Hybrid SUV recalled in NZ due to melting plastic parts

Monday, 24 April 2023

The MG HS plug-in hybrid is one of the most affordable plug-in hybrids in the country.

One of the country’s most affordable plug-in hybrid family cars has been recalled following concerns over a potential vulnerability that can result in overheating, leading to some plastic components melting.

MG Motor New Zealand issued a recall notice for its 2021 to 2023 HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid (recently renamed the ‘HS PHEV’) last week – a recall impacting more than 1,700 vehicles.

The HS PHEV can travel up to 55km on pure electric power.

The recall notice states that in certain models, the edge of the carpet underlay layer sits between the car’s PTC heating module and air conditioning system. Over time, this can lead to the loosening of the ground wire eyelet terminal.

An MG Motor New Zealand spokesperson added, in a statement to Stuff, that this symptom can cause the terminal to “overheat, potentially resulting in the melting of plastic materials in the specific terminal area”.

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The facelifted HS has been on sale in China for some months, and was unveiled for the UK late last week.

The spokesperson underlined that there have been zero local incidents recorded on either side of the ditch at the time of the recall.

“This recall is being done out of an abundance of caution, as no incidents have been attributed to this problem in Australia or New Zealand,” they said.

“MG in New Zealand has already carried out 220 Inspections and plans to contact additional owners in due course, so if you think your HS Plus EV may be affected, please get in touch with your local dealer or wait until they have contacted you.”

A total of 1,765 HS plug-in hybrids have been affected by the recall, which will be carried out in two phases.

“The first is an inspection at an MG Dealer to find out whether the affected vehicle will need a correction of the installed PTC ground wire eyelet terminal,” said the spokesperson.

“If the vehicle is in need of this adjustment, the second phase will be carried out immediately for free and at no cost to the customer by correcting the installation.”

The recall happens to come in the same week as MG revealed its new-look HS facelift for the UK market, an update that’s likely to eventually arrive in New Zealand.

The update draws the HS’s styling much closer to the likes of the MG 5 sedan, with its larger flowing front grille. The rear end has been tweaked, too, with dual exhaust tips and LED taillights.

Inside, MG boasts that the model gets new soft-touch surfaces, with most of its balance (including the 10.1-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital cluster) carrying over from the current HS.

The updated HS’s pure internal combustion engine four-cylinder option remains the same between generations, too – the 1.5-litre sending 119kW to the front wheels. Details of the next-gen HS PHEV’s powertrain for western markets have yet to be formalised.