@motdang

Muckdahan BYD asked us to bring the car in for a valve replacement.

I should have gone into the workshop and asked what they were doing, but didn't at the time.

I watched from afar. They jacked up the car and took the black cover of the bottom of the SL7 off. 

They were looking at what I thought from ICE cars would be the front wheels drive shaft (but no Constant Velocity CV joints).

I think they filled 2 rubber pads with silicon and pressed then onto the drive shaft. I know they were filled with silicon as I asked for the car to be cleaned and they said the silicon wouldn't be dry so no clean.

 

Anyone else had this mod. and what's it for?

 

 

1 hour ago, carlyai said:

@motdang

Muckdahan BYD asked us to bring the car in for a valve replacement.

I should have gone into the workshop and asked what they were doing, but didn't at the time.

I watched from afar. They jacked up the car and took the black cover of the bottom of the SL7 off. 

They were looking at what I thought from ICE cars would be the front wheels drive shaft (but no Constant Velocity CV joints).

I think they filled 2 rubber pads with silicon and pressed then onto the drive shaft. I know they were filled with silicon as I asked for the car to be cleaned and they said the silicon wouldn't be dry so no clean.

 

Anyone else had this mod. and what's it for?

 

 

(machine translated)

Installing battery cooling valve cover at BYD Harmony center. Pibul Songkram. Thank you for accepting the queue on Sunday. It's raining heavily. I feel comfortable in the rainy season. And I got the white label already. Good service. It takes some time but I take good care. Sell Dream BY DREAM of BYD Pibul.

 

thank you very much for pointing this out ...

 

my byd dealer (nakhon somewhere) has not contacted me ... maybe this “modification” was already done at the 5,000 km service of my byd sl7 three months ago, who knows? were you contacted by byd by letter, line, or phone? did it seem like the request to bring the car to the workshop had to be kind of urgent?

 

thanks a lot for supporting each other, motdaeng

We got an appointment - which we initiated - for this coming Saturday, advised it would take 1 hour.

 

I tend to think this is BYD reacting to some consumer demands, rather than a technical necessity. 

That´s just Thai standard repair. Get used to it. 😉 

Be happy it wasn´t a Lambo

On 9/15/2025 at 1:36 PM, motdaeng said:

thank you very much for pointing this out ...

 

my byd dealer (nakhon somewhere) has not contacted me ... maybe this “modification” was already done at the 5,000 km service of my byd sl7 three months ago, who knows? were you contacted by byd by letter, line, or phone? did it seem like the request to bring the car to the workshop had to be kind of urgent?

 

thanks a lot for supporting each other, motdaeng

Hi. They just rang wifey and said to bring the car in the next Saturday before 1100 for a valve change. 🙂

(Sorry for late reply but sometimes on AN I get a notification of a reply and sometimes not.)

 

10 hours ago, mistral53 said:

We got an appointment - which we initiated - for this coming Saturday, advised it would take 1 hour.

 

I tend to think this is BYD reacting to some consumer demands, rather than a technical necessity. 

 

3 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Hi. They just rang wifey and said to bring the car in the next Saturday before 1100 for a valve change. 🙂

(Sorry for late reply but sometimes on AN I get a notification of a reply and sometimes not.)

 

 

thanks to carlyai and mistral53 for the helpful clarifications …  

 

wishing everyone a good day, motdaeng 

SL7 related. 

 

Also read some info about authorities thinking of banning the flush closing door handles as sometimes the car can't be opened from inside or outside. Implications are that if you are in a crash, maybe you can't get out of the car.

I have noticed that if I'm sitting in the car and it's locked wifey can't get access by pressing on the door handle button, but I think that's to do with the electronic setup. I saw it somewhere when I was looking thru the info system menus.

 

Also read (a while ago) that there is a mechanical button or lever you can press inside the car to open the door. Asked the BYD mechanic where it was and he said 'no have' and that you can always get out by opening the doors....hmmmm.

Will add it to my list of things to do.

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

SL7 related. 

 

Also read some info about authorities thinking of banning the flush closing door handles as sometimes the car can't be opened from inside or outside. Implications are that if you are in a crash, maybe you can't get out of the car.

I have noticed that if I'm sitting in the car and it's locked wifey can't get access by pressing on the door handle button, but I think that's to do with the electronic setup. I saw it somewhere when I was looking thru the info system menus.

 

Also read (a while ago) that there is a mechanical button or lever you can press inside the car to open the door. Asked the BYD mechanic where it was and he said 'no have' and that you can always get out by opening the doors....hmmmm.

Will add it to my list of things to do.

So the SL7 has a mechanical key inside the electronic key.

 

 

There's a little button on the electronic key that opens the key, then you can pop out the mechanical key. This then can open the drivers' door.

I think this is good info incase your car battery goes flat.

