[TusharK]

MG Motor India will be updating the DCT software on 14,000 Hector SUVs after they failed in the conformity of production (CoP) tests.



The CoP tests were conducted by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT), Manesar. When tests were conducted on samples (Hector DCT BS6) picked up from the company, iCAT found variations in Hydrocarbon and NOx emissions.

It is said that iCAT found that the issue could be fixed just by updating the software and the same would be formally recommended to MG.



In response to the recent developments, MG has stated that it would reach out to customers of the affected vehicles to get the software updated. This process of reflashing the software in all 14,000 units is expected to be completed by December 2021 depending on the Covid-19 situation.

Source: TOI

Link to Team-BHP News

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by TusharK

The CoP tests were conducted by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT), Manesar. When tests were conducted on samples (Hector DCT BS6) picked up from the company, iCAT found variations in Hydrocarbon and NOx emissions.

Can we interpret from the above sentence that, MG has been caught violating in emissions?
The wording of the above sentence is cryptic.
It states 'variation' in emissions, and not 'violation'.

[PrideRed]

What caught my attention is "14000". Surprised that MG was able to sell so many of these so called gas guzzlers. Petrol prices are pinching buyers- said who? For people who have low running and need convenience of Auto box, this was the only option from MG until recently.

[ronford]

Woah, look at the bias. VW Group got away with a voluntary remap which was pushed while the car went for service but for MG it's a recall?

Or maybe MG did this proactively and VW did not?

[callmeneo]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

What caught my attention is "14000". Surprised that MG was able to sell so many of these so called gas guzzlers. Petrol prices are pinching buyers- said who? For people who have low running and need convenience of Auto box, this was the only option from MG until recently.

I suppose the convenience of providing "aaram" to your left leg led people to go for the DCT in Hector. They did a good thing by adding CVT to the portfolio too. Better reliability and less complex than a DCT to operate and repair too. I hope they also add the fix to instrument cluster which starts showing a higher mileage figure before settling to the actual figure which is mush lesser.

[Doo_Dev]

Originally Posted by TusharK

MG Motor India will be updating the DCT software on 14,000 Hector SUVs after they failed in the conformity of production (CoP) tests.


The CoP tests were conducted by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT), Manesar. When tests were conducted on samples (Hector DCT BS6) picked up from the company, iCAT found variations in Hydrocarbon and NOx emissions.

It is said that iCAT found that the issue could be fixed just by updating the software and the same would be formally recommended to MG.

In response to the recent developments, MG has stated that it would reach out to customers of the affected vehicles to get the software updated. This process of reflashing the software in all 14,000 units is expected to be completed by December 2021 depending on the Covid-19 situation.

The solution via a software update gives a different perspective and throws some questions ?

1. A variation in the HC /NOX values cannot come due to software bug and can be due to production variation at a component level ? Does a software based fix means that MG is deploying a workaround to negate the out of spec hardware.

2. Post recall, the 14000 vehicles will have a different version of software. I assume that some of the calibration parameters would be different for these vehicles. When there is newer version of software, how will MG keep track ? . If all the DCT BS6 vehicles manufactured have this issue, then it would make sense.

3. If all the BS6 vehicles has this issue, why was this not found out during type certification / homologation ?

4. More importantly, how is ICAT able to diagnose the issue as software bug given that a third party would have limited knowledge of the software ?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by ronford

Woah, look at the bias. VW Group got away with a voluntary remap which was pushed while the car went for service but for MG it's a recall?

Or maybe MG did this proactively and VW did not?

Because back then the recall policy or whatever in India was not stringent. Hence VW could do a software update at their discretion. But now ICAT has started randomised trials out of production vehicles to confirm the emission standards. That is the reason they are now in a position to command a manufacturer to issue a recall.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by ronford

Woah, look at the bias. VW Group got away with a voluntary remap which was pushed while the car went for service but for MG it's a recall?

Or maybe MG did this proactively and VW did not?

As far as I know, VW did not violate any emission norms in India.

India had 'relaxed' BS4 norms back then, and VW claimed that they were always in compliance with BS4, even with the cheat device on.

The article itself suggests the iCAT randomly picked up a few Hectors and tested them out.
How is this 'voluntary' for MG?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by audioholic

But now ICAT has started randomised trials out of production vehicles to confirm the emission standards.

Very correct. The 2013 GM Tavera scandal rocked the auto majors badly, led to numerous sackings in India & abroad and shook up the certification and testing regime in India.

https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/in...ra-recall-3430

ICAT is doing such randomised selection & testing as part of their routine activities

[GTO]

Hector owners who get this update, please do post on this thread with the driving impressions. The VW emissions fix had blunted performance & I'm very curious to know if this software update changes the gearbox's behaviour.