McLaren to fix MP4-12C glitches, denies production stoppage reports
Oct 8, 2011 | 11:22 AM
#1
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From: Zoo York
McLaren to fix MP4-12C glitches, denies production stoppage reports 
McLaren to fix MP4-12C glitches, denies production stoppage reports
Autocar gives us the latest scoop regarding the rumor storm swirling around McLaren
McLaren Automotive has denied reports claiming it has stopped production of its new McLaren MP4-12C supercar. Instead, cars are not being allowed to leave the factory until a software upgrade is made to fix various electrical glitches early customers have experienced, including over-sensitive warning lights and the battery draining.
Production is carrying on as normal at a rate of around five per day, with cars expected to be released to customers within the next fortnight after McLaren finalizes the various software upgrades needed.
A spokesman told Autocar that around 100 MP4-12Cs were now with customers and not all had experienced problems. The problems are not safety or mechanical ones. Once the software fix is sorted by the factory, customers who have already taken delivery of their MP4-12C will be able to have the upgrade installed at their local dealership.
Production is carrying on as normal at a rate of around five per day, with cars expected to be released to customers within the next fortnight after McLaren finalizes the various software upgrades needed.
A spokesman told Autocar that around 100 MP4-12Cs were now with customers and not all had experienced problems. The problems are not safety or mechanical ones. Once the software fix is sorted by the factory, customers who have already taken delivery of their MP4-12C will be able to have the upgrade installed at their local dealership.
Tony Joseph, director of McLaren North America, admitted that there are some delays, but they have nothing to do with safety: “There are no safety concerns for the delay. We’ve had some quality-related issues in a few cars we wanted to address before we continue to deliver customer cars”, he told Autoweek magazine.
Joseph denied the rumors that the MP4-12C faces performance and safety problems, claiming that the issues were mostly condensation in the headlights and a problem with battery drainage and door operation.
“We believe the battery issue is coming from the electrical head unit, which appears to not be shutting off”, he said. The glitch seems to be software-related, since the car’s electronics shut down when the doors are locked in order to stop the battery from draining.
In Europe, 59 cars have already been delivered to customers, but not all of them have been affected. Joseph said that McLaren is dealing with the problem case-by-case basis, sending repair people on location to fix the issue.
Joseph admitted that while McLaren dealers will get their demo cars on time, shipment of the 179 cars ordered by US customers may be delayed by a couple of weeks until the problem is solved: “We want to make sure we deliver a proper product to our customers. And I would rather delay them by a couple of weeks if I can ensure a better product.”
Joseph denied the rumors that the MP4-12C faces performance and safety problems, claiming that the issues were mostly condensation in the headlights and a problem with battery drainage and door operation.
“We believe the battery issue is coming from the electrical head unit, which appears to not be shutting off”, he said. The glitch seems to be software-related, since the car’s electronics shut down when the doors are locked in order to stop the battery from draining.
In Europe, 59 cars have already been delivered to customers, but not all of them have been affected. Joseph said that McLaren is dealing with the problem case-by-case basis, sending repair people on location to fix the issue.
Joseph admitted that while McLaren dealers will get their demo cars on time, shipment of the 179 cars ordered by US customers may be delayed by a couple of weeks until the problem is solved: “We want to make sure we deliver a proper product to our customers. And I would rather delay them by a couple of weeks if I can ensure a better product.”
Oct 9, 2011 | 05:59 AM
#3
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 178
There's a few owners on Pistonheads who have been very open and honest with their experiences. Great insight.
First Week with Mclaren
and
MP4-12C photos and review/comparison
First Week with Mclaren
and
MP4-12C photos and review/comparison
Oct 9, 2011 | 09:36 AM
#4
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,425
From: Abu Dhabi
It reminds me of EVO 160. There was an article about McLaren fixing the issues very quickly (sound, steering, paddles) and they said that it's like in F1. You have a problem, you fix it fast: you don't have a lot of time and you must take the right decision. It's good to see that they're actually doing it.
Oct 9, 2011 | 11:29 AM
#5
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 31,554
From: Zoo York
There's a few owners on Pistonheads who have been very open and honest with their experiences. Great insight.
First Week with Mclaren
and
MP4-12C photos and review/comparison
First Week with Mclaren
and
MP4-12C photos and review/comparison
Oct 10, 2011 | 07:43 AM
#9
It's quite strange as I got a phone call from an owner of a 12C and he told me that he'd just got off the phone from McLaren and they'd told him that they had stopped production until they can fix the faults which have been reported.
Oh, and if people are interested in the nav system and what functionality works at the moment, I was playing with the system on one last week and the bits which work are brilliant. There's a touch screen which is very easy to use and clear. Looks very up maket too. The audio system as far as I could see was fully working. You could listen to the radio absolutely fine and connect to an iPod. The satnav wasn't working yet, nor was the bluetooth handsfree. There were a few other niggles with the system - the date was stuck back in Feb which isn't ideal, but not the end of the world IMO. Overall, I can't wait to see the finished system as I think it will put the other systems available on other cars to shame from what I've seen so far.
Oh, and if people are interested in the nav system and what functionality works at the moment, I was playing with the system on one last week and the bits which work are brilliant. There's a touch screen which is very easy to use and clear. Looks very up maket too. The audio system as far as I could see was fully working. You could listen to the radio absolutely fine and connect to an iPod. The satnav wasn't working yet, nor was the bluetooth handsfree. There were a few other niggles with the system - the date was stuck back in Feb which isn't ideal, but not the end of the world IMO. Overall, I can't wait to see the finished system as I think it will put the other systems available on other cars to shame from what I've seen so far.
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