The Truth about EV Break Downs - Part 2

The first part of my Electric Vehicle Breakdown Videos launched a little while ago, and a lot more information landed in my inbox since then! In this video we take a look at some notes after a long phone call with a gentleman who works in recovery... We'll be looking at which EVs are the worst offenders, what causes the problems and which cars shut down by themselves.

We're also looking at the state of UK breakdowns in general, from tyres to oil lights to not enough people understanding basic maintenance.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments...!

#electriccars #classiccars #greenenergy

[matthewgodwin]

I once overheard a conversation between two women in a cafe, and one of them was really flustered saying that she'd never buy another Mercedes ever again. When her friend enquired why she said one of the tyres had gone flat, and that was why she was late. Her friend said, quite rightly that any car can get a flat tyre. But the woman replied in a haughty voice that she'd had other makes of car and that their tyres had never gone flat before. I've never laughed so much in my life.

[andrewgallop]

Back in the early eighties I was a petrol pump boy, regularly filling cars with fuel and selling top up oil . On one occasion a lady pulled onto the forecourt, I filled her car with petrol she paid went back to her car . 5 mins later she came back to my booth on the forecourt and bought some oil, I asked if she wanted me to top it up she said no I’ll do it . After another 5 mins I noticed oil coming from the bottom of her car, I walked over and said everything ok there’s oil on the floor! Turns out she’d poured the oil over the engine hoping it would somehow find its way in !! True story

[bordersw]

When my daughter was in her GCSE year they all had to do a week of work experience. She wanted to do health care but school couldn’t find a place so put her with a local garage as a mechanic. A week of checking tyres, changing brakes and oil changes. Served her well now she’s driving her own car.

[fredericksaxton]

25 years ago I was doing 1000 miles a week in my 4litre XJ40 jag. Changed Oil & filter every 2 months. When I last heard of the car about 3 years ago it was still on it's original engine and gbox and was just shy of 300, 000 miles.
I have a female friend who has never opened her bonnet in 8 years. She recently complained she had a 'hi temp' light lit up, I told her to check her water level and she had no idea how to.

[tomjacobs]

I drive a Nissan leaf for work. Its a 21 plate on 26000 miles
Had two breakdowns in 6 months both related to 12v battery. Things I've learnt from this.
1. Leafs can't be pushed in reverse. Whoever decided didn't think about the charger being at front
2. Jump leads/jump pack would be quicker than breajdown
3. The car being a lease car, they didn't tell us service intervals. Only came to light a service was required after second breakdown.
On a secondary note, charging a evs a sod without a home charger. Monday I went to two chargers and no spare (fast) drove to the third one and had calculate how long I could stay and if it would be long enough for what was needed.
In short, nice car to drive pain to live with

[RussellBury]

Im a garage owner and im constantly booked up, at least a 2 week waiting list and very selective about taking on new customers so i can focus on and look after the great customers i already have. Been a mechanic for 32 years and i will be sticking to what i know and wont be repairing EVs,

I am seeing people willing to pay for repairs to keep their older cars properly maintained, with the cost of living crisis you would think people would be cutting back on servicing but i am seeing the opposite and a desire to keep what they have in its best condition.

I am also seeing a change in attitude to tyres and seeing people take my advice to get good new tyres fitted, some Hankooks or Avons that dont break the bank rather than unbranded or part worn, the cost per millimeter of useable tread for a part worn is more than a new mid range and then there is the extra fuel cost driving on the supplied underinflated 3.5mm 2009 egg shaped winter tyre they proudly paid £25 for at ye olde local lost wheel key tyre emporium.

[JollyRogerTheDodger]

When the M1 roadworks were being carried (widening of the M1 around Luton) about 15 odd years ago. I pulled onto the hard shoulder as my car was overheating (young, irresponsible lad back then)...anyway, with 10 seconds some dude in a golf with his Mrs and kid in the back pulled over, the dude came over and was like 'oh, your just overheating, I'll grab you some wate...and he did. Literally, I was back driving in minutes. What an absolute legend.

Another time, I had friends coming round to mine from up north and I was on my way home from work...anyway, my mobile rings and I answered my mates' call. Anyway, I took a left hand turn quite sharply and somehow, Lord only knows, I ended up popping the tyre. As I lived only minutes away, I decided to trundle home...anyway, a Scooby-Doo (Subaru Impreza WRX) saw my situation and pulled up next to me Sking if I needed any help and I said I live minutes away and it was cool...but he was like 'I have all the tools in my car to change it right now!'. I thanked him and trundle home.