Maybe better to set up the info system to leave the car unlocked.

I always used to drive my ICE cars 'doors unlocked' incase of accidents and rescuers can get you out.

16 minutes ago, carlyai said:

So the SL7 has a mechanical key inside the electronic key.

 

 

There's a little button on the electronic key that opens the key, then you can pop out the mechanical key. This then can open the drivers' door.

I think this is good info incase your car battery goes flat.

Maybe better to set up the info system to leave the car unlocked.

I always used to drive my ICE cars 'doors unlocked' incase of accidents and rescuers can get you out.

I think all FOBs have the 'key' inside, as I know our MG does.

 

Our doors auto lock once a certain speed is reached.  Haven't tried unlocking them once lock has engaged.  

 

Don't know why I would, as I believe a more secure door, in case of a major crash and helps keep it from opening.  They can always break the window if it isn't already.   But either beats being ejected from the car, though shouldn't happen if seat belt used.

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I think all FOBs have the 'key' inside, as I know our MG does.

 

Our doors auto lock once a certain speed is reached.  Haven't tried unlocking them once lock has engaged.  

 

Don't know why I would, as I believe a more secure door, in case of a major crash and helps keep it from opening.  They can always break the window if it isn't already.   But either beats being ejected from the car, though shouldn't happen if seat belt used.

I think the seat belts (as you say) will keep you in the car plus the million airbags.

I remember, long time ago, rolling my car and it ended up on the roof. Was dark and raining and I lost it going round a bend. Disoriented and smoke from the hot engine oil and the red dash lights, I thought the car was on fire, so getting out quickly is helpful.

6 hours ago, carlyai said:

SL7 related. 

 

Also read some info about authorities thinking of banning the flush closing door handles as sometimes the car can't be opened from inside or outside. Implications are that if you are in a crash, maybe you can't get out of the car.

I have noticed that if I'm sitting in the car and it's locked wifey can't get access by pressing on the door handle button, but I think that's to do with the electronic setup. I saw it somewhere when I was looking thru the info system menus.

 

Also read (a while ago) that there is a mechanical button or lever you can press inside the car to open the door. Asked the BYD mechanic where it was and he said 'no have' and that you can always get out by opening the doors....hmmmm.

Will add it to my list of things to do.

 

The interior door handles on the SL7 are mechanical, no need for an emergency handle.

 

On a lot of Chinese cars the door locks electrically, unlock/open with a simple electrical push button. In case of an electrical failure, that button might not unlock/open the door, hence all those cars by law have a mechanical door handle, usually hidden under the armrest........ good luck to the TikTok chicks drunk on 'likes' finding that door handle in an emergency....... or old farts disoriented after they rolled their cars over.

 

To take this a step further, some cars have a window crusher handle (e.g. Zeekr 7X) for those very infrequent submarine endeavors. On a more somber note - the automatic 911 call after the airbags deploy are actually quite sensible. 

 

BTW - wifey can always open the door from the inside even when her husband tries to lock her inside - just pull the door handle twice...... but maybe you want keep that a secret? She must be one of the precious one's.........lol

43 minutes ago, mistral53 said:

 

The interior door handles on the SL7 are mechanical, no need for an emergency handle.

 

On a lot of Chinese cars the door locks electrically, unlock/open with a simple electrical push button. In case of an electrical failure, that button might not unlock/open the door, hence all those cars by law have a mechanical door handle, usually hidden under the armrest........ good luck to the TikTok chicks drunk on 'likes' finding that door handle in an emergency....... or old farts disoriented after they rolled their cars over.

 

To take this a step further, some cars have a window crusher handle (e.g. Zeekr 7X) for those very infrequent submarine endeavors. On a more somber note - the automatic 911 call after the airbags deploy are actually quite sensible. 

 

BTW - wifey can always open the door from the inside even when her husband tries to lock her inside - just pull the door handle twice...... but maybe you want keep that a secret? She must be one of the precious one's.........lol

I was a young guy once with my FJ Holden 🙂

 

So to open the inside doors of the SL7 you just pull twice?  I have wondered why I had to pull the handle twice.

But still, if you have a bingle and the battery is dislodged you can't get into the car without the spare key from the electric key?

5 hours ago, carlyai said:

So the SL7 has a mechanical key inside the electronic key.

 

 

There's a little button on the electronic key that opens the key, then you can pop out the mechanical key. This then can open the drivers' door.

I think this is good info incase your car battery goes flat.

Maybe better to set up the info system to leave the car unlocked.

I always used to drive my ICE cars 'doors unlocked' incase of accidents and rescuers can get you out.

What is the white thing on the bottom left.

2 hours ago, carlyai said:

I was a young guy once with my FJ Holden 🙂

 

So to open the inside doors of the SL7 you just pull twice?  I have wondered why I had to pull the handle twice.

