Problems with new (ex-demo) MG4

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Short filling is allegedly common at fast fit places too.

They fill to 95% (or even 90!) as the AC will work perfectly for 1-2 years or so until it loses enough gas.

The gas is booked/accounted for at 100% fills, so they have a fair bit of "free" gas for Other Jobs. 😉

itm2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101293#Comment_82101293

Thanks. Yes I did try resetting the infotainment console at the time, by pressing and holding the Home button for 15 seconds. This did change the behaviour of the system - it stopped blowing hot air and started to blow air that was ambient temperature, or maybe slightly cooler. But it wasn't air conditioned air.

This may be a total coincidence, but there is a separate issue with the dash cam, which fails to power up 9 times out of 10 when we start the car. It's a Kenwood front and rear cam, fitted to the fusebox with the Kenwood hardwire kit. The dashcam itself is fine - if I connect it to the USB socket under the dashboard it powers up every time. It's just the power supply from the fusebox/hardwire kit that is problematic. Also, for some reason whenever I power up the dashcam from a different source (e.g. the dashboard USB slot, or a home power supply), then plug it back in to the fusebox hardware kit, it powers up first time. But then it goes back to not powering up at all when I start the car again. Could be coincidence, but that's happened 3 times now.

I understand that the Kenwood hardwire kit is designed to shut off if the voltage level from the 12V battery drops below a certain level, so I'm wondering if there might be an underlying issue with the 12V battery, and whether this might also be playing a part in the AC system problem????

sheenas

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099336#Comment_82099336

I was think of driving mode, my BMW does stops the AC when stationary in ECO mode, but works normally in Comfort mode. Some EV cool the battery using AC so it's definitely wise to get to the bottom of the issue.

Goudy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101459#Comment_82101459

What circuit have you piggybacked for the hardwire kit?

I would unplug the dashcam from the fusebox and see what happens to the air con.

You might be getting an unexpected demand on one of the electrical circuits which is causing the aircon compressor to fail to run.

As it's an EV, the air con pump will be powered by an electric motor with the same electric that runs the rest of the car.

The car's software will no doubt monitor power usage and disable things like the air con pump if it thinks demand for power elsewhere is priority. Your hardwire kit might be fooling the system to shut down.

itm2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101532#Comment_82101532

I can't tell which circuit the hardwire kit is connected to (it was fitted by the dealer), as I can't get access to the fusebox without removing a side panel from the dashboard (!), and I'd rather leave that to Ancaster for the moment.

At the time of the AC failure the dash cam was powered off, although I can't be sure that the hardwire kit wasn't attempting a small power draw if it has smart circuitry of its own.

Bandy2023

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101375#Comment_82101375

What do you mean "loses enough gas"?

They shouldn't lose any gas, does your fridge lose gas?

Has anyone ever had to regas a fridge ( barring faults )?

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103218#Comment_82103218

There's a couple of fundamental differences between car aircon and a fridge.

One is that the condenser in a fridge isn't having stone chippings etc hurled at it at 60mph+

The other is that fridge owners don't leave their fridge unused for 11 months of the year, trying to save electricity by hanging the milk out of the window in a plastic bag, then look surprised when the compressor seals have dried out through lack of use.

facade

Yes the fridge gradually loses gas over the course of years, the metal is thin enough that the refrigerant can slowly diffuse through. Eventually you notice that it runs for much longer than it used to and it is time for a new one.

The fridge is a sealed system, and doesn't have a rotating shaft poking out through a rubber seal into fresh air like a car.

The newer R1234yf gas escapes quicker than the older R134, if you can get more than 3 years between regassing a modern car with its cigarette paper thin pipework you are doing really well! (I get mine regassed every other MOT, and it is about 26-30% down, but still cooling reasonably well)

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103218#Comment_82103218

Biggest loss of gas is people not using A/C all the time. None use dries out seals.

Bigwheels1111

My air con has been so so from day one.

But still working after almost 10 years with no regas, I run the system every 2 weeks for 10 minutes to allow the oil in the gas to lube the seals.