I purchased a Plus Four (CX) in February 2021 and deprived great pleasure from owning and driving it since then although my driving has been limited by personal circumstances. Consequently to be told in course of a telephone conversation in early June that I should cease to drive it because of a safety issue and receiving the letter of the 8th June 2022 caused intense concern not least because my pride and joy has since remained in my garage, in a Carcoon and connected to a trickle charger for upwards of four weeks because it cannot be driven on the public highway. Planned outings have been frustrated On present appearances this situation is likely to continue into the Autumn.
The letter reads in part “We would like to advise you that ongoing quality assessment of our product we have identified a possible safety related issue in respect of all Morgan Plus Four and Plus Six vehicles. Preliminary investigations indicate that in certain circumstances, premature degradation of the rubber seal(s) in the brake master cylinder may result in compromised brake performance and in extreme cases cause brake failure. Because this is a possible safety issue ……….”
The recall order was apparently dated the 1st June and was made apparently in respect of Morgan CX cars not in respect of a list of cars including those of other companies with a like or similar brake master cylinders and/or seals. Certainly I cannot trace a recall orders in like terms relating to other makes of car but I have not made formal inquiries of the GOV.Uk site because I do not know the identity of the models fitted with a like brake cylinder.
I am not an engineer nor a car mechanic nor a car expert but I have read the threads and comments in Talk Morgan. It seems unlikely to me that the brake cylinder was designed specifically for the CX models. I assume it was designed and produced with specified materials for use in other cars (MMC do not appear to have the resources to finance the design and development of a specific brake cylinder for the CX models). Also It also seems unlikely to me that the brake fluid is specific to Morgan CX cars. As such the brake cylinder as a complete component was accepted as suitable by MMC with or without modification a fitting the technical requirements based not only on a proper evaluation by its own engineers but also in reliance upon the third party warranting that it would meet the technical requirements and assemble each one to the required specification and quality.
In such or like circumstances I am at loss to understand why MMC not been given details about how the present situation has arisen that is to say been frank and open about what is going on given the actual or likely reputational damage to the marque and loss of goodwill with its customers including the selling dealers who have stock which they cannot sell. This kind of damage is likely to destroy the impact of the many favourable reviews in the press and elsewhere and expose MMC to serious criticism. The retail outlets/dealers have been apparently left in an embarrassing position where they cannot deal with legitimate questions from customers and sell new or used CX Morgans,
It the circumstances I say and trust that others will agree that the MMC was and is under an obligation to fully explain in neutral terms how the present state of affairs has arisen. The letter of the 8th June and the subsequent email/letter of the 24th June are wholly inadequate as appears from the comments below.
The list of matters of concern below is not intended to be complete or exclusive
1. As to “ongoing quality assessment” - any quality assessment should have been completed before the CX went on the market. The inference is that such an assessment by MMC or a third party failed to identify the fault which must have appeared in the course of servicing or complaints by drivers as to braking while driving or in the course of an inquiry as to the cause of an accident/collision. 2. On the basis that the brake cylinder including seals and brake fluid must be common to other recently manufactured cars, it would be significant that there has not or has been a vehicle recall in respect of cars with identical brake cylinders unless there is some other fault in construction or design peculiar to CX cars (not necessarily in the brake cylinder) for example use of the alloy which turned out to be porous exclusively in brake cylinders supplied to MMC in accordance with or contrary to the agreed specifications. 3. Whether or not MMC has the financial resources to remedy the situation with or without recourse to the third party supplier of the brake cylinder (which hopefully is a substantial concern good for the money unless MMC is solely responsible for the present situation). 4. Unless the cause of the degradation is identified with certainty used values will be seriously affected. 5. No indication is given as to the time involved so that no owners may make for themselves a realistic decision whether or not to apply for a SORN or to vary insurance cover despite the administrative cost. Of particular concern is this regard is the question of how long it will take to produce replacement components given the present economic upheavals
Others may not have the same concerns or different concerns but I say with respect to all that is about time MMC started to be open and frank . My patience and presumably the patience of others has worn thin.