But still, if you have a bingle and the battery is dislodged you can't get into the car without the spare key from the electric key?

 

If it's like the Seal you only need to pull twice to open the door if it's locked.

4 hours ago, carlyai said:

I was a young guy once with my FJ Holden 🙂

 

So to open the inside doors of the SL7 you just pull twice?  I have wondered why I had to pull the handle twice.

But still, if you have a bingle and the battery is dislodged you can't get into the car without the spare key from the electric key?

Yes - it is correct, if the car is locked, with a drained 12V the battery, it is necessary to unlock the car with the mechanical spare key - but that has nothing to do with the recessed door handles, that is the same for all cars with electrical central locking.

 

The flush door handles of BYD cars do not need to be extended electrically, if the doors are not locked, push in the front of the handle, the rear part extends, and pulling the handle opens the door fully mechanically. 

I found the keyhole for the key, under the driver side door handle.

Now if I can just find the picture.

 

 

On 9/16/2025 at 9:20 PM, Gottfrid said:

That´s just Thai standard repair. Get used to it. 😉 

Be happy it wasn´t a Lambo

Why do you live here Gottfrid?  You post almost every day and always seem to have something negative to say about Thailand and its people.

3 hours ago, CM Dad said:

Why do you live here Gottfrid?  You post almost every day and always seem to have something negative to say about Thailand and its people.

Why do you care, Daddy? I post every day, yes. But I don´t always have something negative to say about Thailand or it´s people. Far from that. You are delusional!

And, the quote in question that you took as an example. Did I say anything good or bad about Thailand and its people. No, I didn´t, as there was no weight on good or bad. 

What is was, though, was a factual statement that quality of work here, is not very high. Sometimes they just take a part they have that fits, instead of ordering the original part. But, on the other hand, they do that, because most people don´t care and want to pay as small as possible.

Now you know, Daddy! I simply live here because I like it, and I understand how things work. Moreover, I live here with a family I´ve created, with wife and two daughters.

What is your reason?

There is a dash cam retrofit for the SL7 available now, cam and SD card slot upgraded insert, fully integrated into BYD infotainment.

 

Has anybody tried this modification?

 

Available on Shopee for THB 6,500 (I am not sure whether linking is permitted on here)

Here is another question for SL7 owners:

 

Our car is an AWD model, 11,400 km on the odometer, 6 months old. On both sides, the front brake disk still has not cleaned up on the outer rim, about 10 mm wide - has been like this from day one.

 

Anybody else with a SL7 have this same unusual pattern? Or did it clean up? at how many kilometers? 

On 10/29/2025 at 10:59 AM, mistral53 said:

There is a dash cam retrofit for the SL7 available now, cam and SD card slot upgraded insert, fully integrated into BYD infotainment.

 

Has anybody tried this modification?

 

Available on Shopee for THB 6,500 (I am not sure whether linking is permitted on here)

I have been tempted to do some upgrades other than  BYD upgrades (more specifically to have Google Maps on the info system) but last time I checked with BYD they said they didn't do it, so I'm hesitant to install anything on the info system that BYD hasn't done.

1 hour ago, mistral53 said:

Here is another question for SL7 owners:

 

Our car is an AWD model, 11,400 km on the odometer, 6 months old. On both sides, the front brake disk still has not cleaned up on the outer rim, about 10 mm wide - has been like this from day one.

 

Anybody else with a SL7 have this same unusual pattern? Or did it clean up? at how many kilometers? 

i just checked the brake discs for the first time on my sl7 awd after 9 months and 13,000 km ... all four discs are evenly cleaned up. sorry, i have no idea how long it took for them to get like this ...

10 hours ago, motdaeng said:

i just checked the brake discs for the first time on my sl7 awd after 9 months and 13,000 km ... all four discs are evenly cleaned up. sorry, i have no idea how long it took for them to get like this ...

 

Thanks - that looks much better. It is the wife's car, so maybe it is just her driving style, 16.9 kWh/100 km probably means she seldom wastes energy into the brake disks......

8 hours ago, mistral53 said:

 

Thanks - that looks much better. It is the wife's car, so maybe it is just her driving style, 16.9 kWh/100 km probably means she seldom wastes energy into the brake disks......

that's a good explanation ... but i have used 15.8 kwh/100km ... 

 

since i started driving electric, my driving style has changed, more relaxed and floating over the road ... at least most of the time ... 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, motdaeng said:

that's a good explanation ... but i have used 15.8 kwh/100km ... 

 

since i started driving electric, my driving style has changed, more relaxed and floating over the road ... at least most of the time ... 

 

 

 

 

Nooooo way..........lol! You must be living up on a hill and only drive down-hill......

 

I honestly never thought such numbers are possible - you exceed CLTC level, my respect!