came off when I was driving away from side of road. I am not scaremongering but my experience I would not drive the anywhere. Please keep me updated

 

[Sketchjoe]

Think we might need a touch more statistical nouse than absolute numbers here to keep things in perspective... expressed as a probability 2 out of ?200,000? ?‍ more??‍ mk1s (plus iCE versions you point out use the same part 500k??‍) is a vanishingly small chance - albeit so far, but after ?3 years?

As we know yours & others' mk2s might not even exist yet, & may or may not use similar parts no technically different to those in mk1, so the jury even further out on those odds ?

So best keep em crossed??

I don’t think you would be advising people to keep there fingers crossed if you had the same experience as me. There has been a number of post reporting knocking noise from there steering column and have had them replaced. Do these not count as possible failures. Do you work for MGUK. Because this is the exact attitude there taking. Maybe if we get someone’s steering column failing on the motorway with deaths or life changing injuries maybe you wouldn’t be so flippant with your comments

 

[AK OK]

I don’t think you would be advising people to keep there fingers crossed if you had the same experience as me. There has been a number of post reporting knocking noise from there steering column and have had them replaced. Do these not count as possible failures. Do you work for MGUK. Because this is the exact attitude there taking. Maybe if we get someone’s steering column failing on the motorway with deaths or life changing injuries maybe you wouldn’t be so flippant with your comments

Oh dear.
No I don't work for MG.
You've been unlucky.
Until it becomes statistically significant I stand by my comments.
YMMV.

 

[Sketchjoe]

Is anybody keeping a tally on how many complete failures we are seeing on the UJ joints of these cars OBTW ??.
I THINK we are sitting at three complete failures now, with more to follow I suspect.
I agree, that some of the clicking in the column may not be as a direct result of potential UJ failure, but when the column has reached the point where it is rattling badly and knocking can be heard, you have to be very wary of a link to UJ failure.
Given the degree of failure, this joint will display excessive play at the wheel and an increasing loud knocking before it fails.
It does not just fail instantly like that.
Not an isolated incident then it would appear.
I really hate to think, that somebody suffers a major accident before something is done about this KNOWN problem.
Surely, the demand for replacement steering columns by dealers, for cars that are very new and only covered a small amount of mileage, in some cases should get the alarm bells ringing somewhere ???.
Excess play at the steering wheel will be a key indicator that something is seriously wrong and should NOT be dismissed.
Here is a simple but NOT fool proof plan you can do at home.
Boot up the car and make sure the front wheels are punted straight ahead.
Lower the drivers window and leave the car.
Reach through the window and now with your left hand, pinch the steering lightly with your thumb and finger.
Now gently, try rocking the steering wheel a very small amount, no more than about 10 mm each way.
While doing this, keep your eyes firmly on the drivers road wheel.
If you move the steering wheel slightly and the front wheel reacts in the same manner, then this is a positive basic test.
If you are moving the steering wheel and the road wheel is perfectly still and not moving.
There is excess play / wear somewhere in the steering gear.
The small amount of movement at the steering wheel, should be mimicked at the road wheel.
Again, do not take this test as 100% proof folks, but is a good basic home test.
Do you feel that you are having to correct the steering a lot on the open road and your steering wheel looks slightly off centre ?.
Does it feel like the car is wandering about some times ?.
If you feel in anyway that something does not feel right, please get it checked !.
MOT testers can perform this simple test at the steering wheel before inspecting the car on a ramp.
You get a feel what can lie ahead on some older cars.
Ask me how I know ?.
This type of thing is NOT conclusive with a newer car and should be of major concern to somebody on the ladder of motoring industry.