Two stories of a couple of legends I'll always remember.

[lachcris]

Hi, You're so correct about the emergency service that is provided .

I put my first full tank of petrol in & noticed on returning home rough idling & a hard brake pedal, anyway called the AA who came and resolved my issue quickly & pleasantly (brake servo pipe had come adrift) resolved my problem !.

My point is really when I offered the guy a coffee & a bacon roll he was so grateful it was almost embarrassing.

He said that some of his ' clients' were unpleasant & ungrateful & it is what he was paid for anyway, its got worse recently apparently !.

Sorry to rant on, love your observations etc .

Cheers, Lachie.

[robindumpleton]

Went out to recover a big 4x4. Woman was not happy having spent 3hrs wait, middle of nowhere and I was 100 miles and a 45 behind. Anyway when the steam had finished, she said she was taking it to the garage, they had used a pressure washer and taken the paint off her wheels. I said, "They've done worse than that, they've washed the tread off your tyres "
Mercedes 300E kept going out to ones flat on the floor, suspension wouldn't rise, loading was a pig because you had to make wooden ramps because they were so low. Last one I did service manager and mechanic were still there. I said whats happening with these 300E. Nothing he says. I said are you sure. So he gave me the experienced service manager and you're just a recovery driver speech. I said this is the sixth one I've recovered with floppy botty this month. Apparently the air suspension distributor valve at the rear was not up to the extra 500 Kg and was popping. Mercedes just didn't want to make it public. Leafs, well if they ran too low, they had to go back to the workshop because they wouldn't take a charge. 😁

[timhicks]

EV’s - the answer to a problem that never needed fixing.

[petertaylor]

I still maintain my own cars by the kerbside, something you don't see much of these days. Some of us friends get together around one of the houses for a group car repair and service, lots of fun and laughter to the annoyance of some people living close by but we all chip in and help one another. Been doing it over thirty years now.
Great times.

[khalidacosta]

The issue on bulging tyres is three fold. Cars getting heavier (especially EV's), roads getting worse but most of all, us brits love big wheels on cars, to the point a small family hatchback comes standard with 19's....

[buffalomerkis]

Christmas 2022, travelled from north west England to south east.

M6, M6 toll, m42, m40, m25, m23

Around 300 miles, I counted 25 broken down cars on the hard shoulder. It was late on the last Friday before Christmas, it’s like no one used their car for a year due to Co V1d and working from home….. and then wondering why the car they’ve neglected for a year suddenly stopped working when going on to a motorway for the first time in ages…

I have never seen so many breakdowns.

[julianpalmer]

Looking after a car these days is a lost art, just look at the number of numpties standing around wating for the RAC (other companies are available) to come and change a tyre! Mind you nowadays your lucky if you get a spare with your car. A bottle of sludge and an electric pump on the hard shoulder of the motorway is no use for a tyre missing its side wall.

[mpersad]

Yes. The recovery services do a terrific job. Definitely, given fewer people know, or their cars even allow them, how to fix the breakdown the recovery firms are the 4th emergency service. Great video, as per usual, thanks Geoff.

[paulpaintshop]

EV'S, an Impractical solution to an Imaginary problem.

[stevehulford]

Hi there-- As a retired mechanic I noticed that people now treat a car as if they were white goods. Daily/ weekly checks never get done and nobody even glances at a handbook to check what warning lamps signify. Drivers seem to think that a car is the same as a 'fridge-- If the interior lamp comes on when you open the door, everything must be fine.

[brianalder]

I genuinely believe “Young people “ today believe the car will look after itself AI and all that ! Driving conditions should be taken care of by the vehicle . P.s great channel 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[visage]

Filmed on location in Stephen King's The Mist 😂
Great video as always Geoff. Had no idea about the expected oil consumption of modern cars. All my cars are considered terrible old outdated things, meaning I can work on them myself and that they actually work haha
Love the videos keep em coming!

[darrinheaven]

Forecourt boy in the late 1970's when a camper van came in for fuel. We're about 70 miles/120km from the airport that the American tourist picked up said camper van. He moaned about the lack of power and poor fuel consumption. He paid and left but stopped after around 10m, coming back to ask about the light on the dashboard, which turned out to be the handbrake light. I needed a lot of strength to pull out the 'walking stick' handbrake and unwind it several rotations before it would release.