Hi thank you for your input. I totally agree with you that there would be some sign before the knuckle joint would fail. I heard no knocking or play in the steering wheel. Which is even more worrying. I am trying to collate a list of failures plus columns that have been replaced.
I am in the process of getting legal and independent technical advice regarding this problem. MG-UK are in denial of this problem. I have been in contact with head of after sales regarding the issue. He totally denies there is an issue. His answer was these things happen and they will replace the faulty component. I asked him to pass my concerns and photos I had supplied him to the technical department to see what there view would be. He refused to do that as in his opinion there was no problem. I will keep the forum updated.
Joe

 

[Lovemyev]

Hi thank you for your input. I totally agree with you that there would be some sign before the knuckle joint would fail. I heard no knocking or play in the steering wheel. Which is even more worrying. I am trying to collate a list of failures plus columns that have been replaced.
I am in the process of getting legal and independent technical advice regarding this problem. MG-UK are in denial of this problem. I have been in contact with head of after sales regarding the issue. He totally denies there is an issue. His answer was these things happen and they will replace the faulty component. I asked him to pass my concerns and photos I had supplied him to the technical department to see what there view would be. He refused to do that as in his opinion there was no problem. I will keep the forum updated.
Joe

I find it both worrying and disconcerting that he dismisses the problem so flippantly to be totally honest.
I think you are totally correct in your approach with regards to compiling any evidence of other cases and seeking legal advice.
I just wonder if his attitude would have been some what different, had he had the same experience while travelling with HIS family in a car affected by this issue.
Because let’s be 100% crystal clear here, there IS a known problem about this issue.
This has been confirmed by them, when they started replacing steering columns in other owners cars.
No manufacture will commence replacing vital steering components on a car, that is almost new and has covered very little mileage, unless they are convinced that something is definitely a genuine issue.
Cars that have been submitted by the owners, back to the dealers to investigate a steering knock etc have then been checked, there findings will been submitted back to the manufacture for forward guidance.
In return the dealer would likely have been given authorisation to replace any items that the manufacture has suggested.
The days of the dealer firing the parts cannon at any car under warranty, without prior authorisation is long gone !.
My guess is, that MG will be batch checking on UJ joint components supplied to them.
At the moment there maybe limited numbers of complete failures of this component.
But that is still one too many in my mind.
You can’t get anymore serious than complete steering failure really !.
How many people have experienced this on any OTHER car that is almost new ?.
You will struggle to find any !.

 

[JohnInFrance]

Hi John did you get steering issue sorted. If not I would be very cautious about driving it. Mine just collapsed as I was driving away from the side of the road. Please keep me updated we need to get this problem out there. Hopefully then MG will admit there is a problem and do a recall.

Nope, still clicking, still waiting for parts, no sign of light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Sketchjoe]

Nope, still clicking, still waiting for parts, no sign of light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for update John

 

[Sketchjoe]

This is my steering column that failed

 

[N2STY]

Yep 131 thanks

 

[N2STY]

So I asked a MG mechanic from on garage and he confirmed he has had to replace a few steering racks and universal joints so I think there is definitely a bigger issue here

 

[Armylee2009]

Hi thank you for your input. I totally agree with you that there would be some sign before the knuckle joint would fail. I heard no knocking or play in the steering wheel. Which is even more worrying. I am trying to collate a list of failures plus columns that have been replaced.
I am in the process of getting legal and independent technical advice regarding this problem. MG-UK are in denial of this problem. I have been in contact with head of after sales regarding the issue. He totally denies there is an issue. His answer was these things happen and they will replace the faulty component. I asked him to pass my concerns and photos I had supplied him to the technical department to see what there view would be. He refused to do that as in his opinion there was no problem. I will keep the forum updated.
Joe

3 months old same issue here

 

[Lovemyev]

3 months old same issue here

Gen 2 ZS EV face lift, which model ??????.

 

[Sketchjoe]

3 months old same issue here

Hi Armylee did the knuckle joint fail or did you get some knocking. What has your dealer said about it.

 

[Armylee2009]

Hi Armylee did the knuckle joint fail or did you get some knocking. What has your dealer said about it.

Gen 2 trophy its in the garage on Monday but I'm an ex fitter for Ford, uj,so on way out and cheap rack fitted poor grade of steel

 

[Lovemyev]

Gen 2 trophy its in the garage on Monday but I'm an ex fitter for Ford, uj,so on way out and cheap rack fitted poor grade of steel

Can you supply a photo of the failed UJ joint ( Top or Bottom) and a photo of the part number label on the lower steering column assembly please.
Thanks !.
This thread is trying to build up some historical data for cross reference purposes.
Did you experience any knock / excess play at the steering column / wheel prior to the failure.
As a X Ford fitter, your experience in this matter would be very well received by other owners.
Thanks !.